<p>During the end of my sophmore and through my junior year my father was deported because he was technically an illegal immigrant. I had to see him in jail for 2 months for just trying to keep food on the table for us. He is still gone and we don't anticipate him to have paperwork done until i graduate. Since then, my mom and my 2 brothers have moved to a smaller apartment and our income has been cut to about 30,000 a year. My mom has taken a lot more load and that meant i had to take care of my brothers significantly b/c i was the oldest. I also got a hardship license at the age of 15 b/c my mom needed me to drive. This extra time providing for my brothers has taken a toll on my academics those years. I had a 3.4 and 3.7 weighted GPA. However, I've managed to get my head straight during Jr. Year despite the circumstances and responsibilities and get a 4.55 both semesters. Here's my resume</p>
<p>3.6 weighted GPA (I go to Plano one of the hardest school districts in Texas)
33 ACT
1200 SAT out of 1600 (I know its bad but prep costs lots of money :( )
4 years top orchestra
4 years All Region Violin
All state Violinist
Secretary and President of Orchestra (senior yr)
200 hrs of volunteer service
Big Brother and Big Sisters volunteer
Church Praise Band for 9th and 10th grade, Church Orchestra Director 11th and 12th
2 jobs during highschool yrs (umpire and cashier)
SAT II:
US history: 780 French: 750 Math: 780
I have taken 9 AP courses and have progressively done better
Also JV baseball for one year</p>
<p>Ive hurd that this process is very competitive and want to know if it would beworth trying?</p>
<p>You definitely have a good shot. At least at becoming a Finalist, where it’s at anyway. Go ahead and apply! It doesn’t cost anything and if you aren’t selected, then at least you have three essays already written for when you start filling out the CommonApp!</p>
<p>Agree completely. Very good story that will definitely be taken into account. Your ACT is quite a bit better, so don’t feel compelled to send your SAT. </p>
<p><a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/act-sat-concordance-tables.pdf</a></p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>I got in with a little more money, fewer EC’s, fewer AP’s, no community service, and only 2/3 good essays.</p>
<p>Don’t fret, you’re golden.</p>
<p>so just to be sure…if i dont get matched with questbridge i can still apply to the same university separately?</p>
<p>If you dont get matched you can have your app forwarded to the college. BTW, get the SAT official blue book of you want to try. You can get fee waivers for the SAT too.</p>
<p>Definitely do questbridge. You have a good chance at becoming a finalist.</p>
<p>I did questbridge on a whim, and ended up becoming a finalist, but I did not receive the scholarship. Questbridge, however, forced me to do everything so early: I was experienced in how to do an app, organized all of my extra-curriculars, got my counselor+ teacher recs done early on, and had several essays that I could reuse with later college apps.</p>
<p>Now, I’ve already been accepted to UChicago, Notre Dame, and Northwestern, and I just have to wait for April to hear from the others.</p>
<p>Btw, what HS do you attend? I am also in PISD :P</p>
<p>^ Agreed</p>
<p>I didn’t think I even had a shot of applying to top schools until I saw Questbridge.</p>
<p>It certainly can’t hurt. I wouldn’t have been able to apply to many schools without Questbridge’s free applications.</p>
<p>@Panther Pride…I got to Plano West and im guessing you went to east? 
Thanks for the advice everyone really appreciate it.</p>