Chances at NYU, BU, GWU, Columbia, Barnard, Northwestern, etc.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi! I'm looking for some feedback on my chances at these schools. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>17 year old Jewish white female from Albany, NY. Considering a degree in business or economics.</p>

<p>SAT: 1520 (730 V, 790 M)
SAT II: 790 Writing, 720 US History, 720 Math IC (hoping they don't look at my two Math IIC scores of 630 and 640)
GPA: 3.8 at extremely competitive public high school
School does not rank, presumably in top 10% though</p>

<p>Classes taken: AP Calc, AP US History, AP World History, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Spanish, Biology, Earth Science, Pre-Calc, 1st chair alto saxophone in Band, Choir. </p>

<p>Senior classes: AP Statistics, AP Physics (although thinking of switching to Regents Physics because my teacher is terrible and my grades suck), Economics, Participation in Government, Contemporary Literature, etc.</p>

<p>AP Scores: World History-5. US History-4. AB Calc-2 (long story here...my teacher got very sick and left school so all of our AB Calc classes had no teacher for about 3 months, leaving us all screwed for the exam. 75% of students in my class got 1 on this exam. An explanation of this situation is being included in my guidance counselor's report). </p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
12 years piano lessons
5 years alto saxophone lessons
3 years voice lessons
Started internet business in early 2003, current revenue exceeds $10,000
Some summer acting programs
Community service at local library
School Yearbook Committee
Student Council
Saxophone Quartet</p>

<p>National Merit Commended Scholar (1370 PSAT)
Johns Hopkins Talent Search State Award Winner
Selected for All-Area Choir
NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) competition grades of 98 and 99 on soprano voice.
Participant in several other invitation only voice-competitions</p>

<p>Probably some other stuff I can't think of right now as well...</p>

<p>Essay is about my love for tuna fish (weird I know)
Decent recommendations I presume, I don't get to read them</p>

<p>Here is my current college list. I know many of these are reaches, but I am just looking for some feedback:</p>

<p>New York University
Barnard College
Columbia University
Boston University
Tufts University
George Washington University
Georgetown University (early action)
Northwestern University</p>

<p>Sorry this is so long, thanks for all your help!</p>

2

<p>bump...please help!</p>

3

<p>you will for sure get into GW, BU, TUFTS, and prob NYU but the others are reaches for everyone but you are very competitive so good luck</p>

4

<p>Your scores/stats are decent enough but your extracurriculars need some work. Colleges don't care if you took lessons - they want to know what you did after all those lessons, and it doesn't sound like much to me. Not trying to be harsh, but if you want to make NYU a reality you better come up with a lot more extracurriculars, volunteering, ect. It also sounds like you are only active in the arts which is a down side. You need a little bit more well-rounded application</p>

5

<p>If you look at my record more carefully you will see I did do a good bit after taking lessons for a while. For voice, I participated in two NYSSMA competitions, received grades of 98 and 99, and was granted admission to the Area-All State choir because of this. I also participated in several competitions and participated in both the regular and select choirs at school. I also participated in NYSSMA for alto saxophone and received a grade of 98, joined the school saxophone quartet and marching band, and participated in the applied music program.</p>

<p>I really don't know what other extracurriculars are realistic for me to do right now. This is basically my final record, I have turned my resume into my school and that is where all of these activities are explained. I am applying to many business schools and I figured that entrepreneuring my own internet business would definitely be a plus with them.</p>

<p>I know that most of these schools are definite reaches, but I really thought from what I had done that NYU was a realistic good-fit school.</p>

6

<p>I think you're likely in at NYU and Barnard, though at most women's colleges they're more likely to care about your essays, Columbia is a definite reach becuase even though you are in all-state choir, you seem to be lacking real passion, you're probably in at the rest,unless tufts syndrome appears</p>

7

<p>Tufts is not one of my first choices anyway, my realistic top choices are NYU, Barnard, and Columbia. I know that Columbia is a reach and that it's a toss up for everyone, and I will not be crushed if I don't get in. BU and GWU are definitely more of my safety schools, I hope to receive a significant amount of merit scholarship money if I'm admitted to those, because I know that doesn't happen often at NYU. Georgetown and Northwestern I know are both also reaches and neither is a top choice so again I won't be crushed.</p>

<p>I guess I'm just not good at evaluating this stuff, because I really feel like I do have a passion in music (especially singing) but obviously nobody else sees that and it's a bit depressing. Thanks for your continued feedback.</p>

<p>Kiki</p>

8

<p>i see your passion is music, but you have to really bring that out in your essays</p>

9

<p>Well, as I said, my main essay that I will submit nearly everywhere is not about music; I thought that might be a cliched topic and wouldn't make me stand out as much. I also have a passion for my internet business. I started with about $50 in my pocket and have made revenues in excess of $10,000. For Georgetown I am submitting additional essays about both music and my business because they were requested, but the other schools do not request these additional essays. Should I submit them anyway? I feel they are well written and may help them understand my true passions.</p>

10

<p>only have supplementary essays if they have it as an option</p>

11

<p>Anybody else? I'm looking to get as many opinions as I can. Thanks!</p>

12

<p>bump...please?</p>

13

<p>I'm interested in starting my own business, but I'm not sure where to start. No one I know has any knowledge - please send me a message to help. Thanks.</p>

<p>NYU-Safety/Reach
BU-safety
GWU-safety
Barnard- I'm from CA, so don't know (probably in?)
Northwestern-Reach</p>

14

<p>Your internet business seems to be a great hook. . .you should be in at most of those schools. Is the 3.8 GPA unweighted or weighted?</p>

15

<p>DJB-
How is NYU both a safety and a reach? Sorry, don't understand that. neobez, 3.8 is my unweighted average (93/100). I do not know my weighted average, my school doesn't provide that on the transcript I got.</p>

<p>Any other input?</p>

<p>Kiki</p>

16

<p>Please, other opinions?</p>

17

<p>Nobody else?</p>

18

<p>Chances are as follows:</p>

<p>New York University...Good
Barnard College...Good
Columbia University...Iffy
Boston University...Very Good
Tufts University...Okay
George Washington University...Very Good
Georgetown University (early action)...Okay
Northwestern University...Iffy</p>

<p>Just my 2 cents. Hope this helps.</p>

19

<p>Blaineko-
Thanks for your input, that's about what I was thinking; GW and Boston are safeties, NYU, Tufts, and possibly Barnard as good matches, and Northwestern, Georgetown, and Columbia as reaches. Thanks for your post :-)</p>

<p>Kiki</p>

20

<p>Kiki:</p>

<p>No problem. Also, you might want to look at a couple of LACs, although if you are more of university person your list is a good one. :)</p>