<p>Okay, I know it's EXTREMELY hard to get accepted, but I was wondering if anyone could give a shot at my chances.</p>
<p>Alright, academically, no, I would have no chance, but I have very strong non-academic credentials that I feel could set me apart.</p>
<p>My GPA is about 3.5 and my SATs are iffy (Around 1700).</p>
<p>This is what it will look like come Senior year (Im a junior)</p>
<p>-2 years school Newspaper
-2 years writing for an NFL (National Football League) scouting agency. The top one of the country. Working for this company is like working for the Harvard of scouting companies and I'm only 17.
-2 years writing for the NFL draft preview magazine for a MAJOR sports magazine (I can't disclose who do to contract obligations)
-1 year for an independent draft website
-Several national radio appearences so-far (ESPN Radio national appearence, ESPN radio in Baltimore, and other various stations in Reno, St. Louis, Richmond etc...
-1 TV appearence on Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN); I will also be doing more.
-My letters of recommendation will most likely be from higher-ups within ESPN, several famous radio anchors, the boss of my company and more</p>
<p>I don't know if any of you know who Mel Kiper is, but I've basically been dubbed the next him.</p>
<p>What do you all think of my chances?</p>
<p>Like, I'm not trying to brag or be cocky or anything, but.... I'm pretty big ***** amongst the field of NFL scouting.</p>
<p>Everyone always talks about how alot of times schools will take the "Unique" student over the super academics kid. I think I could be that case.</p>
<p>Besides all of this, I also do alot of work with tourette syndrome (Which I have)</p>
<p>Maybe set aside some time and practice for the SAT - it's very possible to raise your score.</p>
<p>Additionally, a common misconception is that if you get some hotshot to write your recommendation, you are at a big advantage. It's WHAT they write, not WHO writes it, so choose your recommenders wisely.</p>
<p>Question, alot of times schools say that you have to reach certain academic requirments to get into a certain program (GPA, SATs, Class Rank Percentile etc...)</p>
<p>My question is, do some schools make acceptions or do you ABSOLUTELY have to meet those requirments?</p>
<p>In terms of SAT scores, I think at best I can raise them to an 1800 but nothing more. I struggle with standarnized testing and their's really nothing I can do. </p>
<p>if you REALLY want to go to sc just put in the extra time and effort to raise your gpa. while i'm morally against those ridiculously overpriced SAT tutors, there is a lot you can do on your own with time+energy+prep book. i highly doubt that your score from jr. year to mid sr. year can ONLY rise by 100 pts.</p>
<p>Constant scouting which consists of me watching game film, watching the NFL combine, and going to colleges across the East Coast to watch player workouts</p>
<p>Writing up my scouting reports</p>
<p>Radio & TV appearences</p>
<p>Writing for my schools paper</p>
<p>And balancing that all out with my schoolwork, my youth group which I am highly active in and my regular life, It's alot to handle</p>
<p>I am currently taking the Kaplan course though.</p>
<p>I would say you probably would not get in. You do have some nice extracurriculars, but you seem overconfident, which would likely show through on the essays. As well, your SATs and significantly lower than the average at USC. If you can pick up your SATs to around 1900 your chances would increase a lot. Just curious, are you applying this year or next?</p>
<p>If you are from California, you could have an excellent chance to get in to a really good UC, possibly even UCLA. The public schools seem to like stories like yours. Write some incredible essays and give it a try. </p>
<p>Though you might not have received much encouragement here, apply to USC anyway- you never know!</p>
<p>Wow. Maryland has a great j-school! And I would say you are definitely in there.</p>
<p>As far as USC...I think they do care about ECs, and I think you have some really cool ones. At the same time, just keep working hard this year and next year. If you can pull off good grades your last two years, that works really well in your favor. A 3.5 really isn't that low. I don't think just because of that you would be rejected from USC.</p>
<p>Now, it's the SAT score that IS iffy. Try taking the ACT, as well as prepping. I didn't find that the courses helped much, but then again they do cater to helping increase slightly lower scores. If you put in the time to do the practice problems, especially math and writing (verbal is a bit more difficult to prep for), I think you can do very well. A 1900, 3.5, and ECs like yours...my guess is that you would be in.</p>
<p>your EC's are amazing, yes, but try your best to bring up your GPA and SAT score. Although many schools like USC may not deny you immediately because your stats are low, your chances are still wayyyy better if you bring them up. :)</p>
<p>You must be a well-rounded individual who exceeds beyond the classrooms, not JUST outside of the classrooms. </p>
<p>You may think you're an unique student to USC, but trust me there are probably way more kids like you out there with very similar achievements outside of the classrooms. </p>
<p>For example, I'm a senior this year and I'm kind of in your position.. my SAT I is 1900, unweighted GPA 3.6... but I published numerous articles in Chinese national newspaper, American teen magazines, etc. I've been natioinally recognized by the Chinese government for organizing English classes for orphan kids, I work 4 jobs to develope conceptual skills, trilingual interpreter for companies, etc. </p>
<p>but to be honest with u? </p>
<p>I really don't think my chances are any better than someone who got 2350 SAT score and a 4.0 unweighted GPA. </p>
<p>So you still have a chance to bring up ur stats, good luck!!</p>
<p>My ECs, though not as outstanding, are kinda similar to yours- I'm a music review/features writer for a major regional newspaper. I've gotten the opportunity to interview numerous bands and in turn, write feature stories on them... while also being editor-in-chief of my schol newspaper, winning journalism awards in Texas, and interning at a major newspaper. What I'm getting at is that though my ECs are pretty strong journalism wise, I bet there are numerous applicants to Annenberg with the same strength of journalism extracurricular along with the high SAT scores and GPA. Don't count on your ECs only-- you have to have the grades to back them up. However, if your clips are very strong writing wise (because honestly, who cares if an article was ran in a major magazine/newspaper if it wasn't well written?) then I'd say go ahead and send them into USC and they could really add to your applicaiton.</p>
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It's kind of a combination of the fact that 1.) I hate Maryland and 2.) I want to get away from Maryland
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<p>That was me too, at first. But then I realized it was kind of an immature way of looking at things. For you it might not be, if you have the money to attend USC/love Los Angeles/want to work there for the rest of your life/etc. But none of those really apply to me. Personally it's going to be tough to choose between USC and CP.</p>
<p>Good chances, depending on how you exploit what you've already done. Obviously you have a very focused passion which you appear to have exploited to a level few others can likely match.</p>
<p>The obvious question is, does that offset your mundane SAT and unspectacular GPA? Well, it depends. For reference, USC's 2005 CDS states that 47% and 44% of their undergraduate admits for that year had SAT scores from 500-599 in verbal and math respectively, which actually puts you in an average(ish) range for the university (extrapolating as if those were average section scores, putting that range somewhere from 1500-1800 on the 2400 scale composite). How those stats changed for the class of 2006 I don't know. Also, the J-school is competitive, so the overall university's stats may not accurately reflect for it.</p>
<p>To ensure your good chances, do the following:</p>
<p>1) Try to improve your SAT. Just letting it stew for a while may actually be all that it take for a fairly significant improvement. Do what you can to help it, by preparing at least a little bit for it.</p>
<p>2) As has been said, it's not who writes your reference for you, but what they write. Would a reference from someone high up in ESPN look better than one from (for example) a local high school teacher? Only if the ESPN one recommends you equally or better. If you could find someone high up in ESPN who could call you the next Mel Kiper, you'd be set. ;)</p>
<p>3) As Foil_ mentioned, don't come across as too self-assured on your essays. having to say "I don't want to brag" on a chances post likely means you need to change your tone a little bit. Don't downplay your obviously excellent achievements, but don't focus so much on what you have achieved as what you'd like to do with it, imo.</p>
<p>All that done, I would give you a good shot.</p>
<p>And now that I have seen the 2006 freshman profile, which has 50% ranges 1960-2220 composite, my advice only changes slightly: you should definitely try to bring up the SAT. It doesn't change my overall impression though.</p>
<p>I agree with a lot of the above posters - I think you do have a decent shot.</p>
<p>I just got accepted as a print journalism major with a 3.4 UW GPA (although, admittedly, I had a 2310 SAT to balance it out). I also have a very strong journalism background, although not one that's quite as impressive as yours.</p>
<p>Is there a reason your GPA is where it is (e.g. exceptionally tough school, personal/family issues, etc.)? If so, be sure to mention it. Try to prep for the SAT if you can - if you only have one weak spot on your app, you're in a much better place than if you have two. But if everything else is strong - great essays that show your interest in journalism (and I agree, maybe tone done the attitude a little bit - show, don't tell), good recommendation, and so on, then you have a chance.</p>
<p>My advice though, is to try to apply to a fairly wide range of schools - Northwestern would be a reach as well, but you could look at other schools with J programs - maybe BU? Because your profile is so lopsided, admissions are probably even more of a crapshoot for you than the average applicant. Good luck!</p>
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Is there a reason your GPA is where it is (e.g. [bold]exceptionally tough school[\bold], personal/family issues, etc.)?
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<p>Personally, I don't think you should mention you go a tough school because A) You probably have no idea what a hard school is, unless you've been to over 10 schools.... B) So many people say this that it probably has lost all meaning to the admission's officers.... and C) the admission's officers know what schools are difficult, and which ones are known to be easy.</p>