Chances, But Not Really!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>I APOLOGIZE FOR THE VERBAL DIARRHEA IN ADVANCE! =)</p>

<p>All right, now you could call this a chances thread, but I'm sure some people will tell me that it will be better to wait until I have a couple of more stats. However, I'm a junior and the pressure of college admissions being a mere 10-11 months away is starting to get to me, and it doesn't help coming to CC and seeing all the amazing applicants with 2400 and 4.0's.
Well, here it goes; a chances, thread, but not really (hence the title).
Now, please be honest, should I even apply? Is Princeton right for the type of student or person I am?</p>

<p>Location: Michigan
Ethnicity: Hispanic immigrant (Cuban)
Sex: Female
First generation college student, and I will be needing financial aid since my parents cannot afford to help me pay for college.</p>

<p>GPA (UW): 4.0 (This will, unfortunately, change to a 3.9, since FST is kicking my butt. I will keep it at a 3.9, though.)
GPA (W): 4.056
Rank: 1/491</p>

<p>I've taken the hardest courses available at my school, which by the way is very urban and inner city-like. We are considered by Johns Hopkins to be a drop out factory, which pretty much says it all. Because of this, I haven't had the best academic leadership in terms of counselors or teachers.</p>

<p>I'm registered to take the SAT and SAT II's in US History, World History, and Literature in 2008. ****** Now this is the root of my worries. I am feeling utterly hopeless about the SAT's. I've been taking practice tests, but my Verbal section is always less than stellar for Princeton's taste and let's not even talk about Math. Will this keep me out of Princeton? BTW, I know I can get 750 and more on the Subject Tests, but I'm not sure if my SAT I will even reach the 2000 mark. Also, I can't afford a tutor, so I'm basically self-studying the SAT's.******</p>

<p>APs:
10th
AP US History (5)</p>

<p>11th
AP Biology
AP American Gov.
AP Spanish (Self-study)
AP Psychology (Self-study)</p>

<p>12th
AP Stats
AP Environmental Science
AP Statistics
AP English
AP European History
AP Comparative Gov. (Self-study)</p>

<p>ECs:
Editor-in-Chief of high school newspaper
Academic Decathlon
Student Council (Will be in a leadership senior year)
Excellers (In the process of organizing a large event for diversity in our school, which will include a concert.)
- President
County Youth Commission
-Secretary
- Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee
- Chair of the Government Education Committee
NHS (Expecting a leadership position next year.)
4-H Peer Mentoring Program
-Mentor a youth one hour a week.
****** Right now, I'm in the process of starting a peer education program for middle schoolers and high schoolers with Michigan's 4-H. I'm also hoping to organize a book fair for my local city in order to raise money fro youth groups and youth charities. I'm still waiting for my proposition to get approved.
Now, I think that my "passion" is education and, in the future, I want to blend that with the arts and television. I've recently become interested in dancing and performing arts in general. I will be starting dance classes in the summer.</p>

<p>Community Service
192+ volunteer hours</p>

<ul>
<li>Volunteer at a local library
(May 2006 - December 2006)</li>
</ul>

<p>Work Experience:
Library Page at a local library; 10 hours/week.</p>

<p>Awards:
Honor Roll
Ventures Scholar
Sophomore of the Year (School Award)
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Speech
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Interview
Academic Decathlon Highest Team Scorer</p>

<p>Well... chance away!</p>

2

<p>I think your SATs will either make or break you. But, honestly, it's only your junior year! While you should be staying focused and achieving your best, by no means should you be stressed about college admissions. Enjoy your junior year while it's still here, because senior year is all work.</p>

3

<p>I am a parent of a current student at Pton who did not have extrememly high SATS. You must really explain on your application the KIND of high school you are at...and the lack of guidance, etc. Also, read the post on
Ricardo Lopez and consider applying to that National Student search that he applied to. There is a post with the name of the program on CC. Finally, do not be intimidated. Pton rewards a lot for effort: you sound like you are doing all that you can at your school. Also, there are some free tutoring programs for SATs...go online and explore if there are any in your area. Finally, you would do fine at Pton. My son has an A minus average and is doing great .</p>

4

<p>I agree with KFCOMEDY. You are in a special situation given your socio-economic background and the kind of high school you attend. As long as you make these disadvantages very clear to Princeton in your application, I think you have a very good shot at impressing the admissions officers. You should be applauded for how much you have been able to accomplish given the circumstances. That said, continue working hard on your SATs, because, as much as we might all like to deny it or wish it were otherwise, they play a big part in college admissions.</p>

5

<p>You created an identical topic on the Columbia forum.
Looks like you're spewing diarrhea everywhere, eh?</p>

6

<p>Have you ever thought of taking the ACTs instead of the SAT? The ACT is more like the SAT Subject Tests. While the SAT Reasoning Test strives more to test your intellect and innate talent, the SAT Subjects and the ACT strive to test how well you have learned your material in high school. So if you are doing very well on the SAT Subject Tests, I would suggest taking some practice tests for the ACT. If you do well on those, you might want to consider canceling your registration for the SAT and taking the ACT instead. Most colleges (Princeton being one of them) only require that you take either the ACT or the SAT, so it will not matter if you haven't taken the SAT Reasoning Test.</p>

<p>However, if you do well on the ACT, DO NOT take the SAT I. If you send in scores from the Subject Tests, scores from the Reasoning test are sent in as well, meaning that a lower score from the SAT may be sent in, even though you may not want it to. If you do good on the ACT, you will be fine without sending in your lower SAT scores.</p>

<p>Otherwise, you have fairly good stats and ECs. No one can be guaranteed anything when it comes to a top school like Princeton, but if you can get some good test scores, you have a fair shot at it. Good luck =]</p>

7

<p>I'm only making threads on the forums of schools I would like to attend the most, Columbia included, kwu. I am going to be taking the ACT in March, and if I do better on the ACT than the SAT, I will not send SAT scores. Is the ACT generally a bit easier than the ACT? So does that mean that admissions officers will still see the low SAT scores, but won't count it against me?</p>

<p>Any more advice? Thanks to everyone who has helped.</p>

8

<p>once you take the SAT I, Princeton will have to see it becuase it will get sent in automatically with your SAT II scores (which are required). so wd90 was suggesting that you take the ACT first, see how you do, and if you're happy with that score, don't take the SAT I at all. if you were to take the SAT I first, then take the ACT, your SAT I score (which you presumably didn't like...) would still be sent in with your SAT IIs.</p>

9

<p>The problem is I already registered for the SAT March 1st and the ACT on March 11. So, there's really not a lot I can do. =(</p>

10

<p>Well, just because you signed up doesn't mean you have to take it. It depends on how important that money is to you. If you don't show up, they simply cancel your registration, no scores sent or anything.</p>

11

<p>I'm sure you can cancel ahead of time. The most you'll lose is your money. However it is early enough for you to practice for the tests and review. What they say about the ACT first is true. If you do well enough, then it's only SAT IIs left to do. How did you do in the PSAT? That will be the first indication of what to practice. That you have been able to excell in a school with the problems yours has is a tremendous plus, then again, surviving in the "socialist paradise" must have been a lot tougher.</p>

12

<p>Well, I signed up for the Jan. 26 and March 1st SATs. I would lose a lot of money if I didn't take at least one, and then if I didn't score high on the ACT I would have to pay for the SAT again. Should I just take the March 1st exam and still send the ACT and hope they only look at the ACT? They take the highest of the two exams, don't they? I'm sure I can score higher on the ACT.</p>

13

<p>Call Collegeboard and ask if you can get a refund for the March date. I know their policy is to give no refunds when you are within a few weeks of the test, but I don't know if they'll give you a refund if you call them early enough. It's worth a try.</p>

14

<p>All right, I changed the SAT to May 3rd. When can I expect my ACT scores back if I take it May 11?</p>

15

<p>I never took the ACT, so someone else will have to verify this, but I think it usually takes 2-3 weeks.</p>

16

<p>All right, thanks for all the great advice and compliments! I also received some great news; I was able to find a respectable tutoring service for the ACT, and their price is low enough for me to pay from my measly minimum wage. Hopefully, that gives me the extra boost I need. I'll let everyone know how I do on the ACT.</p>

17

<p>So are you still taking the SAT before the ACT?</p>

18

<p>No, I will take the ACT first, then the SAT. However, if I get the ACT scores before May 3rd, should I even take the SAT (providing that I get at least a 30 on the ACT)?</p>

19

<p>Well I'd say a 30 is roughly equivalent to what you were getting on the SAT, so it wouldn't hurt. But a 32+ would be a good cut-off, I'd say.</p>

20

<p>technically, i took 1 satp rep class at my school (not the $800 kind), which was completely useless b/c the teacher for the verbal--that i needed help for--was the uber friendly kind so we talked about the duke lax case for > half the time, and it didnt help me. my SAT stayed in the 1800s or so. when i registered to take the test in jan., from nov-jan, i took PTs--at least once a week. i know you say you can't afford it, but i thnk borrowing the PR's 11 PT book will really help. in total, i took like 12 full length PTs, and my score went up >400 pts</p>