Chances for a mediocre student

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Christian female class of '08
Competitive suburban public school in New York
Half Pakistani (father came from Pakistan in his 20s) and half white
Neither parent has a college degree (will that hurt me or help me in anyway?)
About 400 students in my class
Average as of the end of junior year: 90 (on a 100 scale obviously)
My school does not weight GPAs
Top 25% of class
SAT 1: 1810
CR: 620
Math: 570
Writing: 620
Plan on retaking, especially for math. Also plan on taking the ACTs
SAT 2s: USH, 700. Bio, 650.
More to take this fall</p>

<p>Summa Cum laude (gold medal) on every National Latin Exam each year (9-present)</p>

<p>Senior schedule
AP lit, Economy and government, SUPA forensics, College accounting, AP spanish, latin 4, Precalculus, Orchestra</p>

<p>In addition, I am the top violinist in my school, and this coming fall when I am a senior, I'll be the concert mistress of the huge orchestra we have</p>

<p>Outside of school:
-I've been working outside of school for the past 3 years. First at a salon, and now at a local grocery store which I've been doing now for more than one year, about 15 hrs a week during school year and 40 during the summer (i know it's a lot)
-Participated in various volunteer services (through the boys and girls club, and i've performed violin at various events, helped at hospitals, gone to senior centers, done soup kitchens, helped spanish speaking kids learn to speak english etc.)
-Member of international club and fashion club
-After school I am a part of a selective orchestra, and we've performed at various places including Carnegie Hall
-I've done NYSSMA every year (optional annual music assessment/competition for music) and participated in All-County and All-State orchestra since I was in 4th grade
-Private violin lessons since I was 10
-Tennis lessons since 9th grade (Nothing intense but I thought I'd add it in)
-Will join cross country for the first time this fall (wish me luck!)</p>

<p>I am interested in International Business as a major, and if available, violin as a minor but it's not completely necessary for me.</p>

<p>Some colleges I'm interested in:
Fordham University
Michigan State University
Boston University
Florida International University
University of Miami
SUNY New Paltz
Butler
Brandeis</p>

<p>Where am I reaching too high? ...Too low? Any feed back would be great. Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>Safety:
- FIU
- SUNY
- Butler</p>

<p>Match:
- Michigan State
- Fordham</p>

<p>Match/Reach:
- BU
- UM</p>

<p>Reach:
- Brandeis: though its imo a huge reach. I would reccommend Boston College instead. </p>

<p>About your safeties:
Listen I think you should aim for higher/more prestigous schools in that category.
- Indiana University: easy to get in and nationaly ranked school. this should replace butler.
- SUNY is fine as its a state school and thus transfers into cheaper costs.
- FIU I would scratch. despite OOS tuition being so high, and academics at the 4th tier, its a commuter school and not the best atmosphere for a live in student. For a local its a great school but I just wouldnt reccommend it for an OOS'er. Go with UMiami instead.
- consider adding Purdue University.
- another option is UMass (amherst).
those schools provide that residential college atmosphere and school spirit not present at FIU and Butler. also quality in academics is way higher at these schools. </p>

<p>As for your matches:
Boston University is an awesome place despite its lacking campus and it also has great academics.
Michigan State and University of Miami are two schools I applied to.. It was tough picking between them but ended up goign to UMiami. anyways I think both schools are great schools. University of Miami seems to have done tremendous work on repairing the image it had in the 80's as the SUn tan U and is now a Top 50 school with high endowments, selectivity, research funding etc..
I guess the only negative about UMiami is its not a college town but again, it still has lots of stuff to do for a college student. Michigan State is in the middle of nowhere but still the college town vibe is quite fun.</p>

<p>Also u might wanna consider:
- University of Florida.
- Florida State</p>

3

<p>Rasberry... You have some pretty good scores, and I am sure that colleges will see that you are an active person. On that note some schools will not even ask for your ec's and they will just ask you for your stats. I know that Indiana University at Bloomington does that and they are a very prestigious school in Business. As far as florida schools are, I would recommend not going but I have to admit the life there is really nice, yet you have to look at what you ultimately want to do. You want to build a really strong network. Boston is a good school, UB, Boston College is harder to get into but good. Fordham I know is great, but you have to look economically were you can go. If a school is too much on tuition then I highly do not recommend it. What you should do is everytime you look into a college, go to these three sties. 1.) <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.collegeboard.com&lt;/a>, and search for the school and their admissons dept. have posted the scores of the freshman year students. 2.) Studentsreview.com, don't base your school completely off of this site but use it to help your search. You will like this site once you get their. 3.) TheU.com, this site is just to show you what the party scene is like they might have a few videos, and its just to see what the social scene is like. If you have any questions feel free to send me a PM. or reply. Good Luck with XCountry. I have a bunch of other schools if your interested.</p>

4

<p>thank you guys so much for the great advice!</p>

5

<p>Rasberry... It was actually very interesting that you are half pakistani, as a matter of fact my parents are pakistani, and they might have gone to a college but it definitely was not in the US. I know that some schools do take that into account but not all. I know that a lot of the upper class schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford..) they do take that into account because they want real quality people, but not as high ranking colleges look at that kind of information when they are deciding between people, so keep that in mind. I myself was actually looking into some of the schools that you were as well. You might want to visit some of these schools and just talk to the admissions councelors over the phone or in person that is helping me out a lot. If you visit the school they keep record of it. I am still actually trying to go and visit Fordham and Pace to just look around, at some point time if I can get off of Fball practice which is almost impossible. But you definitely should go to visit some schools if you are free. Good Luck.</p>

6

<p>I feel Florida has some very good schools. Definately a good quality of life.. great weather and great outdoors (ocean). </p>

<p>However I only really reccommend 5 schools in Florida. the rest imo are not worth the while:</p>

<ul>
<li>University of Florida: ranked #47 in US</li>
<li>University of Miami (Coral Gables, Fl): Ranked #54 in the U.S</li>
<li>Florida State: ranked #110 in the U.S but should improve</li>
</ul>

<p>On a Lower scale:
- USF: 3rd tier but rapidly improving
- UCF: 3rd tier but rapidly improving</p>

<p>I know plenty of ppl that have graduated from UM, FSU and UF and have become very successfull. These schools are the best Schools in Florida that attract the best jobs in Florida to its students (and Florida does have many large cities and a booming economy). These schools have most programs u can images (Medical school, business, law, engineering, architecture, music, journalism, communications etc...). They recieve lots of endowments and research funding and finally have lots of support from their relative communities.
I would definately reccommend them.</p>

<p>Molten im just curious why u wouldnt reccommend Florida schools?
I wouldnt reccommend many florida schools (example: FIU) but still the big 3 schools (UF,UM, FSU) are really good schools ranked in the 1st tier of american colleges.</p>

7

<p>No chance at UF, and Brandeis. BU is a reach.</p>

8

<p>Arcata07 ranks your chances very well and makes excellent suggestions for schools.</p>

<p>The fact that neither parent went to college should actually help your chances at some of the more competitive schools (Brandeis, Boston College), but you need to realize that your 90/100 score is equivalent to about a 3.5 UW GPA--and averages at those schools are about a 3.65 UW (Boston College) and 3.7 UW (Bradeis). </p>

<p>Besides Boston University, Fordham, Univ of Florida, Boston College, Miami (FL), Indiana University, and Purdue, another few International Business programs you could try for would be at NYU or USC (reach, but worth a shot) and University of South Carolina (one of the best international programs in the country). Also, consider Oregon as a safety, since it also has a wonderful International Business program (just rains too much in Oregon for me).</p>

<p>I know this is a long list and you probably won't want to apply to all of these--but consider this list as a starting point for possible colleges to apply to.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

9

<p>Rasperry, lemme tell u one thing.... BE CAREFUL...
I hate how ppl like Lobos can so easily comment "no chance" at a school.</p>

<p>In this case, to say u have no chance at UF is insane. To say that BU is a reach is pretty off par as well. </p>

<p>Listen apply to UF... you have a good shot.</p>

<p>As to BU. its a match. dont worry bout it... Apply... I am almost sure u will get in. I know plenty of ppl who got in with a 3.0-3.3 average and SATs below 1800. Heck why dont u ask Lobos. He himself got in with stats lower than urs. </p>

<p>Im actually very optimistic... I hate to be pessimistic in CC because ppl might get really discouraged.
Im not crazy. others such as Calcruzer agree with me.. You have a GREAT shot at most of those schools. </p>

<p>Miami, BostonU, Fordham, UF... those schools are all great schools. You have a great shot at all of them. they are solid matches. I know kids such as myself that got into several of the schools on ur list with similar stats. I know many ppl that applied to those schools on ur lists and all had similar if not lower stats than urs and got in. DO NOT WORRY.</p>

10

<p>In Florida, the top earners graduated from Florida International University—not the flagship Gainesville campus.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15078635/site/newsweek/?GT1=8618%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15078635/site/newsweek/?GT1=8618&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

11

<p>I agree acarta lobos has known to have done certain things like absoultely no chance.... Always try and like I said talk to some admissions counselors and places like this to help get what you need to help your chances in getting in.</p>

12

<p>
[quote]
As to BU. its a match. dont worry bout it... Apply... I am almost sure u will get in. I know plenty of ppl who got in with a 3.0-3.3 average and SATs below 1800. Heck why dont u ask Lobos. He himself got in with stats lower than urs.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's because I (and likely the people you mention) got into CGS, not COM or CAS.</p>

<p>COM/CAS/SMG/Etc. is a reach.</p>

<p>UF is a reach. UF out of state is extremely difficult to achieve. I'd think you would know a little bit more about your own state's schools.</p>

13

<p>thanks everyone for your input. i put brandeis on there because i heard that it has a large population of jewish people and that although it would be a big reach, i'd have a slight chance since i am not jewish and i am pakistani. i think ill apply there for fun. as for the other schools everyone mentioned to me as possibilities, thank you and i will definitely research each of them.</p>

14

<p>Not Jewish isnt going to help you at 'Deis. They have a pretty large non jewish (esp. Asian) population.</p>

15

<p>I Know UF is growing to be more and more difficult every year. When I Say this I am not reffering to In State kids. In Staters have it a lot easier. I know lots of instaters that do not have a 4.0 and got in despite their average being in the 4.0.
Your an OOS'er. True that will affect u tremendously but again you have a pretty good background. Your a first generation College student and not to mention Pakistani which is really rare. That, along with ur strong grades and solid SAT score should give u a solid chance of getting in.</p>

<p>At UM, it will be slightly easier despite they post similar stats as UF.
It is a private school and many come from OOS so that comes to ur advantage.</p>

<p>Brandeis is where i would have to say that unfortunately its going to be a likely rejection but still a apply because it is definately a realistic reach.</p>

16

<p>I dont understand how you think the OP has a 'pretty good' chance at UF...Those stats generally dont get you in from In State.</p>

17

<p>i didn't realize they had such a large non jewish community at brandeis. also, i do know it's most likely going to be a rejection there but i think i'll give it a go either way</p>

18

<p>bumppppity bump</p>

19

<p>I agree that Brandeis might be tough to get into unless you can raise your scores, but you should try anyway.</p>