Chances for a special case?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So, I'd like to hear what some of you think about my chances at some top schools and some top 100 schools. My special case is also my hook, and it's about my personal history: my personal essay outlines my life, and how I was born to drug-addicted parents, spent a long time homeless, in and out of rehabilitation clinics, etc, and how it's made me a better and stronger person. I want to know how much you guys think this will count for me at:</p>

<p>Cornell (Early Decision)
NYU
U of Rochester
Syracuse U
SUNY Stony Brook
SUNY Buffalo</p>

<p>My stats overall aren't too impressive but I'm hoping the adcoms have a heart and view my academic achievements in the context of my difficult life. On with the stats:</p>

<p>White caucasion male
Competitive public high school in Western NY
SAT I: Math: 640 Verbal: 640 Writing: 590 (Retaking this in december for regular decision, I took these last year and am expecting at least 700 on the math, verbal not so worried about)
SAT II: Chemistry: 700 MathIC: (just took in October, expecting 700+)
GPA: 3.53 W (This is kind of what screws me over, I took ALL honors courses sophomore year which aren't weighted at my school, and 3 APs junior year which are only weighted by 2%, so my weighted GPA is low. My UW is like 3.5)
Class rank: 82/286, 28.6% (yeah, I know. I really do wish APs were weighted regularly at my school, my rank would be MUCH higher)</p>

<p>I have a dip in GPA junior year but my guidance councilor will explain that.
AP Exams:
Chemistry: 4 My teacher was sort of bad, I can sure my GC mentions the fact that I received the highest grade on this exam, the only 4, and I beat our valedictorian, as well as more than half of the top 10 on this exam, is that even worth mentioning or is it like bragging?
US History: 4</p>

<p>Extracirriculars:</p>

<p>Volunteer work helping developmentally disabled adults: 4 hours a week since 7/06
Environmental Club-Cofounder, president, 12th grade
Intellectuals United- Member 10th grade, vice president 11th grade
JV Soccer- 9th grade, 10th grade
Varsity Crew- 10th grade, 11th grade
Tim Horton's Employee- 24 hours a week since 10/05</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>Various merit awards 9th grade (will probably omit, don't mean much)
Summa Cum Laude, two trimesters, 10th grade
Magna Cum Lauda, one trimester, 10th grade
Prefect Nominee- 10th grade
Co-proctor- 10th grade</p>

<p>Courses:</p>

<p>All honors courses sophomore year, average at around 92 or 93. Not weighted GPA wise.
Junior year, took AP Chemistry, AP US History, and AP Spanish, along with Math 301, English 11, etc
This year am taking AP Spanish, Physics, Pre-calculus, Economics, etc, standard senior courses. My average will be well over 90, so this will help my GPA and class rank a lot.</p>

<p>What do you guys think about my chances for admission into a top Uni? How much do you think my perserverence through adversity will help me? Any tips? Thanks to all who bother to respond!</p>

2

<p>you definitely have a definite chance at Cornell.</p>

<p>other ivies are reaches.</p>

3

<p>I guess nobody wants to read through it cause it's so long!</p>

4

<p>i think you have a good chance everywhere.. just try to boost your SAT a little bit!</p>

5

<p>I thinl nobody really knows. Certainly the homeless part works for you, remember the homeless girl who went to Harvard? The rehabs, however, could be a problem. Colleges try hard to keep away from potential trouble and where there's been rehab there is often relapse. I probably wouldn't highlight that part.</p>

6

<p>I think OP mean he was in rehab clinic for his parents' sake...not his own. I hope?</p>

7

<p>Yes, for my parents' sake, not my own!</p>

8

<p>"My special case is also my hook, and it's about my personal history: my personal essay outlines my life, and how I was born to drug-addicted parents, spent a long time homeless, in and out of rehabilitation clinics, etc, and how it's made me a better and stronger person."</p>

<p>make sure when you write your essay that you are very careful with the tone. admissions people get a lot of the whiny "my life has been so hard" or cliche "my grandmother died at nine and now i want to be a doctor" essays. I don't mean to disrespect, i'm just suggesting that you focus more on how it made you a stronger person not how it was hard</p>

9

<p>Yes, that's definitely something I'm making sure of in my app! Thanks!</p>

10

<p>Despite the academics being on the low side for Cornell, I think you have a good chance. I would much rather have an interesting individual such as yourself over a typical vanilla candidate with the same stats and same ECs over and over.</p>

<p>If not at Cornell, you should be fine at the other schools for sure.</p>