Chances for Florida Schools and Top-Tiers

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hi there! I stumbled across this website not too long ago (junior going on senior) and I wish I had earlier! The breadth of information on here is great, a bit overwhelming of course, but very helpful. I tried looking at the suggested format for the "Chance me" threads. Please apologize for any errors and correct me if need be. </p>

<p>I'm a Florida student at a competitive - and very large - High School. I plan on studying business and law (MBA and JD). I went to a Catholic school my freshman year, against my wishes, and was wrongly placed in lower-level courses (I tried switching out but b/c of the large student body at my school there was a cap, even though I was inside the zoning area). I've since transferred to the public school of my choice and as such, during sophomore year I transitioned into honors courses, took APs junior year, and have a full academic AP load next year.</p>

<p>I'm looking at UF, FSU, and UCF (in that order) in-state... possibly UM, and out-of state my dream schools are Columbia, NYU, or Georgetown. As you can probably surmise, I love NYC and D.C. I'm also looking at UNC, UPenn, Stanford, and UChicago, but I get the feeling I'm out my league. Basically most of my out-of-state schools are "reaches?" </p>

<p>Please be truthful in your assessment. I realize I am weak in ECs (leadership stuff, this worries me), but academically I've only been going up (when I got to my current HS, my class rank was in the 500s and I've since shot up and hope to continue, but it obviously gets tougher). Also, I can count on stellar letters of recommendation.</p>

<p>Your input is much appreciated :)</p>

<p>Here goes!</p>

<p>GPA: Cumulative 3.8478, Academic Core 4.2105, Weighted Cumulative 4.5909
Class Rank: 182/932</p>

<p>SAT Scores:
January 2011 [Critical Reading 660/Mathematics 580/Writing 690]<br>
June 2011 [Critical Reading 700/Mathematics 610/Writing 770]</p>

<p>CR + M = 1310
CR + M + W = 2080</p>

<p>*** I plan on taking the SAT again in October, primarily to boost my math score (realistically, I think I can get mid-600s and ~730-740 in CR)</p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests:
United States History [800]
Spanish [770]
Mathematics Level 2 [to be taken, likely in November...]</p>

<p>ACADEMIC HISTORY:
2011-2012:
AP American Government/Macro and Microeconomics (courses yet to be taken)
Calculus Honors/AP Calculus AB (course yet to be taken)
AP English Literature (course yet to be taken)
AP Biology (course yet to be taken)</p>

<p>2010-2011:
AP English Language and Composition (awaiting AP score)
– Grade Earned: A/A/A/A
AP United States History (awaiting AP score)
– Grade Earned: A/A/A/A
Pre-Calculus Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
Physics Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
French III Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
Analysis of Functions Honors – Grade Earned: A/B+</p>

<p>2009-2010:
English II Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
Chemistry Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
Algebra II Honors – Grade Earned: B/A
World History Honors – Grade Earned: A/A
Geometry – Grade Earned: A/A
French II – Grade Earned: A/A
Fitness Issues for Adolescents– Grade Earned: A
Drawing and Painting I– Grade Earned: A/B+</p>

<p>2008-2009:
English I Honors– Grade Earned: A/A
French I– Grade Earned: A/A
Algebra I– Grade Earned: B+/B+
Biology – Grade Earned: A/A
Keyboarding and Business Skills– Grade Earned: A/A
Personal Fitness– Grade Earned: A
Humanities– Grade Earned: A/A</p>

<p>2006-2008 [in Middle School but these classes count for HS]:
Spanish for Spanish Speakers II– Grade Earned: A/B+
Spanish for Spanish Speakers I– Grade Earned: A/A</p>

<p>ACADEMIC EXTRACURRICULAR INVOLVEMENT:
French Honor Society member (2010-present)</p>

<p>ACADEMIC AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:
***** High School Academic Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance in AP United States History (97%, 99%, 98%, and 99% per quarter, respectively).</p>

<p>Certificat de M</p>

2

<p>Apart from the in state schools, those are reaches. UPenn, Columbia, and Stanford are not very likely unless you have something that completely makes you stand out from the crowd. But your rank, GPA, and SAT will likely take you out of the running for those schools, as well as the other out of state schools. Being a URM (Hispanic) could help and maybe that might help you get into NYU or Georgetown, but they are definitely still reaches.</p>

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<p>Could that “something” be a great essay(s)?</p>

4

<p>Yeah but everyone says they will write spectacular essays. Few do.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, I understand that. </p>

<p>So, apart from the in-state schools, what would be some schools that are in my league (or perhaps a *bit *over) that I have a chance to get in to?</p>

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<p>Columbia, NYU, Georgetown, UNC, UPenn, Stanford, and UChicago are definitely far reaches. Getting into a state school would be no problem.</p>

<p>As for what other schools you could get into…It depends. What are you planning on majoring and minoring in?</p>

7

<p>Major in some sort of field of business, maybe admin
Minor in what I really love, history.</p>

<p>I’m very English/Social Studies strong and love the humanities *but *also want to study something practical, therefore, business (and eventually law) which I do in fact still enjoy. </p>

<p>I’ve researched PPE and that seems to blend in what I like, but it’s not widely offered. Maybe something similar?</p>

<p>And you mentioned I’m in at a state school; what about specifically UF? I know it’s spotty but am I in the running for it?</p>

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<p>Scratch the “far” part of “far reaches” that I said. It’s a reach, but then again it’s a reach for everyone. You’re qualified enough. Bump up the SAT scores a bit and grades, and you’d be a stronger applicant.</p>

<p>I too am a Floridian, so am familiar with our state schools. UF wouldn’t be a problem. Lately I’ve been hearing people say things like “Ooohhh, it’s soooo hard to get in!” “You need a GPA above a 3.5!” And I just try to ignore them because it is NOT difficult to get into UF. They’re just weak applicants whose dream school is a place like UF.</p>

<p>Anyhow, you definitely are more than qualified for UF. In fact, perhaps too qualified that it would be a shame to see you go there. You have authority to aim a bit higher than that. And remember, ivys and other top colleges are crapshoots, so you never know what may happen.</p>

<p>UPenn has a great business program, so if you wanted to aim higher you can apply there. Some other schools better than UF but not as high up as UPenn are Emory, Vanderbilt, Rice, and Northwestern. Emory has a business school, so you might want to look into that as well. It’s still a great school.</p>

<p>I’m also wondering about people’s opinions of my chances at my top choice schools…Would you mind if you chanced me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1167793-chances-columbia-brown-cornell-nyu.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1167793-chances-columbia-brown-cornell-nyu.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I just finished pre-cal with a 97% too, but my school has no such option :frowning:
I don’t know about skipping calculus honors, but I’d say you are a great candidate for all FL schools, but the Ivies…probably not. Your awards and EC’s (but not your clubs or leadership-work on that) are quite good, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Good luck!</p>

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<p>tryandsucceed, your insight is very valuable and I appreciate it! I will go through your thread shortly. I will definitely check out those schools you suggested. And about UF, if I get in, I can honestly say I’d be happy there; I’ve visited, it’s a beautiful campus. Last year, around 120 kids from my school got in (out of a class of 900s).</p>

<p>julieannab, talk to your guidance counselor and head of the math dept at your school. My pre-calc teacher was head of math dept and of MAO so I’m pretty sure of this, at least in my district. I’m leaning more and more every day towards going for AB/BC because I would rather try the hardest than not try my potential and later regret not doing so. The upside of taking Calc Hon/AB would be if I don’t do good/enjoy calc, I can take the one semester AP Physics B course, which is in the spring (instead of AB and in which I should do fine in as I enjoyed and did very well in Physics Honors. Either way, I will get a math or two science APs.</p>

<p>As far the leadership stuff you’re absolutely right. I’m consciously working on this in the form of a mock trial which myself and another intern are heading as part of of our internship. We’re recruiting students interested, so I guess this would count as a leadership thing? Plus it’d be at an official court with reputable South Florida lawyers overseeing.</p>

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<p>Retake your SAT Math, and shoot for a 670<. I think you have an excellent chance of getting in to the Florida schools. I definitley encourage you to apply to Georgetown and NYU, because you seem like an great canidate, and if you are looking to go into business and law, those would be great schools for you. GOOD LUCK!</p>

<p>P.S. Have you considered UVA and American University?</p>

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<p>SeattleBulldog, thank you! I will apply to both. Does being Catholic weigh in at all for Georgetown? I have considered UVA (aunt who lived in VA has strongly encouraged me to) and I have been in the area, very beautiful; but I figured that my lack of Virginia residency would be a big drawback for admissions. I have also looked at American University which remains a possibility as well as George Washington.</p>

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<p>Top tier school like Georgetown doesn’t really focus on religous background</p>

14

<p>Calculus isn’t that hard. Take a challenge and the harder class.</p>

15

<p>bump, anyone else have any feedback/advice, especially in retrospect? will chance back ;)</p>

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<p>If you’re interested in history/english you should try studying something more related to what you genuinely enjoy. Have you ever considered liberal arts schools? They often times look at candidates more holistically, making it easier to gain admission into prestigious colleges even without a super high SAT. </p>

<p>Actually my profile is very similar to yours, I’m hispanic from Georgia with a strong interest in history, and a similar score on the SAT (2080 overall with stronger verbal than nonverbal.) It’s very interesting to run into a close academic doppleganger, and if you could chance me back it would be greatly appreciated.</p>

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<p>Actually I think FSU would be an excellent university for you given that it has the best Political Science program in Florida as well as the best music program.</p>

<p>Consider: [fsu.edu</a> | The Department of Political Science](<a href=“http://polisci.fsu.edu/]fsu.edu”>http://polisci.fsu.edu/) and [College</a> of Music / FSU - College of Music](<a href=“http://www.music.fsu.edu/]College”>http://www.music.fsu.edu/)</p>

<p>You would likely qualify for university scholarships as-is (see: [FSU</a> Admissions | Freshman | Finances | Freshman Scholarships](<a href=“FSU Admissions | Error 404 page not found”>FSU Admissions | Error 404 page not found) ) as well as departmental scholarships. You should also contact [Honors[/url</a>] and the [url=&lt;a href=“http://onf.fsu.edu/]Office”&gt;http://onf.fsu.edu/]Office</a> of National Fellowships](<a href=“http://honors.fsu.edu/]Honors[/url”>http://honors.fsu.edu/).</p>

<p>The undergraduate research opportunities are excellent. See, for example: [Former</a> student has nation’s top dissertation in nuclear physics / February / 2010 / News Archive - FSU.com](<a href=“http://www.fsu.com/News-Archive/2010/February/Former-student-has-nation-s-top-dissertation-in-nuclear-physics]Former”>http://www.fsu.com/News-Archive/2010/February/Former-student-has-nation-s-top-dissertation-in-nuclear-physics)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>parent2noles, I will definitely apply to FSU; I’ve actually visited Tallahassee but didn’t really loveeee the city. Also, I might take additional classes in PoliSci but am not looking to major in it. As far as the music program, I’ve heard it’s very good from family friends actually. But I enjoy music a strictly as a recreational activity, not so much as something “taught.” The financial aid/scholarships are definitely a bonus though, so that’s a really big part of my reason for applying to FSU actually. Of course, nothing is certain though. Thank you for your thought-out post! I assume you have son and/or daughter there? </p>

<p>Unrelated note: AP scores are in and got a 5 on both Lang and APUSH. Also now during the month of July, I am beginning my apps, writing essays, etc. Can anyone give me tips for boosting my math SAT score??</p>

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<p>I am an FSU graduate as are my wife and daughters. The older daughter is now a grad student in the med school (entering 3rd year) and her husband is working on a PhD in economics.</p>

<p>What do you want to study?</p>

20

<p>Major in business as an undegrad and go for the MBA later on. Maybe also a JD but, as of now, just the business degree hypothetically.</p>