Chances for NYU and Occidental?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

My top choice is Oxy.
After that is NYU and Boston University.
Also on my list is American University and University of Washington.

So before I get to the tragedy that is this past semester, i’ll give you my rundown.
I’m a junior and entering second semester.

Clubs:
editor in chief of journalism club (2 years)
mock trial attorney (2 years)
yearbook writer (2 years)
swim team and track (1 year, quit after freshmen year)
MUN (2 years)
National Honors Society (could only join after 1st sem of sophomore year)
Spanish National Honors Society (1 year, could only join as a junior)

Other ECs:
volunteer at a self enrichment program in my community over the summer where I help kids with math, this summer is going to be my third year.
internship at The Borgen Project (human rights org.)
I speak farsi (fluent)

SATs:
my first try i got an 1800 (cr: 59, math: 62, writing: 59) … I know this isn’t good for the schools im applying to, so im going to break 2000 when I take it again in March and June.

Grades-
Freshman year (sem 1)
English- B
Geometry- A
Spanish III- B
Global Studies- A
STEM Physics- A
Choir- A
Health- A

(sem 2)
English- A
Math- B
Spanish III- B
Global Studies- A
STEM Physics- A
Digital Imaging- A
PE.- A
gpa: 3.7

Sophomore year: (sem 1)
English- A
Algebra II- A
Spanish- B
U.S. History- A
STEM Chemistry- A
Adv. Vocal Ensemble- A
PE- A
(sem 2)
English- A
Algebra II- A
Spanish- B
U.S. History- A
STEM Chemistry- A
Adv. Vocal Ensemble- A
Health 2- A
gpa: 3.8

Now, for junior year… I did ALL IB courses. (my school didn’t allow us to take any freshman or soph. year, plus IB is required)… i’m a full DP candidate

IB HL English & Extended English- B, B
IB SL Psychology- A
IB HL Bio & Extended Bio- A, A
IB HL Asian History- A
IB SL Math- B
IB SL Spanish- B
gpa: 3.5

(extended classes are an extra period to get all the ib hours in required for HL)

Cumulative GPA (unweighted): 3.729
GPA (weighted): 3.929

Are my chances completely destroyed to get into Occidental? Even if I get my GPA up next semester to only one B?

2

Oxy and NYU: reach.
BU: reach
UW:high match/low reach. I actually think if you can pay full price you may have a decent chance, although your SAT is a drag

3

If you are applying to NYU Arts & Sciences, it is a high-match/low-reach with your current scores, but a bump in scores would make it closer to a match. The same would go for BU and Oxy, with American probably in the Match range. I would say they’d all be high matches with an improvement in test scores. Your grades are competitive - don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. My son got into Oxy with a 3.3-3.4 unweighted GPA. He was also full-IB (weighted GPA was in 4.0 range), with similar ECs (a little more leadership). His first SAT score was 1890, but he brought it up to 2060 on the second try. He was waitlisted at UW, which surprised us, because he got into more selective colleges. I recommend finding a few more low-match and safe schools, but keep the colleges on your list. You cannot count on a huge score increase. My son was lucky, in that regard, but not everybody is. Try the ACT, look into some test-optional colleges, and take a second round of tests. I always recommend taking each test twice.