<p>What are my chances for NYU (I applied early decision) and other moderately- to highly-selective East Coast universities? I'm also thinking of applying to George Washington University, Syracuse University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, and perhaps several others (suggestions?). I will be applying as a journalism major.</p>
<p>My stats: </p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>]Competitive public high school in Minnesota
[</em>]Caucasian male
[<em>]GPA: 3.475/4.000 unweighted (my school doesn't weight)
[</em>]Rank: 233/590 (top 39th percentile)
[li]ACT: 31[/li][/ul]</p>
<p>I have a huge upward trend. My sophomore GPA was only 3.00 and I took no AP or honors' courses; but my junior year I took many APs in every subject and got only one B (a B+), and the rest were As. My senior year is the same, taking many AP and honors' courses in every subject and getting only As. My counselor would describe my current schedule as most rigorous.</p>
<p>In addition: </p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>]I have a glowing recommendation from an English teacher who says I would make a great journalist.
[</em>]I wrote what I would consider a good essay.
[<em>]I was an editor for the school newspaper and created and maintained the school paper's Web site.
[</em>]I was a Boys State delegate and attended Close Up.
[/ul]</p>
<p>Given that I point out my huge upward trend to the admissions officers, what do you think my chances are at these colleges? And do you have any suggestions as to which other schools I should apply?</p>
<p>Depends on which school in NYU you are applying to. A couple of SATs II won't hurt. I think they are required for some the colleges you listed. Your GPA is a bit low by all terms but you have a great shot at some of the colleges you listed.</p>
<p>yale3413: Haha. I haven't shown it to anybody so the only judge I have is myself. Perhaps I can send it to you and you can tell me your thoughts.</p>
<p>zoolander: I am applying to NYU's College of Arts and Sciences. I did take the SAT IIs at the last minute because I found out NYU required them. Thus, I took two in math because I thought they would be the easiest to take coming into the school year and without doing any prep. Ironically math is my weakest subject, but here are my scores:</p>
<p>SAT Subject Tests
Math I: 720
Math II: 650</p>
<p>What do you think my chances are at NYU's College of Arts and Sciences?</p>
<p>your rank is really going to hurt you... because of that I would guess that you would be at best a high match, but I'm no expert</p>
<p>My GPA and class rank, for all intents, means nothing. My high school only calculates sophomore through senior year for GPA, and just my sophomore year I did poorly. I didn't take any AP or honors' classes and finished off the year with a 3.00 GPA. But during my junior year I took several AP and honors' courses in every subject and finished off the year with a 3.9 GPA.</p>
<p>My senior year is the same. I'm taking many AP and honors' courses in every subject, and my first-quarter GPA was 3.9. I don't see why colleges wouldn't look more at my 3.9 GPA than my 3.5 cumulative or my 3.0 sophomore year.</p>
<p>Does applying for financial aid on the ED application really hurt one's chances?</p>
<p>I think that the upward trend really will help you a lot. But keep in mind NYU rejects kids that have had a 3.9/4.0 their entire highschool career and really strong SAT scores. To me, their admissions seems pretty subjective and at times a bit random.</p>
<p>ranking is hurting u, even though it might not mean anything in ur school, adcoms see that ur ranked around 40% of ur school doesn't give u an edge. try acing ur interview.</p>
<p>I think Azn is missing the point. My rank is meaningless because of my huge upward trend. School adcoms see it, yes, but they also see the huge upward trend which would make them realize that my rank is meaningless (for an added bonus, my school doesn't weight grades).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don't have an interview. But I do have an essay and four supplemental essays which I think are quite good and explain the situation I'm in.</p>
<p>If you have a good reason to explain your initial low grades, than def. submit a letter or something explaining it. Your huge upward trend is going to really really help you. But the low grades/rank don't just disappear because of an upward trend. There are tons of applicants who have had high grades 9-12 and have a high rank. I didn't say that it's an impossible reach, but I would say it's a high match meaning the you definitely do have a shot.</p>
<p>What makes you think your rank is meaningless just because you've done better lately? Totally untrue. When you are borderline the schools will consider your improvement--and certain schools throw out the freshmen grades (like the UCs, Stanford, and Princeton). But for the most part, all the other schools will take the first three years into consideration (as a group), and will not consider the senior year scores except as a tiebreak or to look at the kind of courseload (how difficult it is) you are taking.</p>
<p>NYU--Slight Reach to Reach
George Washington University--Slight Reach
Syracuse University--Match
Boston University--Match
Northeastern University--Safe Match
Northwestern University--Reach</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, calhart12. So you think sending NYU an additional letter now better explaining my situation with grades would be benefical for when they make their early decision for me in the next few weeks?</p>
<p>Calcruzer: I think my class rank says nothing about me or my potential -- so, yes, for me it is useless. I think schools are much more interested in how someone is performing now and how they will perform in the future, not their mistakes in the past. After all, what they care about most is how well you will perform once you're at their college. Of course, if I would have done better in the past, I wouldn't be in this situation; but I think adcoms will realize that my rank and cumulative GPA doesn't say much about me. My only worry, though, is that they have some sort of automatic weeding-out process where they get rid of anyone that doesn't meet certain standards. Does anyone know if such a thing exists?</p>
<p>I was interested to see that you consider Boston University more of a match for me than George Washington University.</p>
<p>Should I send an additional letter to NYU explaining my grades before they make their early decision in a couple weeks?</p>
<p>Decent chances but two SAT IIs in maths? that doesnt really make any sense expecially when you are majoring in a english, writing, etc. type of work. You have very good chances but you should have taken something else with the two Maths you took.</p>
<p>It's good that you have an upward trend, but they still are going to be hesitant about accepting you with such a low rank. No one is "missing the point", we're just disagreeing with you. You definitely have a shot if you have a good explanation for your low grades at the beginning of your high-school career..were you just slacking off or were there circumstances they should know. I understand you did really good junior and senior year(keep it up) but unfortunately for top colleges they're not as forgiving as you might think with low grades early on/low rank, but if there was a person who i think might be an exception you seem like a good candidate. Luck!</p>
<p>Explain the situation to the schools and then it might mean a bit less, but you wills till be competing with students who have 3.8-3.9 GPAs for all of high school.</p>
<p>NYU - reach
GWU - slight reach
Syracuse - match/reach
BU - match
Northeastern - match
Northwestern - major reach</p>
<p>Good luck though!</p>
<p>"My GPA and class rank, for all intents, means nothing. My high school only calculates sophomore through senior year for GPA, and just my sophomore year I did poorly. I didn't take any AP or honors' classes and finished off the year with a 3.00 GPA. But during my junior year I took several AP and honors' courses in every subject and finished off the year with a 3.9 GPA.</p>
<p>My senior year is the same. I'm taking many AP and honors' courses in every subject, and my first-quarter GPA was 3.9. I don't see why colleges wouldn't look more at my 3.9 GPA than my 3.5 cumulative or my 3.0 sophomore year.</p>
<p>Does applying for financial aid on the ED application really hurt one's chances?"</p>
<p>Fin Aid hurts borderline applicants. </p>
<p>"School adcoms see it, yes, but they also see the huge upward trend which would make them realize that my rank is meaningless" </p>
<p>Upward trend helps, but not as much as you think it will at a top school. Class rank may be meaningless to you, but 70%+ of people are ranked in the top ten of their HS class at NYU, 95% are in the top quarter. I bet they care a whole bunches.</p>
<p>"but I think adcoms will realize that my rank and cumulative GPA doesn't say much about me."</p>
<p>How? Why?</p>
<p>"After all, what they care about most is how well you will perform once you're at their college."</p>
<p>Agreed, and how they do this is by looking at academic profiles and performance, along with recs/essays/ecs. But when 95%+ are in the top 25% of their class, adcoms prbly use that as an indication as to who they think will perform well at their college.</p>
<p>After reading through all the responses here, I realize how important it is that NYU realizes my upward trend. So I have decided that I will write them another letter tomorrow explaining the situation.</p>
<p>To do this, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you have in writing such a letter. How can I persuade them without sounding too abrasive?</p>