<p>Northstarmom, thanks for that information. Bryn Mawr is indeed an excellent school for academically driven women. D told me over the holidays that she is VERY glad that she ended up there, and can't imagine being anywhere else. I was tremendously relieved to hear that. She's happy there and is doing fairly well. She carried well above a 3.00 her first semester and is well determined to best that. She's still on the math and science track. In addition to physics and calc, both of which she is enjoys very much, she's added linear algebra this semester. If she does well in Linear, she'll be ahead in the math requirement for her Physics major (fingers crossed). Polysci is the only class she has this semester that doesn't call for lots of math. I'm thinking that her math and science inclinations could put her in good standing for graduate, school given the fact that relatively few women concentrate their studies in those areas. And this is perhaps doubly true for female URMs. In any case, I don't think she missed out, not having aimed for an IVY. All of them are much larger schools than LACs like Bryn Mawr. She seems better suited for more intimate learning environments, though she told me recently that she likes the idea (at least at this point) of attending Cal Tech for graduate school. She knows her numbers are going to have to be pretty high for that, however. She came from a fairly large urban high school (2100 students), where the average SAT last year was 800. She was considered "bloody brilliant" by a lot of her peers, but she knew better. </p>
<p>Readytoleavehs, I'm so happy to hear that your cousin is doing well at Princeton. Princeton seems to suffer from a troubling (if somewhat undeserved) image problem among URMs. I very much hope that they overcome the negative perceptions some minority students have of that institution, and attract more and more talented URM applicants. </p>
<p>Urban, your extra curricular stats are AMAZING. You are obviously energized and engaged by community politics and work in the public arena. I predict that you will do wonderful things in the future. You have overcome quite a bit of social and academic disadvantage to get where you are now, and I encourage you to "sprint to the finish". Even though a significant grade improvement won't really be reflected in your overall GPA for college admission purposes at this point, it would serve as a springboard for further excellence in college. As always, Northstarmom has given you advice to bank on. Have you applied to Morehouse? One of my D's best friends from high school is now a Spellman freshman (she LOVES it there), and the two schools share a very close and dynamic relationship. "Hotlanta" is a very good place for black movers and shakers in recent years. I think you may be well suited for such a ripe political environment. I don't know how well suited you might be for Hampton University, however. While it is a very good school, and particularly strong for some programs, it is not exactly situated in a dynamic urban setting. You might find it a bit---well---boring. LOL!</p>
<p>"Princeton seems to suffer from a troubling (if somewhat undeserved) image problem among URMs."</p>
<p>One reason is that it was the last Ivy to integrate, doing so in, I think 1945.</p>
<p>Another reason is that as late as the 1980s when the autobiography, "Member of the Club" was published by black Princeton grad Lawrence Otis Graham, there were indications that Princeton's atmosphere was not hospitable to black people. Some of the incidents related in Graham's book sound like the kind of racism that existed in the old South.</p>
<p>Northstar, I've not yet read L.O. Grahams book (fact is, I didn't even know it existed until reading your post), but it sounds VERY intriguing. So it would seem that Princeton's rep is not undeserved. Nevertheless, I hope they are committed to changing the conditions that brought it to pass.</p>
<p>I have an African American friend at Princeton who has adjusted very well. I, also an African American, was accepted ED so maybe I will post about my experiences after my first year there. They are making a lot of effort to attract talented minorities and to dispel the negative stereotype about the school.</p>
<p>Princeton rejects URM(s) with 1300+ SAT I scores if they haven't challenged themselves at their high schools. They look at more than your SAT I score. I think they are willing to look at 1200 range scores if your GPA is high in a challenging curriculum. They also look at your SAT II scores.</p>
<p>I do not think that I will have a problem adjusting. I am comfortable with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and all races. My academic stats are also very competitive - 4.0uw in an all honors/AP curriculum, 5's in AP subjects, high scores in SAT I and 4 SAT II subjects. Living very close to Princeton also helps.</p>
<p>Poetsheart, Bryn Mawr is a very good school. It's all about the best fit.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! All of you were very helpful. I have a very intimate level of knowledge about Princeton. I have been involved with several outreach programs at Princeton including Model Congress and Princeton Prep. I know a couple of minority students very well and they all are great people. From what they tell me, they all seem to be having a great experience. I feel that Princeton is genuine about there committment to helping disadvantage students. I would visit <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/teacher%5B/url%5D">www.princeton.edu/teacher</a> to learn about the PUPP program I am a student in. I would love to go but don't think I could get in. Anyway, there always grad school!</p>
<p>Looks like you took full advantage of this PUPP program, Urbansocrates5. Your scores are good considering your school environment. I also believe in a similar cause so I tutor and mentor middle schoolers. I wish I had the time to do it on a larger scale but every bit counts.</p>
<p>Anyway, good luck and I know you will do well.</p>
<p>I just applied to the College of William and Mary on a whim... I guess I could throw one reach in there for the sake of it. Does anyone think I have a chance there. I know a girl from my area with SATs below a 1000 who got in (or at least thats what she told me). Thanks!</p>
<p>I don't know if you'll get into William & Mary. However, what concerns me more about that school is whether you could afford it. I feel the same about Hampton. I don't think that either is known for being generous with financial aid.</p>
<p>At this point, I think it's a sure thing that you'll get some admissions. What's most important now is that you make sure that you have applied to some colleges that cover all of these bases: you will be admitted, you can afford to go there, you would like to go there.</p>
<p>I think Howard is a wonderful choice, especially since you're trying to do political science. There are so many opportunities open to a young black man with promise in the DC area that I think you will go very far. I only had a 1270, and a 5.7 gpa, but because of National Achievement, I received a full scholarship to Howard.</p>
<p>TheRealHU:
Welcome to College Confidential.
Congrats on your National Achievement scholarship! Are you majoring in poli sci at Howard now? What other colleges did you consider, and what careers are you considering.</p>
<p>"has there been a movie with such plot? a guy lying about his race to get in a college of his choice"</p>
<p>yes, in fact there has. in the 80s a movie called 'soul man' came out under the premise that a white student dressed in blackface to get into a top college. LOL. its surprising to see the lack of political correctness.</p>