Chances, please. [A bit long.]

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So I'm not totally sure of the format for these things. But here goes nothing.</p>

<p>White male. (Can you say rejected already?)
Texas.
Just finished junior year.
Well-known private (Catholic, Jesuit) school. Competitive, but only 10 APs offered.
(Accelerated [AC] / honors courses take place of where APs usually are at public schools.)
Relatively few sent to Ivies- <3% every year, usually about 1%.</p>

<p>Here's the situation with my AC/AP classes: My school only allows students to take 3 each year for credit, except freshmen, who can't take any. Juniors and seniors are allowed to take 4, but one of them will not receive that extra weighting/GPA contribution customary to AC/AP classes.
My AC/APs by the end of senior year: AC Chem I, AC Algebra II, AC Eng III, AC PreCal, AP Biology, AC French 4/5 (1 yr), AC Physics, AP Calc BC. Amounts to 1 AP+2 ACs junior and senior years, 2 ACs sophomore year--(I wrongly believed I wasn't good enough at English to take AC Eng II).</p>

<p>GPA<em>: 4.0 UW, 4.20 W (cumulative--this year my W is 4.35)
SAT: 1460/2240
PSAT: 227 - Probably NMSF if not NMF.
Class rank: School does not report rankings at all, but my counselor speculated 8-10% in a class of 200 (taking only 2 ACs sophomore year is continuously screwing me over.) However, I'm under the impression that high percentages at my school mean more than at a public school because of our size and the relative difficulty of our classes.
[</em> I'm not totally sure how UW/W GPA works, so the way I put it may be a lie. All I know is that I've made straight A's.]</p>

<p>Academic awards/honors: Outstanding Achievement - Band (9-11, 12 expected), Most Outstanding Band ___(Freshman, Sophomore, Junior), Double (Should be triple) letterman in band, Most Outstanding Eng II student, Most Outstanding French II student, Most Outstanding French III student, Most Outstanding Theology III student, Holy Cross College Book Award, Highest Honors (GPA) freshman year. [There's sophomore year screwing me again-highest honors is cumulative.] National French Contest Top 10 Places (9-11, 12 expected--in 10 and 11, 1st place in state/area, 2nd nationally)</p>

<p>ECs: Band 9-12, Orchestral Winds (tippity-top band, plays w/ orchestra) 9-12, Principal Clarinet/Concertmaster 10-12, Drum Major 12, NHS 10-12 (no one admitted freshman year), Frassati Society (religious group) 9-12, Frassati president 12, Pro-Life Club 10-12, Social Justice Club 11 (probably not going to exist next year), Education for Theological Consciousness 11 (again, not going to exist), TPSMEA All-State Band 9-12, Muscular Dystrophy Camp Counselor 11, (maybe) Notre Dame Vision participant 11, piano since first grade...I figure I'm probably forgetting something somewhere.</p>

<p>Recs: French (Same teacher all 4 yrs, impersonal but very good letter), Theology III (glowing) , counselor.
Essays: I can write well, not too worried although I will try to get lots of outside editing/discussion.
Major: Undecided, but either Theology/Philosophy or Psychology, with Music on the side.</p>

<p>Applying (in order of preference): University of Notre Dame, Franciscan University of Steubenville, St. Louis University, Loyola Univsersity - Chicago. (This is what I mean by "a small list.")</p>

<p>So there are many questions: Where do you think I'll get in? Should I apply EA or RD (I refuse to apply ED anywhere)? What are some other schools similar to these where you think I'd also fit in well? </p>

<p>Any other thoughts, advice, questions, concerns, input, etc. is very much appreciated.
...and thanks for taking the time to read this. :]</p>

2

<p>With your scores and grades, I’m going to say that you can apply to stronger schools. Look into Georgetown! It’s a fantastic Jesuit school. It seems to me that, besides religion, you seem to be lacking continuity in your extracurriculars, but you can’t do much about that at this point, and your focus on religion is huge to begin with.</p>

<p>You’re going to get into all of the schools that are on your list. Definitely consider shooting a bit higher. Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the reply! I haven’t considered Georgetown much because it’s one of the most expensive schools out there–isn’t tuition something to the tune of $50k? With the high standard of academics there I probably wouldn’t get a lot of money, which means my family’d be paying for a ton (not something I want to do) or I’d be paying off college loans for the rest of my life. (As you can tell from my major/s I probably won’t end up with a ridiculously high doctor/lawyer’s salary to pay off all my loans quickly.) Also, doesn’t Georgetown require some SAT IIs? I haven’t even thought about that yet, and with my current list didn’t think I was going to take them. But I suppose it’s an option.</p>

<p>I do have one serious question though: Could you please explain what you mean by a lack of continuity in my ECs? Aside from the religion/awareness thing, I thought music was pretty much my strongest thing. With band, orchestra, and All-State band for all 4 years, piano for 10, concertmaster/principal clarinet for 3, drum major as a senior, I thought I was pretty strong in that department. Is this not what you mean? If it means any more to address your concerns, ND Vision is a Christian leadership camp so that adds to religious stuff, and my camp counseling is part of my senior service. I don’t mean to be hostile or act like my pride’s hurt or anything, I just want to understand what you’re saying more fully. Thanks again for your reply!</p>

4

<p>I agree with Keasby. You have amazing test scores and great ECs.
I think without a doubt you’d get into almost all, if not all of the schools you jsut listed.
Great job, I’m jealous! :P</p>

5

<p>Thanks!
And to everyone, I want to add this (editing period is over):
Freshman retreat grounds crew (10), freshman retreat group leader (11,12) freshman retreat core group (planning, 10&11), freshman retreat co-chairman (12). We apply for positions in January, core group meets almost bi-weekly Feb-May, all group leaders prepare from Aug-November then actual retreat’s at the beginning of Thanksgiving break. As a group leader, it’s about 40 hours of meetings and more for other preparation, co-chairmen have probably about 6 more hours of meetings plus other prep, so it’s a big commitment. I know I could probably get in without this and I sound like I’m just tooting my own horn, but it’s really important to me and I can’t believe I forgot it.</p>

6

<p>I’d highly advise you to think about applying to Georgetown. Although the sticker price is quite high, they are completely need-blind when it comes to admissions and have committed to meeting full financial need.</p>

7

<p>Thanks TuftsStudent. I have some further reservations about Georgetown but they’re less important. Thanks for your input.</p>

<p>And to all: if I can gather from your thoughts that ND is a match, do you think it’d be worth my time and effort to apply for the Hesburgh-Yusko scholarship? I had been thinking about it, but after seeing the resumes of this year’s winners (for ND class of '15) I’m a little disheartened because I don’t nearly match their level of community service and whatnot. But, of course, I don’t want to miss out on an opportunity for $25k/yr if I have a half-decent shot! What do you think?</p>

8

<p>It sounds like you’re really excited about Notre Dame. It can’t hurt to try :)</p>

<p>Boston College isn’t on your list?</p>

9

<p>It hasn’t been, but in my sophomore year my theology teacher was an alumnus of my high school who had just graduated from BC and I’ve got a friend who’s an incoming freshman there. I’ll look into it. Thanks for all your input, again!</p>

10

<p>I’m about to leave for the week so I figure I should do this now:

  1. Bump!
  2. If anyone else has any more thoughts on chances (or on Hesburgh-Yusko!), please offer them.
  3. If you’ve got some other suggestions as far as schools, feel free to post those too! As general rules I’m not interested in something in the far Northeast or anything west of TX/that north-south line, and the community’s got to be special & good. Not asking you to do a search, but if reading this brings something to mind, please post it. Thanks. :]</p>