Chances? Please help.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I go to a nationally ranked, very competitive public school. I have about a 3.49 GPA, and a 3.91 weighted.</p>

<p>Freshman Year
Semester 1: * This semester was terrible, and killed my GPA. I was going through some family and personal problems, and school just kind of went to hell. Not that I'm trying to be excuse-y or anything.
Honors Geometry: C
Honors CA I: B
Honors Biology: B
Spanish I: C
Beginning Acting: B
Beginning Debate: A
Physical Education [required for graduation]: B
Semester 2:
Honors Geometry: A
Honors CA I: A
Honors Biology: A
Spanish I: A
Study Hall: -
Beginning Forensics: A
Physical Education [required for graduation]: A</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Semester 1:
Honors Algebra II: B
Honors CA II: B
Sophomore Chemistry: B
AP European History: A
Business Law: A
Debate: A
Spanish II: A
Semester 2:
Honors Algebra II: B
Honors CA II: B
Sophomore Chemistry: B
AP European History: A
SAT/ACT Test Prep: A
Forensics: A
Spanish II: A</p>

<p>Junior Year
Semester 1:
Precalc / Trig: A
Physics: B
AP CA III: B
Psychology: A
AP US History: B
Debate: A
Spanish 3.5: A
Semester 2:
Precalc / Trig: A
Physics: B
AP CA III: A
Spanish 3.5: B
AP US History: A
AP Psychology: A
Computer Applications [required for graduation]: A
Forensics: A</p>

<p>Senior Year: [Hasn't started]
I am planning on taking</p>

<p>AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP CA IV
AP Government / Desktop Publishing [Required for graduation]
AP Statistics
Honors Spanish 4
Debate / Forensics
*Health [Required for graduation, being taken online]</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Co-founder of Scrabble Club
National Honor Society
National Spanish Honor Society
Categories [Captain]
Students for Social Justice
Relay for Life
Volunteer at local library
Part-time job at Starbucks
4-year Debater
4-year Forensicater
Active in BBYO
KAY Club</p>

<p>Test Scores:
AP European History: 4
ACT: 31
SAT: 1800-2000 overall
Should I retake these to see if I can get test scores to compensate for underwhelming grades and extracurriculars?</p>

<p>And I am Hispanic, if that makes any difference at all.</p>

<p>What are my chances at the following schools:
Harvard [I know, right? But my mom is making me apply. I know there is no chance]
Princeton [Same as Harvard]
Yale [Same as Harvard]
NYU
Columbia
Pace University
Emory
UGA
UChicago
KU
UCLA
UC: Santa Cruz
Oberlin</p>

2

<p>you're probably in at UCSC...supposedly you get accepted for filling out the forms correctly</p>

3

<p>I first looked at your post and said "How can you be taking this many classes!"
Haha. And then I saw Semester 1 & 2. x]</p>

<p>HPY - High reach (as for everyone)
NYU - Reach
Columbia - High reach
Pace University - Safety
Emory - Match
UGA - Match
UChicago - Low reach
KU - Safety
UCLA - Reach (if in-state) High reach (if OOS)
UC: Santa Cruz - Safety
Oberlin - Match</p>

<p>I suppose you could retake your test scores and get at least a 32 (ACT) and/or a 2100+ (SAT) along with taking two SAT II's (required for most of the colleges you've listed).</p>

4

<p>Yes, I am taking Math II and English Literature for SAT IIs.
I am also planning on retaking the SAT and ACT. What could I do in my senior year to make schools like NYU and Columbia [my top choices] less of a reach? Would applying early decision to either of these schools help? If so, which?
Thanks!</p>

5

<p>I would say definitely make sure you raise your GPA (as they're on the low side) your first semester of your senior year. But then you couldn't apply EA/ED to either schools. Hmm...</p>

<p>I don't know that if you do ED/EA would help you because many other students with the same (or better) stats as you also apply.</p>

<p>Just do well on your SAT II's (700+) and re-take the SAT and ACT while maybe raising your UW GPA to a 3.6+ and you'll have a pretty good shot for NYU. Columbia would probably still be a reach for you as with everyone else.</p>

6

<p>Actually, new test scores!
SAT [first time, being retaken]
Reading: 800
Math: 670
Writing: 720
ACT [first time, being retaken]: 32</p>

<p>AP US History: 4
AP English Language: 4
AP Psychology: 5</p>

<p>Does this change anything?</p>

7

<p>Get the math score up 30 points, your GPA up (straight As senior year, one B at most first semester), and I think you can get into NYU. That would make it a low reach, high match</p>