Chances por favor

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
1

<p>Ok, I’ve succumbed. If I could get any feedback of any sort, I would greatly appreciate it.</p>

<p>I’m a junior at an extremely small, poor public school in California. We have only a few sports for extracurriculars and few advanced courses, but some advanced classes are available online. Most students go on to community college, state university, or the UC system. I think the most competitive school anyone has gone to in recent years is Berkeley. One girl is applying to Cornell this year. Basically, I’m looking for schools out of my area. I think my chances are average/low, but advice would be great.</p>

<p>Race: White
Gender: Female</p>

<p>SATs: 1990: 660 V, 540 M, 790 W, 12 essay (the math is abysmal, I know)
SAT II’s: 550 Bio (as freshman), 630 World History
Class rank: 1-2/25 (school doesn’t rank, but this is most likely right)
Current GPA: around 3.9-4.0 UW, unsure at the moment</p>

<p>Classes:
Freshmen: english 9, geography, integrated science, biology, IMP 2 math, state requirements
Sophomore: english 10 intensive, chemistry, world history, PE (required), Algebra 2, spanish I
Junior (present): english 11 honors, AP U.S. History online, spanish II, art
Projected second semester junior: english 12 honors, AP U.S. history online, physics, trig/pre-calc</p>

<p>Extracurriculars/Activities:
Varsity Volleyball - 2 years
Varsity Basketball- 3 years
Varsity Softball - 2, maybe 3 years
Boys’ varsity soccer substitute - 1 year
Private piano lessons - 3 years
Youth and Government - 1 year
I’m looking to start a school debate club and a swing dance/jazz club, but lack of funding is a problem
120+ community service hours
Cabin leader at week-long children’s camp - soph.
Regional Science Bowl team- placed 9/25
Quiz Kids game show - team won first round, waiting for next
Summer: volleyball camp at Stanford</p>

<p>Awards/Leadership:
Best Student in English 9
Best Student in State Requirements (9)
Best Student in World History (10)
Best Student in English 10 Intensive
PE excellence awards (one of four people)
Two scholar athlete awards
Peer mediator</p>

<p>Class president sophomore year
Student council secretary junior year
Several published poems
1st place (English) in poetry contest with cash prize</p>

<p>Essays/letters of rec. - won’t be a problem. Our English teacher is excellent, and the one good thing about a small school is that all of the teachers become your friends. I’m pretty sure I can get glowing recs.</p>

<p>I know my scores are pretty low, but I took the tests without prepping. Bad decision on my part, yes, so I’m planning to take them again. I seem to choke on math tests, so any advice on that would be great. I also plan to take a more rigorous courseload in senior year. I’m trying to do the best I can at my school of limited opportunities and become competitive enough for Brandeis. I visited and really liked it!</p>

<p>Any feedback, tips, or advice would be fantastic!!!</p>

2

<p>come on guys.....all these views and no replies? anything you can give is appreciated.</p>

3

<p>I think that u should try and bring up those test scores which is much easier for me to tell you to do than for you to actually do but do it and u should be good to go. My gpa was 3.3? maybe outta 4 and u kick my ass on ecs...just bring up ur sat or act and i'd guess u'd have a decent shot but then again college admission is a game of dice</p>

4

<p>Hey will someone give me thier honest opinion of whether I have a shot at Brandeis University. I have already applied to all ten of my school sbut i took some classes with a professor this past summer from Brandeis and loved it. please be honest and I apologize for the poor formatting that occurred in the transfer from microsoft word.</p>

<p>SAT's
 720 Math
 640 Verbal
 630 Writing
700 SAT 2 Bio M, 650 Math 2c, 650 Chemistry
 A.S.V.A.B.
 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
 A.F.Q.T. Score - 97%
 G.P.A.
 Grade Point Average
 Unweighted - 4.0
 Class Rank<br>
 3rd out of 340 (there was an error on the transcript that says 4th)</p>

<p>Ninth Grade
 Attained Straight A’s for both semesters
 Earned Academic Letter
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Co-founded and was the acting Co-President of F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America)
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. Certification
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification
 Earned Scuba Diving International Certification
 Earned BSA Lifeguard Certification
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Involved in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Sat for the S.A.T.’s </p>

<p>Tenth Grade
 Attained Straight A’s for both semesters
 Earned Academic pin
 Earned Presidential Student Service Award
 Accepted to participate in the National Youth Leadership Conference
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Actively involved with F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America) as the Co- President
 Visited Walter Reed Medical Center
 Attending Sam Rhine’s genetics conference at Wesley College
 Participated in Locks of Love
 Participated in Relay for Life
 Arranged for Medical Guest Speakers
 Actively involved with F.B.L.A. (Future Business Leaders of America)
 Became Acting Treasurer
 Attended the regional competition for F.B.L.A.
 Placed first for the entire Eastern Shore for Business Math
 Placed 3rd for Business Math in the state championship for F.B.L.A.
 Actively involved in Stephen Decatur High School Track
 Dual events as a discus thrower and a shot putter
 Participated in both the Regional and Bayside competitions
 Earned Sports letter
 Earned the Minds in Motion Award
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Involved in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Earned the Eagle Scout Award (the Highest award in the Boy Scouts of America)
 Earned Eagle Palms
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. Certification
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification</p>

<p> Earned Red Cross C.P.R. For The Professional Rescuer
 Senior Lifeguard for Ocean Pines
 Sat for the S.A.T.’s </p>

<p>Eleventh Grade
 Attained Straight A’s while taking three AP courses (Biology, Calculus & European History)
 Accepted to participate in the National Youth Leadership Conference
 Actively involved with F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America)
 Attended Sam Rhine’s genetics conference at Wesley College
 Attended the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia
 Participated in Locks of Love
 Arranged for Medical Guest Speakers
 Aided with Tsunami Relief
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Attended Y.E.L.L. (Youth to Eliminate the Loss of Life) Conference
 Helped with Prom activities
 Helped with Senior Week activities
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Actively involved with F.B.L.A. (Future Business Leaders of America) and became as the Treasurer
 Actively involved with Connections Community Service Organization
 Surfing with Seniors (teaching the elderly how to use computers)
 Attended American Diabetes Association Walk for a Cure
 Wrote grants to obtain project funding
 Participated in Adopting families to assist during the holidays
 Actively involved with Investment Club
 Actively involved with DeMolay (the Junior Masons organization) as the Vice-President
 Actively involved with the DEEP Youth Group
 Actively involved in Ocean City Christian Church
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Attained Brotherhood Membership in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Earned Eagle Palms
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification
 Sat for the New SAT
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. For The Professional Rescuer
 Participating in Stephen Decatur High School Track as both a discus thrower and a shot putter
 Participated in U.M.E.S. Science and Math Competition
 Accepted into Harvard’s Summer School Program to take courses in Principles of Genetics and Biomedical Ethics.
 Attended Regional and Bayside Track meets.
 Participated in Relay 4 Life cancer society fundraiser.
 Became a member of the National Honor Society
 Sat for AP tests in the subjects of Biology, Calculus AB and European History</p>

<p>Summer and Beginning of 12th Grade
 Attended Harvard College for the Summer
 Volunteered for the Harvard College Summer School Blood Drive
 Participated in college preparatory courses at Harvard University in:
 Taking effective notes
 Reading Strategies I: When is it OK to Scan, Skim, or Skip?
 Reading Strategies II: Remembering What You Read
 Time Management Skills
 Stress Management
 Preparing for and Taking Tests and Exams in College
 Making the Transition from High School to College Writing: Meeting the challenges
 Member of the Harvard Extension School Democrats Club
 Participated in intramural sports including volleyball and ultimate frisbee
 Actively involved in Summer Servers Program community service organization
 Senior Lifeguard for Ocean Pines
 Sat for AP tests in Biology, Calculus AB and European History
 Member of Harvard Chess Club
 Member of Academic Team
 Interned at Atlantic General Hospital in the Emergency Room
 Sat for the SAT II in the subjects of Biology M, Chemistry and Math II
 Maryland Distinguished Scholar: Semi-Finalist
 Member of F.M.P.A.
 Member of Connections
 Participated in the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia
 Attended Sam Rhine’s Genetic Conference at Wesley College
 Member of Investment Club
 Participated in the Walk for Diabetes
 Member of S.A.D.D.
 Treasurer of the SDHS Debate Team
 Member of Play It Safe</p>

5

<p>way to steal my thread man......anyway, i think you have a decent shot, but i would cut down some of the extraneous extracurriculars and only show the activities you are passionate about.</p>

6

<p>Wow, and I thought I had a badass activites resume. But you need to organize that alot better though and some of the stuff you listed is straight up bs that the adcoms will see right through. You have alot of cleaning up to do with stuff that doesnt even come close to qualifying to be put on an activities resume. Seems to me Brandeis loves EC's so that really helps if you have a good one. Looks to me though that you lack anything in your activities resume that mentions Leadership and Work Experience, both of those are very important. But gotta love the "Earned Scuba Diving International Certification". I would be interested in seeing what it looks liek once you edit it all. Good Luck</p>

<p>SoCalBum</p>

7

<p>jackson,</p>

<p>Sorry to say this, but I'd say you have almost no chance of getting into Brandeis. Median SAT at Deis is around 1350 (M+V). 25th percentile is 1260. Your SATs at 1200 are just too low. Unless you get your SAT M+V up to near 1350, I suggest you look for a school where the median SAT is closer to your current score.</p>

8

<p>Ya, but the SAT scores are the last thing Brandeis looks at. Isnt Brandeis more interested in GPA, personal qualities, and EC's? So she must have a chance.</p>

<p>SoCalBum</p>

9

<p>Well, if the 25th percentile is 1260, I still fit into the lowest quarter. Definitely not ideal, of course, but I do much better on tests when I study and I will do so before the next SAT. I know I can do better than I did on the math section. Thanks for the input guys!
One more thing - how much does demonstrated interest count at Brandeis?</p>

10

<p>I think it'd be most helpful to remember that admissions officers look at the whole package and not just for a few numbers. I'm not going to say that's the way it is everywhere, but I'm an '07 at deis and I've spent my fair share of time bumming around admissions. They definitely don't draw the line at a certain GPA or SAT and accept everyone above that. SATs do matter (and if they're really good, you have a shot at some merit aid) but there are def. plenty of students here who scored in the 12-1300 range. </p>

<p>As far as demonstrated interest....I'll have to check on that one.</p>