Chances to tweak college list

Applying to College
1

<p>Last chances thread (hopefully). I am finalizing my college list and so I need to know what schools will fall in to the safety, match and reach range so I can adjust appropriately. </p>

<p>Low income, Asian-American Female
Chicago, IL</p>

<p>Most difficult courseload.
Cumulative GPA W: 4.91, UW: 3.85
SAT: 2090, CR: 730, M: 650, W: 710
ACT: 30; Math: 30, Reading: 34, English: 30, Science: 24, Essay: 11
Retook ACT in June and will be retaking SAT in the fall.
Top 10% in class [~30 kids]</p>

<p>APs Taken
9th: All honors
10th: AP U.S. History (5), AP Computer Science (3)
11th: AP Biology, AP Language & Composition, AP Statistics, AP Government & Politics, AP BC Calculus
12th: AP Physics, AP Literature & Composition, AP Multivariable Calculus, AP Psychology, AP Microeconomics</p>

<p>INVOLVED IN: (12 suggests plan to continue)
* Leadership Positions</p>

<p>Community Service
Community for Alternative Sources of Energy [11, 12] * (3 hrs/wk)
National Honor Society <a href="1.5%20hrs/wk">10, 11, 12</a>
Computer Science Corps. [11] * (4.5 hrs/wk)</p>

<p>Government, Politics & Debate
Junior Statesmen of America [11, 12] * (1 hrs/wk)
American Constitutional Law Program <a href="3%20hrs/wk">11</a>
Student Council Representative [9]</p>

<p>Writing & Arts
Slam Poetry Team <a href="2%20hrs/wk">10, 12</a>
Peer Writing Assistant <a href="2%20hrs/wk">9, 12</a>
Student Path Writer <a href="national%20publication">11, 12</a>
Apprentice Artist @ Beacon Street Gallery <a href="25%20hrs/wk">11</a></p>

<p>SUMMERS
Both are internships:
Apprentice artist at an art gallery (2006)
One of a team of students to develop a student-created radio program (2007)</p>

<p>AWARDS:
QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship
Scholarship Chicago Winner
Dartmouth College Book Award
Best sophomore prose in school literary magazine
Published twice in online literary magazine</p>

<p>OTHER:
Possible QuestBridge finalist
Low-income (SSI only), employed during summers</p>

<p>INTENDED MAJOR:
English and/or Gender/Women's/Feminist Studies</p>

<p>HOW LIKELY:</p>

<p>University of Chicago
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
Northwestern University
Wellesley College
Swarthmore College
Amherst College
Barnard College
Stanford University
Princeton University
Yale University</p>

2

<p>Stanford is out because stats is very important to them. </p>

<p>I assume U ofI is the only safety for you. Unless you would be perfectly happy to go there, you'll need more safeties. All of those schools are very selective. I would try to bring up your SAT or ACT scores. Have you considered Trinity College? It could be a good safety for you. It has good Honors programs and merit scholarship.</p>

3

<p>Yes, U of I is my only safety. I think that if chosen well, I only really need one safety.</p>

<p>And I am taking a risky route, but I am applying to some of these schools through QuestBridge (which is why I have a few more schools than I should). </p>

<p>What a 32 on the ACT be competitive enough for Stanford, or would I need to get at least a 34?</p>

4

<p>compared to most low income ppl....your SATs aren't so bad. ppl w/ 1700-1800 out of 2400 SAT get into top ivies. and u have a 2090, which is high for just about anyone.... u have a very rigorous course so load, so that is a plus.
chicago is probably the only one that might be questionable (if going by SAT alone)..... but the others look ok.</p>

5

<p>"ppl w/ 1700-1800 out of 2400 SAT get into top ivies."</p>

<p>I think that they would need to have a major hook with those scores.</p>

<p>"compared to most low income ppl....your SATs aren't so bad."</p>

<p>Low income does not significantly increase chances at admission, even at need-blind schools.</p>

<p>Any suggestions to tweak the list?</p>

6

<p>" chicago is probably the only one that might be questionable (if going by SAT alone)..... "</p>

<p>i'm gonna have to disagree here. 2090 isn't up to par for HYPS.</p>

7

<p>STANFORD AVERAGES:
Test scores SAT verbal scores over 500 100%, SAT math scores over 500 100%, ACT scores over 18 100%, SAT verbal scores over 600 92%, SAT math scores over 600 96%, ACT scores over 24 99%, SAT verbal scores over 700 59%, SAT math scores over 700 67%, ACT scores over 30 66% </p>

<p>u aren't in that bad of percentages. for CR, you are in the 41 percentile and math you are in the 33 percentile</p>

8

<p>PRINCETON:
Test scores SAT verbal scores over 500 100%, SAT math scores over 500 100%, ACT scores over 18 N/R, SAT verbal scores over 600 96%, SAT math scores over 600 98%, ACT scores over 24 N/R, SAT verbal scores over 700 73%, SAT math scores over 700 74%, ACT scores over 30 N/R </p>

<p>i GUESS IF U GOT A 710 IN ALL 3 SECTIONS (2130 TOTAL) YOU WOULD BE IN THE highest range for HYPS.</p>

9

<p>mj93, suggestions to the list are welcome. I picked schools with excellent financial aid for low-income students and strong English departments. </p>

<p>GAclassof2008, in terms of percentiles, those who have less than average stats have to have some kind of hook. I understand where you are coming from, but not all applicants are equally judged. There are some types of applicants that are preferred and therefore, their scores do not have to be as high.</p>

<p>EDIT: Also, where are you getting your information from? I'll take a look.</p>

10

<p>that "hook"= first generation? low income? URM?
are u not one of those demographical hooks?</p>

11

<p>you need some more real safeties and some matches unless you are happy to go to U of I. Every college on your list is a real reach for any top student, because they only take a small % of students that apply.</p>

12

<p>I am low-income, but I don't think it can compensate for weak SAT/ACT scores..</p>

<p>menloparkmom, do you have any suggestions?</p>

13

<p>My D (and her girlfriends) with a bit better stats than you (SAT>2150, UW GPA>3.9), no financial aide (could be good or bad depending on which school), were shut out of HYPS, waitlisted at Duke, Cornell, Northwestern. Many of them got into Tufts, Haverford, Georgetown, Colgate, Amherst. Geographically we are in NE, so that's a disadvantage. They are from very competitive HS. They applied to 8-10 schools on average with acceptance rate of 50% initially, then up to 70% after getting off waitlists.</p>

<p>Our college counselor told us that Stanford is all about stats, where Harvard and Yale will take other factors into consideration.</p>

<p>Get more safeties and matches. This year was very competitive and next year is not going to be better. You can't go by the average stats for those schools. They include stats for atheletes and other students with special hooks. You are right that low income may not necessary be a hook. You don't want to live in fear for 3 months of possibly not getting into any school.</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
i GUESS IF U GOT A 710 IN ALL 3 SECTIONS (2130 TOTAL) YOU WOULD BE IN THE highest range for HYPS.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No. The 25th-75th percentile for Princeton is 2050-2370. Y and S are similar. Her SAT is barely in the 25th percentile, and that isn't desirable for admission to those schools.</p>

<p>That isn't to say she won't get in to YPS, but a 2130 SAT is not top for those schools, even for an URM, low income, etc.</p>

<p>Now, for the OP:
I think your test scores and class rank will hold you back, unfortunately. That 24 in science is really hurting, and I think you should study for that section and retake it, as that could boost your cumulative A LOT. I assume you meant you are in the top 30/300 students, not 3/30.</p>

<p>Other than that, your EC's seem solid and you seem to be involved in quite a lot of things but I don't see a passion, but of course that's really hard to find in a simple message board post. This is most important for the top 10 schools, which is why I think you won't get into Yale, Princeton, and Stanford...and also Amherst and Swarthmore.</p>

<p>I think if your app is well put together you have a good shot at Chicago. I also think you have a good shot at Wellesley and Barnard, and a decent chance at Northwestern. </p>

<p>You have a chance at all of them, of course, and don't let me discourage you from applying to any of them, including YPS! I'm just giving my honest opinion.</p>

15

<p>oldfort, thank you for that. And I've already stated repeatedly that I understand that my scores are not competitive; I've asked for suggestions and I will consider the schools that you spoke about.</p>

<p>Xeneise, you said my SAT is barely in the 25th percentile. For Princeton, you said it is from 2050 to 2370. That means I am above the 25th percentile -- there's nothing "barely" about it. It isn't competitive, of course, but that's what it is.</p>

<p>I have retaken the ACT already. I mentioned that in my original post, if you had read it. And while I said I was in the top 30, I am probably in the upper half of that, as I know that I am in the top 10% but it could actually be as high as the top 5%.</p>

<p>How do you not see any passion in my ECs? That's why I grouped them together -- because I knew <em>some</em> CCer would say that I had no passion. If it truly is hard to tell from a post, then why did you comment on it? I thought it was pretty clear that I am passionate about writing and politics, as indicated by the groupings. And I'm sorry that you don't see that, but I've done a lot of writing on my own and created my own writing portfolio. Writing isn't something that you can simply enter lots and lots of contests like mathematics (AIME, AMC, etc.) I have been submitting my writing to literary journals for almost a year now. It is much more difficult to get published than to win a mathematics contest, and I hope you understand that while one passion is easy to demonstrate, others are not. And I am a good writer, so I think I have a good shot at University of Chicago. </p>

<p>I think being honest with me is key; please don't tell me that my chances are next to none at some colleges and then tell me not to be discouraged. That's like offending someone and then telling them not to be offended. I already know that a lot of these colleges accept almost less than 10% of those who apply -- I've done my research.</p>

<p>Of course, I am not discouraged, because I am going to apply anyway to the more selective colleges, most likely through QuestBridge to hopefully show more myself in the multiple essays for the application. Wellesley, Swarthmore, Amherst, Stanford, Princeton and Yale are all QuestBridge partners.</p>

<p>Anyway, thank you.</p>

16

<p>I sincerely appreciate your approach towards the college admission process. As a parent, i can say that if you can passionately express your ideas and thoughts while writing the essays, you will have a very fair chance to a few of the schools you are targetting. However, after going through the admission process, for my son in 2007, and this year for my daughter, i would like to believe that the process is less predictable :)
Wish you best of luck!</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
please don't tell me that my chances are next to none at some colleges and then tell me not to be discouraged

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I never said your chances were next to none. Ever. I said your test scores were low for Yale, Stanford, and Princeton. That's all. Didn't say anything on your chances. I did give out my own opinion, and project you in at Barnard, Wellesley, Chicago, and possibly Northwestern, and not Yale, Stanford, and Princeton. I never specifically stated that, but that's what I implied.</p>

<p>And my post should have read, just above the 25th percentile, not in. Sorry.</p>

<p>Just because I don't think you won't get into three of the top five universities in the country doesnt mean you won't get into them. I think you have a shot, I just meant if I had to chose I'd say no. Why? Because 9/10 don't. You are a competative applicant. By all means apply. I know you'll end up somewhere great.</p>

<p>Sorry for missing the part on you retaking the ACT. My mistake. And I shouldn't have said your EC's lacked passion. That really wasn't the right word. I think they do show passion, but lack ..."uniqueness" so to speak. They are great extracurriculars, i just meant to indicate that for Yale, Princeton, and Stanford, they look for that really astonishing EC that seperates you from the group. But they are impressive nonetheless, and certainly make you competative.</p>

<p>I'm sorry if my post sounded a little harsh, I really was more angry at GAclassof2008 for posting such ridiculous information. I've seen many of his posts and I just don't agree with him.</p>

18

<p>University of Chicago - Match/Slight reach
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign - Safety
Northwestern University - Match/Slight reach
Wellesley College - Match
Swarthmore College - Match/Slight reach
Amherst College - Far Reach
Barnard College - Match/Slight reach
Stanford University - Far Reach
Princeton University- Far Reach
Yale University- Far Reach</p>

19

<p>Wow murkywater, you are ridiculous. Xeneise writes a good couple paragraphs giving his opinion on your resume. You then bash him because he did not give you the answer you wanted (that you have great chances at every school).</p>

<p>You say you want honest answers so I will tell you what I think:</p>

<p>University of Chicago - Reach
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign - Safety
Northwestern University - Reach
Stanford University - Very Unlikely
Princeton University - Very Unlikely
Yale University - Very Unlikely</p>

<p>I excluded the LAC's which I know nothing about.</p>

<p>Reasons: I think that your EC's are great. I think your scores aren't high enough, however, to be competitive. I think that being Asian will hurt your chances even more. I know you are retaking ACT and SAT this fall, so do your best on those. They are what is holding you back.</p>

<p>You asked for honesty, and I gave you honest answers. I would not be surprised, however, if you started complaining about how I was to mean. It may be mean, but it is honest.</p>

20

<p>Thanks for the encouragement, Rintu.</p>

<p>--</p>

<p>Xeneise, I didn't mean to attack you. It just seemed as if you were saying one thing and meaning another, and I wanted you to clarify. I was already disagreeing with what GAclassof2008 said. Hopefully next fall, I will prove you wrong.</p>

<p>--</p>

<p>lebedev, thank you for your response.</p>

<p>--</p>

<p>MuTiger12, I wasn't bashing Xeneise and was not upset that he didn't give me the response that I wanted. If he had said I was reaching for all of them, I would've cared less -- you are people on a messageboard, not the admission committee themselves. My problem was that he hadn't read my original post and made some incorrect claims; they are corrected now. I have already retaken the ACT, as it is written in my original post. </p>

<p>Thank you for the response. If anyone has suggestions for schools that I can cut out and switch with another, that would be great.</p>