Chances ****

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>just got my SAT scores today.
1710
620 Reading
490 Math
600 Writing</p>

<p>my GPA is 3.9</p>

<p>i'm unsure about my exact rank but its within the top 10% of my class, for sure, without a doubt.</p>

<p>I'm taking all AP and honors courses, and i usually have only one or two B's on each report card...</p>

<p>I've done a lot of extra curiculars, notably class officer (President) for all three years, SADD, the Step Team, FTA, and Spanish Honor Society.</p>

<p>Outside of school, I work at a medical office doing billing, and I volunteer regularly</p>

<p>I'm Afican- American, first generation, and female (does that count for anything?)</p>

<p>I will DEFINTIELY be needing scholarship money and financial aid.</p>

<p>These are the school's i'm looking at:</p>

<p>Georgetown
Rutgers
NYU
Columbia
Penn State
U Penn
U Maryland</p>

<p>Am I way out of my league? What Score should i be going for next time (since this is my first round) Any college hunting advice?</p>

2

<p>u r in at penn state. some of the others (nyu, columbie, u penn) could b hard to get into with the math score… idk enough about the rest. i would reccomend taking the sat again because most ppl do better the second try. everything else seems good!</p>

<p>i wouldnt mind a chance back :slight_smile: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/861966-chance-me-please-cmu-cornell-wvu-others.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/861966-chance-me-please-cmu-cornell-wvu-others.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>firstly great job on ur gpa and school rank!
i think u need to shoot for higher on ur sats, try to break 2000…some of those schools need even a little higher (UPenn)
solid EC, make urself sound passionate about them it will help
Georgetown-reach
Rutgers-dont know
NYU-low reach
Columbia-?
Penn State-match
U Penn-reach, but it is for everyone
U Maryland-not sure sorry?
Georgetown
Rutgers
NYU
Columbia
Penn State
U Penn
U Maryland
Georgetown
Rutgers
NYU
Columbia
Penn State
U Penn
U Maryland
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/863928-chance-me-please-uva.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/863928-chance-me-please-uva.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>sorry, didnt realize i copied the school 2 more times…haha</p>

5

<p>I think you should have no problem getting into Rutgers, U Maryland, and Penn State. NYU will be a little harder considering your SAT scores might need to be a little higher. For Columbia, U Penn, and Georgetown you will need to raise your GPA a lot more and you SAT scores should be pretty close to 2000. I think being an African American helps a lot. </p>

<p>Could you comment on mine: chances of getting into UConn?</p>

6

<p>I assume the 3.9 is unweighted.</p>

<p>Being URM and first-gen will help, yes, but not enough with those scores. You want to be somewhere in the 2000-2100 range–remember that many top scoring AA students apply to Columbia, Penn, Gtown, etc. and the colleges can take their pick. It’s not a free ticket. (The higher the score the better, of course; as you get up into the 2200s and 2300s you become very attractive to top schools.) Invest in a Blue Book, in a good prep guide if necessary, and check out xiggi’s SAT prep method (search the SAT forums). Like any other skill, the SAT can be learned.</p>

<p>You might also want to try the ACT?</p>

<p>I disagree with the other posters’ assessment of your chances at the state schools. These are the middle 50% SAT ranges for Rutgers, UMCP, and Penn State:</p>

<p>Rutgers: 1720-1990
Maryland: 1240-1380 (/1600)
Penn State: 1740-1980</p>

<p>As you can see you fall below the 25th percentile for all three. Now, your score is pretty lopsided and they might be inclined to overlook your low math score (the others are in range, if on the low side) in an otherwise decent app–but I wouldn’t count on it. I wouldn’t count on URM status to push you through, either, since these are state schools. Raise your scores into the target range, however, and you should be more than fine.</p>

<p>You say you will definitely need finaid, so I’m assuming you’re not well off. Columbia, Penn, and Georgetown meet 100% of need–although Georgetown includes some loans in its FA package–but NYU does not. Unless you are one of their top applicants, you are unlikely to be able to afford to go. The same goes for the publics: if you are OOS they won’t give you aid. You’ll have to rely on merit money, and I know Penn State at least doesn’t have a lot of that.</p>

<p>You’ll need affordable options. Raise your scores to be eligible for the most financially generous schools–which are usually the top schools–and top merit scholarships at lower-tier institutions. Otherwise, honestly, there aren’t a lot of options for low-income students.</p>

7

<p>You can forget about the ivy leagues, but everything else you have a fair chance at with a good essay</p>

8

<p>Columbia & UPenn are highly unlikely, (sorry), but it doesn’t hurt to try</p>