Choosing a list of colleges...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello, I am a junior and I need a good list of reaches, targets, and safeties. I am in an awkward situation in which my my GPA does not reflect neither my AP test scores nor my SAT. </p>

<p>I have taken the SAT twice (once in an honor program during seventh grade) and my current score is 2360. I took this last year, and I think I am content with it. I have heard that taking it over to improve anything less than 100 points is looked down upon. My teachers really like me and I believe that my recommendations will reflect that. </p>

<p>The major drawback may be my GPA which is a 3.6 in a mildly competitive school. We do not rank, but I would not be in the top ten percent (most of them average a 1980 or so SAT). I have taken very rigorous courses (especially in the maths and sciences; I will have completed Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra by end of high school) and maintain a very high test average (97.8 unweighted in all my classes). </p>

<p>During the summers I have participated in two programs which may catch the eye of the college counselor. I went to the Yale Ivy Scholars during the interim summer between tenth and eleventh grade. This is not like most of the very expensive and non-selective classes at schools such as Harvard and Yale. During my interview for TASP (a selective program for the humanities) they said that it is likely that I would be able to participate. The notification for the scholarship is this later this month. I have been working on a huge science project which has been awarded 1st in many competitions and I will enter it for STS next year. I may also participate in RSI. </p>

<p>I am on the top team in the state (and captain of it) for debate and mock trial. I spend a great deal of time working in debate because it is something I love. Other prominent ECs include first viola in honor orchestra and principal in all state. I also started a fund which provided tutors for less well off kids in the community. Overall we have been a success and have been recognized in the newspaper many times. I will be the editor-in-chief for the newspaper next year.</p>

<p>I run for varsity cross country and will be the captain next year... I also do varsity track (co captain) and seconds swimming. I have been the class president for the last three years and for my next year the upcoming elections will determine my position. While my GPA is not high enough to be inducted into the NHS, I got in because we have an exception for students who have taken over six APs with an overall average of 4.5 (I have an average of 5.0). I will have taken close to fifteen APs by the time I graduate. </p>

<p>I am afraid my GPA will be my bane. I have some prominent people in academia I have established a relationship with (especially some of the professors at Ivy Scholars) and I am not sure if they are allowed to write me a recommendation. I have been recognized in my state in math and writing (Scholastic Art and Writing), and have other recognitions. </p>

<p>This being said I would like to go to graduate school, and while my family will be able to comfortably pay through my education, the cheaper the better (to the extent of good colleges, my safety will be a small private and/or the state). What would be a good list for me, I will give you a basic list of my "dreams".
[ul]
[<em>]Upenn (Huntsman, Fisher, or life sciences and management... CAS/Wharton would be great also)
[</em>]Georgetown
[<em>]Harvard (legacy)
[</em>]Duke (legacy)
[<em>]Yale (legacy)
[</em>]MIT
[<em>]Amherst
[</em>]Williams
[<em>]College of William and Mary
[</em>]Deep Springs
[/ul]
I am sure these are all reaches, I need a strong list of targets.</p>

<p>You guys are amazing, thanks for the help!</p>

2

<p>Oh: I would like to go to major in either, intl relations (huntsman gtown) or life sciences with business… Or medicine if I can get into a five-seven year program. I will have taken all science APs along with some post ap level classes. Brown PLME would be great, but with my GPA that’s close to unattainable.</p>

3

<p>Is that your unweighted or weighted GPA? You seem to have a pretty good resume. I would hazard a guess and say that you would get into W&M quite handily - they tend to look at all aspects of an application and don’t disqualify someone for having a blemish on one part of their application.</p>

<p>To put in a blurb for the William and Mary International Relations program - I am a Freshman IR/Enviro Policy double major and the opportunities I have had to actually work with the faculty (including the department heads) has really been quite outstanding. I’m a freshman and I’ve already been able to go over to a Professor’s home for Bar-B-Que! I even got an internship with the Institute for the Practice and Theory of International Relations (our IR research arm) working with the largest database of project level aid in the world. This is the organization that also does some of the rankings of University’s IR programs. Anyway, just some food for thought. You have an amazing resume and I’m sure you’ll get into some of your dream schools!</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the response. That is, sadly, my weighted. I guess it shows lack of effort but the school provides test and long term project GPAs for each course and I have a UW 4.3 (+ gets a .3 and - gets a -.3) for all. Homework is my major drawback. At home I work on a academic project much longer than what my homework requires. I go to school to learn, but I guess homework does not reflect me well. A community like CC would laugh at my hw grade. </p>

<p>WM is one of my top choices (some may be surprised), thanks for the description. My parents lived in VA for a while, and while I am not aquatinted with VA I would love to be there.</p>

5

<p>I got a 237 on the PSAT, if that helps. My parents want me to take the SAT again because I have improved a lot… I know the effect will be nominal, but I have another year… so… Another huge part I forgot is my participation with Young Democrats… I’m a pretty stark liberal, but I love debate!</p>

6

<p>Is Deep Springs in reach for me? I love the whole concept.</p>

7

<p>After reading some searches I am thinking of adding Uchic…</p>

<p>Help please!</p>

8

<p>Well, considering the fact the Deep Springs only takes in a few young men each year, and the interview is very important, it is a reach for anyone[ you DO know it is 2 years only, correct?]</p>

<p>Now, regarding other target colleges for you, I definately suggest Reed, and U of Chicago[ Chicago has one of the best debate teams in the Country] to start. Your intense desire to learn would mean you wouldfit perfectly into the student body at both schools. BUT you need to know that any ANY of the colleges you have on your list, time management is crucial for success in college.
You remind me of my son, who also had great SAT’s and AP scores[ and note to your parents- there is ABSOLUTELY no reason to take the SAT again] was a CTY participant, and lousy, relatively speaking, at figuring how long to spend on doing a homework assignment. Because he was such a perfectionist he wanted to work on his assignments until they could not be improved on. That sometimes meant he turned them in late, for which his grade was marked down. Sound familiar? In college, you HAVE to be able to manage your time, because no one will be there to remember to turn an assignment in tomorrow.
What is your weighted GPA for your soph and jr years? Are your freshman grades bringing your gpa down?</p>

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<p>^^ We should get you 2 together! Son is also a talented classical pianist. When he was in HS he and a friend decided to have a competition to see who could learn the most compositions from the most obscure piano composers in history. All his allowance for 2 years went toward buying musical scores!</p>

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<p>I am not that into my instrument! I am a bad spender, I try to donate or I go ‘crazy’. </p>

<p>Deep Springs is two year, I know that… :)</p>

11

<p>This look good?</p>

<p>Reach:
Harvard
Yale
Deep Springs
Amherst
Williams
Duke
MIT
Georgetown
Brown PLME
Upenn</p>

<p>Target:
William and Mary
Northwestern (high, high match?)
U chicago
College of the Atlantic (if I want a Human Ecology degree)</p>

<p>Safety:
Northeastern
Drexel
Penn State (not instate)
Texas</p>

12

<p>yeah, looks good! but, could you answer this question-
What is your weighted GPA for your soph and jr years? Are your freshman grades bringing your gpa down?
You will have to address your GPA somehow, without excuses, in your applications to the top colleges. Will you have fantastic letters of recommendation from 2 teachers as well as your college counselor? I ask because sometimes great SAT scores coupled with not so great grades can sometimes make a student seem like a “slacker” or lazy, which is the kiss of death for many colleges. But the rigor of the classes you have taken, plus your AP scores points to the contrary. So, unless your grades for this year come up to a near 4.0, you will need to address the discrepancy.</p>

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<p>As I said my GPA has been like that for all of high school. I go on a tangent and that teaches me so much, but I don’t get the concrete assignment done. My recs will be very good, I think I will be able to get a prof from Yale to write me one along with the state all state orchestra conductor. </p>

<p>I show my hard work, hopefully, in the many after school activities which define me.</p>

14

<p>Does USC have a good program for my interests?</p>

15

<p>U chicago and Northwestern are not matches. And college counselors do not care about summer programs, except for the super competitive ones (such as TASP, and RSI, and the ones that aren’t cash cows).</p>

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<p>I will probably participate in TASP. The reason YIS is a good opportunity is to meet with the profs and establish a relationship. Before this is was not familiar with Yale at all, now I am more so familiar. It is a LOT more selective then other Yale summer programs. </p>

<p>I understand the NU and uchic are not matches, I don’t know why I put them there, my mistake.</p>

17

<p>Yes, USC has everything you want[ international relations, business school, Med school early acceptance, great music program, great honors program [TO] in the Humanities and Honors sciences], and with your NMF standing, you will receive 1/2 0ff tuition all 4 years . If you apply before the Dec 1 deadline for scholarship consideration, you would also be eligible for the Trustees[ full tuition] scholarship. And I beg to disagree, but I think Chicago is a match for you[ Son was accepted both as a freshman and as a transfer student].
But he chose USC, and has found many “Chicago” like students there.</p>

18

<p>Thanks! From what I hear Chicago would be a better fit for me, but USC has everything I want, also. I would consider USC if I get decent merit scholarship, seems great…</p>

19

<p>^^re Chicago being a better fit. That’s what I and Son’s HS Counselor thought too. Son transferred to Chicago after 1 year at USC, 'cause he thought he might have made a mistake in turning it down the year before. Happily came back to USC after 1 qtr there- he realized he wanted to have time to do other things than study! You DO have to work harder at Chicago than at almost any other college in the US. And son found plenty of smart- Chicago like friends in the honors science classes at USC to keep him happy.</p>

20

<p>U of Chicago and Northwestern are definitely reaches. </p>

<p>Look your SAT will help offset your GPA a good deal, but keep in mind, there are tons of kids with the same SAT and higher GPAs nationally. That said you can still get a great quality education.</p>

<p>I would consider the following:</p>

<p>Michigan
Wisconsin
UIUC
NYU
Boston College
Wake Forest
UNC-Chapel Hill
Texas (which you listed)
USC
Washington
Maryland
George Washington
Ohio State
Minnesota</p>