College acceptance? New England. Low GPA?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>College acceptance? New England. Low GPA?
I am a high school senior and am looking at colleges for next year. I have the misfortune of being a slacker in high school an have a low gpa. I am not involved in sports but a lot in band and art. My GPA is 2.7 weighted with 4 APs. I have kick *** recommendations and test scores. I come from a wealthy upper class Iowan family and i need to get into a school in New England, preferably Boston. Money isn't an issue but I need to get into a GREAT school, not a good one. What do you think my chances of getting in schools like:</p>

<p>Boston University
University of Chicago (not NE but definetly my field of study)
University of Massachusettes Amherst
University of Massachusettes Boston
University of Connecticut
University of Iowa (back up)</p>

<p>If not these, whats a good New England school that I could get into?</p>

<p>Thanks for the time.</p>

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<p>Why do you need to get into a GREAT school? </p>

<p>That 2.7 means you <em>might</em> be admissable somewhere, but not necessarily at a GREAT [obviously you mean US News ranking great] school.</p>

<p>You honestly come off a bit egotistical in this- wealthy middle upper class doesn’t need to be said. Just say: FA not an issue. Kick A$$ rec’s? How do you know? Did you see them? Why must it be the East coast, when there are good schools closer to you? Why Boston specifically? The prestige, or because you have family and friends there? </p>

<p>What band activities? Are you going to improve grades this year?</p>

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<p>Let’s start by marking these completely off of your list.</p>

<p>We need to know why you have low grades and how high your SAT scores are. You do not have the misfortune of being a slacker, as if it’s not something you can help, you are a slacker because you choose to be.</p>

<p>I am afraid that unless your parents have some great connections and millions of dollars and a >2250 SAT score, I’d be surprised if you got into any Top 75 school.</p>

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<p>Not to mention your AP scores aren’t listed. And if you have a 2.7 I’d be intrigued if they were really good. </p>

<p>But it would only count against you further, as it would demonstrate you slacked off because you could. </p>

<p>UChi is a reach for most everyone, AND you have to write a killer essay.</p>

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A kid like that would get into any school, top 75 or top 5. Not necessarily the 2250 gives him that opportunity, but connections and millions of dollars, especially in this period of fiscal downturn, will open nearly every door.</p>

<p>If he goes to a rigorous and prestigious NE prep school, top 75 may very well be possible with a strong SAT score. It really depends on just how rigorous his school was. It is especially worrisome that his GPA is 2.7 weighted, however. What was your unweighted GPA? And how rigorous is your school? Any word on your class rank too?</p>

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<p>I think he lives in Iowa (possibly?) as he says his family is Iowan, and U of I is his back up.</p>

<p>I’m going to guess no to the NE prep school.</p>

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<p>You’ll have to forgive my original grammar, I’m not sure what happened there. I used unless to indicate I was assuming he didn’t have those attributes.</p>

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<p>No, we and the colleges don’t need to know. </p>

<p>It’s a myth that it would matter. On these boards I’ve seen a kid who had undergone 2 bouts with cancer be rejected from an ivy as a legacy with high scores and lower grades.</p>

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<p>I suggest you GET a sport, and do A LOT of community service. Colleges want WELL ROUNDED applicants, not just rich ones.
And, a 2.7 WEIGHTED is basically a death sentence. I agree with Yurtle, you need a MAJORLY KICK ASS essay.
I normally suggest getting an interview if possible, but for you, I think one would be more of a mark against you. You kind of have an ego, and colleges want sincere, sweet, and hardworking.</p>

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<p>

Whoops; I should have caught that. My bad. Although there may be strong Iowan prep schools; just not quite at the NE level.

You were overstating the issue though, and that was ultimately what I was pointing out. I agree that he probably has 0 chance at Chicago, and only a minimal chance at BU even with strong scores and stuff, but if he had just the millions of dollars that you had mentioned (I assume for donating to the school’s endowment) then his stats would be of little concern for pretty much any college. He would not need all 3 or even 2 of those aforementioned standards to get into the very best schools, let alone the much wider range of top 75.</p>

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<p>If you’re a slacker, I doubt that you have great recommendations.</p>

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<p>-BBBoy:</p>

<p>I mean that he’d need a kickass essay if he HAD the grades. [For Uchi.]</p>

<p>You need a kickass essay in general, especially with such a low weighted GPA but Uchi is a step above essay-wise.</p>

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<p>OP- if you did a COMPLETE 180 this year: found interests, excelled, became a leader, got good grades, etc etc. Did everything right- you <em>might</em> be able to get into an okay college.</p>