<p>I have been going through the worst college hell lately which has put me under an immense amount of strain. I feel as if I have almost reached the breaking point. First stats:
3.85 unweighted GPA
2060 SAT (including writing) 1360 (without writing)
SAT II's: 770 US History, 640 Biology, 590 Chemistry
top 7% in class
EC's: 3 very civic-oriented/time consuming clubs in which I have been for the past 4 four years / 2 internships over the summer (one doing genetic research at a college, the other, giving tours of old homes and working with children for a nonprofit)</p>
<p>Stanford (1st choice) applied early and got deferred
McGill (safety) waitlisted
UMass Amherst (safety): accepted
Brandeis: rejected today :(
Yet to hear from: Harvard, UPenn, Yale, Tufts, Bowdoin, Princeton, and Stanford (again)</p>
<p>So McGill and UMass Amherst were both my safeties. Now I don't really understand why I got waitlisted at McGill because Canadian universities are more objective in their admissions proccess, admitting students based on grades and not so much on essays and rec's, yet I still got waitlisted. They have a 56% admissions rate! So I really don't understand. As for Brandeis, I really didn't expect to be straight-out rejected, I was hoping for at least a waitlisting. This rejection has troubled me greatly for now I feel as if my college future is beyond uncertain and I will be forced to go to my last choice school (not that it's bad, it's just not my first choice). I need some help! Since all my other schools are better than my bottom three (Brandeis, UMass, McGill) do I stand a chance at all? Should I just prepare to attend UMass?</p>
<p>Be positive! There's really no point in cross analyzing now because decisions come out in a week. I really wish you the best of luck because it seems as if you have worked hard and deserve some kind of a break. </p>
<p>Again, don't stress out too much! Go out and have fun before the letters come flooding in. :)</p>
<p>You should have applied to more schools ranked 30-60 on USNews. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc are all pretty big reaches. Your in the ballpark at Tufts.</p>
<p>Your list is pretty top heavy. The 50% SAT Ranges at Harvard, Yale and Princeton are 1400-1580. Really, anybody below 1480 would have to have a really strong hook (URM, legacy, athlete). UPenn and Stanford are nearly as bad. McGill is hard to predict since it doesn't put much emphasis on SAT scores and there is worldwide competition. McGill is one of the top colleges in the world. Bowdoin and Tufts are weak matches or slight reaches for you. You were probably close at Brandeis and UMass was pretty much a sure thing. It is surprising to me that Stanford deferred you. I think it must have been because of your EC's. I'm basing my comments primarily on your SAT which is quite high, but low for the super-selective colleges. I am also assuming that you are not a URM. Bowdoin will probably look at you more as a total person and care more about your EC's than Tufts.</p>
<p>You sound like a outstanding person from your EC's and your SATs are high outside of the schools that you generally applied to. If you go to UMass, then you tried and you had a good safety that you would be happy with. There are worse outcomes.</p>
<p>In my opinion, Harvard/Yale/Princeton/Stanford/Upenn are about impossible. That leaves you with McGill as a reach. Bowdoin and Tufts as slight reaches or matches. Brandeis as a match. UMass as a safety.</p>
<p>I assume I was deferred by Stanford based on EC's, but feel I still have hope. As for the low SAT scores in bio and chem, I am totally not a standardized test person whereas grade-wise, I do very well in these classes.</p>
<p>This is a tough time of year, no question! A student I have coached in some EC's also just got an outright rejection at Brandeis. I am shocked. This HS has sent similar students to Brandeis in years past and they are doing very well there. No WL, just an outright rejection. I can understand how your recent decisions must have thrown you. "Worse" case scenario (which is not a bad scenario :-)) is you go to UMass and/or put a lot of effort into getting off the WL at McGill. You might get into one of your other colleges, but they are all very competitive schools. I have a few colleagues whose kids have gone/are going to UMass (one b/c she did not get into her first choice) and they LOVE it. I just spoke with a mom last week and her D was saying that it has been the perfect place for her - close to Boston, lots of opportunities both academically, EC and socially. She is graduating this year and has really loved it. I understand your disappointment but if you go to UMass and go with a positive attitude, I am sure you will do well. It is a fine school.</p>
<p>There's nothing you can do right now except TRY not to make yourself sick with worry. You only have a week to wait...in the meantime maybe try to do things to take your mind off the college thing...go see a movie, exercise, etc. You at least are in at UMass, and you can always transfer. If all else doesn't work out, I'd aggressively pursue McGill's waitlist, or any others you may get.</p>
<p>I'm a bit surprised at Brandeis but they've gotten very selective of late. On the negative side your list is very top heavy, but the Stanford deferral is at least hopeful. Good luck.</p>
<p>Ashura, I'm guessing you got into the Honors program at UMass (based off your SATs and GPA). I've heard some good things about it- they really want smart students like you and it looks like they're doing everything this year to make the honors program really good.</p>
<p>Worst comes to worst, you'll succeed at UMass.</p>
<p>Thanks you guys for all your support. I'll try to keep the college thing as off my mind as possible this coming week by filling up my time with unrelated things.</p>
<p>
[quote]
mcgill is a numbers game for US applicants and your SAT and SAT II scores are relatively low.
[/quote]
I think the opposite is true. McGill doesn't have regional quotas and has a lot of applicants from outside Canada. There are 150 countries represented on campus although only 13% of the students are international. At any rate, probably most ot the applicants never take the SAT. In PR's Best Colleges, it says "The admissions process is thorough and demanding, and high SAT I and II scores just don't have the same clout across the border."</p>
<p>McGill may be tougher for non-Canadians. Hey, it isn't over yet. You can apply to additional schools. Some are still accepting applications. They say that on May 1, a website opens up (search on ncac) with a list of colleges still willing to consider applicants. You are a good applicant, and many of these places would love to receive an application from you. So, if you are not happy with your choices when all the letters are in, look for additional opportunities.</p>
<p>there is no way you can say that those sat scores are low in any way. they are competitive at any level. that sat score really couldnt make or break a student at an incredibly competitive college. so it was either another factor, or just a roll of the dice...</p>