<p>GPA: 2.3 (about)
ACT: 26</p>
<p>Activities:</p>
<p>Varsity Debate Team - 4 years
Academic Decathlon - 2 years
Attorney in Mock Trial - Outstanding Attorney (sohp. year) - State Qualifiers
President of SADD Club - 1 year (jr.)
Vice-President DECA (school chapter) - 2 years
Chair of 2009 Talent Show Committee
Chamber Choir - 2 years
ACT-SO - 3 years - 4 awards
NAACP Youth Council Member - 4 years - Membership Committee Chair
Kids Against Hunger International Organization
Recycling Club - 4 years - Secretary (soph. year)
American Cancer Society High School Chapter - 3 years
Caring Corps - 3 years</p>
<p>Which of the following colleges could I get accepted into?</p>
<p>Fordham University
New York University
Barnard College
Marymount Manhattan College
Pace University
Eugene Lang College</p>
<p>I know my grades are extremely poor, but I've been through a lot over the past few years, such as my father and grandmother dying, living in a homeless shelter, my mother remarrying, and attending different schools each year (moving around a lot-- I'll be attending my 4th this fall). I explained it thoroughly in my admissions essay, which is six pages long, so hopefully the admissions officers will somewhat understand. I'd say that my letters of recommendation are pretty good; one is from an advanced English teacher of mine, and the other is from a Judge.</p>
<p>What do you all think my chances of being accepted into any of those schools are? I'm an African-American female looking to major in either African Studies, English or Philosophy. I've visited all of the campuses and honestly liked all of them, especially NYU and Fordham.</p>
<p>Please be honest, and criticize constructively.</p>
<p>Dont know much about those schools but my main advice would be to shorten that essay down to an extremly charming and short explanation as to why your GPA is so low and how you are looking to improve by in college. No college admissions officer is going to want to read a 6 page sob story about how hard your life has been (no disrespect, telling it straight up), but they will love an inspirational story about how you havnt fallen victim to not going to school, hardships, etc. I don’t know what the minimum GPA is at those schools but you should also look at community colleges and transfer after 2 years. Focus on the future, not the past, your SAT score aint bad so that might score you some points.</p>
<p>Malibu’s right. Essays are typically 500 words or less. I’m not trying to be harsh, but if you want admissions to finish your essay then you should probably shorten it. On the bright side, you have a good topic as long as you (like Malibu said) use it to show your determination and ambition rather than to make excuses.</p>
<p>Marymount Manhattan College - Definite match
Pace University - Good match
Eugene Lang - Match
Fordham - Lower reach
NYU - Reach
Barnard - Reach</p>
<p>NYU and Barnard are huge reaches. Fordham is a reach also, but you might have a very slim chance if your essay is stellar in explaining the GPA. Your ACT has potential, so make sure the essay shows that despite your past you can and will put in the effort to be the kind of student they want. Then prove it to them by getting honor roll on your mid-year score report. Since you liked Fordham a lot I’d also apply ED. But your essay will be key, so please, please, please shorten it!</p>
<p>^^^^^^^
He nailed it. My predictions are the exact same. With your GPA and ACT, you will have some problems getting into Fordham, NYU, and Barnard.</p>
<p>I don’t want to be “that guy”, but how were you able to do so many ECs, yet not have enough time to maintain a good GPA?</p>
<p>My bad grades are due mainly to my poor attendance, which was because of us moving around and whatnot. If it had not been for my attendance, my GPA would probably be around a 3.5. Some teachers make it so that once you miss so many days, you automatically fail the class or get a 60%. The 2.3 is a mixture of A’s B’s and F’s.</p>
<p>That sucks dude. Hopefully adcoms will see it though. If you end up going to Marymount Manhattan or Pace you could probably get your grades up and transfer to NYU, Fordham, or Barnard in a year or two.</p>
<p>Christ sakes, you’ve been all through these god forsaken mess, yet you still stayed involved in school? wow. achieved much for the good of the humanity? and not curl up in the corner and shrivel, but fight back,even if it was feeble? wow.</p>
<p>I give you my full, utmost respect.</p>
<p>Yes, your GPA is of community-college substance. But you ACT shows that you have potential, that there may be good reasons to why your GPA is uncharacteristically low. retake that ACT (do study for it, lol :P), and integrate that into your gpa. basically, i geuss, you’re gonna have to try to show NYU that the uncharacteristically low GPA is NOT a prediction that you will fail in college. Of course, plenty of kids who go to UCLA or Stanford or what not are gonna succumb to failure then go back to CC in their soph year. </p>
<p>integrate in your essay, the cruel expriences you’ve been through, and how it affected your GPA. (but no sob stories, please… just be humble. or eat some humble pie, for your own sake…)</p>
<p>I dunno if i may be correct, if i may be wrong, or if i may be dumb in your answers. it’s gonna be hard to get into the reach schools, frankly speaking. But, you have a chance. These are the best help I can probably conjure to this moment. I’ll to help you a bit more if you have any questions. ;)</p>
<p>LEMON</p>
<p>Thank you all, for the help. It is greatly appreciated… anyone else?</p>
<p>I think, if you demonstrate that you’re a smart and worthy student in your essays, as well as explain your circumstances, you have a decent shot at all these schools. :)</p>
<p>AN essay centered around all of the hardships you went through should seal all doubts about ya (Silly GPA and what not). Adcoms already are aware that GPA is not a singularly accurate indicator of intellectual potential, and will be even more so aware in your scenario. So, i think with a good essay, and solid recs (especially from a judge), you have a good chance at NYU.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/750170-chance-noob-here-3-will-chance-back-promise-xd.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/750170-chance-noob-here-3-will-chance-back-promise-xd.html</a></p>
<p>this doesn’t match up</p>
<p>if you’re in a homeless shelter, you should get a job rather than pursuing a ****load of ec’s.<br>
your dad dying is one thing. so is living in a homeless shelter. but your grandma dying and you getting a step dad are very very very common. tons of kids go through it. i did.i
I’m sorry, but if you didn’t have a home and continued to do ec’s rather than get a job at a supermarket or restaurant, you are possible the dumbest person alive. that being said, some people will not evaluate your situation as i did, and being an african american woman, and i would say you have a shot at everything but nyu. </p>
<p>in terms of strategy, apply to traditionally white colleges- being an african american will help you a ton. </p>
<p>also, under your presumed circumstance, it may be wise to go to a community college before going to college. it will help you learn everything that you missed.</p>
<p>one last thing</p>
<p>don’t study african american history. study history. the former is kind of ******** and you will have a very narrow persepective on history as a whole, in terms of time and in views</p>
<p>good luck, i didn’t intend to come off as a jackass. i’ve had family members in your position before, so maybe i’m basing my views of you off of them(they kind of deserved to be where they are) and maybe i’m callous to these situations at this point. if the above apply to you, i appologize.</p>
<p>Heya,</p>
<p>Hmm personally I really don’t know, you kind of have to explain to me about your low academics in order for me to really tell, like is your school super competitive, your grade trends, did you overload on aps or something etc. </p>
<p>Well I don’t mean to raise or lower your hopes but the lowest gpa person I’ve heard of getting into NYU was around 3.1 so…maybe if you gave me a more accurate academic trend idea I might be able to predict something </p>
<p>Your ECs are good though, but you need to be focused very specifically in something that you REALLY like so you have a solid foundation.</p>