<p>Raising your scores will of course improve your chances, but no one can speculate about your chances of being admitted. I am worried, however, about your house being foreclosed. Please tell your dad to talk to his parents or get help. Being evicted is an extremely serious crisis, especially since your father is in bad health.</p>
<p>If you are a senior NOW (and from what I'm reading it sounds like you are), you should be in the process of completing your college applications...including all safety schools and alternate "options". Your decision is a tough one...it sounds like you very much are helping your family and would like to continue doing so if possible. You don't mention your mother in any of these posts. What is her role here...and what does she think about your enrolling in college far away? Do you have younger (or older) siblings who are also helping out?</p>
<p>My mother is all for me going to college in the states. She, however, does not earn alot. <30000. I am the oldest in the family.</p>
<p>The issues raised are serious but confusing. I'd suggest not only talking to your GC, but also to a school counselor. If they are not therapists, then the GC should offer suggestions for clinics.
Selfishly, you want to attend the best college possible. You feel you've earned the chance. On the other hand, there is a very ill FA and shame about the finances, to the point that family would risk foreclosure rather than turn to grandparents. I think these troubles would not escape you if you live far from home. Concern for family could harm your grades. I'd talk seriously with parents about priorities--$$for home & health are foremost, as education can be gained at local colleges. When the crisis at home alleviates, you can transfer.
If your FA is undergoing dialysis, he is probably weak and tired several days a week. It is almost impossible to work full-time while in treatment.
Let us know what happens when you have a serious talk with parents.</p>
<p>"The issues raised are serious but confusing. I'd suggest not only talking to your GC, but also to a school counselor. If they are not therapists, then the GC should offer suggestions for clinics."</p>
<p>That is a really good suggestion. There are places that offer free or very low cost counseling. These include Catholic Social Services, Lutheran Social Services (both of which give nonreligious-based assistance to people of any faith) and community mental health centers.</p>
<p>Considering the crisis that your family is in and the great difficulty that your parents are having in making thoughtful decisions (due to the stress they are under and your father's weakness due to his illness), it would be a good idea to seek counseling. If your parents are not able or willing to proceed on this, you may need to go alone as you may be the most functional person now in your family.</p>
<p>Also remember that you do not have to go to college next year. With your father so ill and your family so in need of $ and your other support, it could be a wise decision to delay applying to college for a year while you work to help your family's serious economic conditions. Since your mom only makes $30,000 a year, my conjecture is that it will be difficult for your family to keep their house unless you work or unless your parents turn to other relatives for financial help.</p>
<p>Delaying college will not hurt your chances of getting college acceptances. Indeed, the delay may help your chances as you'd have more time to work on boosting your scores. </p>
<p>You have not stated the reason that your father is on dialysis, however my experience has been that people are only on dialysis if they have very serious -- life threatening diseases. Of the 2 people whom I knew who were on dialysis, one was on it because of kidney damage due to diabetes, and passed away, the other was fortunate enough to get a kidney transplant, and did well. With your father's health in such dire straits, I think it's unrealistic to expect that he'll be in robust health and able to work soon.</p>
<p>I do not understand why your parents aren't letting their parents know about the crisis affecting your family. Sometimes teens are more thoughtful and mature than their parents are, and it may be that you need to let your grandparents know what's going on even if your parents become angry about this. It is hard for me to imagine that grandparents who'd pay for your college costs would allow your family to be in such serious economic straits if your grandparents knew what is going on. I am wondering if they even are aware of the seriousness of your father's illness.</p>
<p>Since your father is so ill and your mom is so incredibly stressed with working and taking care of the family, your parents may not be able to think through their decisions in the way that you are trying to. </p>
<p>Anyway, your getting counseling could help you think through the best way to handle the painful, difficult situation that you and your family are in. Where to send college apps now may be the least of your worries.</p>
<p>I wish you well.</p>
<p>I have been getting counselling as of late and it seems to have helped considerably. </p>
<p>My father was diagnosed of kidney failure as a result of diabetes. </p>
<p>I was thinking of taking a gap yr, but I felt that I would lose my study habits, etc for the next yr. I really want to attend a four yr college, possibly even a prestigious one, so that I can support my family later on. </p>
<p>However, I am open to all possibilities. Should I remove any schools from my list that seem like far reaches, etc? Also, I have added CUNY Hunter and Queens College to my list. I am open to more suggestions. Thank you to all.</p>
<p>You don't need to remove colleges that are far reaches. Do consider, however, the resources you have in terms of time for apps (due in a few days). CUNY Hunter and Queens seem good probabilities for you.<br>
As for prestige, the important point is to do well in college. A 2.00 or 3.00 from Harvard or Cornell is not going to be any better than a 3.5 from Binghamton or Stony Brook. It sounds as if you live in NY State, so going to a state U there would be considerably cheaper than attending a OOS university. That is a consideration worth taking into account.</p>
<p>CUNY has a very good honors college, some students choose it even though they have other choices, in fact the Intel 1st place winner chose it last year. Here is the press release about who is attending there this year, and a link to the Honors College. My guess would be they have great acceptances for grad school and/or transfers:</p>
<p>From CUNY Honors College website:</p>
<p>"David Bauer, an "early accept" into the Class of 2009, has won first prize
and $100,000 in the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search. [He does attend there.]</p>
<p>Graduates of the city's elite public high schools are flocking in record numbers to City University of New York, records show. </p>
<p>The number of students from top-tier schools, including Bronx HS of Science and Stuyvesant HS, admitted to CUNY four-year colleges has surged 20 percent in the last five years. </p>
<p>By contrast, the admission rate of students from all other city public high schools has increased less than 1 percent over the same period. </p>
<p>In 2001, CUNY introduced its Honors College to attract top students by offering honors classes and cultural and financial benefits. </p>
<p>Yosef Ibrahimi, 20, of Queens, scored a perfect 800 on the verbal section of the SAT while at Stuyvesant and rejected generous financial packages from George Washington University and Boston College for the Honors College at Queens College. </p>
<p>Ellen Fisher, the college adviser at Bronx HS of Science, has seen the interest in CUNY among her seniors grow in recent years. She said the Honors College program and low tuition make CUNY "a viable option" for her students." </p>
<p>This is the CUNY Honors College website, you can just look up Cuny Honors College if the link doesn't work properly, also there are several articles about the Intel winner going there:</p>
<p>I know you are looking at schools best known in the NYC circuit, but if your family income is below $52k, you would stand a good chance of getting into Berea, which is a superb college, and TUITION FREE for all students (all students work on campus as well.) It's not easy to get in (you can't judge by avg. SAT scores, etc., as admissions are limited to low-income students, with a preference for those from the Appalachian region), but they are always looking for international students of high caliber, and the education you will get can compare with virtually anywhere.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berea_College%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berea_College</a></p>
<p>"I was thinking of taking a gap yr, but I felt that I would lose my study habits, etc for the next yr. I really want to attend a four yr college, possibly even a prestigious one, so that I can support my family later on. "</p>
<p>You can take a class or two a semester at a local university or community college while working fulltime. Typically, one can take up to about 4 college classes during a gap year and still be allowed to apply to colleges as a freshman instead of a transfer student. Check with the colleges that you're considering to find out specifics.</p>
<p>If you're considering majoring in math or the sciences, you can keep your skills sharp by taking a math and lab science course during your gap year. </p>
<p>One does not need to attend a prestigious college in order to be able ot support one's family. Earning a lot of money after graduation depends more on the field that you select, the internships that you do in college and the graduate/professional schools that you go to than which college you went to for undergrad.</p>
<p>Just check the bios of the country's wealthiest people. Many started out poor and attended colleges that were little known. (An example is Oprah). They attained great luck through making good business decisions, including taking productive risks in their business decisions.</p>
<p>"are my chances really that bad at those schools?</p>
<p>iwanna, go to the boards on this site for each of the colleges on your list (NYU, Cornell, Chicago, Duke, Penn,) and directly compare your statistics with those of the students that have been rejected (I did not say accepted, but you can look at these, too). There is a reluctance on the part of all of us parents to dash the hopes of the students who post on these boards, thus you will see posts below encouraging you to apply. And, if you have fee waivers as it seems you do and can afford to apply, why not? The worst that can happen is that you will be rejected. But if you do not apply to solid safety schools, the worse that can happen is that you will be rejected and have no college to attend. And frankly, SATs in the 2100 range for an international or a citizen of Asian origin are not going to get you into these schools considering you have a low-ish GPA and your ECs are nice, but not outstanding. You will need SATs at least 100 points higher than that and preferrably in the 2300 range. Frankly, I think the parents that are providing you information about the other schools like CUNY are those to whom you should heed. And you also need to ask yourself where your real interests should be focussed at this time...on college, or on your family.</p>
<p>Look at it from college standpoint. College is interested in students who will be succesfull there. Strong transcript and test scores tell them that the student adequately prepared for challenges college courses will bring. Why would they admit student who has trouble working to his full potential? Your family problems will take time to get resolved.
You have great stats for many other schools, some will give you very decent merit scholarships.
As much as medical help is expensive in US, Pakistan might not have same level of adequate help for person with need for dialysis.</p>
<p>So far on my SAT practice tests im getting in the 2200 range. Do you think if I get my score in that range on the actual sat that I will have a reasonable chance of getting into these colleges.</p>
<p>Also, one more activity that I forgot to mention is that for the past 6 years, I have helped run and operate my family's pharmaceutical factory in India. I have worked in the clinic, helped distribute info to potential buyers, and helped modernize the factory. I dont know if this would help. However, I am curious. </p>
<p>BTW, thank you parents for all your positive responses. I will try my level best to raise my SAT score and have considered all options. Thank you.</p>
<p>OMG. I was just accepted to Cornell through a guaranteed transfer. I was planning to take a gap yr to help my family, but they want me. They really want me!</p>
<p>I would like to thank all the parents who replied to my thread and gave me helpful advice. I seriously learned from all of you and am very greatful for your help. My terrible home situation would have destroyed my life, but thanks to you parents, I was able to survive this situation. Iwill also be able to plan my next yr with my family while getting a guaranteed transfer acceptance to cornell. </p>
<p>I will never forget you people. From the deep depths of my heart....thank you.</p>
<p>Iwannatopcollege:</p>
<p>WOW! I'm thrilled for you. Thanks for letting us know the good news!</p>
<p>iwannatopcollege, I'm in tears. My heartfelt congratulations!! I hope your father is feeling well enough to join in your celebration!</p>
<p>congrats! truly wonderful news, and very classy of you to let us know and bring this old thread back to the top!</p>
<p>iwannatopcollege, </p>
<p>Congrats to you. I am soo happy for you. Thanks for sharing your great news.</p>
<p>iwannatopcollege -
congratulations! You have your top college now! How thrilled your family must be. As a parent, seeing one's child in a good path is the most important thing there is. Your path is both good and honorable.</p>
<p>Congratulations to you! Thank you for posting your wonderful news!</p>
<p>Best wishes to you!</p>