do i come off as an underachiever? killer.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I've been trolling the boards in order to assuage my frazzled self, and apologize for making yet another of these threads, but I really don't see many (if any) other chances posts with stats similar to mine.</p>

<p>White male, sort of competitive NJ high school
14/208
GPA 4.2 weighted
lots of Bs and a C+ frosh year, one A i think
pretty much even split between grades that are A/A- and Bs sophomore and junior years.</p>

<p>Senior year grades in academic classes, marking periods 1 and 2 (i hope this will sort of sway admissions officers, as they aren't too bad):
A/A AP French
A-/B+ AP LA
A-/B+ AP Calc ab
A/A Honors World Viv</p>

<p>SAT:
800 V
790 M
760 W
= 2350</p>

<p>SAT II:
780 Lit
760 US history
710 Math Ic (terrible score, i know- took it once)</p>

<p>Main ECs
3 school choirs, section leader of them, NJ allstate chorus
Play/musical last three years, singing roles, etc etc
Editor-in-chief of (good) newspaper
Editor-in-chief of literary magazine
Captain of academic team, ranked in the top 4 in the state last few yrs</p>

<p>My Common App essay briefly explained some of my academic struggles, and i think presented that my two "passions" are music and writing.</p>

<p>My recommendations surprised me in their strength (the teachers let me see them). One teacher in particular wrote recs for people much higher in the class that were much less glowing and enthusiastic.</p>

<p>My top 6 choices (minus safeties)</p>

<p>Duke
Dartmouth
Amherst
Brown
UPenn
Georgetown (dad, uncle went there, uncle does interviews)</p>

<p>Ok, so my grades are below average for top schools, this I know. My SATs are above the middle 50 percent for every school listed, this I know. I'm not an extraordinarily hook-y applicant- not an athlete, URM, patent holder, etc- but I think my ECs are fairly strong in that I spend tons of time with all of them, they all fit in the two areas I chose to spotlight as my passions, and i've "risen to the top" or whatever in my pursuits.</p>

<p>So what do you think? If i got into any of these schools, i would attend. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I think you have a shot at all the schools you have listed, but the Bs and Cs you got in freshmen year could hurt your chances.</p>

3

<p>thanks... anyone else?</p>

4

<p>The 2350 is sweet. You're white, so you won't get brownie points through aff. action. I dunno, you may have a possibility at all of them. Your uncle should be able to do something to help you, but, if you can't, you'll see that alot of people like yourself apply to your schools, even some with 2400 SAT scores and a higher rank, GPA, etc. So, there's still a chance you might not get in.</p>

5

<p>With today's competiton and a new hightened desire for academic achievement, I'm afraid you're not up to par with the standards of today's academic society.</p>

<p>A recent study by Dr. R.A Presser of The Natl. Society for Advancement of College Bound Youth have found that people like yourself would be best suited by attending some smaller community college for a few years to get yourself up to standards. For more informaition I suggest you read the full report. (Section XVI 29.4)</p>

<p>If you need any more advice I'd be happy to help you out in finding a good community college in your area.</p>

<p>-J
<a href="mailto:rbimechanic12@freeworld.edu">rbimechanic12@freeworld.edu</a></p>

6

<p>haha thanks, my local county college is actually supposed to be one of the top county colleges in the nation... "harvard on the hill," they call it. any other predictions?</p>

7

<p>Why community college for this applicant-I just have to ask,
I mean I know some people who would kill for his/her stats?
Random to ask but still.</p>

8

<p>The Bs and Cs and taking math IC do not make you look like the hardest worker. Colleges just don't have to compromise now, they have more thasn enough candidates with straight As and high SATs. The people with below average anything tend to have a major hook. I just don't see it, sorry. Maybe Penn or Georgetown?</p>

9

<p>i took math IIc, i just scored pretty low on it (690)</p>

10

<p>and for the record, one C+ in freshman year.. not "Cs"... thank you for the candid evaluation, i will prepare myself for impending doom :)</p>