I’m a current 10th grade student in a fairly competitive public school (definitely one of the better public schools in the country).
9th grade classes:
Geometry CP (B+ average)
Biology honors (B average)
Italian CP (A+ average)
English CP (B+ average)
Spanish honors (A- average)
Modern world history CP (A average)
10th grade classes (this year):
Honors chemistry (B average so far)
Algebra II honors (B quarter 1, C quarter 2, D+ or C- right now…)
English CP (A+ average so far)
U.S. history CP (A+ average so far)
Spanish honors (A- average so far)
Italian CP (A+ average so far)
11th grade classes (next year)
AP Language and Composition
Honors Anatomy + Physiology
U.S. History II CP
Spanish Honors
Italian CP
Functions, Statistics, and CP
PSAT (sophomore year) score: 1100
SAT: yet to take
ACT: yet to take
Extracurricular activities:
Small-bore rifle at the local club.
Altar serving for 5-6 years at the local parish.
Most likely beginning men’s volleyball this year (first time they ever offered it).
Other:
My parish priest teaches a class at Saint John’s Seminary (attached to the BC campus) and will most likely write me a letter of recommendation that will look good.
Boston College is my top choice.
Both parents went to BC. Pop got a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD there (so he’s a “triple eagle”), mom got a master’s.
Thoughts? Is it possible to get in with my semi-average grades, BC family legacy, and minimal extracurriculars?
My other school choices besides BC, for reference: Notre Dame, UMass Amherst, Brandeis, Northeastern, BU.
Right now, assuming your average grades continue through the semester and you get a C in Algebra 2, you’re going to have a 3.58 after this year. That’s low for BC and ND, and I think it’s a bit low for NE and Brandeis. Do your best not to get a C in Algebra 2, which will really hurt your chances, and try to get all As.
However, the double legacy will help. I don’t think St. John’s is closely connected to BC, so I don’t know that the rect will carry more impact than a normal good rec.
Since you have legacy, I would apply ED if you can afford it and if BC is still your top choice when you apply.
Thank you for the response. Now, assuming my SAT/ACT scores are excellent, would it be possible? Like, say I became a solid, straight-A student next year, do you believe there would be hope? I’m not really even looking for scholarship money… I’m just looking to get in. I wouldn’t mind paying college off when I’m older. I’d much rather take out loans and go to a good school, than get a scholarship but go to an unknown school and get a crappier job, y’know.
Should you become a solid straight-A student, BC would consider the strong upward trend, and I think considering the legacy, you’d have pretty good chances. Of course, getting a 4.0 for the next three semesters is easier said than done, but I think you’d still have a decent shot with a couple B’s or A-'s.
Try your hardest, study for the SAT/ACT, and re-evaluate your college list next year.
Also, keep in mind with loans that all you can choose to take out is the Stafford amounts (totaling 27k over 4 years) and it’s best to stay at that limit, possibly with a bit more in Perkins if a college offers Perkins to you. Try not to overestimate the importance of prestige in job placement, which is something many CC users do.
First of all, none of the other schools on your list could be called “crappy” by ANY stretch. UMass Amherst is the easiest of your list to get into, and even that’s harder and harder these days.
Second, just because you haven’t heard of a school doesn’t mean employers haven’t, and it doesn’t mean that they don’t have excellent academic programs and placement programs. They don’t all, of course, but do your homework and you can find tons of great, extremely well-respected schools where you have a chance of getting in and getting aid.
Third, you absolutely positively have to figure out how much your parents can pay each year for school. It matters not at all that you’re willing to take on a lot of loans (which is never a good idea), because you CAN’T without your parents cosigning anyway. All you can take out on your own is the Fed loans – $5500 freshman year, etc.
I get where you’re coming from, as I live in MA, my best friend worked at BC and it is her daughter’s first choice, and it was very hard for her to even think of anywhere else. We finally got her to apply to two other schools also, thank goodness. I say thank goodness because despite a 4.0, a 31 ACT, connections, and not applying for any financial aid, she just got waitlisted. So there’s some perspective.
Another note about the crappier school/crappier job comparison: you probably haven’t thought about the numbers, but think about this: If you borrow about $75,000 over 4 years, your monthly payment is going to be over $900, per month, for 10 years. If you only borrow the federal amounts (totalling $27,000, and they have a very nice interest rate) your monthly payment will be about $225.
Thank you both for the great responses, and I’ll take all of that into consideration and thought, but I’d like to get more responses that judge whether (in your eyes) I’m even able to get into BC in the first place.
It’s hard to tell during your sophomore year when you haven’t taken the SAT. A program that my school uses shows us a graph of people’s score plotted versus GPA that have been accepted, declined, or wait listed at any school, and for my school the average of students who have gotten into BC has been about a 2120 and a 100.5 GPA. I’m looking at BC as well, but as a junior. Try to raise your GPA and study hard for the SATs in order to boost your score in any way you can.
BC is very competitive. Your GPA is a little low for the average BC admit, but being a legacy may help. Tough to estimate without an SAT score yet. You should apply early action. I would never say never, however. Best of luck to you.