Do I have any chance at all?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, all. I’m a current senior in high school and I applied to Rutgers (all 3 schools), American University, and Fordham University. I really would love to attend any of them because I want to go to the best school for me and I believe these are all good matches for me academically and otherwise.

GPA: 3.0 I started off freshman and sophomore year with B’s and C’s, but junior year I got all A’s with a few B’s and made first honors. I also do dual credit at a community college near me, I took a world of cinema course over the summer and got an A and I am currently taking a Literature course and anticipate an A.

ACT: 27 (32,34,20,23)

Rec letters: I’ve been doing theater with the same director and teacher since I was 11 and they were my “other” rec letters, and my main one was written by my current literature college professor who is a published author and very well spoken.

Essay: I’ve been told that I’m a good writer, but nothing extraordinary. My essay was about how making friends and being social was responsible for my raise in grades. I know it sounds pretty “excuse-y” but I made sure that it wasn’t like that and just explained how high school really changed me.

EC’s: I’ve been doing theater outside of school since I was in 6th grade and I’ve done 3 shows a year with them the whole time. Junior year I did a little volunteering with an animal shelter. Sophomore and Junior year I did Filipino club, Junior and Senior year I did art club, and as of my current senior year I am in Campus Ministry, Vice President of Gaming club, head of the prop department and on the crew for my school play, and I’m not sure if this really counts for anything but I won homecoming queen.

Awards: Won the Word Wright Competition junior year, schoolwide reading comprehension contest.

2

This is just my opinion, but what I see here is a student who is just below the grade “requirements.” I also see someone who is smart enough to attend these colleges, but it will be your job to convince them to give you a chance. Your biggest asset in your application is going to be your essay, and what I suggest you do is not harp on your accomplishments too much but instead talk about you as a person. You should try to show to the admission members that you are smart, and will excel at their college and also be a social beacon. Be careful with your type of essay though; I have friends who are writing the same type of essay you are, and I have read them and all they sound like are
BS whine letters.

“I now care about school.”

Who cares if you care now, because the kid who has tried all his life will be celebrated more. Accept your failures and work towards a better future. Good Luck!

3

Thanks. I also want to major in education if that changes anything

4

It’s a reach for sure but write a really good essay. You have time to really edit and make every word count. The biggest thing is make sure you are interesting via the essay. My S spent two or three weeks writing what he thought was a great essay last yr. It was very well written, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t interesting. I told him that AOs were going to read it and say “who cares”. Don’t write one of those. He started from scratch and found something very interesting to write about and it made a big difference. Actually was told what a great essay it was.

Your essay is your opportunity to get the AOs to say, “I want to meet that kid”. Make that happen.

5

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/fordham-university/2034471-am-i-kidding-myself.html#latest