Do I Rate? Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Grinnell College
1

<p>I'm a Hispanic female from California... how do you think I rate in Grinnell-world O_o </p>

<p>SAT I: Math (500), Critical Reading (660), Writing (600)
I've taken it twice and the first time these were my scores: Math (550), Critical Reading (650), Writing (590) Unfortunately, I can do Calculus better than I seem to be able do easy math -___- and somehow flopped in that section. I don't know whether I really have any more time to change the scores by retaking it a third time.</p>

<p>SAT II: Taking these in October: Spanish (I expect a high score :P), Literature (Decent at the very least), and Math Level 2 (If I study for a very very long time, I think I could do ok? O_X).</p>

<p>GPA: My current Cumulative GPA is 3.9221 (UW). I believe I'm ranked (currently) 14th out of a class of 76. (Small school O_o).</p>

<p>EC's and other:
International Cuisine Organization Member (9,10)
Yearbook (10)
Newspaper (10,12)
Key Club (Community Service) (9,10)
Junior Classical League Member (10,11,12)
--National Latin Exam Award (Maxima Cum Laude) (10)
Choir Member (9,10,11,12)
Young Writer's Conference Participant (10,11,12)
--Student of English Studies Associations Award (11)
Presidential Scholar Award (9,10)</p>

<p>Our high school is affliated with the University in our city, so we take courses there as well for state college credit (I don't know if it'll transfer, but they're like honor courses basically).</p>

<p>Freshman:
+Physics A/A
+English A/A
+Latin I A/A
+Musicianship I A/A
+Alegbra 2 A/A</p>

<p>+Took Geometry over summer---> A/A</p>

<p>Sophmore:
+World History I & II A/A (University Course seperate semesters)
+Chemistry A/A
+English A/A
+Musicianship II A/A
+Latin II A/A
+Pre-Calculus C/C</p>

<p>Junior:
+Spanish 1A A (Univeristy Course 1st Semester)
+Spanish 1B A (University Course 2nd Semester)
+Geography 4 A (University Course)
+AP English Lang and Comp A/A
+AP Calculus BC D/Dropped
+Musicianship III A/B
+US History B/B
+Biology 10 + Lab A/A (University Course)</p>

<p>Senior:
+Spanish 2A (University Course)
+AP Caculus BC
+AP Econ/Govt.
+AP Literature
+Geology 1 + Lab (University Course)
+Musicianship IV</p>

<p>I got a D the first semester of Junior year in Calculus so now I'm taking it over and doing considerably better ^.^ ... will that greatly negatively affect things?</p>

<p>Also. So I hear Grinnell is good on the financial aid stuff-- is that true? O_o I mean I've read a few conversations here in this forum, but any other information would be the ray of sunshine in my day too. (Only without the negative blinding effects I hope :P)</p>

2

<p>Hard to say. Your scores are a little low, but your GPA is great and except for that one bad grade in calculus, you're clearly doing very well academically. Grinnell seems like the kind of place that considers the whole person -- so I'm guessing they'll overlook it and admit you.</p>

3

<p>Grinnell works actively to recruit minorities and has a special association with some inner-city LA schools. The program has a special name but I can't remember it. I don't know if that would apply to you.</p>

4

<p>Oeh well damn, if only I lived in LA >.<. Whatever the name of it, it still wouldn't apply to me I think but anyhoo, thanks for the input snorky ^.^</p>

<p>I know. Everyone tells me the same thing about my scores. However if I DO re-take them in November... I know I'll get the scores before their deadline, but might it be a bit late? <em>shrug</em> O<em>o And this is assuming that I do better on them as well haha -</em>_-.</p>

5

<p>It's called the Posse program.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, the Posse Foundation sends 20 minority students from big cities to Grinnell every year. Dietz, you should try out for that program -- it's a free ride to Grinnell or another selective LAC.</p>

<p>As for your chances, I think your rank is weak. Your grades are high, but the fact that you're only 14/70-something is a warning sign that your school is very grade-inflated. It damages the credibility of your transcript. Also, Grinnell's filling up its diversity targets with Posse kids, so they will probably place less emphasis on your race.</p>

<p>I hope you show lots of initiative and leadership.</p>

7

<p>Ah well it's only yet the beginning of the semester so I expect for it to go up and really wow I didn't know small size could be damaging? O<em>O. It has to do with the fact I think as well that some kids here have taken a lot more university courses than just the required amount, and therefore boost their GPA even higher so it makes it difficult to get quite up there rank-wise O</em>X.</p>

<p>Ah well. I'm re-taking the SAT in November and hopefully next Saturday's subject ones will go well.</p>

8

<p>"Also, Grinnell's filling up its diversity targets with Posse kids."</p>

<p>WHAT? Come on! That's ridiculous. If you do the math - and look at the numbers, you'll see that statement doesn't make any sense:</p>

<p>~400 new students
20 are Posse students (and not all of them are students of color, by the way)
5% of the new students are Posse
21% of new students are US students of color
Even if none of the Posse students were white, a full 16% of the new students are non-Posse and students of color</p>

9

<p>I was wondering...could someone tell me what my chances are for NYU CAS? I am a transfer student.</p>

<p>My freshman and soph year of high school I didnt do very well. My junior year I turned things around and won "most improved student" my GPA ended up being 3.0, which isnt good, but I got mostly A's my junior and senior year.
I did tons of volunteer work.
Relay for life every year,
track and cross country every year,
leadership possitions in Rotary club and Habitat for Humanity
etc...
SAT I was horrible...1060
I went to a college that I hated...got a 3.4 the 1st semester, so I transfered to a state university until I could figure things out.
...got a 3.75
im doing very well in school now. I am a very hard worker and have changed my academic life around. High School wasnt very important to me so I blew off the SATs and went to a college I hated..
the thing is, for NYU they tell you NOT to retake the SATs so I dont know what to do.
I have done well in college, so I think that should count MORE than SATs but i dont know how they look at it.</p>

<p>will this SAT score kill any chance I have?</p>

<p>what is the general education thing? would I have a chance at that?</p>

10

<p>abe1957: Yes, 21% are students of color, but about half of those students are international students, and many of them are Asian (the largest minority on campus, with a dismal 6% share).</p>

<p>About 8% of Grinnell first-years are either Hispanic or Black, so there are about 35. Posses tend to be almost exclusively Black and Hispanic, and account for about 20 of the 35 Black and Hispanic students. So, yes, Grinnell has less pressure to dig deep for minority applicants. Grinnell does want to bring its minority enrollment up, but I think there is less compromise now with regard to Blacks and Hispanics.</p>

<p>supercow: Wrong board to ask, but I will say this: even if you are accepted, the financial aid you're going to receive from NYU will be weak. An NYU education is not worth several tens of thousands of dollars.</p>

11

<p>exuentsl, I think the math you are doing is off the reported numbers of students of certain races. A large portion of students don't report their races.</p>

<p>The posse program doesn't have any sort of monopoly over minority students. Grinnell wants as many as it can get, so long as they are qualified students. Being a minority helps tremendously even if you are not going into the posse program.</p>

12

<p>Actually, according to the College Board, only 6% of Grinnell first-years didn't report their race. Under-represented minorities have the biggest incentives to report their races, given the reality of AA, so I doubt many URMs neglected to do so.</p>

<p>You're right that my math is a bit off -- it may in fact understate the number of non-Posse Blacks on campus. A good deal of the Blacks on campus are from Africa, which cuts into the numbers of non-Posse Blacks from the USA.</p>

<p>I agree that Grinnell wants all the minorities it can get. And I agree that being a minority still helps tremendously. But that still doesn't alter my main point: that Grinnell doesn't have to reduce its standards as much in order to boost its Black and Hispanic numbers.</p>

13

<p>exeuntls - actually, of the first year students at Grinnell, 21% are students of color FROM THE US. International students fall into a different category (it's about 10% of the first year class, I believe).
AND, only 7% of the first year students are Asian American. About 6.5% are African American and 6.5% are Latino.</p>

14

<p>You're right about the numbers. I was using the numbers from collegeboard.com, which apparently uses last year's numbers.</p>

15

<p>Dietz,</p>

<p>I'd say not to worry about it that much. I've talked to Adrienne Enriquez, the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Multi-cultural recruiter a lot, and the breakdown goes like this:</p>

<p>25% Test Scores
25% Contribution to the Community
50% Transcript.</p>

<p>And the Transcript is your classes, not so much your grades, so long as you haven't failed anything. They just want to see if you can challenge yourself and that you are willing to work. If you're taking the hardest classes that you can take, then they will notice that.</p>

<p>Contribution includes ECs, your Essays, and other random things that get sent in for them to look over. </p>

<p>And the Test Scores are only a very small part. See if you can get an interview, because I've been told that they are building a community, not just putting together the best credentials they can find. </p>

<p>If Grinnell is really where you want to go, apply ED. It's considered a self-something or another school. Since it's in the middle of Iowa, you know that people WANT to go there, and are not going because it's in a big town with lots of parties or something. If they know you want to go, and you have something to offer, you'll get in. </p>

<p>Don't hesitate to talk to the admissions people. It won't annoy them, it'll make you stand out in their minds. </p>

<p>Oh, and I don't think Grinnell could ever fill up on diversity, because they need it.</p>

16

<p>Thanks for all the input everyone, I'll be sure to keep all these things in mind as D-Day nears (only minus the terrible D-Day exaggeration O_X).</p>

17

<p>WELL if anyone is interested. I got my scores back.</p>

<p>Spanish (770)
Literature (720)
Math IIC (510) <-- Nope, the studying didn't pay off.</p>

18

<p>Ah you know, Grinnell was never within my reach anyhow-- too weak of scores, GPA, other things like that. Maybe it just wasn't what fate had planned for me. Thanks for that input though.</p>