Do you think I can get in to these schools

Student Lounge African-American Students
1

<p>Hey guys. I'm new to CC and discovered their was this African American section. I've noticed that you guys have better stats than I and a lot of you are going Ivy, but anyway I digress. As black students I'd like to get your opinions on my chances on getting into some of the schools I'll list later in the post. Thank You and here's my info:</p>

<p>Basic
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: African (Born in Nigeria)
School: I attend one of the top 500 schools according to US News and World Report
Major: Political Science/Government
State: PA</p>

<p>SATs
Reasoning Test: 690 (CR) 540 (M) 1230 Overall
Subject Tests: 630 and 570 </p>

<p>Course Load
All Honors and AP classes, I took the bulk of my AP classes my senior year (AP English 12, AP US History, AP Psychology, and AP Physics B. Also took an AP English class my junior year.</p>

<p>Grades/Class Rank
School does not convert GPA to four point scale, operates on 100 point scale.
From my Freshmen to Junior Year I have a cumulative GPA of a B (86%); this is in large part to my sub par grades Freshmen year. However, I have showed a linear progression with my GPA.
My first semester senior year grades are slightly better. I earned a 92% GPA. My class rank is in the top 40% in a very competitive class of nearly 500 students.</p>

<p>ECs
Two year sports editor of state-wide and (nationally recognized at competitions) award winning newspaper.
Volunteered for Obama Presidential Campaign for last two years, registered voters, got out the vote.
Varsity Football
Flag Football Volunteer
Volunteer Sunday School Teacher
Worked at shoe department since sophomore year</p>

<p>Universities/Colleges
~I applied to a lot of schools (12) with differing levels of selectivity. I’m focusing on the top schools I applied to and hoping I’m admitted to at least one of them. My number one is Georgetown. The list in no particular order, at least after Georgetown is:</p>

<p>Georgetown University
Duke University
University of Virginia
Boston College
William and Mary
University of North Carolina</p>

<p>~The other schools I applied to were: Pitt(in), Syracuse, Temple(in), James Madison(in), Penn State, and U of Maryland.</p>

<p>Essays
In my main (500 word) essay I wrote about being the first son of my Nigerian parents. It is very well written (but will probably sound dry simply listing it) and depicts the landscape of Nigeria, the oppression of military rule, how my dad’s clinic was shut down, how my mom, a journalist, was censored, leaving to the “New World” as impoverished immigrants, overcoming these obstacles through education. The thesis is how my parents ability to overcome adversity and beat the odds was bestowed to me and how this makes me successful in-and-out of the classroom.</p>

<p>I’ve also written essays on the social aspects of being an African living in America. I describe myself as a “bicultural offspring” of Africa and America and how that has affected me socially. Being considered a tribal African because of my name and white because of my efforts to succeed in school, among other topics.</p>

<p>I’ve also written extensively about my extracurriculars and how I’ve committed myself to service through them.</p>

<p>My Case for Admission
Essentially I’m trying to convey that I’m qualified and smart and my potential is continuing to expand. My case for admission is the intangible qualities I bring to the table will contribute to the campus and I would take full advantage of the education offered. I’m a very strong writer and I believe I convey my case with strong rhetoric, but I don’t know if this is enough.</p>

<p>Please comment.</p>

2

<p>would you like to marry me? hehe. jk! but your stats arent that bad! When i started reading your post, i was expecting much much worse. As for the schools, i dont know anything about all your other schools (sorry) but i think you have a good chance at BC and Penn State (definetly). BC has this program called options through education which i just found about, but you get chosen for it. Anyway, its this program where you will spend several weeks taking courses at BC in the summer in preparation for BC, its usually for students who are academically able to handle the work at BC i.e. through their transcripts, course load, and gpa, and rank but arent able to score well into the middle 50% of their "competitive" applicant range. Anyway, its for minority students that apply and the majority of students are of African descent. After the summer program, which is paid in full by BC, you are guaranteed admission at BC. I hope you get in! It sounds like you'd be a competitive applicant, but then again im only a prospective student just as worried as you are for the decisions that will come in April (lol) Good Luck!</p>

<p>p.s. PM me if you have any other q's & i can send u the link of the thread i started on the BC forum where a person who actually works at BC wrote about the options through education program. I stay in Boston and im so mad i havent been to PA to see Bryn Mawr, anyway hit me up if anything! :)</p>

3

<p>Thanks for your opinion superwoman, I didn't know that about BC. By the way could you give me the link to the website. Thanks again.</p>

4

<p>Sure, no problem. The link to the post I had about it was: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/boston-college/639102-options-through-education-ote.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/boston-college/639102-options-through-education-ote.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Also, on the website it explains a little about it but not as much as the person on my post did, but anyway heres the link:</p>

<p>Options</a> Through Education (OTE) - Boston College</p>

<p>Hope that helps! Good Luck! :)</p>

5

<p>Thanks a lot!</p>

6

<p>Yep, no problem. Good Luck! :)</p>

7

<p>lol aside from rank, my stats are pretty similar to yours..</p>

<p>Im guessing you go to Mastermen high?
lol
:)</p>

<p>Sorry if this sounds mean, but assuming you didnt forget to post any info, i say you will be rejected from Georgetown because from what I know they require 3 subject tests....
and you only posted 2</p>

<p>
[quote]
All candidates, whether they submit scores from the SAT or ACT, are requested to submit scores from three SAT Subject Tests of their choice. The scores from writing portion on the SAT and the optional writing portion of the ACT will not be used in place of a Subject Test.

[/quote]

Georgetown</a> University- Office of Undergraduate Admissions</p>

<p>thats the whole reason why i didnt apply there</p>

8

<p>Actually I did forget to post a third subject test, it's pretty bad though (low 500s) there's a story behind it but I'm not interested in making excuses. Thanks for your opinon though. What do you think about the other schools. I'm pretty much banking on the original essays I wrote and the additional stuff to get accepted to at least one of the top 6 schools I applied to.
Any other opinions? I'd like to get as many as possible.</p>

9

<p>You and I are so alike. We have similar GPA stats and course load. Same SAT:1230 but 670 M and 560 CR. I just got into Pitt last week, and I also applied to UVA,W&M, JMU and Maryland. I'm African too but my family's from Uganda. Hopefully we both have good chances. lol
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/646081-chance-urm-va-schools.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/646081-chance-urm-va-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

10

<p>hmm ur a football player?
I think that really boosts your chances..
but i dont have any experience w/ chancing..
id probably just say you would get in just to be nice lol</p>