I have 3.4 unweighted GPA and a 1200 SAT score. I applied ED into Syracuse’s Martin J. Whitman school of business (finance), the Maxwell school (secondary education and history), and undecided in business. I go to a competitive public high school in Connecticut (it was named top 500 in the U.S.) and I take all honors/AP courses. I do an internship every summer with an accountant, I have a part time retail job, I shadowed a kindergarten teacher for 3 months and taught my own lessons, I’m a farm hand at a local farm in my town, and I foster rescue dogs/volunteer at a local dog shelter. At school, I’m involved in Young Democrats, PERIOD. (vice president), Walks to End Alzheimer’s, the American Red Cross (I’ve organized the blood drives my school hosts since my freshman year), Aid for Others (club that sends supplies to underdeveloped countries), and my school choir. I have done indoor and outdoor track and field since my sophomore year.
Last year, my junior year, my grades suffered a dramatic decline in what was normal for me (I averaged a 3.0 last year when I’m usually a 3.8 student) because of the amount I was working at my part time retail job. My dad lost his job last year, so in order to help my parents, I worked extra hours. I worked 3-9:30 almost every day after school. This is what I wrote my college essay on-- how I had to help my family in a time of financial instability and how I had to take on responsibilities that not a lot of teenagers where I’m from have to deal with. I explained how much I learned from this experience and how I overcame these obstacles going into my senior year (happy to report that my GPA for the first quarter of senior year was a 3.9).
I’ve always been close with my guidance counselor so I know her recommendation is strong. My other two recommendation letters are from my US history teacher that chaperoned the Europe trip I went on junior year and from my Algebra II teacher that I became close to.
Syracuse has been my dream school for as long as I can remember. Please let me know your honest opinion!
P.S. I’m a first gen college student!
