<p>Go for it! I actually think you have a good shot at top 15 schools including Ivies!</p>
<p>@peteyhernada it does look like Pomona lacks a “pre-college prep” summer program for incoming freshman. Maybe this means that they feel that if you are admitted, you are already qualified? Send them an email, maybe they can clarify if such a program exists.</p>
<p>Here’s a link for several fly-in programs. Apply to as many as you wish. Most, if not all, are paid for by the college, not you.
<a href=“Articles | Cappex”>Articles | Cappex;
<p>You’ll probably find that 1) you’re a lot better qualified than you think and 2) a lot of students share your fears.</p>
<p>Petey - I actually disagree with the idea about “just applying to any of the top colleges, don’t worry about things - just go for it.” The goal is for you to be successful in college and numerous research has found that some of our brightest students from impoverished areas may not have had the educational foundation to allow them to be as successful as they should be (based on their natural intellect) at the top colleges that recruit you. What has been happening too often is that bright high-scoring students in impoverished areas can receive significant aid at top colleges who seek both cultural and financial diversity at their schools. But too often that student is then left alone once enrolled – and you are now at a school where the vast majority of the students are far more prepared academically in writing and more. This does not mean that you are not as smart, or even smarter than them. It is, however, important that you are at a school where you can succeed. If you are in a freshman biology class where every other student took AP Bio in high school, had private tutoring and got passing scores on the AP Bio test … and are now retaking the bio class for an easy A … that can be very difficult for someone who didn’t have that same exposure (that was me when I got to my college in the 1980s and got my first C despite working harder than anyone else).</p>
<p>I am very impressed that you are even thinking about this issue. Some top colleges do a good job of supporting their students who come from less advantaged backgrounds. Other schools are using programs like Questbridge and Posse (I personally love the Posse concept) to increase the odds of students being successful in college and staying in college.</p>
<p>I encourage you to keep asking the hard questions when looking at colleges. They are going to want you – so don’t let them sweet talk or gloss over the hard questions. And there are incredibly strong college programs that are not the Ivys that may still offer you a full-ride and at which you can be very, very successful.</p>
<p>Some advice from someone who was in your shoes a year ago.</p>
<p>I come from a pretty bum school too- we can’t pay teachers, have been under state review, no ‘great’ college acceptances, etc- I know how you feel. I had kind of the opposite problem, I could do well on SAT II’s but not Ivy League range for my SAT. I had no clue where to apply.
One of my teachers sat me down one day and said, “If you could attend any school, where would you go?”
I started off about finances, scores, etc. He told me to throw those out the window for now, and to go find a school I felt was a really great fit. When I came back with ‘Yale’ he didn’t even flinch and told me to apply. Schools can see your passion in your application.</p>
<p>Here I am, a year later, about to start at Yale. I was nervous to start but the more I got into it, the more I realized Yale (and I assume other schools as well) have ‘nets’ to catch the kids who might be unprepared. Yale specifically has online math program the summer before freshman year and an on-campus English program as well before starting in August.
Honestly, I feel okay for what I’m getting into. I say, honestly, find a few schools, apply to at least one early-action, and go. Of course have other options, but don’t rule out Ivy’s. I believe all Ivy’s meet all demonstrated need for students, so theres really nothing holding you back. </p>
<p>@peteyhernada </p>
<p>Yes, it’s good to ask yourself the tough questions, but if the Ivies believe in you by saying “yes”, then go for it. </p>
<p>I literally just walked in the door from dropping my own DD off at one of those 5 week summer programs at the college that she will attend in the fall. The support is there! There is no reason to fail. Failure is not an option!</p>
<p>Many of her friends are older and shied away from the Ivy leagues and other HSCs opting instead to attend state schools. Why? Because they were scared of failing. Now after skating through the first two years of college, they are having regrets about listening to those inner fears and to the naysayers, those around them that said that they wouldn’t make it, it would be too hard, they wouldn’t fit in… They wished they had applied after seeing my dd get so many amazing college acceptances. </p>
<p>I would rather her attend her Ivy League school and try her hardest, put her all into it, rather than live with regrets.</p>
<p>With the right attitude and ambition, one can overcome almost anything. </p>
<p>Just wanted to let you know that Pomona has two “college summer prep” programs: one for the sciences and one for the mathematics. They also will add one for the humanities. The details aren’t listed on the website but you find out when you are admitted.</p>
<p>Pomona also takes quite a lot of Questbridge Finalists, I noticed when I last saw a list.</p>
<p>@peteyhernada </p>
<p>Please give us an update! We are rooting for you!</p>
<p>Similarly, I think WashU has one for the sciences, or they combine their high school rising seniors program with incoming freshman.</p>