Final Chances at Just-Below Ivies and a Couple Equivalents!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I just received my final SAT back (not as good as I hoped, but I am glad that I don't have to deal with it anymore) and I am looking for some final chances. I will chance back as long as you put some thought into your response.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Mexican/White
High School: 134th in United States (about 10% of us get into Ivy Leagues/equivalent or better)
Major: Neuroscience/biology
GPA (lower numbers explained later, but they still are here): 3.4 UW, 4.03 W, slight downward trend, but leap in Senior year, about 12% rank, but school does not rank. By the end of second semester, I will likely move up a percentage point, but again, it is not indicated on the transcript.
SATs: 2210 superscored (680 CR, 750 M, 790 (12 essay) W), 2190 (650 CR, 750 M, 790 (12 essay) W) for highest single taking. Note how the Writing section likely skews the results.
ACT: 31 (33 reading, 30 math, 31 reading, 28 science)
SAT 2: Biology: 720, Math I: 760, Lit: 620
AP: Psychology: 5, European History: 4, Macroeconomics: 4, Government: 4, Physics: 3, Calculus: 3, Language: 5</p>

<p>Courses (One of the heaviest loads available):
Freshman year: H English, H World History, H Algebra 2, H Bio, Latin 2, Intro to law, Comp Graphics
Sophomore: H English, H Am History, H Latin 3, H Analysis, H Chem, AP Psych
Junior: AP Language, AP Economics/Government, AP Physics, AP European History, AP Calculus, Latin 4
Senior: AP Literature, AP Latin (Literature), AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP American History, Law Seminar, Ceramics (required art course)</p>

<p>EC:
-Key Club (Officer - in charge of website creation/management and organizing events)
-Latin Club (Officer - help with all Latin club projects)
-Tennis Team (Captain - Senior Year, our team is #6 in state)
-Table Tennis Club (Founder/President)
-Latin Honors Society (tutoring)
-National Latin Exam Gold Medalist for 4 straight years
-REPP (Ridge Encouragement for Political Participation)
-Participated in state-wide math contests
-Science club all four years (biology, chem, physics state competitions - no significant awards)
-Minor independent research on neuroscience (read books/attended seminars, nothing submitted/published)
-Economics Club
-Serve dinner at a retirement home (summer job/300 hours over 2 years)
-Worked at the town pool (75 hours over 1 year)
-Volunteer at the VA Hospital (320 hours over 4 years)
-Volunteer at homeless shelter (160 hours over 3 years)
-Various volunteer activities from Key Club outside of school, including Homeless Shelters, creating a prom dance for senior citizens, setting up various fundraisers (estimating about 120 hours over 4 years)
-National AP Scholar with distinction</p>

<p>Letters: GC- amazing, me and her share a connection with our interests, she always talks about how much I have matured and think in a logical manner; Teachers- 1 awesome, 1 okay (my two favorite teachers chose randomly since so many students asked, of course I did not get chosen.)
Essay: Good (unique, to me at least, it has to do with my philosophy about life, and my central focus of helping the elderly and it somehow relates to my major, not going to say it is one of the best essays ever written, but I still feel it is unique), supplements are probably average for their standards.
Hook: Half-URM, somewhat unusual circumstances.
Issue: My parents got a divorce that affected my Sophomore and Junior gpa a lot, which devastated me for a while. My guidance counselor is explaining in her letter how the divorce hit me really hard economically/socially at first, but ultimately led to my more mature and logical approach to life (which it really did).</p>

<p>Colleges (does not include low matches/safeties)
-Cornell (sent a letter explaining how we had a financial crisis that did not allow us to submit early decision, but it has been settled and Cornell is my number one choice; applying to CALS)
-JHU
-College of the Holy Cross (legacy, father/grandfather)
-Brown
-Tufts
-BC
-Colgate
-Carnegie Mellon
-UVA</p>

<p>Thank you very much for any chances. I will chance you back if you put thought into your response!!!</p>

2

<p>Cornell-I would call this a really high reach. The only reason I am saying this is because I have seen a lot of extremely qualified people get rejected this year (even more so than last year).
College of the Holy Cross-In, since I now they are very focused on legacies. (Someone I worked for went there, great school!)
Brown-Like Cornell they are pretty tough this year.
UVA/CM-Low reach
Match everywhere else.</p>

<p>Overall you have a lot of EC's. The only problem I guess is the lack of specific interests. Throw in some safeties too, just in case. I still need to do that myself.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Lack of specific interest? I clearly saw a dedication to community service in that list. Otherwise, USPatriot is spot-on.</p>

<p>Chance me please!</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/621725-took-risk-blew-any-hope-left.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/621725-took-risk-blew-any-hope-left.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

4

<p>-Cornell - Yeah, I saw someone who I thought was sure to get in deferred on CC. So I'm gonna say mid-reach. Would not be surprised at all if you get in though.</p>

<p>-JHU - low to mid reach
-College of the Holy Cross (legacy, father/grandfather) - In
-Brown - reach
-Tufts - I would say match
-BC - match
-Colgate - match
-Carnegie Mellon - high match/low reach
-UVA - high match</p>

5

<p>Disasterpiece02-
In addition to the civilian colleges I applied to, I am also appyling to the United States Naval Academy. I spoke to the Dean of Admission at USNA for 45 minutes, the biggest thing she emphasized was commitment and interest. She says, she sees quality applications passed through her desk every day with over 1,000 hours of community service. But when those hours come from a diversified portfolio, those hours don't mean as much. Its easy to tell he is commited to community service, but what is hard to tell is his interests from community service. All things he did were great, dont get me wrong. But when their are 2 applicants with the exact same stats, and one applicant has interests portrayed through his ec's, which one is going to get in?</p>

6

<p>Your SAT is 2220 superscored :P</p>

7

<p>Exactly USpatriot4, that is what I am worried about with my ECs. Working at a hospital is main EC, and I hope the officers see it as a connection to my science major, but the others are fairly offkey. The thing is, though, that working at a soup kitchen doesn't really connect with any major at all.</p>

<p>Also, thanks for the correction Therifleman62, I do not know how I even got a 750 on my math with these blunders.</p>

<p>Anyway, any other chances are greatly appreciated. Thanks.</p>

8

<p>You're ECs seem great to me, especially if you tie them together with the essay. It's hard to say how colleges will view your GPA-- some may think it's great you overcame difficulty, while other colleges might just see a straight 3.4, so i'ts hard to gauge your chances.
Tufts, BC, Colgate and UVA are matches, you'll get into at least one of those. Colgate and BC, you are most likely in.
Cornell and JHU are low reaches (?) and Brown is a total crapshoot. But who knows, they might take a liking to you there.</p>

<p>Wow your school is so good with so many opportunities and clubs. I want to go there!</p>

9

<p>I know a kid who got into Duke with a 3.4, so maybe it won't be that big of a deal. Plus, colleges are saying that GPA means less and less nowadays.</p>

10

<p>Yeah, but they are also saying SATs are meaning less and less as well. Also, you probably don't want to go to my school. We live in a fairly rich town and there are so many rich, snobbish people.</p>

<p>Anyway, still looking for some more chances please!</p>

11

<p>Bumperstiltskin, still looking for some more chances!</p>

12

<p>ur GPA wipes out Cornell, CMU, JHU and Brown off the list...the rest, u're pretty much in.</p>

13

<p>His GC explained the GPA in relation to events in his life. I believe that will help. Plus, he is Hispanic, so there is an automatic boost there.</p>

14

<p>Still looking for a couple more :(. Remember, I will chance back if you put some thought into it!</p>

15

<p>Bump, still want a couple more so I have some realistic expectations come March. Thanks!</p>

16

<p>-Cornell (sent a letter explaining how we had a financial crisis that did not allow us to submit early decision, but it has been settled and Cornell is my number one choice; applying to CALS)- reach (URM will help and also the letter explaining your lower GPA should help...especially coming from your GC)
-JHU- high match
-College of the Holy Cross (legacy, father/grandfather)- IN
-Brown- reach
-Tufts- match/high-match
-BC- match
-Colgate- high match
-Carnegie Mellon- high match
-UVA- low reach (cause of OOS) </p>

<p>You have a really good shot at all of your schools. Brown and Cornell will be the hardest, but they're not impossible.</p>

17

<p>-Cornell (sent a letter explaining how we had a financial crisis that did not allow us to submit early decision, but it has been settled and Cornell is my number one choice; applying to CALS)- reach (URM will help and also the letter explaining your lower GPA should help...especially coming from your GC)
-JHU- high match
-College of the Holy Cross (legacy, father/grandfather)- IN
-Brown- reach
-Tufts- match/high-match
-BC- match
-Colgate- high match
-Carnegie Mellon- high match
-UVA- low reach (cause of OOS) </p>

<p>You have a really good shot at all of your schools. Brown and Cornell will be the hardest, but they're not impossible.</p>

18

<p>Cornell - Reach, but still a chance
JHU - Match/Reach, I think you have a decent shot, and it's obviously a great choice for your major
Brown - same as Cornell, reach
Tufts - Slightly high match, but good chance
BC - good match
Colgate - can't say I know an extensive amount about it, but from what I know it's a low reach for you
Carnegie Mellon - Match
UVA - Reach/Low Reach (only because I'm sure there are many people applying with your same interests)</p>

<p>Definitely a good chance at most, but don't get your hopes up too much for the Ivies, they're tough for anyone.</p>

<p>If you wouldn't mind, please chance me:</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/630727-chance-please-ivies-uc-s-some-others.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/630727-chance-please-ivies-uc-s-some-others.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

19

<p>Posts: 242</p>

<p>-Cornell - reach they r picky this year
-JHU - low reach
-College of the Holy Cross (legacy, father/grandfather) - In
-Brown - reach
-Tufts - match
-BC - match
-Colgate - match
-Carnegie Mellon - high match/low reach
-UVA - high match-low reach OOS</p>

20

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/623727-chances-would-appreciated-chances-back-6.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/623727-chances-would-appreciated-chances-back-6.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>