<p>Junior in high school. Just a little background before I ask my real questions...
-4.0 GPA, 4.87 GPA (weighted)
-concurrent CC enrolled for 2 years
-class president 3-years, 4th year ASB president
-MESA (STEM organization) officer 3 years
-1yr cross country/2yrs swimming (both varsity)
-founder and president of anti bullying organization (4years)
-founder of anti bullying Mentorship program for K-8 students across county
-member of 7 school clubs
-gay, Hispanic student with weak affiliation to Catholic Church, 2nd generation college
-upper middle income family in low income area (20% poverty)
-1650 SAT, 27 ACT
Now that you kind of know me as a student, I need help. I'm trying to figure where I want to go for college. I really want to study Economics and perhaps minor in Business, preferably Accounting, but I'm not sure if I should go to college in California or go to the east coast, Midwest region. I have in mind for CA: UCLA, Berkeley, Claremont McKenna, or USC. For out of state I was thinking of Georgetown, Boston College, BU, or Notre Dame (primarily for their academics).
Question: Can I make it into these schools? And are these schools good options for a gay, kind of conservative, student? And do they offer good academic programs for me?</p>
<p>Btw I currently rank 1 out of 500 students and I also had an internship at City Council under the City Manager for 2 years</p>
<p>Let me begin by saying that you have great stats, excluding your SAT/ACT. Your 4.0 GPA demonstrates that you have the potential to get a 2100+ or 31+. Study and take them again. If you get a 2100+ you can look at a totally different league of universities, including HYPSM.</p>
<p>A good school with a good LGBT acceptance but also conservative is not easy to find. All the school in CA are very liberal from my understanding. On the other hand Notre Dame, Boston College and Georgetown are very conservative (due to their religious affiliation), but they might not be the best colleges for LGBT acceptance. BU also seems very liberal.</p>
<p>If I were you I would go to BU.</p>
<p>study for your tests, get a 31 or above, and go to Berkeley or USC. As of now your test scores will severely limit you at all of your college choices. No valedictorian should be getting a 1650/27. Your only somewhat realistic choice right now is BU, and even that is going to be tough because of the scores. Study your ass off!!! You have a lot of potential</p>
<p>I’d scratch off Berkeley… can your parents afford to pay full costs? Berkeley doesn’t offer much aid AT ALL to out-of-state applicants.</p>
<p>First off, thank you all for the encouragement. I’m going to try again in January with the SAT and ACT and work my a** off for at least a 2000 and 30. Besides my test scores, how are my chances with a school like Georgetown or Claremont McKenna? My brother attends Berkeley and had mediocre scores (1560/21) and great ec’s with amazing grades 3.98 I believe. Do scores really make a huge impact then?</p>
<p>You’re hispanic… if you can work up to at LEAST a 1950 SAT I think you’ll be in good shape for most of those schools. Don’t forget to study for those SAT II’s too! Those scores will also be very important. Also… California is really expensive and hard to get aid. I personally would recommend BU. But hey- at the end of the day, you’re gonna have to go with what you feel more comfortable with, what you like more, and who gives more money lol. Just work on those test scores and i’m sure you’ll have a nice bunch to choose from.</p>
<p>I got a 2200/33 and I think I’m barely top 10%. Come on dude, if you are valedictorian you better be getting a perfect. Study up and you’ll be set for maybe even Ivy Leagues, if they float your boat.</p>
<p>@tomdon I was just saying that because it is not even possible to get that gpa at my school without taking multiple AP Foreign Languages and every other AP class offered, somehow getting out of the mandated gym, etc. So to get that gpa it would seem that you’d have to be a master of math and science. He doesn’t have just over a 4.0, which would be understandable, but a 4.87.</p>
<p>JamesVillanu:
I just rolled my eyes at some comments above. I assume they’re from kids in high school.
Don’t pay attention to them (although you kind of called for them by posting on the chance board.)
Do improve your scores but don’t focus on them. Those aren’t make-or-break, contrary to what many students here believe. Super selective colleges look first at rigor of curriculum within the context of what your high school offers/UWGPA, then EC’s and especially whether you have a national award or another proof of leadership. Scores are important but not the key element.
What do you call “upper middle income”? On CC, many families think they’re middle class at 180k (and actually schools like Harvard agree) - the understanding often varies. Have you talked with your parents about what they can pay? What they’re willing to pay? Do they have conditions for you (cost, distance…), do they want you to attend a Catholic college or are they okay with secular? Have you run any Net Price Calculator on the colleges’ websites and are your parents okay with the number (typically, they nearly fall off their chair.) Will you need financial aid? Will you not qualify for financial aid (ie, your family makes more than 150-180k) and look for merit aid?
You have excellent stats and an interesting profile.
You should stay away from religious schools although Georgetown has improved a little on the LGBT front lately. McKenna would be perfect, as would Colgate (still a bit conservative socially though). Check out Washington&Lee (if you don’t mind fraternities since social life is heavily Greek) and James Madison (which would be a safety for you). NYU Stern is a reach but why not?</p>
<p>Your going to need to get your scores up man. Just study your butt off for the standardized tests. Also, I can understand having a good GPA but a somewhat low test score because many people don’t test well (me being one of them). And to the poster who said that you can’t go from a 1650 to a 2000 or whatever…that is complete bs. If you work hard and I mean WORK HARD, you can raise that score. Good luck!</p>