Good scores, Weak ECs, chances at top schools (updated)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I have been told based on my grades and scores that I am a competitive student at top national schools. I would appreciate verification from strangers.</p>

<p>SAT I</p>

<p>Reading 760
Math 800
Writing 690 (8 Essay)
Overall 2250</p>

<p>ACT</p>

<p>English 31 (7 Essay, 35 w/o Essay)
Math 32
Reading 31
Science 34
Overall 33</p>

<p>SAT II</p>

<p>Math I 730
Literature 700
World History 550 (Should I retake? Most schools only want 2 anyway)</p>

<p>PSAT 216 </p>

<p>GPA 3.91 (No APs yet, will have 4 senior year)</p>

<p>ECs</p>

<p>Jazz Band (2 yrs. so far)
Concert Band (Every year since 4th grade)
Pit Orchestra (1 yr. so far)
FANS club (1 yr. so far)
Charitable volunteering 2-4 hrs./wk. @ Cradles to Crayons</p>

<p>Honors</p>

<p>National Merit Semifinalist
NHS Senior Year</p>

<p>Accepted at:</p>

<p>Penn State
Pitt Honors College
Tulane Honors College (w/$27K scholarship)</p>

<p>Rejected at:</p>

<p>Penn (ED, w/Legacy)</p>

<p>Schools I am applying to:</p>

<p>UVA (Early Action)
Schreyer Honors College at Penn State
Vanderbilt
Emory (and Oxford College)
Northwestern
Cornell
UNC Chapel Hill</p>

<p>I'm also looking for good schools with later deadlines. Any suggestions?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>A total stranger verifies that you’re competitive.
The thing is that you have great stats, but because your ECs are so impersonal, you’re only stats… Though you’d be given attentive consideration anywhere, I think you’re that kid that admission officers always describe as uncompelling. Of course, you have a chance to mitigate that through your essays, but I’m not sure what more this forum could give you that you don’t already know. That being said, congrats on your acceptances and I’m sure you’ll get into a few more more of your reaches.</p>

<p>that World History SATII is frankly much too low. Don’t send if you can avoid.</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

3

<p>Are you a true legacy at Penn, i.e. One of your parents attended as an undergrad?</p>

4

<p>Waverly, yes. Just rejected yesterday.</p>

5

<p>Forgot to mention: Weighted GPA is 4.71</p>

<p>APs were available before senior year, I just didn’t realize their importance in college decisions.</p>

6

<p>Any impressions of the colleges I’m looking at? All help is valuable.</p>

7

<p>What’s your class rank? If you’re near the top of your class, I’m surprised you got rejected from Penn as a legacy.</p>

<p>I would definitely revisit your essays.</p>

8

<p>I’m in top 3% or so of my class of 340, and about 10 each year go to top colleges. My English teacher said my CommonApp essay was great and I worked really hard on my Penn essays, so I don’t think they are the problem. I’m pretty sure it’s the rigor of my courses and my ECs.</p>

9

<p>bump .</p>

10

<p>Okay.
Your GPA is pretty high, but only top 3%?
That’s hard to believe. Should be higher.
But anyway, your stats… are just stats.
With the exception of GPA, they aren’t really as high as some of the candidates.
But then again Colleges are a crapshoot so who knows.
I’d say UVA, Northwestern, UNC, Emory are all low reaches, meaning they will be a challenge.
Vanderbilt is a high target (still hard to get into)
Cornell is a high reach.
With this said, I’m saying this based on my stats of course your essays could be god-like.
so take my chance with a grain of salt</p>

11

<p>Mght look at some selective LAC’s. Holy Cross has a January 15th deadline. Holy Cross has very nice campus 1 hour from Boston and the school has one of the best alumni networks-very helpful for job placement. Like the Ivies, Holy Cross is need-blind for admissions. HC has good combination of academics and social life.</p>