Help a girl find some safeties!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Help! I'm a junior who has to have my preliminary schools list into my guidance counselor by Monday. I have my matches, I have my reaches, but I'm having trouble with safeties. I kind of feel like I'd be lucky to get in anywhere, and with the admissions process being the crapshoot it is, and my less-than-perfect stats, I'm finding it difficult to feel comfortable with any safeties. I don't think I'm guaranteed admissions anywhere.</p>

<p>My dimwit of a counselor can only suggest to me the local schools: Hofstra, Adelphi, St. John's, Long Island U. I'm not willing to consider any of them. I don't feel comfortable at any of those schools and they're so... generic for my high school. </p>

<p>I'm in New York, and I'd probably like my safeties to be in-state, but I'm opened to the entire East Coast. Closed campus (CUNYs are pretty much out, although I'd consider Hunter) and not too rural (which eliminates most SUNYs). </p>

<p>Here is my list of schools thus far: </p>

<p>Safeties:
Manhattan College <a href="I%20have%20a%20relative%20who%20has%20guaranteed%20that%20he%20will%20be%20able%20to%20get%20me%20admissions.%20My%20counselor%20won't%20accept%20this%20explanation%20and%20considers%20this%20a%20match%20for%20me,%20so%20it%20doesn't%20count%20for%20my%20safety%20list%20in%20her%20eyes">B</a>**</p>

<p>Matches:
Fordham University
Tulane University
American University
Lafayette College
Binghamton University
Syracuse University (Newhouse)
Quinnipiac University</p>

<p>Reaches:
Gettysburg College
George Washington University</p>

<p>MAJOR Reaches:
Columbia University
Brown University
Georgetown University</p>

<p>Oh, and here are my stats. </p>

<p>The Basics
White female, moderately competitive public high school in the suburbs of NYC.
Single-parent household. Will most definitely require financial aid. </p>

<p>The Stats
GPA: 3.6 (Low, yeah, I get it. I've had some medical issues... I won't elaborate here, but I will on my apps, if necessary.)
Rank: Top 20%
SAT: 2320 <a href="Total%20fluke...%20I%20guess%20I%20had%20a%20lucky%20day.">CR:780, M:740, W:800</a>
SAT II: Will take in US History, Lit, and Italian</p>

<p>Courseload
Junior Year: APUSH, AP Physics B, AP Language, AP Psych, Honors Pre-Calc, Italian IV, Creative Writing.
Senior Year: AP Gov, AP Bio, AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Italian, Journalism, Film Analysis, Anatomy & Physiology</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
In School:
Student Literary Magazine (Editor-in-chief, next year)
Yearbook (Good shot at editor-in-chief)
Newspaper Reporter
Head Writer for student news program
Student Council (Historian)
Grade Council (Treasurer)
Student Peer Leader
MUN (Chapter Founder)
Private Tutor
Varsity Badminton
Varsity Tennis
Out Of School:
Religion Teacher
Altar Server
Hospital Volunteer
Young Republicans
I've written some things for a local newspaper
Work Experience:
Part-time clerical position at a doctor's office
Summers:
CTY - 2 years
Brown SSP - 1 year
This Summer:
Trying to get an internship at a newspaper or magazine
Taking some extra courses to bump up my GPA</p>

<p>Honors
National Honor Society
Language Honor Society
A few writing awards here and there
A couple of departmental awards at school </p>

<p>Thanks!!</p>

2

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<p>Huh? Are you being coy? Girl, you rock.</p>

<p>First though, a comment on your ECs. Anytime I see these lists getting too long, I start to think, “Joiner”. Know what I mean? Maybe I’m completely off base, maybe some schools really do think “the more the better” these days, and you can see what other people think. Personally, I don’t think there are enough hours in the day so you need to focus on the things that really tell your story best. At least tell me … you’re not doing all this stuff at the same time, right?</p>

<p>Now, as far as Manhattan College goes, I don’t know anything about it, but its selectivity is ranked an “85” on Princeton Review. Not that I’d put much stock in a relative’s “guarantee” that he can get you admitted but why do you need his help anyway? It does look like a safety to me, for someone with your stats. Same for Quinnipiac as far as I can tell. Though, you need to be sure to have a financial safety as well as an academic safety. Many of these places are not cheap.</p>

<p>You sound like you might want to be a journalist. Have you checked out journalism schools and programs? Check out:
[url=<a href=“http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/schools-of-journalism.asp]schools-of-journalism[/url”>http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/schools-of-journalism.asp]schools-of-journalism[/url</a>]
Notice the University of Florida, which is much less selective overall than the schools you’re considering (though it might be more selective for out of state or for journalistas). Good luck!</p>

<p>(man oh man 2320 SATs and she does not think she can get into college, WHAT is this whole process coming to!)</p>

3

<p>I hate people like you.</p>

<p>“I have a 3.6 GPA and I know that’s not that good but blah blah blah.”</p>

<p>GET OVER YOURSELF. You’re gonna get into some damn good schools with your stats, ECs and honors. Another thing…I’m pretty sure that you know it too.</p>

4

<p>Temple
Delaware
Rutgers
Pitt
Penn State
Michigan State
UConn
UMass</p>

5

<p>You have some solid stats, but I do question one thing. You have Lafayette among the matches and Gettysburg among reaches. Lafayette is more difficult than Gettysburg admission wise, amd more difficult than the other matches as well.</p>

<p>However you should have a very good chance at Lafayette, GWU, and Gettysburg.</p>

6

<p>Perhaps Case Western in Cleveland?</p>

7

<p>What up fellow Long Islander…</p>

<p>What do you want to study? And what kind of environment, other than non-rural, are you looking for?</p>

8

<p>Wisconsin Madison</p>

9

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<p>No. But thanks. </p>

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<p>You’re off base. :wink: There’s nothing on that list that I don’t love doing. Except perhaps tutoring (but the guy is my neighbor and I feel obligated). The rest of it only meets weekly or monthly. Lit magazine is a winter/spring activity that I spend no more than an hour a week on. Yearbook will only be my senior year. Student Peer Leading takes about four or five hours out of my month. Newspaper takes 20 minutes a week, and news program takes 15. Student council meets once a month unless there’s something specific we have to work on. Although I brought MUN into my school, I’m not as active within it as I should be… we go to a conference a year and hardly ever meet. All of my religious activities just take up my Sunday mornings. Young Republicans meets for two hours every two months. I volunteer at the hospital for an hour-and-a-half every other week on Saturday evenings. That’s it. But if I don’t look as if I’m committed enough, I’ll drop some activities from my applications. </p>

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<p>My relative all but has it in writing from the Dean of Admissions that I’m in. I didn’t think I needed the help either… my counselor has other ideas. Our valedictorian didn’t get into Quinnipiac last year. She ended up at Princeton, but that’s not the point. I’m concerned about it.</p>

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<p>I’m debating between journalism and English. My ultimate goal is to be a screenwriter, but I think I’d start off doing some sort of journalism. So thanks, I’ll look into those. </p>

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<p>I’ll admit, I have a pretty kickass score. (I think College Board got it wrong, but shhhh!) You haven’t seen my transcript though. ;)</p>

10

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<p>Oh, why thank you for judging a book by its cover and making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. </p>

<p>My 3.6 is weighted. I’ve neglected to mention what it is unweighted: 3.31. I struggle to pull D’s in math and physics. I’ve failed quizzes, I’ve failed tests, and OH! I’ve even failed a class before. I got a 2 on my AP Euro exam last year, and God only knows what AP’s have in store for me this year. I almost flunked out of my sophomore year because of absences. I tried to rebound from it as best as I possibly could, but still there are blemishes on my transcript that I’m sure, no matter how cool my SAT score is, some adcoms at some more selective schools won’t overlook. I’ve had a lot of people tell me a lot of negative things, and I think that it’s justified if I’m a little down on myself about where I’ll be admitted. So I’m sorry if my lack of confidence is unacceptable to you, and I’m oh so sorry that you hate me for it. </p>

<p>You know what, though? I hate judgemental, snotty, bitter people like you too.</p>

11

<p>BC is a safety for you</p>

12

<p>BC is definitely not a safety for you.</p>

13

<p>BC is a safety</p>

14

<p>BC is not a safety with only a 25% acceptance rate, especially with such a disparity between grades and scores. If you are truly only interested in the East Coast then the SUNYs may be best. State Universities tend to emphasize stats like your SATs more than grades.</p>

15

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<p>Hey!</p>

<p>I’d like to study English and Communications (and emphasize creative writing, journalism, and media relations). As far as environment goes, I’d like it to be a traditional campus (trees and quads and pretty buildings), near some kind of city/town and vitality, with some kind of student cohesiveness and school spirit. And a work and play kind of attitude. </p>

<p>I’m not totally closed off to the rest of the country, but in reality, I don’t think I’d go any far west of Ohio.</p>

16

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<p>Hahahahahahahaha. You’re funny.
I’m sure my guidance counselor would really appreciate that one.</p>

17

<p>not very witty somethingwitty. BC is a safety school for her</p>

18

<p>Tulane University–NOLA
Not in the East Coast, are you prepared for New Orleans? Just wondering why it’s on your list, though it’s got merit aid.</p>

19

<p>If you want to add a SUNY school, SUNY Albany is in a city and would truly be a safety. And SUNY Stony Brook isn’t exactly rural.</p>

20

<p>How is Junior year going , will you be able to improve your GPA?
That SAT is off the charts and does not correlate with a 3.60 GPA.
That being said , I belive some of your match schools will actually be safeties considering the SAT score.</p>

<p>Fordham University safety
Tulane University match
American University safety
Lafayette College match
Binghamton University safety
Syracuse University (Newhouse) safety
Quinnipiac University safety</p>

<p>your “Reaches” are match
Gettysburg College match
George Washington University match</p>

<p>Additional Safety, some should bring substantial merit aid.
providence
siena
temple
uconn
Muhlenberg
rutgers
Scranton
Ithaca
Penn State
James Madison
Delaware</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>