Help Me Get into Princeton? (Rising Senior)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>Ok so here's my profile: </p>

<p>I'm 2nd in my class.
I have been getting 98s basically Freshman and Sophomore year; however this year my grades aren't the best because of my AP Literature (85) and APUSH course (90); the rest of my grades are high 90s. </p>

<p>My SAT scores (first time) were:
700 CR
600 Math
570 Writing</p>

<p>I am going to study my butt off over the summer in Math and Writing; I intend to take the SATs over in October. My target is 700 Math; 700 Writing. (How do you suggest I improve my scores?)</p>

<p>I'm taking Spanish, Literature, and US History Subject Exams next week. (Have any last minute studying tips?) </p>

<p>Next year I intend to take AP World History and AP Language, Pre-Cal/Cal, French I. However, what I'm not too sure about is dropping my science course (Human Anatomy and Physiology) next year in order to make space for an introductory course in French (I'm not sure if doing this would hurt me or not. I want to do this because I've already taken the maximum years for Spanish, I intend to major in international relations, and I have no interest in the medical field at all.)
(Should I not take Science over French or no?) </p>

<p>I don't play a sport, but I played the flute in my school's band until Sophomore year (I stopped because music was tragically cut from the school's curriculum; I still play for fun, however.) I'm in the school choir and in student government; I've been Assistant Director for my school plays for 2 years. This year I acted in a major role in the play. I was also leader of my school's debate club this year.
I've been doing a political internship for a US Representative since the beginning of this school-year.
I'm going to be doing an internship for a US Senator this summer. </p>

<p>Additionally, I intend to start a GSA in my school next year. It is something I am really passionate about. I have to present the idea to the school board in the fall. (I go to a Catholic school and homosexuality is against Catholicism, so I am hoping that if it is approved it will demonstrate my passion and devotion and willingness to fight for causes that I've undertaken,)
(Do my extra-curricular activities push me over the edge, put me in line, or is it still not enough?) </p>

<p>And I know that this shouldn't really make much of a difference, but I'm Black and live in Brooklyn; my mom doesn't make that much... (How much is ethnicity and socio-economic conditions factored into decision, if at all?)</p>

2

<p>Well, you being black does make a big difference xD. Well, 2 ap’s just will not do for Princeton to be honest. I recommend taking some “bs” ap’s such as ap enviro, ap psych, and ap geo. You should have atleast 4 ap’s as a junior. Make sure you are in the top 5% of your class with an above 3.9 g.p.a and a 2200+ Sat. Have fun with your ec’s, but you are going to need to have some high leadership positions.Gl</p>

3

<p>Brooklyn Tech?</p>

4

<p>@JoJoBear
No… hahah I go to Nazareth; a Catholic school in East Flatbush.</p>

5

<p>@Danny Nobel
I am taking the most academically rigorous course-load my school offers. My school doesn’t offer that many AP courses.</p>

6

<p>If you cannot take more AP courses, try taking 1-2 college courses (or more if you can handle it) through a university (NYU, Columbia, or CUNY) or a community college. If you are not interested in the sciences, you should still take at least 4 years of English, Math, and Science to be competitive for admission. </p>

<p>Furthermore, you can try taking private lessons through these universities/colleges and play in their ensembles. However, do not take too many college courses because you would like to be considered for freshman admission to Princeton.</p>

<p>Once you are a rising senior (Spring before Senior year), talk to your counselor and tell them to call the Princeton admissions office about the Princeton Arts and Humanities Symposium. This symposium lets students take workshops about the Humanities taught by Princeton Professors. If you are admitted to the symposium and attend it, it shows that you are interested in Princeton. Quite a few of my friends, who attended the symposium, were admitted to Princeton, itself. </p>

<p>Note, though, that you should have high SAT/ACT scores because I had a strong academic record with decent ACT scores. I could have been admitted (rather than waitlisted to Stanford and Brown and rejected to Princeton) if I had higher test scores.</p>

<p>If possible, try talking to your school board or principal about offering more AP courses because you would like to study at universities that can give you great academic opportunities, such as Princeton. This can only be achieved if you can convince your school’s administration that there are enough students interested in these AP courses. If this cannot be achieved, try convincing the administration and/or your teachers to teach the content of these AP courses to you.</p>

7

<p>I don’t know if you read what I wrote or not, but my family is broke and I will have no time after school and extracurriculars to pursue classes from colleges. </p>

<p>Not only is my school also broke, but it is so late in the year that it will be impossible for me to persuade them to add another AP course.</p>

8

<p>Wow, I commend you for having the courage to present the idea for a GSA in front of the administration of a Catholic school! Honestly, if you are that passionate about it, write about it for your common app essay. That would probably help you get in if you write it really well.</p>

9

<p>You could mention in your application that you could not afford (moneywise and timewise) to take online AP classes and university classes. In your application (on the personal statement or the extra info section), you should mention why you do not have the time for these activities and explain your family and financial situation. Universities, including Princeton, consider family and finances in their decisions because they know that not all students have the time and money for these activities. If you did have the time, some of the communities colleges in various parts of New York City have programs for high school students that allow them to take community colleges before and afterschool tuition free.</p>

<p>Your extracurriculars are fine. Is the internship with the US Senator for the Senate Page Program? One of my friends was a senate page and he is currently at Yale.</p>

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<p>Try a questbridge match if you are low income.</p>

11

<p>Not sure just being a minority will get you into Princeton with those scores and academic performance since the numbers of accepted students seem to be over 2100 and a good GPA. People on CC blow by a chance me just because a person says they are URM. Ivy leagues do give preference to minorities with solid credentials, not just because someone is a minitority. We are talking about Princeton, the number 2 school in the nation.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1114752-official-princeton-university-class-2015-rd-results-thread.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1114752-official-princeton-university-class-2015-rd-results-thread.html?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Check out 24, 31, 34, 55, 68, 77, 92, 96, </p>

<p>You can compare yourself with admitted minority students to check. You are expecting a lot of things to get better like scores, GSA (not even sure what that is) in the first semester of 12th. This absolutely does nothing for a college because they are looking for output and not ideas by the time of application. Just my opinion but you are expecting a lot to happen for your application within 6 months time.</p>

<p>You should try applying to some of the catholic colleges.</p>

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<p>since when is princeton number 2? It is number 3 best case scenario (after H and Y). More likely 4th or 5th after stanny and MIT.</p>

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<p>Have you checked USNWR rankings? Yale has never been ahead of it in rankings in the last 10 years or so. Preference is different from rankings.</p>

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<p>I would be more concerned with the level of the OP’s preparation for Princeton, than the mere fact of admissibility (although the two are naturally related). Princeton distribution requirements are somewhat brutal; there is grade deflation (officially, as a policy); and the level of peer preparation is generally outstanding. You are allowed a certain number of P/NP classes, but the number of those is restricted, including for distribution requirements. </p>

<p>If the OP feels that he is indeed well-prepared, then by all means apply. (I have a concern about the SAT scores as an indication of mastery, not strictly as a matter of stats.) I see no harm in applying if you are convinced that the campus (culture, classes, activities, opportunities) offers you something exceptional that other colleges do not, but it will also be important to look at additional options which are not high reaches for your current stats (no matter how convinced you are that you will do better on the October SAT’s).</p>

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<p>I do appreciate that you directed me to the numbers in which minorities applied because I was able to see the sort of competition within my status of URM, extra-curriculars, and economic status. However, I don’t think that I’m “expecting” for a lot things to get better; statistics have shown that students who take the SATs a second time do better. I’m going to study hard, and although that won’t guarantee a higher score, it is likely that I will do better than the first time. (Most of the SAT scores posted there are likely super-scored since)
SAT scores aside, do you think I would be at such a severe disadvantage in terms of criteria if I have 98 across the board with an 85 for AP Literature and 90 in APUSH?
Also, I don’t know if Princeton will hold this against me or not, but I can’t take anymore AP courses than those I have selected (although they just informed students that we have the option of taking AP Bio- which I do plan to take)
In terms of the GSA, that was just a facet of my extra-curriculars and I wasn’t relying on it to get me in, but I thought that it would make me look better. And I don’t quite understand by output vs. ideas; I would presenting the idea to the school board in September and probably have a decision in about a month, which if I’m not mistaken, is before the college application process. </p>

<p>Also, I’m not Catholic… I just go to a Catholic school… I don’t have any interest in Catholic colleges (-__-)</p>

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<p>when you get a chance, please reply to my PM.
:)</p>