Help Me Out and Give Me Some Advice, Please!!!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Thanks for taking the time to look at what I have to say, first of all!</p>

<p>I am a male living n Southern California. I was born in a small country in the Balkans called Kosova and moved to the United States because of war. My family income is less than $20,000, as can be expected from the available dead end jobs my parents have endured as a result of having elementary schooling only and not speaking English. I have an eye condition known as nystagmus which makes reading at times a challenge and tennis brutally difficult. I speak English (obviously), Spanish (at an AP level, Albanian, and have been learning Arabic.</p>

<p>I am looking for some advice because I really do not know anyone who has gone to xollege or can help me. Maybe you can!</p>

<p>Let me first place my academics.</p>

<p>In 9th Grade I took:</p>

<p>AP Biology (had to fight with my counselor with this one, ultimately bypassing her for the class)
English 9 Honors
Algebra 2 Honors
Spanish 2
Health/Freshman Seminar (mandatory)
P.E. (mandatory)
JV Tennis</p>

<p>I earned all As in these classes. </p>

<p>In 10th Grade I took:</p>

<p>AP Chemistry (again, bypassed my counselor)
AP World History
English 10 Honors
Pre-Calculus Honirs
Spanish 3
JV Tennis</p>

<p>I received all As in these classes.</p>

<p>This year for 11th Grade I took:</p>

<p>AP U.S. History
AP Physics C (Nechanics)
AP Calculus BC
AP English Language
Spanish 4 (basically AP Spanish since I was in a class with the AP students and we did the same exact same just without the title)
AP Psyxhology</p>

<p>I received all As for these classes. </p>

<p>Next year I will take:</p>

<p>AP Statistics
AP English Literature
AP Goverbment/AP Economics (one class for each semester)
AP Spanish
AP Art History
AP Physics C (E & M, will have to self study as they stooped offering this course, even though I taught myself in all my AP sciences classes)
Varsity Tennia</p>

<p>SAT: 1900 (I know it is low but maybe it can be overlooked. Keep reading for my dilemma.)</p>

<p>My ECs:</p>

<p>Science Olympiad since 9th Grade, will be President next year, Chemistry Lab Regional Champion in 10th Grade
Tennis since 9th Grade
National Honor Society Sibce 10th Grade, tried for position but did not receive it
Speech & Devate from beginning if 11th Grade, forced myself to take it i order to improve my speaking skills
Robotics Club from beginning of 11th Grade, FRC Regional 2nd Place at San Duego Tournament
Unofficial member of ASB since last year (did not get voted in when I ran)</p>

<p>I am a 2013 Questbridge College Prep Scholar.</p>

<p>My problem: </p>

<p>I obviously want to take my SAT again, but there is a problem. I want to apply to universities through the Qestbridge National Match program for Seniors. Some of those universities however require at least two subject tests. I want to take Math II and U.s. History. See the problem? I can either take these subject Tess in November or retake the SAT. Which should I do? I am studying for the ACT, though. </p>

<p>What should I do that would most benefit me?</p>

<p>Also, how are my chances at say UPenn or USC or Stanford (the school I really want to get into through the Questbrdge program)? And Manu the UCs like UCB and UCLA?</p>

<p>ANY advice would be of help! If you read all of this, thank you. And if you can help me thank you even more!</p>

2

<p>Hey, I would like to say congrats on the College Prep Scholarship. I got it too but was unable to go to the conference. I think if you tell your story, then many schools will be really interested in matching you. Both of us have overcame adversity and that is something colleges are looking for. I would suggest that you consider retaking the SAT. You could take the SAT and ACT in October and take the SAT IIs in November. I was also wondering if you could tell me about the stuff that happened at the Questbridge conference. Now Stanford and UPenn are reaches for you as they are for everyone. I think USC is probably a low reach or a high match if you retake the SAT.</p>

3

<p>You can’t test in October?</p>

4

<p>Oh my bad i didn’t know there was an October date thanks! I will start practicing immediately. What should I hopefully strive to earn on the SAT? Congrats yourself IWIllKillForMIT! Should I also try taking the ACT?</p>

5

<p>I think you should atleast strive for a score above 2100. A 2200 is supposed to be even better though. Although I personally hated the ACT, I think you should consider taking it.</p>

6

<p>IWillKillForMIT, I couldn’t attend the conferences either, although I was invited to Stanford and would have loved to go. I had no person to take me and my traditional European parents were to protective to let me go alone. I thought that the conferences would be posted online but I haven’t found them yet.</p>

7

<p>I told Questbridge I couldn’t make it and here is the email I got:</p>

<p>Dear IWillKillForMIT,</p>

<p>We are so sorry that you were unable to attend! We definitely understand your situation and regret that we did not get the opportunity to meet you at Northwestern.</p>

<p>We will be posting presentation slides from our conference on the QuestBridge website in July and holding webinars (online tutorials) about the College Match program later this summer. You will be emailed when both the slides and webinars become available. In the meantime, I would encourage you to reach out to any college admissions officers from our partner schools who may have contacted you. Also make sure to research, call and email any additional schools that you are interested in.</p>

<p>Although you were unable to attend the conference, we are still proud to call you a Quest Scholar.</p>

<p>Kind regards,
The QuestBridge Team</p>

<p>Hope this helps a little. :)</p>