<p>Thanks for the encouragement jdelavalle, it makes me feel more confident in this since I’m trying to apply to more realistic schools.I’m just hoping that some colleges can see past the circumstances so I plan on including them in my application but just in more of an additional information section and not as part of my main essay, I think my recommendations touch on the subject enough. You are right, I’m looking for a change in environment but it doesn’t look like I’d be able to afford OOS tuition anywhere so I’ll look as far as I can in Ohio lol. For LAC’s I’m looking at Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster.</p>
<p>Ricegal that’s exactly what the situation looks like. I can’t say for sure for the breaks and stuff since I know a couple of my best friends will definitely come back home for vacations and it might be possible for me to stay with them during those times. But for the actual academic year it’s completely up in the air as to where I would stay. As for John Carroll University I looked into some school records and it turns out my school actually sent its first ever student there a couple of years ago. I sent the student an email asking about it and I sent one to the admissions office, thank you for the tip :D</p>
<p>My guidance counselor has given 6 application waivers and I plan to apply everywhere I can by the end of this week. So far: Ohio State, Cincinnati, Ohio Wesleyan, Wooster and now I think I’ll add John Carroll to the list and I’m still looking into one more school to consider. Thanks all, any more advice greatly appreciated. If not, I’ll let you guys know how it all goes at the end of the week! =)</p>
<p>I have a question regarding the GPA. Is it lower than expected due to gaps in knowledge/failing course work or is it due to not being in school enough for class participation points or completion of busy work? </p>
<p>Your SAT shows that you have great potential. I hesitate to recommend colleges that have test scores in that range due to uncertainty about the completeness of your education. I guess what I am asking in essence is whether or not you are likely to have to work twice as hard as other students due to gaps in your knowledge. If there are significant gaps, I would suggest you apply to a college that might appear to be below your SAT, just to give you some breathing room as you catch up.</p>
<p>Do Ohio State, Cincinnati and Ohio Wesleyan have TRIO programs? This is a federal program that offers specialized support for low income, first generation, an/or minority students. I’ll put in a link to the one at Simpson College so that you can see the types of supports offered.</p>
<p>If the thought of Iowa doesn’t bother you, maybe take a look at Simpson. About 45% of the students are first generation in their family to go to college. They really have the support of these students as a central mission. I was very disappointed when my niece chose to not go there.</p>
<p>This is from Peterson’s College search:
“Take a look at colleges like Bates, with its Prologue program, and you will see efforts to bring talented minority students to campus, introduce them to the concept of a liberal arts education, and persuade them that Bates is a welcoming and exciting place to enroll.
Now, add to that a financial aid commitment to help students from lower income families, and you will see that colleges like Bates, as well as elite universities like Princeton, Harvard, the University of Virginia, the University of North Carolina, and Stanford, are putting a lot of money on the table to help lower income students attend college and graduate without much debt.”</p>
<p>Also, you need to get out of Cleveland where the family pressures will be difficult to avoid. I think you have a chance of getting into a lot of top schools. Look at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Emory University. Do a search for top schools that are working on diversity. Call (or email) the multicultural admissions advisors. I wouldn’t waste an application on John Carroll. University of Cincinnati should be a safety for you.</p>
<p>Have you looked at the colleges that are featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives? Here is a link to the list of them:
[Colleges</a> That Change Lives | Changing Lives, One Student at a Time](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/]Colleges”>http://www.ctcl.org/)</p>
<p>twomules, I think my gpa is mostly affected by lack of school attendance and classwork and not actually gaps of knowledge, well I hope not. I’m consistently one of the higher scorers on tests in classes, in a few classes I’m the highest performing student on the tests at least. Even in spite of my gpa, my transcript still shows a few A’s in certain marking periods when my grades drastically improved. These were usually during periods where my grandmother was hospitalized or institutionalized for physical therapy and I stayed home alone. Even though I was still working and maintaining the house on my own having my grandma’s care off my back for a while really solidified my attendance in classes and I was able to get a lot more work done and do really good on it. I checked and Ohio State and Cincinnati both have TRIO student support programs so that’s relieving to know but I haven’t much on Ohio Wesleyan… I’m also looking into Simpson.</p>
<p>BLK616 you really think I’d have a chance at schools at like Michigan (Even being from “Ohio” haha)? Maybe I’ll give it a shot? I do think I agree about John Carroll though. The school is really nice and a student who goes there told me some great things about it but, I live only 15-20 minutes away from it, and I think it’s a little unsettling with how close to home it is…My writing teacher is an alum of Northwestern and she really wants me to apply to their creative writing program, and she said she would even write me a special recommendation just for it, but I don’t exactly know how to tell her that Northwestern is just completely out of my league lol.</p>
<p>On the other hand,for another liberal arts college is there anyone who can give me any insight on Bennington in VT? I’m still trying to pull more info on it.</p>
<p>Another college to consider for creative writing is Kenyon College. It would be a reach for you, maybe. I would call or email the multicultural admissions rep and explain that you have good SATs but a low GPA due to being the primary caretaker for your grandmother. Explain that when she is hospitalized or in PT and you were living alone your grades rebounded. This shows that you can do the work and want to do the work when you are not overwhelmed with the caretaking. Tell Mr. Culver that you have only 6 fee waivers and ask for a realistic assessment of the strength of your application. </p>
<p>Travis D. Culver
Senior Assistant Director of Admissions and Director of Multicultural Admissions
740-427-5790
<a href=“mailto:culvert@kenyon.edu”>culvert@kenyon.edu</a></p>
<p>Remember I said schools “like” John Carroll. There are plenty of Jesuit schools out there to consider as well as other religious schools. For example, you might have a shot at Seattle University or Regis University.</p>
<p>I understand now, so a Jesuit school like Loyola in Chicago, would I have a shot there?
Thanks twomules for the Kenyon reference, I did send an email so I’m just waiting on a reply now hopefully.</p>
<p>You are being really proactive and I think you should give yourself a pat on the back. Drive with assertiveness is crucial for success.</p>
<p>I am going to risk harping too much on your classroom preparation. I have an anecdote from my husband’s family which may explain my concern (and may not be applicable to you.) My husband grew up working class in an inner city barrio. During his high school years his dad was often unemployed or hospitalized due to health issues. Starting in 8th grade he had a scholarship to go to a top prep school in his area. The first two years were really tough, struggling to keep up with the kids that had always been at the school -both academically, and socially because of limited money for hanging out with the richer students. Ultimately he thrived there and his adjustment to an eastern college was easy except for the usual basic homesickness.</p>
<p>His brother stayed in the neighborhood and went to the local high school. He did very well academically and was the big athlete. He applied to college in the east to follow his brother and was accepted. He arrived on campus and was completely overwhelmed. He was now surrounded by kids who had gone to fancy private schools or rigorous suburban ones. He didn’t know how much he didn’t know and struggled to keep up in class. He was also intimidated by the amount of money these kids had. He had never been around people with disposable income and parents depositing spending money into the kid’s account just for good times. He had to watch every dime. He flunked out and has never finished his degree.</p>
<p>I would like to see you avoid these pitfalls if possible. If the college has a TRIO program or students there on the Questbridge or posse programs, there will be a cohort of students that will understand what you are going through. I would hate for you to feel as isolated as my husband and his brother felt. See if the admissions office has statistics for how many students are low income and are first generation to go to college.</p>
<p>As for making sure that you are academically prepared, on a day off from school, can you go sit in on a couple of classes at Case? Pick an English class as well as one that would fulfill a distribution requirement such as history or psychology. Go through the bookstore pulling texts and spend an hour or so browsing them. You probably have really good time management skills because of all that you are juggling and that is going to help you a lot.</p>
<p>I apologize if this is more advice than you want. I am certainly projecting onto you what their situation was and that may not be fair.</p>
<p>Yes, I would try Loyola in Chicago. twomules has some good advice. I saw many underprepared students drop out of Rice and I myself came from an only average public high school and struggled to keep up with the private school kids in some classes like French. That’s why it would be nice to go to a place where you can get face time with professors. Also, you don’t want to get in over your head at a school that might be too tough. Take a light load freshman year, too, until you see how things go.</p>
<p>Honestly if you can reword your first post into a more essay-style format (even that was interesting to read, though), you have a decent shot at most good to top schools, because that is a really compelling and inspirational (in a depressing way) story. Obviously the 2.3 is holding you back but if your story as well as your GC/teacher recs can attest to your case, with a 2090 SAT 1 time sitting, there is substance to your app.
Look at some schools that meet 100% financial aid…shoot for the stars. Look at Northwestern, Boston College, and Vanderbilt, three off the top of my head. Good luck.</p>
<p>My suggestions: Deff apply to your local safeties but PLEASE apply to some top schools. You are a very unique situation. a 2090 SAT score with 0 prep is superb. </p>
<p>If your guidance counselors are commited to helping you tell them to get on the phone AND call directly the admissions reps from some schools. Start with the Questbridge partner schools for ideas since they are already in the business of recruiting low income students with difficulties. [QuestBridge:</a> Students: Partners](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/students/partners.html]QuestBridge:”>http://www.questbridge.org/students/partners.html)</p>
<p>RIGHT NOW. Do the best you possibly can in school. Ask EVERY teacher for extra credit opportunities. Get tutoring if you need it. </p>
<p>Take some subject tests in January. Obviously there’s little time to study and IDK about the $$$ issue but you have to try. If you can get some solid SAT Subject Test Scores that will really boost you up. </p>
<p>QUESTION: What is your PASSION? You need to show that even in your dire circumstances you maintained your intelectual spark, your creativity, and your leadership potential. Talk about your compassion for your mother and grandmother. Make them love you. </p>
<p>MOST IMPORTANTLY: DO NOT GIVE UP. You obviously WANT to make something of yourself and that desire makes you exceptional.</p>
<p>twomules actually I appreciate the story very much, it was definitely the kind of advice I need. Most of the time I read about how economically disadvantaged students are supposedly “happy” at these schools, but I never really find much about how the adjustment was for these students, whether it was a struggle or a complete culture shock to adapt to so I appreciate how your story really shed some light on that. It only confirmed that these are the potential social and academic circumstances I have to mentally brace myself for and I understand that :)</p>
<p>As for top schools I think the only one I actually could have a shot at is Michigan. Not really Northwestern (even though I’ve but my writing teacher is encouraging me to apply so I’m going to go for it anyway lol.
As for passions, I really like to write and I love photography and drawing, I have a lot of different interests but those would be the top three that really pulled me through some slumps. I think they show up in extracurriculars (Anime Club, Poetry Club, Yearbook). I would like to go somewhere that I can take classes in Urban Studies or Sociology and some kind of creative writing class?</p>
<p>twomules and ricegal, I agree with you. Although people are encouraging me for really top selective schools, it’s just a very real possibility that I’m under prepared with my circumstances and all, my school district’s really not the best either, etc. Also, I can’t manage to take subject tests now (money issues) so that excludes a lot of them anyway. I think it would be better if I didn’t go to a tougher school with an extremely rigorous workload but made sure I could stand on my feet at an easier school and made sure I could adjust well. I definitely don’t view any schools as being beneath me at all.</p>
<p>Hopefully everyone should expect a full line up of the schools I’m applying to. In other news my guidance counselor said Kenyon would waive my app fee so that leaves another app waiver and I can apply to 7 schools now. Thanks for the encouragement people, it’s working!</p>
<p>I may be late with my suggestion, as you seem to already have a really solid action plan in place, but has anyone ever mentioned Berea College in Kentucky to you? Every student admitted is given free tuition in exchange for 10 or more hours a week of work-study. The catch is that you need to be low-income. I’ll add that it is also a racially integrated campus, not something to take lightly, from what I can see on most campuses!</p>
<p>How is it going in school now? Is there any chance that you could have a 3.0 by the end of senior year? If not, hang on to this program information for your freshman or soph year.</p>
<p>My husband had excellent internships through Inroads. They do more than just hook you up with an internship. They teach you how to dress for success, how to interview effectively, and the staff member even taught my husband how to drive! The job experience he gained was so valuable.</p>
<p>The mission of INROADS is to develop and place talented minority youth in business and industry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership.
INROADS seeks high performing minority students for internship opportunities with some of the nation’s largest companies. Our rigorous career development training process will challenge you to commit to excellence and raise the bar on your personal expectations.</p>
<p>Not sure if this is the best idea – but could he apply for a fifth year at a prep school and would these types of schools provide money for tuition and room and board? This type of school could really enhance his intellectual skills.</p>
<p>Hello, Benizakura here, just wanted to update this if anyone was still interested. I know I’ve been MIA for a while but the last couple weeks have been really rough. Over winter break I lost a really good friend of mine in a car accident. The faculty and the students in my school have been really down since the accident and I also lost a close uncle last week. It’s been pretty depressing and I’m trying to stay positive. Grades are on an upswing. But I honestly can’t say how relieved I’ll be when this is all over.</p>
<p>As for the apps, I think I put together a decent list I hope. I am applying to: Kenyon College, College of Wooster, Ohio Wesleyan, Loyola University Chicago, Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati and for my ultra reach reach University of Michigan.
Out of those 7 I have finished the applications to all except for Michigan and Loyola. Everyone has told me my essay was exceptional, and a couple of my teachers told me they both cried and laughed while reading it, so I’m not super worried there.</p>
<p>Though I really like all of the schools, the two I’ve really ended up loving to death are OSU and Michigan. I think it’s kind of ironic how I just happen to end up being “drawn” in by those two but I really am passionate about them. I haven’t visited Michigan but I’ve visited OSU before and I really loved the whole large community atmosphere and the friendliness, and the school spirit. Michigan really stuck to me for similar factors too but I feel that of all the positive influences I could use right now, spirit is a major one and to be somewhere where it’s overflowing is really encouraging to me.</p>
<p>Oh and thanks so much twomules for the INROADS reference. I didn’t even know such a program was out there and so accessible to someone like me and I can picture myself making taking great advantage of something like that in the very near future.</p>
<p>Hopefully after I finish the last two apps, I can report back to everyone on here who’s helped me with a long list of acceptances? Again hopefully lol
Thanks for the advice people, still open to any if you want to contribute :)</p>