Hey guys, I’m a high school junior and I have absolutely no idea where I can go.
Unfortunately, did not put effort into my school work until this year. I plan to get mostly high 90s and hundreds for the rest of my high school career, so my average should go up quite a bit. Here are my current qualifications
92.67 average (not sure of gpa)
Freshman year advanced: Honors Math, school offers no aps freshman year and the only other honors offered is language
Sophomore year advanced: Honors math, still no aps or honors offered other than honors math and language
Junior year advanced: Honors math, Ap physics, Ap US history, regular spanish and english
Senior year advanced: Hopefully everything!
EC’s
I’ve played piano since I was 6, and am very good, but don’t have much to show for it. Is it possible for me to audition to show my piano skills, even if I don’t have competition wins or anything? I’ve played a number of recitals, including one yearly recital for the schools best musicians freshman-senior year, played rhapsody in blue with school orchestra this year for 8 performances, played in a couple of benefits, a few random concerts every year. Also, how much does this help me if I don’t want to be a music major?
I play trumpet as well, though I am not as skilled. I have been in the school band (elective) every year, and was in the lower level jazz band freshman year and the upper sophomore, junior, and presumably next year. Upper level jazz band meets 3 times a week for an hour each time, so it’s a big commitment, but will colleges realize that? I am doing jazz all-county this year, and if I may have a small chance at all state (<10% probably). How good are these things?
Red cross club junior year, haven’t volunteered a ton yet, but I plan to get at least a modest amount of hours.
National merit semifinalist
PC gaming club junior year. Probably meaningless.
I’ve done some work outside of school, but have nothing to show for it. I’ve worked with a few charitable associations doing things like managing websites.
I plan on making my own website with my own writing. Can I put this on my application? It will mostly be philosophical stuff.
My Sat should be 2250 or 2300+ first try, I hope to get something near a perfect score if I work a bit more
760 chemistry sat 2, my mom tells me that’s good but I was disappointed about the percentile it put me in
Plan on getting all 5s on Aps.
Won’t have great recommendations I don’t think, unless something changes.
I’m a weak writer, so I’m worried about the essay
I think I’ll do fine at an interview though
I know my grades aren’t great, and my EC’s seem weak compared to others, but where would you guys think I could get in? I was thinking Uchicago would be best chance for a high level school, because they seem to love test scores. I have heard that University of Rochester is a good school, and that I have a high chance of getting in, is that true? Thanks!
Study for those SATs and work hard on your essay. Even if you’re not a great writer, a good topic with lots of drafts can yield you a very nice essay. There’s good information about college essays in the classic book by Harry Bauld on writing the college essay. I also often recommend a website called Essay Hell. Johns Hopkins puts up examples of “Essays that Worked.”
If you think you would play in a college band or orchestra, your music could help. If you think you are a strong player, submit an arts supplement.
Do you have any idea what you will want to study?
As a national merit-semifinalist, you are very likely to become a finalist. Then you will qualify for some excellent financial aid from certain universities.
There are lots of great schools that would love to have you. momfromme’s post hits the key points.
And don’t load up with a lot of pointless ECs under the misconception that it will somehow help increase your attractiveness as an applicant. It won’t. Your commitment to music sounds very significant and varied. It shows that you have interests outside of school and can contribute to enriching the school community. You really don’t need to do more than that. Resume padding is a waste of time so only do it if you enjoy the activity. You don’t have to check the ‘volunteer’ box or the ‘school club leadership’ box or any box at all. Just be your best self - in person and in the application.
The other big determinant of where you go is going to be affordability Have that talk with your parents now. They may also have other selection criteria (distance from home?) in mind. Find out now rather than after you’ve a list.
I’m not totally sure what I want to study, I’m thinking computer science or maybe finance. As for affordability, I am in a good situation because my brother didn’t go to college and I presumably now have two college funds to draw from. Additionally, I think my dad has a benefit that will pay for part of college as well, so I don’t think finances are going to be too much of a problem for me.
As for EC’s, how good is my music? Is it only going to get me somewhere if I major in it? Do I have to mention the interest in an essay or something? Or do I audition. I feel like it’s my biggest advantage and I want to know how to get the most out of it. I don’t think I’m resume padding, I started doing the red cross because some of my friends joined it and I thought it may be a fun and generous way to get a bit of an edge in college, although it’s not too big of a commitment and I’d likely do it anyway. The Pc gaming club is a very small commitment and something fun to do on weekends.
Anyway, does anyone know about what level of selectivity I can look at? I understand there is a lot of variation from year to year and such, and that it’s hard to tell, but a general area?
I have a 77 in spanish first quarter freshman year. I didn’t know any Spanish prior to that year but they put me in Spanish 2. I definitely did not actually get a 77, much likely closer to a 20 or 30, but my teacher was really nice. Next quarter I brought my average up to a 92 :). Math sophomore year was all 82-88 because I didn’t study and spent the entire class drawing or day dreaming. Other than that history has been low to mid 90s, last year though I was late every day cause it was first period. I’ve started coming on time this year. English has always been 88-91 for me, so I guess some b+'s, but I assume that’s not that bad for college? I’ve failed gym a few times, but I’ve made it up. Can they tell if you fail and make it up?
Your best resources for ‘chances’ is the Common Data Set, published by each school. Google it. Go to section C which has the academic profile of the admitted class. You need to be consistently in their sweet spot on GPA, test scores, class rank, etc…If you fall into the 25%ile on anything, it would be good to have something that offsets that - like exceptional test scores if the grades are a bit low (and an upward trend reflecting maturation over time.)
So, start with University of Chicago and look at how you compare to the admitted students. You can then decide for yourself whether you have a realistic shot or not. And no, you don’t have to be a music major for music to be a significant EC in your life. Audition tapes are usually for those who are majoring in the subject so it’s not necessary. It’s just an opportunity to showcase one of your interests/talents/aptitudes. Given the amount of time you’ve put into it, you might want to talk about it in your app, but its not essential if you have other, more important things to say.
Try to find out sooner, rather than later, how much your parents will pay. That will help guide your choices. Don’t presume that you’ll have access to your brother’s college fund just because he hasn’t gone to college. Sometimes students wait a few years before they go to school, so your parents may hold the money for him. If he never goes, they may decide to gift it to him later for a house downpayment, etc., or roll it over to a retirement fund. Find out what they’ll pay for you.
Talked to my mom about the money thing. The most expensive schools are a bit of a stretch but possible because of my dads benefit. My parents also save very heavily and value education highly, so I don’t think money is a major consideration. I think I’m starting a pretty heavy upward trend this year.
What makes you believe you can fetch a 2300 SAT first try? PSAT?
Until you have a firm SAT/ACT, it’s hard to say how selective you can go. You will want to have a range of selectivity in your app list, so it’s more important to focus on match schools and a safety, especially if your grades have been less than glowing and you have reason to believe that your recommendations might not be stellar due to your self-confessed lack of motivation.
You have not been working too hard on your grades, and you are sure you will turn it around. You haven’t taken the SAT yet, but you are sure you will get a very high score… ECs are light… you plan on a website with your writing, but by your own admissions are a weak writer… lots of good intentions here.
Also, how do you know you are NMSF (have cutoffs been announced yet? What is your score and your state for the PSAT?)
You probably need to visit and consider a variety of schools, given that you may or may not end up with a strong GPA and great test scores, and you self-acknowledged weak ECs
Also, regarding finances, have your parents run the net price calculators on all schools you are considering.
N’s mom, U of Chicago does not post the common data set. It is not actually required (although most schools seem to do it), and they don’t. But that doesn’t mean the OP shouldn’t look for other schools.
I did better than usual first quarter of junior year and am doing a LOT better than usual this quarter. I’m not messing around anymore. I am sure I will do well on SAT because I have done tests in the book and online and have scored high. I had a friend who got a 138 on PSAT but still got 51st Percentile, since the 50th percentile on the SAT is a 1500, I figure that PSAT scores are a bit lower than SAT scores. I also had a friend get a 2400 on SAT but 226 on PSAT. I got a 222 on PSAT (78 CR, 73 math, 71 writing) so I’m completely sure I’m going to get national merit in NY where it varies 215-219. I’m a weak essay writer, but when I write about things I like, I am not bad. What I plan to do with writing does not require great writing skills, in the way writing for wikipedia doesn’t require you to be a good writer.
I don’t want to give off the impression that I think I’m great and all and deserve to get Ivy leagues; I have as many weaknesses as the next guy. But I am working very hard and I want to have a general idea of where I can get in. I don’t have much of an idea about this kind of stuff.
Are you familiar with schools in your state? You could start there. Go to a website like collegedata and look at the admissions data for a school like the University of Rochester to see how you compare. Check out some publics like Binghamton U and Stony Brook U. Understand what stats and qualities they’re looking for. Also, run the Net Price Calculators at various schools to see if they’re affordable.
Are you familiar with schools in your state? You could start there. Go to a website like collegedata and look at the admissions data for a school like the University of Rochester to see how you compare. Check out some publics like Binghamton U and Stony Brook U. Understand what stats and qualities they’re looking for. Also, run the Net Price Calculators at various schools to see if they’re affordable. <
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Yup, I plan on having Rochester as my safety.
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I can’t imagine much worse than an online website of philosophical ramblings by a poor writer. I sure wouldn’t put a link to it in your applications… <
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I don’t understand why you feel the need to keep attacking me. I’m not going to be writing “philosophical ramblings”, I know exactly what I am trying to do. I told you my essay writing is not great. I’m bad at being given a quote and coming up with examples from books and I’m bad at telling stories. I’m not bad at what I’m going to do.
I’d hesitate to put Rochester as a safety because of your GPA, even if you score 2300+. You also have to know that your safety is 100% affordable, so you need to sit down with a parent and run the NPCs with accurate data.
I checked naviance a couple days ago and the people who got in mostly had averages in high 80s with test scores below mine. For University of Chicago, very few people got in, and the averages I think were around 94-95 for gpa, but I have no idea what they got on aps, sat 2s, or what EC’s they did etc.
It’s not out of the question that you could get waitlisted at Rochester if your GPA was bottom half and your recs and writing were mediocre. That’s not a safety. There’s nothing wrong with erring on the conservative side and bumping it up to a likely or a match. Anyway, you’d have to look at your SAT and entire profile later in the year.
It’s not out of the question that you could get waitlisted at Rochester if your GPA was bottom half and your recs and writing were mediocre. That’s not a safety. There’s nothing wrong with erring on the conservative side and bumping it up to a likely or a match. Anyway, you’d have to look at your SAT and entire profile later in the year. <
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My Gpa isn’t bottom half. At my school 92.67 is about 20% percentile, and if I can bring it up to a 93.5 or 94 I am probably going to be in or close to the top 10%. I don’t remember exactly what the average was for Rochester, but I’d say it was an 87 or an 88 with 1700-1800 SAT. I assume my EC’s are plenty strong for there if their even considered. Taking first SAT in march, so I’ll have my score pretty soon.
As for my recommendations, I like my teachers this year more than I have liked them in the past. I have a good relationship with my APUS teacher, and my Precalc teacher has commended me on stepping it up this quarter. I think my English teacher also likes me as I’m working very hard on my essay writing with her.
In the same post. That doesn’t sound like a good combo.
Also, U of Chicago is notorious for tough essay prompts and admitting students who handle them deftly. One of my kids got in to U of C EA two years ago, and she spent a lot more time on her essays for them than for every other school. She had great test scores and the kind of “sparky” intellect that U of C likes. You did say your recommendations may not be great, that could hurt you with them and other schools as well.
