<p>So. I did poorly on my PSAT (195) and will most certainly not be NMSF and since Fl has (I think) the highest cut off for National Hispanic (195 was last year's) I'm not gonna count on that either. I needed these not only to pay for my education but also to use as something to make me stick out (my ECs are less then good). So, I now I have to go to my safety school, UCF, since I have no chance of being accepted to or paying for Vanderbilt, Tufts, Davidson, Haverford, New College or Brown (my dreamiest of dreams). I was horribly depressed about it for several weeks and have now reached a stage of general aloofnes for college as a whole. I'm even taking a ton more APs this year so I can graduate earlier and spend less time there. </p>
<p>For anyone that got stuck going to their safety school or anyone that has some advice, what can you do? What are your options besides suck it up?</p>
<p>Wait…you’re only a junior? You haven’t even taken your SATs yet? Calm down, you have plenty of time. The PSAT does not determine your future; if anything, it shows you what you can study. If you study for the SAT, you can certainly get your score up, and if your GPA is good you’ll certainly be in the running.</p>
<p>Don’t resign yourself to UCF yet. Check out the FAFSA to see if any of your schools are affordable, and apply anyway. It’s not worth it to decide two years in advance that you won’t be good enough to get into any of your schools.</p>
I got a 2010 the first time and this time (Jan SAT) I think I did even worse…</p>
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It sorta does when it determines whether or not you get the scholarships needed to pay for college. I won’t be able to go to another Florida school because they don’t meet need (well, there’s UF but everyone of the dozens of people I know who go there hate it). I could afford many of the ‘Project on Student Debt’ schools, but most of those are like HYPSM and I won’t delude myself into thinking I can get in there because my stats aren’t great (4.15 W, 3.77 UW - 5 APs so far (all As) - my semester grades for Span 1 in 8th grade are C and B so that totally wrecks my transcript).</p>
<p>jason, this is something I’ve learned over the past two years of my college process. There is really no such thing as “can’t”. Yes, I’m sure you’ve hear that numerous times before, but honestly - when it comes to the college process it is true. In April of my junior year I took the SAT for the first time. Honestly, I walked out of that room thinking I was god. Two weeks later my score comes out… Lets just leave it at I was questioning god. </p>
<p>After I got my score, I sulked for a good two weeks. I honestly could not believe that in the matter of 1 minute, my whole college process had fallen apart. </p>
<p>Fast forward to September of my Senior year. I took the ACT 3 times. First - I took the ACT without any prep in anger because I did so horribly on my SAT: result 30. Second - I took the ACT in June for the second time. I studied for this one, A LOT. I had the tutor twice a week and spent an hr+ everyday after school studying: result 31 (enragement). Third - I took my final ACT in September of senior year. I hadn’t studied much over the summer and went into the test incredibly cocky. I knew a 33 was possible because I had scored it on one of my practice tests. Two weeks later - 33 popped up on the screen. </p>
<p>Honestly, you can raise your scores substantially. All it takes is work ethic and the ability to sit down and actually study. Don’t think about it - do it.</p>
<p>Have you looked at the New College Four Winds scholarships? They are based on SAT and GPA - not PSAT. New Winds plus Need-Based Aid sounds like an option. (According to the NCF website.)</p>
<p>You are a Hispanic applicant with fine grades and a fine SAT score. You’ll have little difficulty getting into the schools you want, provided that you write compelling essays.</p>
<p>Brown may be a toss up for you, but were you accepted, you would receive a generous need-based award, which you could supplement with federal work study and also a few thousand dollars in loans, perhaps–which, in the big picture, is nothing.</p>
<p>A safety is a school you can definitely get into AND ARE WILLING TO ATTEND. Otherwise it’s just a waste of money. When you have some actual SAT/ACT scores we can discuss schools. Take both since some people do better on one over the other.</p>
<p>UCF is an academic and financial safety. I’ll actually be paid to go. Vanderbilt, Tufts, Davidson, Haverford, and Brown all offer great Fin-aid, the only problem is getting in. I was much more confident a few months ago but that’s before my guidance counselor actually added in my 8th grade grades into my transcript (a mistake in the system left them out of my calculated GPA) and my GPA was brought down significantly, so my stats now are vastly different than my stats from my chance me threads way back when… but I’m still Hispanic lol.</p>
<p>I guess I’ll know more when I get my SAT scores back next week.</p>
<p>8th grade grades may count in your transcript, but admissions officers will look at your upward trend. You will have to wait and see on the financial aid at the privates, but surely you can find one you like that meets full need. Nothing wrong with a free ride at UCF or FSU, though.</p>
As far as I know they find out around the same time as NMF. But I also had to contact the office and have an ethnicity change because my school had me down as ‘White’ and that was only a few days ago.</p>
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That’s what I’ve been told but I’m more worried about it’s impact on my GPA. As for the fin aid, the colleges I listed are all part of the Project on Student Debt and have no loans, just grants and work study. I pretty much know what the fin aid offers will be because there are multiple sources that specifically cite how much you pay by income. And the only thing wrong with the free ride to UCF/FSU is that I really don’t want to go to either of them. I’m sorry if that makes me arrogant but neither of them makes me happy. But I’m realistic and have been through enough in life to know that my happiness in college means little if it is my only option to become a doctor. I’m not trying to be rude, I really appreciate everyone’s concern and advice, but despite what many people on here may preach, when it comes to choosing a college there are things that are more important than your happiness.</p>
<p>*As far as I know they find out around the same time as NMF. But I also had to contact the office and have an ethnicity change because my school had me down as ‘White’ and that was only a few days ago.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but if I remember correctly, NH happens earlier. I think a friend’s son (also in Florida) found out that he was NH before Christmas. However, that shouldn’t be a problem. BE SURE to have your GC contact NMCorp to fix this.</p>
<p>What are all the schools that you applied to?</p>
I’m a junior so none lol. I plan on applying to Brown (let me dream), Amherst, Tufts, Vanderbilt, Rice, Haverford, Davidson, New College, UCF. Also, UM and Emory just to see what fin-aid they offer.</p>
<p>The link states May is when candidates are notified. The schools actually find out selections in September. Does UM mean UMich? If so I doubt you’ll get anything being OOS.</p>
<p>Again - I think you’ll be surprised. Don’t get too down on yourself yet. It’s only February - study the things you struggled with on the SAT/PSAT, and try taking the ACT. </p>
<p>I understand the importance of the financial aid process, believe me. Have you looked into any local or outside scholarships? I remember when I was applying, there were a lot of local scholarships that were specifically for Hispanic, African American, or Native American students. Have you looked into any other schools? Such as Tufts, Washington and Lee, William and Mary, or Johns Hopkins?</p>