I don't have a 4.8 GPA or a 2400 SAT; decent school out of reach?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've posted once on this site's chances thread before, but that was before I read everyone elses stats, and gosh, you guys blow me away! Before I came to this site, I was pretty confident with my stats, but now.. now, I feel so average and like I don't even have a shot. I would greatly appreciate it if you read through my stats and reccomended some good colleges I have a decent shot of getting into that are somewhat selective. Because, really, I'll feel like the work I've put into high school will be such a waste if I end up going to some school where the average GPA is around a 3.2 and they admit 90% of their applicants -.-</p>

<p>Right now, I'm a junior, but I'm thinking that by the end of this year my GPA will be:
3.6 UW
4.125 W</p>

<p>Top 8% of class weighted
Er, probably Top 15%ish unweighted, but guidance couselors don't give rank uw.
Do colleges usually look at unweighted or weighted class rank? <em>crosses fingers for weighted</em></p>

<p>Taking the SATs in June- hoping to get over a 2000. I scored a 206 (does this qualify me for Commended Scholar status?) on my PSAT this yr, but I haven't broken 2000 on any practice SATs I've taken..
Also, I haven't taken the ACT yet, but I'm thinking I'll score around 30-31sh.</p>

<p>Classes and grades:
Freshman Yr: Freshman Band (A), Keyboarding (A), Global Studies (A), Honors Biology (B), Honors Geometry (A), Honors English 9 (A), Spanish 2 (B)</p>

<p>Sophmore Yr: Web Design and Desktop Publishing (A), AP Government (B), Honors Chemistry (B), Honors Algebra 2 Trig. (B), Honors English 10 (A), Spanish 3 (A)</p>

<p>Junior Yr: Business Law (A), American History (A), Economics (A), AP Biology (B), Honors Precalc (B), Honors English 11 (A), Honors Spanish 4 (A)</p>

<p>Planned Courses for Senior Year: Honors Comp. Sci, Honors Psychology, Music Theory, Physics, AP Calc. BC, AP English 12, AP Spanish 5 </p>

<p>APs: Took AP Gov't Sophmore Yr, scored a 3 =/
Taking Bio this yr, and Calc BC, English, Spanish, and Comp Sci next year</p>

<p>SATIIs: Taking Bio in May, Math II and Spanish in Oct </p>

<p>Extracirrics:</p>

<p>Poets Society (9,10)
German Club (9)
Math Club (9, 10)
Spanish Club (10, 11)
Young Democrats (11)
Mu Alpha Theta (11)
Junior State of America- founded club at my school and am president, go on various trips/conventions including overnight (11)
Played piano 9+ years- have received superior ratings and played for various fundraisers
flute 7 years- have received superior/good ratings
guitar 2 years
Kickboxing 3 years
Volunteering at Animal Shelter 2 years
Planning on Volunteering at hospital and saftey town this summer
This summer, I'm going to India to visit relatives, and will take any opportunities for foreign language classes/volunteering I can get!</p>

<p>I know my limits, and I'm thinking if I really study, a 2100 on the SAT may be attainable. With these stats, could you reccommend any good colleges? My dream schools are University of Chicago, Northwestern, NYU, and Emory. Are these schools way out of my league? Save for the honors classes at my highschool, the average student is very unmotivated/a complete druggie and my main yearning to go to a selective school is to be around intellectually stimulating and genuine people. But am I doomed to end up at some crummy state school that accepts everyone anyway? Be honest!</p>

2

<p>No, you are not doomed to go to a state school (although would that really be so terrible?). You will also have trouble getting in at the schools you listed; but they are very elite, and there is certainly a medium - a good school with a population of motivated students who are generally not super-geniuses. Look into state school honors program, schools like Dickinson, Colby, etc. And apply to your four dream schools! What the heck, right? And you could conceivably get in at NYU or Emory, even though they are large reaches. Stranger things have happened.</p>

<p>Just apply to a broad range of schools. A 4.1 is a great GPA. Don't get down on what are obviously good achievements. GOOD LUCK! :)</p>

3

<p>Personally, I would say no school is ever officially out of reach, with that said you obviously should keep your game up, and if your keep yours up you should be fine with the stats that your representing. Speaking as a senior, I only had a 2000 on my SATS, and a 4.545 GPA (W), and overall I feel like I got into some amazing schools that I would never have guessed with my stats being the way they are. So, yea, don't be afraid to reach though some of the schools you picked should be comfortable acceptances if you continue how you are going. So, all else I can say is good luck and don't be afraid to reach.</p>

4

<p>The best way to check would be to find out how people with a similar class rank from your HS have done in the past with admissions.</p>

5

<p>Thats right, check on the class of 2005 & 2006 admissions for your school pick a few of thoses colleges and interview. Colleges love to be courted. Apply to a wide range of schools so that you will not be disappointed, each college should have something you really like about it.</p>

6

<p>You're not out of the running for those schools, but some state schools are really something to be proud of
i.e.-- UMich, UNC, UVA, UCB...Alot of these big schools are looked at with the same respect at the great private schools in the country.</p>

<p>So basically, apply to those schools and a couple good state schools...then obviously make sure you have your safties</p>

7

<p>Thanks for the input! I guess I shouldn't lose hope.</p>

<p>And I didn't mean to make it sound like state schools are bad or anything- I'd be very happy to get into my state school's honors program (OSU). I'm keeping my options open</p>

<p>Would you guys happen to have any other advice on things I could do to make myself really stand out?</p>

8

<p>As I said in your Northwestern thread.....you will have no problem especially if you do ED!!!! Every school is a reach for everyone! Even a school that accepts 99% of its applicants is a reach to everyone! 1% aren't going to be admitted! Its not alot but what if your the 1% because they feel you are using it as a so called 'safety' school! You never know these days with college admission. My sister was a perfect student she evn got a 1600 on the old SAT's but was denied from all the state schools she applied to and even syracuse....Northwestern thank god did accept her so its really a game of reach and luck! Good luck!</p>

9

<p>University of Chicago cares a LOT about the essays, so if that really is your dream school and you can actually show yourself to be a thinker and showcase your quirky factor in the essay, then getting in EA really won't be TOO hard. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but as a rule, UChicago cares a LOT more about essays than most other schools do.</p>

10

<p>Northwestern also takes the essays VERY seriously. Write some stellar essays, and I wouldn't be suprised if you got into U Chicago or N'western. Good Luck.</p>

11

<p>The last three replies have given me hope!! =) Thanks guys! I will work as hard as I can to produce some quality, insightful essays</p>