I know they're reaches!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, this is my first time using the site as well as seriously consindering certain colleges. </p>

<p>My high school is a competative public school in New England but it does some things differently: The gpa in my school is on a 5.0 scale and weights AP classes equally as honors classes. The school also does not give students the opportunity to take AP classes until junior year and there are minimal options even then, but it is a hard school without APs. We also do not rank students so i can only give an approximate when it comes to my ranking.</p>

<p>I'm wondering how much of the above information the colleges I apply to know? Some honors classes in my school, seem to me, almost at the AP level.</p>

<p>I've been sort of in contact with WashU I guess and they encouraged me to sign up for their month long architectural summer program that would give college credit. I wondering that if I do this as well as possibly apply ED next year to their architectural school (though I really dont know yet), if I will have a chance? I understand that it's going to be a stretvh even with the summer course and ED but I really like the school. I guess if you all say it's simply not worth it, then I could think about different ways to spend my summer - possibly at a more of a "match" school with a similar summer program.</p>

<p>My unweight gpa is probably a 3.7/4 where as my weighted gpa is a 4.5/5</p>

<p>I believe my class rank is somewhere in the 25% range but, again, it's not given. My grade has about 450 students.</p>

<p>Freshmen Year:
Honors Math: B
Honors History: B+
English: A
Biology: A-
Spanish 2: A-
Art: A</p>

<p>Sophmore Year:
Honors English: A-
Honors History: A
Math: A
Physics: A
Spanish 3: A
Art: A</p>

<p>Junior (Current Grades):
AP Art: B+
Honors English: A-
(that is probably the highest grade in the class he is an extremly tough teacher and im thinking about asking him for a college recommendation because he seems to like my writing and I work very hard in this class)
Honors History: A
Precalc Math: A
Chemistry: A
Spanish 4: A</p>

<p>Senior year I plan to take 2 or 3 AP classes.</p>

<p>I haven't taken the SATs yet but my goal range is in the low 2000's
- I hope to get about a 720 on Math
- a 670 on Reading
- lower 600's on writing</p>

<p>I know that I will eventually need to take subjects test but I have no predictions as to what tests/scores I will get for those</p>

<p>EC's (it would be really helpful if someone told me which ones are good activities/important and which I just shouldn't even be concerned about):
Freshmen Year:
- student teacher at my hebrew school and earned 30 hours of community service
- JV Tennis
- I was awarded "Most Improved Student" < is that important at all?
- part of Best buddies club
Sophmore Year:
- State finalist for National History Day
- Member of National Honor Society
- For National Honor Society we need at least 10 hours of tutoring each year so by the time I apply to colllege I will have 20+ hours of peer tutoring done
- Varsity tennis
- founding member of a club at my school (but didn't have an official leadership role)
- Last Summer I went on a service trip to Costa Rica for a month and earned 80 hours of community service as well as a cerfiticate of global awarness kind of, it's called a Global Competency Certificate and is presented at graduation so it's fairly important
Junior Year:
- still a part of that club an again do not have an official "president" role but if I did it would be like vice president or head of publicity
- I hope to be on varsity tennis again this year and next
- I'm thinking about starting a club that would raise awareness for global scocial rights.... this would be in relation to the trip i went on this summer (though the club part is for colleges, the trip did mean a lot to me and I think I will most likely devot some of the writing on my application to the trip)</p>

<p>Btw, both my parents went to Duke univeristy but I am aware of the extreme competativness of that school so i understand that being a double legacy wil not help me because my grades aren't great
I'm still in the very beginning stages of looking at colleges but some other schools I like (but understand may be reaches) in include:
NYU, Emory, Elon, American, Lehigh, Colby, Colgate, Tufts < My dad is a doctor at their hospital but I dont think that helps</p>

<p>Thanks!
Sorry this was super long</p>

2

<p>Raise your SAT score to 2150+, write some killer essays, and it should come within a high match.</p>

3

<p>thanks so much! so you think the summer program is worth it, if I’m able to boost the SAT?
I think I can write some good essays</p>

4

<p>Bump! I could really use advice</p>

5

<p>Your ECs seem pretty good, but your grades aren’t super great, even when weighted, for the top tier that WashU is on. You still have a medium chance though. Chance back?</p>

6

<p>Thanks! I did think my ec’s were good conisdering I’m not really a leader in anything… Sure, I’m happy to try to chance back</p>

7

<p>Does anyone know how much doing the WUSTL summer program will help? And if I show a great portfolio, is that a big factor?</p>

8

<p>Get great grades this year and next year and kill it on the sats and you should have a great shot at those colleges. But this is the year that you need to do your best.
Chance back
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1420811-chance-me-i-will-chance-back-everyone.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1420811-chance-me-i-will-chance-back-everyone.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>WUSTL will NOT help. In fact, possibly a countereffect. It’s one of those programs where you “pay to get in.”</p>

<p>I would focus the rest of your time on improving your SAT. A strong SAT can offset a low GPA (although your GPA is decent). Try and get 2200+ and you’ll have a great shot at all your schools.</p>

10

<p>Thanks! It seems everyone agrees that what I should focus on is my SAT which is what I expected but still super helpful :slight_smile:
Ccuser95, I’m a little confused, your saying not to do the summer program because its a waste of money? Will it help? Or are you say WUSTL is not worth the cost? And when you say “all the schools” does that include NYU, Tufts, Emory and Duke? Sorry</p>

11

<p>Yes. Summer programs that cost money will not help with college apps, because ANYONE can get in, as long as they have the money. So no, the WUSTL summer thing won’t help.</p>

<p>“WUSTL worth the cost” will depend on your personal preferences.</p>

<p>And yes, by “all the schools” I mean all.</p>

12

<p>Thanks so much! Okay, I understand about the summer program, at the very least it shows strong interest but your comment is really helpful</p>

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<p>Your GPA is great, keep it at that level and you’ll be set! I would say try to get your SAT to 2100+ and you’ll have a really competitive application. Also, try to get some kind of leadership position, that will help you a lot as well. In terms of each individual school, I would say they are pretty good matches, and NYU and Tufts are probably low reaches.</p>

14

<p>Thanks, I’m surprised at how positive people are at my application, I didn’t feel like I had a good chance at many of the schools. I sort of thought you had to be in the top 5% to have a good chance at schools like washu and tufts. I really appreciate the input!</p>