I really hope to get in

Applying to College
1

<p>I am a senior, and I was recently just rejected from Northwestern Early Decision to Medill. I know that I am not valdeldictorian or perfect 2400 sats or anything, but my essays were very very good. I had been in contact with my northwestern admissions officer through email, and I sent them two articles that I have written supplementally and two activites sheets. I showed a lot of passion through my application, even though I had less than stellar grades (those were explained in my recommendations from Guidance Counselor and teacher). I am also a minority (African American). I thought I may have had somewhat of a chance, and the rejection email did shake me up a bit. But life goes on. I just hope I get Barnard. I have explained that Barnard is my my number one choice as of now. My recommendations explained all that I have had to go through during my high school years, such as having a terminally ill father and a mother who has been intstutionalized three times, and also a breast cancer survivor. This is on top of my own kidney disease that I have been born with. So, my low GPA (3.0 out of 4, and 3.5 out of 5), has been explained. I have taken a total of 8 regular college preporatory courses, 17 honors, and one AP (World History). I have excellent extracurricular activites, (Violin since third grade, part of string orchestra, pit orchesta for musicals, and full orchestra, also junior year I was member of the music honors society. I have also been a copy editor for the school paper in tenth grade, and contributing writer in 11th and 12 grades. Ever article I have written for the paper has been published, and our paper has won an Honorable Mention each of the last four years at the annual conference of the New England Scholastic Press Association. I am also president/creator of my high school STAND chapter, which is an antigenocide coalition) My volunteering hours have been about 220 altogether. I guess my point is that I believe that intellectually I am far above my peers at school, and clearly my grades do not reflect this, although they are explained. My SAT score was 1720 out of 2400, so that was not too great either, however my essays I feel are the strongest part of my application. I show my mature and intellectual ability through my writing, and I hope the admissions officers can see this. I want them to see that I would really thrive at Barnard. I also just had an interview two days ago and the interviewer (alumna), said my "enthusiasm and inquisitiveness made quite an impression on her" and that I "would fit right in at Barnard". I hope that the Barnard admissions officers can see that I am capable of suceeding at the college. I feel that I am a very strong young woman and I hope that Barnard can see this. My parents seem convinced I will not get in ANYWHERE. Do you think that Barnard may accept me and that I may have a chance?</p>

<p>I am also applying RD to Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, DePaul (in chicago), Umass amherst (I live in MA), USC, BU(I am a legacy since both grandparents graduated there, I know a professor of biochemistry there who has been a family friend for over twenty years, and my aunt graduated from the law school at BU with academic distinction and she is a donor), maybe Emerson (my mom graduated there), Smtih, Uchicago. </p>

<p>What do you think my chances are at Barnard, and these other schools?</p>

2

<p>Errmmm…
Paragraphs please? There were several grammatical and a few spelling errors in the chunk of text. I understand it may have been written in a hurry, but this does shine some light on your essay capabilities. I do not want to be harsh, but you may be overestimating the attractiveness of your application. Which is not to say that I have any of your experience whatsoever; I have had a very fortunate life so far, and am in no position to judge. Just wanted to point out that overemphasis on the theme of “family tragedy”, regardless of how true, comes across to some admissions officers as evident of overarching self-pity. Once again, though, that being said, you have done remarkably well in light of the obstacles you are confronted with–my hat’s off to you!</p>

<p>As for Barnard, I am not well-associated with the school, but given the information I have gathered, I would assume you have a better chance than you did at Northwestern. Your holistic profile may shine brighter there. Best of luck, and hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be around shortly.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the post, and I apologize for all the grammatical errors and lack of paragraph structure, as I was furiously typing. I do not at all try to beg for pit or sympathy when I describe my life, it is just sometime to take into account. I had written a separate thing on the common app about it, descibing what I went through, but then at the end saying how I am not trying to make excuses, however I felt that my grades needed an explanation. My recommendations talk about how I have overcome this and also how I have overcome adversity due to being one of the only minority students at my school.</p>

4

<p>My sincere apologies if I conveyed an air of denigration. I was only trying to put it in the perspective of an admissions officer; I hold no judgment against you, to the contrary, I believe it is much to your credit that you have accomplished so much in the face of such adversity. You have my respect.</p>

5

<p>OP:</p>

<p>Here’s the thing – college is about doing well IN CLASS. The best predictor of a successful classroom experience in a rigorous, competitive college is your past performance IN CLASS in a rigorous, competitive high school. Now, I don’t know how competitive your high school is, but a 3.0 even at a competitive HS would translate to 2.0 or lower at a rigorous college. A 3.0 at an above average high school would translate to a 1.0 at a competitive college. A 3.0 at an average high school would translate to under 1.0.</p>

<p>So my first question is why you’d want to be in a college where 98% of the students were more successful in the classroom in high school than you were. Have you ever been close to someone who was simply overmatched for some task (fill in the blank – sports team, oratory contest, athletic team, etc.)? It is a frustrating, miserable experience.</p>

<p>At Northwestern, you would have been in class with students who had on average 3.9 unweighted GPA, and tested on average 2240 on the SATs. At some point, even studying 18 hours per day isn’t enough to do better than your peers who are simply wired differently to do well both in the classroom and on standardized tests. It wouldn’t be fair to – you.</p>

<p>As to you chances at Barnard with a 1720 and 3.0 GPA as a URM with significant life challenges – about 3%. Maybe you’ll get in… but you’d have the same problem I describe above.</p>

<p>You are a capability match to schools generally ranked USNWR 120-200, or LACs ranked about 80-150. Because you are URM, and have been through some trying challenges in your life, schools in the 70-120 range might try to cut you a break.</p>

<p>I am not trying to depress or discourage you, but rather trying to help you realize that even if you were to be granted a miraculous admittance to a top 20 school, the experience would likely be overwhelming. That’s why it is important to look for a fit, a match, between you and the school… not for the school’s sake, but for YOUR sake.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your post “DunninLA”, however I really strongly believe that a top college or university would not be too hard for me. It is clear from my essays ect, that I am truly capable. I think that the college will see that I am capable, the only thing that is bringing me down is my GPA. Also my Barnard interview went fantasic, and the inteviewer said that I would be a very good fit at Barnard. She also said that my enthusiasm and inquisitiveness had quite the effect on her.</p>

7

<p>OK, let me try this again. </p>

<ul>
<li>you have a great personality</li>
<li>you are enthusiastic and determined</li>
<li>you are intelligent, certainly in the top 20-25% in the country</li>
<li>you have overcome daunting personal challenges</li>
</ul>

<p>Because of these traits, you can and probably will be VERY SUCCESSFUL in life, no matter whether you attend Barnard or University of Vermont, or a community college with transfer to a 4 year university. If you want to be a journalist, the same is true. You become a great journalist not by getting a journalism degree from an elite college, but by working in the industry and harnessing your curiosity to continue learning throughout your life.</p>

<p>There are approx. 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. The top 20 or so are most appropriate for students who have performed in the top 1-3% of their class work, and have SATs in the top 5% or so. You say you can do well at a competitive college against peers in the top 3% or so of high school class work and SAT. That’s great that you feel that way. It is the adcom’s job then to use their experience with the outcomes of thousands of applicants, some very, very much like you. The adcoms aren’t just there for the university or college, they are there for YOU. They know what type of GPA and SAT correlate to success at their college. The adcoms at Top 20 Unis use the essay to pick between hundreds of applicants of similar academic qualification (SAT/transcript), along with ECs. To break a tie, so to speak. They do not use the essay (or non academic ECs) as a proxy for four years of real class work and the SAT.</p>

<p>There are dozens of threads on this website giving advice to academically asymmetric applicants who are either top 2% in SAT but only top 25% GPA, or top 2% class rank, but only top 25% SATs. There no threads devoted to a top 25% SAT, top 25% GPA, who want to attend a top 20 college. It could happen, but it is unlikely enough that it doesn’t generate much discussion.</p>

<p>I will close with two thoughts:</p>

<ul>
<li>again, you WILL be successful not matter where (or if) you attend college</li>
<li>trust the adcom’s judgement.</li>
</ul>

<p>Best of success to you.</p>