I'm a high school senior and I've just overcome a debilitating illness... what are MY chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello all, my name is J, and I'm a senior in CT. i have a few schools in mind and i was wondering if i would be able to get into any of them. one thing though. my grades 9-11 haven't been good. in ninth grade i was diagnosed with anorexia/bulimia and my grades dropped because of it. i got over my illness just before summer started at the end of last year, and since then i've been doing great. please let me know if explaining that would matter in the college process. anyways down to business.</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 2.3</p>

<p>Spanish I, II, and III
English for four years. two years regular, one year of AM. Lit, and one of Voyages+Vessels (focus on ocean)
Geometry, Algebra I and II, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus
Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics
World History x 2, American History, Law and You</p>

<p>My grades are all A's in Voyages & Vessels, Pre-Calc, Physics, and Law & You.
in the other classes listed i averaged a C+ to a C-, though i was better in my english and science courses.</p>

<p>EC's:
Until my senior year, i was too busy with the hospitalizations and ED rehab centers to too much with extra cirriculars. however, during the summers of 2011 and 2012, i took part in Project Oceanology, a marine study program in Greenwich CT. i also went to Europe with People To People, an international program started by in to help other countries and to help americans improve their cultural awareness, understanding, and acceptance. in the beginning of my senior year i joined the business club (of which i am now president) the Unity club (which i am a VERY active member in) and CARE (care and respect for the elderly).</p>

<p>I haven't taken the SAT's yet, but my PSAT score was a 1920, and i was woefully unprepared for that test. i wasn't aware of it until they ushered us into the gymnasium and sat us down to take the test.</p>

<p>another thing that might be worth mentioning is that i went to Hamden Hall from 7th to 10th grade.</p>

<p>if its not too much trouble, would you be able to chance me for UConn (storrs), Quinnipiac, UC santa barbara, FSU, and Penn State (University Park), as well as any colleges that you all think might fit me. i want to major in psychology or biology and the career i am pursuing is adolescent psychiatry.</p>

<p>thank you all so much for reading and i can't wait to hear from any/all of you. :)</p>

2

<p>Your GPA is very low, I know you were sick but try to raise that up. Also without any real test scores it’s hard to really give you an accurate chance</p>

3

<p>You may be a student who would benefit a lot from a year at community college to get a really good GPA, then transfer. And I assume your PSAT was 192 (scale goes to 240). That is a pretty good score for taking it cold. It is probably really important for you to study up and take the SAT. A good SAT score with an explanation from your guidance counselor that you had health problems will be a boost to your applications to four year schools. But you might want to make a community college backup plan in case you don’t have good admissions results. You are pretty much out of time to raise your GPA in high school as you are a senior (but good grades this semester obviously could help).</p>

4

<p>I wouldn’t apply to UConn, UCSB, FSU, or Penn State. Those are giant schools.
What do you like about them?
What’s your parents’ budget? Have you discussed costs with them - are they willing to let you go to school OOS, are they willing to pay for you to attend any school including OOS publics (vs. private)?
If you attended Hamden Hall, your parents may be willing to look into a PG year at a Day School. This would help you boost your GPA and academic record before you apply somewhere. </p>

5

<p>Why not apply to SCSU? If you are in the Hamden area you are close enough to commute. </p>

6

<p>Even if commuting doesn’t appeal to you, it would enable you to save money and maybe transfer to another school later after bringing your GPA up. </p>

7

<p>i have a fairly large inheritance ($200,000) from my grandfather, in addition to my college fund, so i don’t believe cost will be too large of a factor. i enjoy the fact that Uconn, Upenn, UCSB, and FSU are so large, and i also enjoy the change of scenery for the last two. all of the schools i mentioned are reaches yes, but i have Always been ambitious, and that has either been hit or miss for me. i’ve always been wary of community colleges because i honestly do not want to be stuck there for a long time.</p>

8

<p>Mrstealyogirl: do you mean Penn State or UPenn?
There’s a difference between being ambitious for yourself and being ambitious to the point of applying to reaches only. Being ambitious for yourself means you’re trying to challenge and stretch yourself. Being ambitious for colleges means including some colleges where you have a shot, keeping in mind the decision rests on your profile and will then be made by the colleges themselves. Wanting to go there, seeing yourself there… won’t matter. It’s okay to reach high for a couple schools (or even more if you have the funds), but ONLY after you’ve identified 2 safeties and a couple matches.
However, in your case, the best possible scenario would be a PG year at a day school. You’d show what you’re able to do now that you’ve overcome your illness and build an extra year of solid academics that could potentially make all these schools, no longer reaches but matches.</p>

9

<p>the schools i asked to match me for were indeed reaches. i didn’t post the other schools i’ve been applying to because i’m fairly certain i’d be accepted into them</p>

10

<p>The gap year might also permit you more time for recovery work. You don’t want freshman year of college to knock you off that horse. Good luck!</p>