I'm actually pANICKING. PLEASE Chance me for the schools I applied for?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Okay I want to start off by saying that I don’t typically post things like this but recently, I got really paranoid that I might not get into any of the schools I applied to so if you see thing, can you please tell me which schools I have a good chance of getting into and which are just complete crap shoot?

Major: Psychology / Film (depending on the school) / also interested in school ROTC programs (for the schools that have ROTC)

SAT I (breakdown): didn’t send
SAT II: didn’t send
ACT: 34 (35 English, 31 Math, 34 Reading, 34 Science, 31 Writing)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.56 (all honors and AP courses, competitive magnet high school, school doesn’t do weighted or ranks)
AP: Chinese (5), US Gov & Politics (5), Stats (3)
IB: School does not offer
Senior Year Course Load: AP English Lang, AP Physics 2, AP Art History, Sociology Dual Enrollment, Calc Honors, Cyber Security Honors, some art courses

Subjective:
Extracurriculars: National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society (Chapter creator and President), National Math Honor Society, Chinese National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Green Dot (President), Future Business Leaders of America (Vice-President), Gay-Straight Alliance (Historian), NYU Future Image makers, Young Women’s Leadership Council (councilwoman), skiing for fun (10 years)
Volunteer/Community service: One-on-one mentor to children with disabilities at a camp for disabled children, Cultural crafts teacher at a local Sunday school, Marketing intern at Penguin Random House (publishing house), Media intern at New York Stock Exchange, Campaign intern for Andrew Cuomo (NY State Governor/Junior year)
Summer Activities: mostly travelling (Bahamas, Bermuda, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, since high school started), NYSE internship and University of Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
Essays (rating 1-10, details): 10/10 on all (went over them with an ex-NYU admissions counselor who said that my writing is GREAT :slight_smile:
Recommendations: 100000/10 for one teacher (we’re really close and she knows me well outside of school), maybe 8/10 (one of her best students but relatively quiet in her class, didn’t know her too well outside of class) for the other and 9 or 10/10 for counselor rec (knows a lot about my family life, I paint her stuff all the time and she likes me)
Awards/Honors: multiple art awards (regional and national), Questbridge Match Finalist, Questbridge College Prep Scholar, American Red Cross High School Leadership Award, The President’s Volunteer Service Award (gold), artwork displayed at the US Capitol Building and NYC art galleries

Other
State: New Jersey!! :smiley:
School Type: Public/Magnet
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female

Reflection
Strengths: My ECs, essays and recs, hooks and being a Questbridge Match Finalist
Weaknesses: definitely my GPA :confused: and perhaps being Asian (depending on the school… for example, being Asian and applying to Notre Dame would probably even help me)
Hooks: minority and even URM (depending on the school), first-generation student, low-income student, diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 9 (wrote about this in my personal statement), QB Match Finalist, part of the LGBT community, demonstrated talent in the arts

School List:
Bowdoin (reach)
Colby (safety??)
Colorado (match??)
Dartmouth (reach)
Emory (match?)
Harvard (reach)
Kenyon (safety??)
Middlebury (reach)
Notre Dame (match because over 90% of NDLS students ultimately get accepted)
Princeton (reach)
Rice (reach)
Stanford (reach)
USC (match?)
Vanderbilt (reach)
Wash U (reach/match? IDK Wash U is so spontaneous with the admissions process)
Yale (reach)

2

Not sure what you are panicking about. You applied to a zillion schools, and you’ll get in to at least half of them. Ivies are always crapshoots, and your UW GPA isn’t stellar.

3

@rhandco I’m panicking because my GPA is complete **** and even though I applied to a gazillion schools, they’re all extremely elite schools that can be crapshoot even for people with 4.0s.

4

GPA is always relative. Your ECs are pretty impressive, especially when coupled with Questbridge status. How does one get to be such a world traveler while still qualifying for QB? I’m sure you’ll get into at least half of your schools.

5

What is NDLS in relation to Notre Dame? Googling says that’s the law school.

6

@“Erin’s Dad” it’s Notre Dame Leadership Seminars

7

<<<
Summer Activities: mostly travelling (Bahamas, Bermuda, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, since high school started),
<<<

Wow…how does a low income student do this?

8

You have solid stats so idk what you’re panicking about. Did you show interest to any of those schools? That would increase your chance a lot!
Good luck!

9

How does a low income student apply for so many colleges and plan to attend colleges with high tuition costs? I must know your secret.

Are you seriously panicked? Really? Yeah, you’ll make it into Colorado easily. Ivies and Vanderbilt are always a toss up but maybe. Washington is also a safety. Your GPA isn’t low, and considering you’ve taken hard courses you should be fine. Your ACT score is good etc… Your ECs are nothing short of awesome. Intern for the Gov? Dang. SHould’ve got him to write a recommendation haha!

You’re good mate, unless your application never gets delivered or you lied to us.

10

@tina23 Yeah! I believe I did for most schools. For the liberal arts schools, I requested interviews and although I was unable to visit most of the schools, I was invited to the Bowdoin and Kenyon fly-ins (kinda how I fell in love with Bowdoin!).

Also, I’m panicked because I’m in the Questbridge group page and I see so many people getting likely letters and ED acceptances and I haven’t been accepted/received likelies to ANY school that I would actually want to go to… it’s making me so stressed. A few days ago, I decided to apply to New School (which I would actually want to go to and KNOW I’m going to get into) but the only problem is that I probably won’t get much aid if I go there.

@CongarTheMighty I applied because I got fee waivers for most of them! :slight_smile: Also, why do you say that Washington and Colorado are safeties? Most people who get in, at least according to College Confidential, have much higher stats than me. And I didn’t get Cuomo to write me a letter of rec because I’ve only talked to him for about a few minutes in total. To him, I was just another face in his NYC campaign office. I asked my teachers to write them because they know me as more than just a face… and even more than just a student. And, I’m not one to lie, not even online. Plus, I actually want to know if I can get into these schools so it want be pointless for me to put out a fake profile.

Thank you all for giving your opinions!

11

I have to admit that there does seem to be a big disconnect between the traveling, the number of applications and the expensive hobbies./sports like skiing and qualifying for Questbridge. I usually don’t notice such things but your information is so striking along with leadership like programs that are expensive. I take it that your list here is just a partial list of schools you applied to because you said " I haven’t been accepted/received likelies to ANY school that I would actually want to go to." So I take it you have been accepted to schools and probably have others you did not list.

So I wonder if colleges will view there as being a big disconnect. I’m not suggesting that low income students generally have no ECs but your write up smacks of privilege not low income. I recall a post a while back where someone did not realize that their income has to include assets they had in another country. I guess if the issue raises a red flag to many posters here it could be an issue for the colleges as well. Most of us who have struggled or applied for financial aid would love our kids to have the kind of opportunities you have had. So I don’t begrudge you them. I just sense a big disconnect between your background and the claim of low income. And, as noted, income must include income of both parents (even if not together) and assets even when outside the US. If you included all that and were still able to do all the things you’ve done on a “low Income” well more power to you. That is remarkable.

12

I just saw a post of yours saying your parents each make less than 10K a year. Wow, whoever manages your family’s finances is a genius. That is simply amazing. I’d think it would be very hard to stretch 20K to cover basic living expenses let alone the experiences you’ve described unless there are wealthy relatives who are funding things. I surely couldn’t do it. But more power to ya!

13

@lostaccount I didn’t say they made less than 10K a year. If you were referring to my most recent thread, I said my FAFSA EFC is 0. Also, yeah I got into four in-state schools because they were conducting Instant Decision Day(s) at my school and I did them because I was like heck, why not. However, I have no interest in attending them whatsoever. I don’t handle the money in my household. I just fill out the FAFSA/IDOC/CSS according to what the tax forms say and my parents wouldn’t ever lie about something like that.

14

Sorry I thought it was $20K but you said they make, combined $30k. It isn’t about who handles the money in your household though. The student is responsible for ensuring that the information in all parts of the application is correct but I am not suggesting your parents would lie either. I read your thread and there was a clear disconnect between my experience with Questbridge students and your background. Then I read the many posts above mine, many of whom expressed similar. I reiterated the sentiment that has already been expressed, agreed and suggested that colleges may also be struck by a disconnect between the status of low income and the history of extensive traveling, varied summer programs (that are not the immensely competitive free kind), and expensive hobbies like skiing.

You’ve noted that your parents income is 30K. That is very little. Consider the median for a 2 bedroom apartment in the Bronx is about 1200; while one bedroom apartments in Jersey City rent for $3212 a month on average and two bedroom apartment rents average $4018. So the experiences you have had seem a huge disconnect because most families with income of 30K aren’t jetting off to Bahamas, Bermuda, Japan, China, Australia, Canada. They are usually struggling to make money in the summer to help support their parents. More power to you and your family but has it not struck you as a disconnect? I would expect that Questbridge itself and the schools might think so.

Incidentally, my kids skied too and applied for financial aid. Before we moved we had skiing within 5 minutes of our home and the school my kids went to. Kids went after school. Families can be eligible for financial aid and have some discretional income at various points. The disconnect is Questbridge is specifically for low income and all sources of income are included. So that is where there is the disconnect. Do you see what I mean?

15

@lostaccount Hm… I see what you mean but I think that the admissions counselors, much like the Questbridge readers who allowed me to become a QB Match Finalist, will see the whole story once they read my file. Also, I can assure you that the information I am entering into the financial aid systems is accurate.

Additionally, it seems to me that most Questbridge students are doing similar things that many would consider for the “privileged”. Plus, I heard that colleges like students who travel frequently and have a variety of different ECs because it makes us more worldly, in a sense.

16

Yes but you seem to be missing the point. I am not suggesting travel is bad. It is wonderful and fun and a great way to learn about the world. I’d do it more if I could afford it. But for most people it is too expensive to travel as extensively as you have suggested you have-particularly if they have kids who will be going to college. Most students who are low income can’t spend the summers traveling or enjoying the Bahamas unless they live in the Bahamas because they don’t have the discretionary funds. They can’t afford it (and most are working to make money to assist their families). That is the point.

No, I have not seen that most Questbridge students are doing similar things at all. If that were the case, you would not have a string of people on this site saying wow, how can you do those things and be “low income” at the same time. My kids would not qualify for Questbridge but there were no trips out of country. Traveling to visit schools meant borrowing from relatives. I don’t begrudge you. I am simply saying there is a disconnect, as was pointed out by posters above my first post on this thread. And it is one that would be noted by colleges. The fact that your essay or your file explains the disconnect probably means it won’t be a red flag to admissions counselors. You did not explain it on your thread so it was glaring to readers.

17

Wow, just read a post of yours where you said that you wrote an essay for ND hoping it would get you rejected because you had a binding agreement with then "“haha true. but do you know if they have a history of “discriminating” against the LGBT community during the admissions process? If NOT (ik this is a weird question) I may want to withdraw.”

So you are baiting admissions? Wow. And using the LGBT community? Well the admissions counselors may have your number. I guess I understand why you are panicking. But schools will all have conveyed their results by less than 2 months from now so there is not that long to wait.

18

@lostaccount I’m not using the LGBT community. I am openly bisexual and was hoping that me being LGBT (which was openly stated in my Common App essay) would allow them to not want me because at the time, I was unable to back out of the commitment because I have already signed the sheet with Questbridge.

And honestly, I don’t see why you’re spending so much time reading through my threads/comments and targeting me… like is there some major secret you’re hoping to uncover???

19

Not at all. I read a few of your posts earlier to try to better understand the disconnect and the panic that you mentioned but did not get clarity but in so doing I did read a couple of the posts-only a few-so no I was not hoping to uncover a secret but was trying to better understand-there would be no disconnect if, say, your parents were importers-which would mean you’d travel, for instance. But I do understand better now and I also understand your concern better.

20

Ok so for everyone wondering about the quest bridge thing…to be honest quest bridge really has disparity in its selected finalists. I’ve heard of students from white families with incomes of 90k getting in. I’ve also read a post of a low income student who got rejected by quest bridge and got into Stanford, Harvard, and Yale. I’m not really sure how this occurs… well I guess we really can’t see these kids’ applications so judgment is bias.

As for your chancing… dude there is no way in hell you are going to be rejected by ALL those colleges. And did you apply for college match anywhere and get rejected? I’m assuming you’re going to apply through quest bridge regular decision then, right? That boosts your chances significantly. I myself was a quest bridge finalist this year. I applied to Columbia and Yale through college match and was rejected. But get this, Columbia forwarded my application to the ED pile and I actually got in. I literally don’t know how this was possible. They literally read my application week before and rejected me. It just so happens to be that they read my exact same application and decided to accept me. Just goes to show sometimes you need luck on your side. Good luck to you.