I'm losing it again... help? (Chance me)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I am a high school junior who will be applying to various competitive colleges in the fall. I’ve posted my stats here before, but they’ve changed since then; also, I took my AP US History exam today and fell into an anxiety wormhole, and I need someone to talk me down from the ledge I’m on. Or push me off of it. Be honest.

GPA: 94.96/100; 3.8/4.0
*This is my cumulative freshman and sophomore year GPA. According to my last report card, I had a 93.85, but that’s because I missed an assignment in AP Spanish which pulled my average in that class down to a 75. I turned it in the next day and my grade instantly went up. My APUSH and Trig averages have risen since then as well.
My school is a public flagship school- we offer AP and College Now, no HLs or IBs

Rank: 12th percentile as of sophomore year

SAT: 1490 (790 CRW, 700 M) April*, 1430 (760 CRW 670 M) Dec
*I took the school day SAT on Apr 5; my scores were posted and then disappeared. They should be reposted on Monday, but for now, I’m treating this as my score.

Challenging courses:
Sophomore year- AP Euro (3)
Junior year- APUSH (maybe a 4), AP Spanish (probably a 3), College Now English Composition (3 credits), College Now Literacy and Propaganda (3 credits)
Senior year- AP Economics, AP Human Geography, AP Physics? Looking at taking AP Chem, AP Gov and AP English exams as well. Will take one or two extra college courses @ CUNY

Extracurriculars:
Literary magazine, 9-12 (on the board 12?)
Bowling team, 10-12
NYC Urban Debate Center, 10-12
School debate team, 11-12 (co-president 12?)
Book club, 11-12
Volunteering at senior center, 11-12
Family responsibilities- little brother has autism (apparently this counts?)

Awards:
Presidential Medal of Honor- 9, 10, and presumably 11
Achievement in Earth Science- 10
Second Place in Documentary Category at History Fair- 11
Fourth Place Speaker Award in Novice Public Forum Division at NYS High School Debate Championships- 11
Questbridge College Prep Scholar- 11
National Honor Society- 11

Race: Black
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: ~$30,000 ?

Family situation: I live with my father, my younger brother (who, as i said, has autism), and my grandmother. My father is a security supervisor. The house was purchased by my grandparents in the 1950s. Both of my parents went to college- my father has a BA and my mother had an MBA. My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was 10. She died in May of my freshman year. My personal statement will either be about her, my brother, or moving from upstate New York to my grandmother's house in Queens when I was 11.

Now for my college list:

Ivies: Princeton, Yale, Columbia, UPenn (I will apply through Questbridge)
Other private schools: Boston U, George Washington U, Georgetown U, Syracuse U, Allegheny College, Howard U
Out-of-state public schools: Rutgers University New Brunswick
SUNY: Purchase

CUNY: Baruch, John Jay, CCNY and York (I will apply through Macaulay Honors)

So, where do I have a chance? I’m really concerned about the Ivies; is it even possible for me to get in? What can I do to enhance my application between now and application time?

Thanks for reading :slight_smile:

2

what exactly is the “presidential medal of honor”?

3

Presidential AWARD of Honor for Academic Excellence- not the actual Presidential Medal of Honor. That would be one heck of an award to receive as a high school freshman, but no :))
P.S. I realized I got that wrong and conpletely flipped out because I listed that on my Questbridge app and I was worried that I got in because they thought I received an actual medal of honor, but I checked and saw that I called it the “Presidential AWARD of Honor” #:-S

4

I’m assuming your percentile is incorrect. Percentile is the percent beneath you. Being at the 12th percentile means 88% of your class has better grades than you. I assume you mean you are in the top 12% of your class, which would be the 88th percentile.

Anyway I think you have good chances at all of these schools except for the ivies which are definite reaches

5

@ian1235 Yes I meant I’m in the top 12%. #-o I’m sorry; I’m just really, really tired. This is your brain on AP exams :)) I need to go to bed before I embarrass myself any further I-)

6

@missacademy2018 yeah same I took apush today and have subject tests tomorrow

7

Considering all of the information you have given us, right now you are a competitive applicant. While it may seem like you have a weaker application compared to CC kids just remember that most of these kids have family incomes of over 300k. They have opportunities that many middle class and lower class families cannot dream about. Thus, they are held, by ivies and top schools, to a higher standard. Colleges understand that you have not been handed opportunities and that you had to fight for it. All of the background information you have given us really makes your application remarkable and I want to tell you not to be discouraged.

You have a chance and a good one too. Before we get into that, real quick: it seems like you haven’t taken SAT II’s or SAT subject tests. TRY AND GET THEM OVERWITH THIS SUMMER. Remember you only need two. Many kids forget and end up not being able to apply to colleges they like.

Now, while you have a good chance, if you really want to have a rock solid application, I would recommend a few things. First, try to raise the SAT score to about 1520~. Second, try and start something outside of the norm. Whether it is a book fair for underprivileged youth or a neighborhood reading club that donates the money earned or a science olympiad team or a tutoring business, do something unique that will make you the one that colleges will fight for.

Now if you can’t do both of these things don’t worry. If you manage to do one of the “out of the norm” things, you are almost guaranteed acceptance somewhere nice or somewhere less prestigious with a prestigious scholarship. If you can raise your SAT score a little bit, then you will have a better chance as well.

But, I want to remind you not to get discouraged. You have done some amazing things so just remember you have a good chance at the ivies and an even better chance at the other schools.

Best of luck!

8

You should take AP AB Calculus (or BC Calculus if you are a math whiz) during your senior year to be competitive at top colleges!

9

@Suk2001 Thanks so much for your advice. I just have a dilemma about the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. I opted not to take my SAT IIs today because I’d just taken AP exams and felt that it was too much. The next SAT day, June 3rd, is my orientation for summer pre-college @ Syracuse U (it’s mandatory). That leaves me with August 26th and October of senior year as my next two available dates. Should I retake the SAT I first or try my hand at SAT IIs? Questbridge apps are due in late September, so am I more likely to get accepted with a 1490 and SAT IIs or a 1520+ and no SAT IIs?

About expanding my extracurriculars, I was thinking of facilitating a writing class for the seniors that helps them express their feeling about the trials and tribulations of getting older in an uncertain world. If I did that, would that strengthen my application? (I won’t be around for the month of July and possibly the first half of August, but I’m going back to volunteer next week until July and I’ll definitely be around next year.)

@Janwel Math is not my strong suit, so AP Calc is probably not a great idea for my GPA.

10

To add to what @Suk2001 said, have you done any SAT prep course? Is it possible to make at least one attempt at the ACT? What is your potential major?

Concerning your school list. I would replace Allegheny College with University of Miami (Full Tuition Scholarship through Hammond Scholarship) and Boston University with a school that meets full need. For CUNY Colleges, I would add Hunter, Queens and Brooklyn College [along with Baruch (Business major?), CCNY and John Jay].

11

@Jamrock411
“Have you done an SAT prep course?” Yes- I took one in the fall before the Dec exam and I practice online w/ Khan Academy now
“ACT?” I don’t have time
“Potential major?” Journalism or law
UMiami is entirely too far away. The furthest away I’m willing to go is DC.

12

Here is the thing.

Brown, Columbia, Duke, Upenn, and Yale all have a secret way to get out of the subject test requirement. If you take the ACT, you will not have to take SAT II’s at these schools. If I were you, I would take an ACT practice test for fun. Since the ACT is very similar to the SAT, you have already done some prep for it. If you get a 33+, your chances are much better AND you get to skip SAT II’s. Ultimately, if you manage to pull a 33, not only do you have a better test score but, you also don’t have to study for two super hard subjects and save yourself a LOT of time and effort.

So take the practice test and see where you fall. I have a friend who tried the SAT so many times and couldn’t do better than a 1450~ and she took the ACT without studying and got a 34. Different people have different strengths so don’t feel pressured to overlook the ACT. Considering that unlike the SAT, the ACT has over 30+ real practice exams online for free, trying a practice test can’t hurt can it?

Now, if you don’t get a good score then we have other options. I think that a 1520+ SAT without SAT II’s would look a lot better simply because the admissions officer is only seeing good scores instead of some mediocre and some decent scores. Also, colleges would probably excuse you from having to take the SAT II as because as Harvard puts it “you may apply without them if the cost of taking the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them.”

But, if you can’t improve the SAT score then take some subject tests.

Now regarding the extracurriculars, your idea is great and it would help your application a bit. But, it would be more beneficial if it was done outside of school. By this, I mean a writing class held somewhere like the library for kids who are in the neighborhood. That would be more impressive. The reason I say this is because if you do it in school, you will have the help of teachers and staff and it seems less impressive. However, if you started something in the community that would make your application fire.

Good Luck!

P.S. don’t stress … yet

13

My thing with the ACT is that it’s harder math and there’s science involved. It’s a lot more straightforward and practical. I’m not a straightforward and practical thinker. I’ll put it this way: I took a diagnostic SAT for the college prep course I was in last fall. It was the first time I’d dealt with actual SAT material (except for the PSAT), it was 8:00 pm on a Friday three weeks into school, it was freezing inside, I was trying not to cry, just a terrible experience. My reading score? 690. Math? 490. Math and science require way more brainpower from me, which is why showing up and getting a 33+ on the ACT is probably not going to happen. But I’ve never taken an actual ACT, so I might as well take a shot at it. Then I’ll decide if I’d be better off with the ACT or SAT IIs.

I’ll take your advice on re-taking the SAT in August. Maybe I could find some way to send my score reports to my QB schools after the applications are due. If I become a finalist, which I think I’ll find out in late October, that’s when I have to rank schools, so I’ll have my score reports by then. (I don’t think I can use the ‘financial hardship’ excuse, since I have a fee waiver through QB.)

The writing class would be at a senior center in the community. It has nothing to do with my school. I chose to volunteer there on my own, so it would be completely my own thing.

14

@missacademy2018 You have amazing chances, no doubt about it. TBH I wouldn’t even worry about SAT IIs. The only schools that ask for two are basically HYPSMit.

I know Harvard has a policy where if taking them would be hard financially “registering is like 50 bucks + maybe a tutor they were considering?” then you don’t have to do that. Being ~30k would certainly qualify for that “range”.

15

Furthermore with around ~30,000k income, you would likely get a full ride at 90% of the top 50 colleges (on financial aid). I’d personally drop all the non prestigious schools unless something is really drawing you to them.

If I were you, I’d bulk up your list:
Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Uchicago, Washu, emory, UPenn, vandy, etc. I’d apply to the best of the best, a COUPLE like GWU and BU (for safety) and a single extreme safety like CUNY.

16

@missacademy2018 You’ve gotten some awesome advice and you sound really motivated. Great job so far, but try not to burn out with all the stress!! I am curious why you have listed SUNY Purchase - I thought that school was focused mainly on the arts (theater, dance). Perhaps take another look at some of the other SUNYs for a better fit. I don’t think you need to take AP physics. If math isn’t your strongest subject you might find that it takes a lot of time. Perhaps that time would be better spent on all of the supplemental essays for colleges and scholarship apps. Try to apply early action wherever possible, and always check the deadlines for merit consideration .

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@missacademy2018 please don’t listen to @AimingTop50 , they clearly do not know the idea of a safety school. Personally I would do the SAT IIs and try to play the system. Georgetown requires three so make sure to do them. As a quest bridge candidate, you do have good chances. However, my friend who applied as music as a quest bridge and was near the top of the class (super rare set) did not get into any ivys. Dont stress, but you dont have “Amazing chances” like others have said, because no one does. People told me to literally expect Dartmouth, and my Georgetown interviewer said it would be a shock if I didnt get in, and look what I happened I didnt get either. Just take a breath.

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@ANormalSeniorGuy Sorry, but you’re wrong.
1490, African american, clearly has overcome adversity, A average.

You don’t think GWU is a safety with an average sat of 1370?
I also did advise to apply to a SURE safety as well.

Yes, she has amazing chances at schools of GWU/BU tier. That’s why I consider them safeties. She also has a good chance at even the best colleges in the country and in the world. She has as good of a shot as almost anyone can to get into the Ivies. Obviously it is hard to get into the Ivy league; that’s why I advised @missacademy2018 to apply to MORE prestigious schools and LESS safety tier schools (to increase her chances).

I do not consider Georgetown a safety, for the record. You do need three SAT IIs to apply there. Waste of time and money, unless you really want to go to Gtown.

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@AimingTop50 look, no one has amazing chances. im going to guess you have chanced a lot of people but have not went back and asked how they did. A vast majority of people who get chanced high dont make it there. GWU is not a safety, it is a match. Why? she is slightly above the 75th percentile. That is match, as she does not sound amazing and irreplaceable. Granted, that can change with mindblowing essays or a unique story that can get an ivy league school a free article, but no one can bank on such events. Plenty of 36 ACTs and 1600 SATs get rejected from Harvard, Yale, and the like even with great ECs and essays. Why? because they are looking to fill certain roles, and as such one cannot assess whether one has “amazing” chances because no one knows what institutional need exists at each university. Im sorry to say thousands of poor kids look to great institutions, and so that is not unique. Many African Americans look to fantastic institution as well. And while she is a URM and low-income, both her parents went to college, which means she is missing the biggest pull in admissions (first-gen) so far this year. No one has amazing chances, not even the perfect kid.

20

@ANormalSeniorGuy OP’s family is ~10k away from the Federal Poverty Level threshold of 20,420.
Being first gen would only matter if the family is poor. College degree or not, OP has succeeded against many odds.

Besides, even a 1400 would put an African American at the 1% for their race.
https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/sat/sat-percentile-ranks-gender-ethnicity-2015.pdf

I may be mistaken how the application process for URM works exactly, but I feel as if they are picked from a different pool of applicants with slightly lower standards in return for some institutional need the student would fulfill.