Imperfect but not bad...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I think I've finally decided which schools I would like to apply to. Any input you have on whether I'd get in/if they're reaches, matches, or whatnot would be most appreciated. I might even return the favor! Sorry that this is so long, by the way.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Jewish Caucasian Female
Financial Situation: Parents are separated, brother owns the house, mother's income is less than 20k. In other words, I'm going to need aid. </p>

<p>High School: Public in PA, a few kids go to top schools.
GPA: 3.77 UW (might be a 3.8 after junior year)
Rank: 1st decile</p>

<p>SAT:Total - 1950 650CR 630M 670W (10 on essay)
SAT II: June 7th</p>

<p>Courses: 9th through 11th grade, I did honors for everything except for science. I started in honors math but dropped down in tenth grade ><
I did AP Statistics in my junior year.</p>

<p>Senior Year Courses: AP Humanities, AP German, AP Economics, AP American History, AP Biology, College Prep Physics, College Prep Calculus</p>

<p>ECs:
-National Honor Society
-won second place at the German Fallfest Competition at Millersville University
-scored in the 85 percentile on the AATG German exam
-vocal ensemble club during ninth grade
-Quizbowl during tenth grade
-working as a cashier at a supermarket for almost a year
-worked with special needs kids and helped them do crafts/helped organize activities for them to do (during school for the past two years)
-"Walking Tour"...about to be a tour guide for the elementary school kids for the second year in a row. I take them to different historically significant landmarks in our town and explain why they're important.
-Civil War Reenacting in Gettysburg for the past four years </p>

<p>Essays: Not very confident with my writing, but I think I can make them allright.</p>

<p>Recommendations: I think they should be decent.</p>

<p>Schools: </p>

<p>Reaches</p>

<p>NYU (CAS) (Will this be a match if I go ED?) - I know that this school sucks for finaid, but it's my number one.<br>
Lehigh
Gettysburg College (my EC's are kind of weak)</p>

<p>Matches</p>

<p>George Washington University
University of Maryland: College Park
University of Rochester</p>

<p>Safeties</p>

<p>Penn State
Hofstra
Millersville</p>

<p>Am I accurate? What are your predictions? Any other suggestions of schools? Generally, I'd like a big-ish school. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Bump!!!!!!!!!!</p>

3

<p>Whats ap humanities?</p>

4

<p>if money is an issue, go to PSU it's better than UMD.</p>

5

<p>I think you have a really good chance at Gettyburg, but for money's sake, UMD is solid.</p>

6

<p>I probably can't speak very well for most of the colleges you're interested in, but I can say this - your EC's seem somewhat scattered and random. Maybe focus on the things you really seem to commit to (volunteering, it seems like) and if you have to work to support your family, that is also a big factor.</p>

<p>If you go ED to NYU (which is the only one of your colleges that I've really looked into) I think you could have a better shot. Still a reach, but I have a friend who got in with numbers about the same as yours and no amazing EC's. And if they don't give you enough aid, you should be able to get out of the admission offer.</p>

7

<p>az1698 - I believe there is an AP Humanities course...the one at my school isn't actually the official AP course, but it's weighted AP, and counselors note that on transcripts. But anyway, it's basically Greek stuff and art, from my understanding. A lot of literature and writing. We have to read the Illiad over the summer.</p>

<p>rdh1991 - I hate PSU >< It's a total backup. 90% of my high school goes to one of the PSU campuses.</p>

<p>Sesquipedalian - Why do I have a good chance at Gburg? I thought they liked leadership and rigorous courses.</p>

<p>briefingsworth - I am probably going to cut out the irrelevant ECs on my aps. I was going to keep the history and German ones to make it look like I had an interest somewhere, but the truth is that my interests are incredibly scattered. I'm taking SATs again in October (scores should send in time, according to NYU) and am hoping to score in the 2000s, if not 2100. Hey, my PSATs said I'd get a 1700, so I can definitely improve. I'm going inundeclared, too, if that makes a difference.</p>

8

<p>bumppppppppppp</p>

9

<p>Gah, bump.</p>

10

<p>Im not sure if George Washington is a match. It might be a reach</p>

11

<p>Damn. >< Any particular reason? I'm in the midrange for SATs, and while my courses aren't the most rigorous, they aren't easy either. And they get harder, I think, after math gets easier.</p>

12

<p>University Park is different than the rest of the other Penn State campuses. I am not sure you should waste time applying to somewhere that you don't even like. Plus, you might actually get in and take the spot of someone that really wants to go. You PA kids definitely take Penn State University Park for granted. Anyway, best of luck.</p>

13

<p>True, but I need safety schools. I'm not trying to take it from anyone. I just dislike Penn State (even University Park is unappealing. The kids from my school who excel at the other colleges then go to University Park), as most of my high school goes there. I want some different people.</p>

14

<p>Not to be a bumping whore...but I really want to know what I'm off on for GWU...Can anyone give me some feedback?</p>

15

<p>I don't think you're off on GWU. I don't think your EC's are weak at all, and your GPA is pretty high for a heavy courseload, and you have a good class rank. If it's your SAT that worries you, your score puts you around the SAT average for GWU freshmen:</p>

<p>George</a> Washington University Profile
<a href="https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1537%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1537&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You could try retaking the SAT to bump it up some more and move it up to the 75% range, or try the ACT and see how that goes. If you get higher scores then only NYU will remain as a reach, and even with that you have a shot. I have to say it's true though, NYU fin aid does suck. Good luck ikat.</p>

16

<p>Thank you. I don't think I'll be doing ED to NYU, after all. I can't get all my tests in on time. I could take three Subject Tests this Saturday, but I really only feel ready for one, and aren't you supposed to score 750 or higher on those things? So I figure I'll take the SATs again in October and the other two Subject Tests in November, and then send my apps out. That's not waiting too long, is it?</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
aren't you supposed to score 750 or higher on those things

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Someone I know took 3 SATs, scored 760 on one and just around 700 on the 2 others. Didn't stop him from being admitted RD to NYU, although his ACT was really high though and that might have balanced it off. So if you take those SAT2s in Oct and Nov, you could still apply RD.</p>