In Need of a Reality Check/Chance Me

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>To be honest, I just need an objective perspective. Whenever I ask friends/family members on advice, I always told "You're so smart, you could get in anywhere." Unfortunately, they're biased and don't truly know how bland my "resume" really is. If you're reading this and respond, thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White
Location: North Carolina
School: Public, Competitive (although it is a fairly new school) -- Extremely competitive district
GPA: 3.54 UW/4.0 W
Class rank: 113/518
SAT-I: Math: 610, Writing: 630, CR: 590, Essay: 10 (will be retaking in October)
SAT-II: None - will be taking US History, Lit and Math II in November</p>

<p>Intended Major: Public Policy or History</p>

<p>AP/Honors Classes:
Freshman Year: Honors Physical Science, Honors World History
Sophomore Year: Honors Bio, Honors English, Honors Social Studies Elective
Junior Year: AP US History, AP English Lang, Honors Latin III, Honors Law & Justice
*got 5's on both AP Exams</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule:
AP Psychology
AP Human Geography
AP Environmental Science
AP English Literature
Advanced Functions and Modeling
Honors Latin IV
Honors Civics & Economics
Honors Physics</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Human Rights & Social Justice Club (2 years)
-Latin Club (2 years)
-Chess Club (2 years)
-Environmental Club (2 years)
-Founded a reading club with my friends
-Will soon have 40+ hours volunteering at various places, but mostly recycling</p>

<p>Extracurriculars at my old school:
-Field Hockey (1 year)
-Cinematics Club (1 year)
-Interact Club (1 year)</p>

<p>Employment:
-Babysitting, on and off</p>

<p>Awards and honors:
-I've had a drawing of mine shown at a Ballet Conservatory?</p>

<p>Misc.
-Former drug addict. Fortunately, I was able to remove myself from my situation. Unfortunately, I did not have the support of most people when I did decide to do that. I initiated my own relocation from CT to NC to live with my father, who had to move from VA to NC due to his job. Starting over in a new state, with just one parent, was quite an experience and it has truly made me a better person and scholar because of it. I actually plan on using this as a topic for my essay.
-Tumultuous family life (divorced parents, legal accusations against my family, many issues with drugs, nearly got separated from my parents via DCF)</p>

<p>Colleges I'm Interested In
-UNC Chapel Hill
-Clemson
-UCSB
-UCSD
-Pepperdine
-American
-UMiami
-Maryland
-UWash
-Scripps</p>

<p>Thanks again, to anyone who read all of that.</p>

2

<p>ouch, two days later and no reply? I’m kind of disappointed in this forum.</p>

3

<p>Well, I’m not overly familiar with all of your schools, but I’ll do the ones I know. UWash and Scripps seem like reaches based on your GPA and SAT scores. I’d say that UCSB and UCSD are matches if you were in-state, but I’m not sure how much tougher they are with out-of-state students. However, if you are a good writer and make your essay about overcoming your hardships particularly touching, I feel you will get in many places. Good luck, I am sure you have great things heading for you.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/761194-chances-good-stats-so-so-ecs-incoming-senior.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/761194-chances-good-stats-so-so-ecs-incoming-senior.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Thanks geofreak! In a frenzied attempt to curtail my college list, I cut off about half of the above “colleges I’m interested in.” </p>

<p>As of right now it’s:
UNC-CH
Appalachian State (hello $5000 tuiton)
UNC-Wilmington
University of South Carolina
Pitzer
Scripps
Maryland
UCSB
UCSD
NC State</p>

<p>I’m debating whether or not to apply to either Scripps or Pitzer, or both. I haven’t really looked at the Pitzer application but I know that Scripps requires an analytical essay from junior year, which I’m pretty confident in.</p>

5

<p>Do you need financial aid.</p>

6

<p>If it’s in-state, no. If it’s out-of-state, probably.</p>

7

<p>The only two that would financially pose a problem would most likely be Pitzer and Scripps. Everything else my family could probably handle.</p>

8

<p>The 2 UC schools unfortunately will not give you any aid and cost about $46K/yr.</p>

9

<p>another (former?) drug addict, eh? interesting. i’m debating writing about how going to rehab three years ago changed me for the better on the essay. is this a good/bad idea?</p>

10

<p>@enchilladam Yes, former. I haven’t touched it since moving. As for the essay, I can’t really tell you if it’s a good or bad idea. It’s such a big part of how I became the person I am now, so I feel like I would be cheating the admins out of my true if I didn’t at least mention it. </p>

<p>@hmom - thanks for the tip, I’ll keep it in mind.</p>

11

<p>@Oxfordcomma
Whether your main essay topic is appropriate is actually debatable. Some advisers have warned against students from writing about mental illnesses and drug abuse, since there is always a possibility of a relapse (not from you, of course) for any of the aforementioned conditions.</p>

12

<p>based on your 5’s on APs, and the circumstances that led to bad hs grades, you’re the sort of person who could go to a branch of UNC or even NC State, make straight A’s, and then transfer to chapel hill.</p>

13

<p>Well, I didn’t necessarily have “bad” hs grades. I never gotten below a C on a report card. My main problem was that I just didn’t care enough about school. I wish I knew then how bad this was going to bite me in the butt. As for the transferring, I’ve seriously considered it but I still have high hopes for Chapel Hill. The only reason I’m maintaining hope is because I’m getting a seriously fantastic recommendation from a Carolina alum, who knows me personally and keeps in contact 2-3 times a week.</p>

14

<p>This is kind of a useless update, but after listening to the responses of h5mom and choklitrain, as well as talking to my parents, I’ve decided to stay in-state for college and hopefully attend NC State or UNC-CH. I’ll transfer from another North Carolina school if not. My reasons for doing this is because in-state tuitions are ridiculously low, but still provide an above adequate education. I’ll be majoring in history and have after college plans of attending graduate school to get my Master’s (which I/my parents will be able to pay for…considering the money I’ll be saving them by staying in state).
Thanks everybody for the advice, though!</p>

15

<p>just improve ur SATI and u’ll be fine for those school</p>