<p>I am from the boston area currently attending DePaul university in chicago next fall as an incoming freshman. (I got a 18,000 per year merit scholarship). My hs gpa has not been the greatest. (Predicted by end of senior year will be around a 3.23 UW). My GPA has been as follows, </p>
<p>freshman year: 3.12 UW,
sophomore year: 3.5 UW,
junior year 2.5 UW,
senior year 3.68-3.7 UW (predicted)</p>
<p>Basically my GPA in hs from freshman-junior year was the result of not trying. I had also been through significant obstacles which my GC said that if other students had gone through them they would not have made it through hs. I have changed my mindset 360 degrees this year and I am a lot more motivated to do well and succeed. My rank has not been good though. 190 out of 349, BUT my hs is a very competitive public and over 100 students have GPA's over a 4) In hs, I have taken 18 honors, 8 regular, and 1 AP (world history). I am also a minority student (biracial--African american and white). I have had excellent EC's in hs. (Violin since 3rd grade, member of 3 orchestras all four years of hs, president and creator of a chapter of an anti genocide coalition, and contributing writer to school paper last year, along with volunteer work) I am applying for a national postion with the national student anti-genocide coalition that I have been involved in. How much will this help my transfer chances to stick out? Also I plan on starting a chapter of the anti genocide coalition I have been part of at DePaul next year and I also plan on continuing on with orchestra in college. This year as a senior I have had a significant upward trend in grades since last year. (My hs transcript only shows final end of year overall grades for every subject, so it is predicted I will have A-,A-,A, B+, A- for senior year) I plan on going to the honors program at the university next year. How much will this upward trend along with a 4.0 next year help me? I really want to transfer out of DePaul, because I am looking to be very challenged and I want that opportunity. I will be very much prepared for the rigor. Do you think with my background that it would be fine to transfer as a sophomore? </p>
<p>UPenn
Northwestern (I had been rejected ED from Medill here, but I plan on trying again for Weinburg. They did not see my upward trend in grades, they only saw my bad junior year grades)
Uchicago (Also got rejected from here. It was my first choice, but again they saw my bad junior year grades)
Tufts (Very connected to this school. My father worked here for ten years, my grandfather got his masters from here, my cousin went here, I know professors here who used to work with my dad)
Brandeis (Also very connected to this school. My aunt graduated top of her class here and has become one of the most influential jewish lawyers in america and has been nationally recongnized for her work in the zionist movement and with jewish rights, and my father also worked here at Brandeis for many years and this was before he worked at Tufts, and I know professors here at Brandeis who my dad used to work with and that he is friends with.)
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Columbia (professor here is a family friend, although he is my father's friend and he doesn't really know me. Don't know if I should reach out and let him know I'm interested in Columbia?)
Dartmouth
Reed</p>
<p>Don't know how much interviews would help? I plan on interviewing at Uchicago, (since its close to DePaul and I can easily go to campus for an interview in the fall), and at Tufts and Brandeis. (I don't think the Ivy's will let me interview)</p>