Its 4 in the morning

<p>I can't sleep and I guess I feel like posting to... kill time? Sure.</p>

<p>So I've made a list of schools that I'd like to apply at for a Pre-Med or Math major.</p>

<p>Boston University
Pennsylvania State University: University Park
University of California: Los Angles
University of California: Berkeley
Stanford University
MIT
Rice
University of California: Davis</p>

<p>I'm an average student, I screwed up big tim in freshman year. Basically got less then a 3.0 GPA, actually I barley scratched a 2.0 over all (UW). Sophomore year I got 4.0(UW) and 4.76(W). I'm a junior next year and I'm wondering if this is a good list of schools for my choice in majors. Also, if I end up not liking my major, will these schools be okay about it?</p>

<p>Anyone have any suggestions or any safety schools that I could add to my list?
Half of those schools are reaches for me, very very high reaches.</p>

<p>I took my SAT this year and I only got a 1720 so I'm retaking sometime next year to make it hopefully a 2200 +.</p>

<p>You probably won’t add 480 points to your SAT in one year. Stanford and MIT are out of reach (based on what you’ve given anyway).</p>

<p>Thats 200 bucks I’ll save for my parents.</p>

<p>Safetys?</p>

<p>I think it’s possible for this guy to get 2400 on his SATs if he is REALLY motivated in doing so.</p>

<p>But it’s only your Junior year, I’m sure you can some how try and make up for your crap freshmen year and possibly get into MIT. As for Stanford… I have high doubts for anyone who didn’t write a book or cured cancer. :P</p>

<p>I think dunbar may be right. Theres just no way I’m going to get a 2200 on my SAT’s let alone a 2400. I don’t know about MIT, I’m really interested in the math and sciences, and I’ve loaded up a pretty hardcore math and science load for next year (in my school) I just have to find some math and science EC’s to do. I think dunbar may be right about that too, MIT may just be totally out of my league.</p>

<p>Ahh, the feeling of hopelessness.</p>

<p>Why the doubt?</p>

<p>It just looks bleak, my future that is. I really think that I won’t get accepted into MIT because there’s just other students out there who have been entering science fairs and competitions since 6th grade. And students who have perfect school records and all the math and science EC’s with really high SAT’s. I mean like, why would they even consider a kid like me? Who took no initiative in his freshman year and has no math or science related EC’s.</p>

<p>I better just start looking at matches and lower reaches.</p>

<p>Well if it’s too late for MIT, just transfer out of whatever college you do get into your sophomore or junior year. It’s such a crap shoot at some of these schools. You either got to stand out in your application (done something amazing, etc.) or be one of those kids who doesn’t stand out, but is still a strong applicant and gets chosen by luck. I would recommend trying the ACT, if you can get like a 33 composite, that does give you a shot at applying.</p>

<p>Does the college I get into at first count more than the grades?</p>

<p>Keep a 4.0 over the next couple of years… and it is possible to get into those schools.</p>

<p>In fact… a lot of those schools turn down students with 4.0s and give spaces to students that are less than perfect. =/</p>

<p>Eh, I don’t think I could get into half of those schools with a 3.5 UW GPA. 3.5 is the MAXIMUM I can get up until first semester of senior year. I don’t think my first semester senior year grades are submitted either because the semester ends in late January.</p>

<p>Which schools keep freshman year out of the GPA part of the admissions?</p>

<p>yes theres a way to get to 2200+ but ur going to have to work pretty hard.
i’ve heard of ppl who have done it</p>

<p>Just so you know, I visited University of Michigan a few days ago and they said that when they recalculate your GPA, they don’t factor in freshman year grades. This is a disadvantage to me, but it could help you.</p>

<p>I know friends who gone from 1600 to 2240 and from 1700 to 2380. (I don’t think I’ve met anyone that scored a 2400. But then again, I don’t talk about scores with many people).</p>

<p>Just wondering, but what keeps you from getting over a 3.5 UW GPA until your senior year? What’s your course load next year?</p>

<p>Also, I don’t think Princeton factors in your freshmen grades. For you, it’s good but for me, I’m not too sure seeing that I have blanks in couple classes due to my transcription errors when I moved schools…</p>

<p>Not a safety, but UCSD has a very nice Math department.</p>

<p>Needs Safeties. Penn State isnt cutting it anymore. I got into CMU, but Penn State only let me in for the summer (Got the letter before I withdrawed).</p>

<p>Stanford doesn’t look at freshman year grades, so that’s really good for you. Get a better SAT score and you’ll have a decent shot. Princeton doesn’t look at freshman year grades, either.</p>

<p>My course load or “request” are:</p>

<p>AP American History
AP English III
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B or C? I don’t know, it just says “AP Physics”
AP Calculus AB (Don’t know if I should stick with AB or skip over to BC)
AP Environmental Science
AP Art History(self study to get the a-g requirements done with)
Spanish</p>

<p>I might not get all these classes because the schools schedule changes every year. Sometimes those classes that are only offered one period a day are offered on the same period, like last year Physics and Chemistry were offered at the same period so it was one or the other.</p>

<p>And my freshman year is what’s keeping me from attaining the 3.5 UW GPA until senior year.</p>

<p>First semester freshman year GPA: 2.0 UW ( with summer school added into the GPA) I had like 2 F’s in this semester. </p>

<p>Second semester freshman year GPA: 2.29 UW ( No F’s, but 3 D’s )</p>

<p>First semester Sophomore year GPA: 4.0 UW</p>

<p>Second semester sophomore year GPA: 4.0 UW</p>

<p>Also, I plan to re-take Biology in my senior year during the first semester, does that look real bad to be taking that class in senior year? or does it look alright since I’m making it up?</p>