Junior #5225 needs help with chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Not too distinguished from other members here, but I am yet a ‘nother lost and meek junior. I’ve lurked the site for a long enough time, now, but here is my formal hello: hello. But more to the point, I have family telling me that community college will do, and others inflating me with inaccurate talk of Ivies and the like. And quite frankly, my guidance counselor couldn’t be more incompetent. And the final straw for my desperation was having a teacher telling my I would be a fool for not applying to Harvard, and not in the “Why not?” sense, but the “I belong there” sense (which I disagree with).</p>

<p>If you’ll allow me, here is what this white, middle class public-school kid can pen up off the top of my head:
**
Academics:**</p>

<p>APs taken:</p>

<p>World History
U.S. History
Biology
English Composition
(have gotten a 5 on all except maybe U.S., which would be a 4)</p>

<p>Will be taking these APs:
Spanish
Macro
Chemistry
Calc AB
English Lit.</p>

<p>Every other class was honors if it could be taken, full schedule.</p>

<p>GPA is currently a 97.1 unweighted, out of 100. I'm pretty sure the level of my school makes a 94 equivalent to a 4.0.</p>

<p>SAT is 640 CW / 700 M / 770 W, so 2110/2400, or 1340/1600.</p>

<p>In Math, Spanish, and National High School Honor Societies.</p>

<p>ECs:
Soccer until 10th grade (not sure if I want to omit this).</p>

<p>Eagle Scout in 10th also, and have contributed 300+ volunteer hours at various events, and created a fundraiser that sustains itself and local soup kitchens.</p>

<p>Guitarist and bassist, offering tutoring, currently teaching multiple students.</p>

<p>I work 4 nights a week as a busboy/counterperson/cashier at a restaurant, and have been since last spring, and will be continuing.</p>

<p>Officer in Model United Nations (attended conferences 2 out of 3 years) and editor and website maintenance guy of the Literary Magazine, expected to continue onto the 4th year.</p>

<p>Schools:</p>

<p>Boston University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
Colgate University
Drexel University
Tufts University
UCLA
Hofstra University
Rutgers University
SUNY Buffalo</p>

<p>Almost all of these are reach schools, and I’m not sure what else to consider. I love the city of Boston, and I would love to return to my hometown. So my point is asking, assuming I’ll write the essays well-enough (I’m confident in that much), where should I apply (disregarding financial situation for now)? What are my prospective chances? What can I do to boost anything this summer? My hobbies are deep but unofficial- being an avid reader of scientific texts, playing guitar 3 hours any given day, and practicing Tai Chi won’t help me without some medal or other, unfortunately.</p>

2

<p>Your list of schools is good. Maybe if you bump your SAT score up, you’d fare better at schools like Northwestern, U chic, and Tufts. Heck, if you boost those SAT scores, you could be going for ivies.</p>

3

<p>What state are you from? Right now I’d say</p>

<p>Boston University -high match
Northeastern University - safety
Northwestern University - low reach/high match
University of Chicago - low/mid reach
Colgate University - match
Drexel University- match
Tufts University- highish match
UCLA - match
Hofstra University - safety
Rutgers University - low match/high safety
SUNY Buffalo - safety
Harvard - mid/high reach (could change depending on where you are from)</p>

4

<p>@dblaze: Thanks for the quick response. My problem is that I really dont want to want the Ivies, otherwise I’ll be gung-ho on the Tai Chi after rejection.
Otherwise though, I’m hoping that with one practice SAT and ACT test per week this summer, and maybe working overtime to pay for a 2-month tutor, better standardized test scores will come (I hate them with a passion).
Thanks for the encouragement.</p>

<p>@b2d94: No kidding? I hope you’re right. I’m from a Long Island (NY) suburb, but moved here when I was eight. (either way I dont think it would help)</p>

5

<p>I got about 20 points less than you on my SATs, and it was critical reading too. If you feel like that may help you increase your chances at your reaches, go ahead.</p>

<p>Here is my input</p>

<p>Boston University - Likely in. I’ve seen that it is less in demand than it has been in recent years.
Northeastern University - In. Very popular school for students where I live (NJ), mainly due to the fact that you have to intern/obtain work experience somewhere relating to your major before you graduate. In this economy, it’s pretty appealing, but nonetheless easy to get in to, especially with your scores.
Northwestern University - Reach. It’s Northwestern. But your honesty might come in handy come essay writing time…
University of Chicago - Reach, see Northwestern
Colgate University - Maybe in. It’s much smaller than the schools above, and more rural. But there’s a chance here.
Drexel University - In. This is also a very in-demand school where I live, mostly the Indian students who want to study medicine/engineering without the stigma of attending Rutgers. Philly (especially University City) can be a sweet place too.
Tufts University - Maybe in, but from what I’ve heard, it’s getting more selective
UCLA - Reach, mainly because of being out-of-state
Hofstra University - In. Heard to be very easy to get into.
Rutgers University - Likely in. It’s very easy to get in if you’re in-state like me, but I’ve heard it’s much harder out of state. Great pharm school, though.
SUNY Buffalo - In. Pretty solid school, one of the best SUNYs, have cousin that goes there and loves it.</p>

<p>Hope this helps</p>

6

<p>Haha I’m from LI too. I had a feeling when I saw those schools (SUNY and Hofstra were a dead giveaway lol) that you were from here. ;)</p>

7

<p>thanks, blonde. I appreciate the input, and all of this is optimistic compared to me, so its enlightening to some degree.</p>

<p>Any more tips on what I can do, besides raising my SAT? I mean, if anyone has a strategy to recommend, hit me with it.</p>

<p>and yeah, b2d94, rockin’ it in Merrick.</p>

8

<p>Ahh ok. I’m in PDubbz</p>

<p>Maybe raise your SAT a little bit (though for the schools you mentioned I think it will be more than adequate). If anything, get it to maybe a 2200.</p>

<p>And spend your summer doing something productive, whether it is one of the ECs you already mentioned, or another one that you enjoy and that is an efficient way to spend time.</p>

9

<p>I think its a possibility I might co-teach some Tai Chi for free, maybe make it a “spike.”</p>

<p>side note, its depressing to hear that someone I know lied vehemently for their college app ECs and was accepted to Stanford.</p>

10

<p>Oh man that does suck to hear. But yeah unfortunately that happens too often.</p>

<p>Some kid in our school did that and got into almost every Ivy and all the Top Tiers. Seriously, his only rejection was Harvard.</p>

11

<p>Guitar is definitely an EC and so is Tai Chi.</p>

<p>Boston University -high match
Northeastern University - low match
Northwestern University - low reach
University of Chicago - low reach
Colgate University - match
Drexel University- match
Tufts University- low reach
UCLA - high match
Hofstra University - safety
Rutgers University - high safety
SUNY Buffalo - safety
Harvard - high reach</p>

<p>Still, you have a chance at Harvard. Apply there for sure, unless you know you don’t want to go there.</p>

12

<p>Better beef up the EC and SAT, I guess. and the ACT.
Thanks bob.</p>

13

<p>Bummp
Sitting in school breaking rules to talk about school.</p>

14

<p>Also, I think I would include Soccer, unless you hated it, if you did it for a significant amount of time. Not totally sure- get more opinions on this.</p>

15

<p>Yeah, I just quit playing for school. Still in travel. Thank for the opinion, I’m aiming to get some more.</p>

16

<p>Hmm, a shameful bump.</p>

17

<p>Also, it’s a good chance that I’ll become president of the NHS at my school (an arbitrary position). To what degree is this favorable to colleges?</p>

18

<p>Boston University -in
Northeastern University - in
Northwestern University - low reach/high match
University of Chicago - low/mid reach
Colgate University - in
Drexel University- in
Tufts University- high match
UCLA - i’ll say reach because you’re OOS
Hofstra University - in
Rutgers University - in
SUNY Buffalo - in
Harvard - reach</p>

<p>I really think people are lowballing you with these predictions. I think you can aim higher.</p>

19

<p>Thanks, I really appreciate it.
To be honest, I think getting this simple feedback in this thread has given me a fair amount of motivation to get in higher gear, which I really needed. Thanks.</p>