little disappointed, no future...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello CC,</p>

<p>So I posted a few weeks ago about my interest in being accepted to colleges with respectable engineering programs (BME/CHEM). I recieved helpful feedbacks about my chances with a potential 2100-2200 on the SAT. I recieved my November score, and sadly, I recieved a 1980. Do I even stand a chance now in some of the colleges listed below? I am one of those nervous types so if something bad happens, the whole world crumples on me. Thanks guys for whatever feedback you guys can give me.</p>

<p>RESUME
Sex: Male
Ethnicity: Asian
Location: GA
Type: Public</p>

<p>SAT
SAT I CR: 630
SAT I Math: 670
SAT I W: 640</p>

<p>SAT II Math IIC: 760
SAT II Chemistry: 740</p>

<p>AP Exam
AP US History: 4
AP Chemistry: 4
AP Human Geography: 4
AP Physics: N/A</p>

<p>ACADEMICS (thoughest course load)
GPA: 3.97UW 4.0W (restricted 4.0+)
Rank: 11/850</p>

<p>Freshman:
Spanish I – 98/98
Gifted Geometry – 95/95
Weight Training – 96/98
Gifted Biology – 97/98
AP Human Geography – 99/92
Gifted English I – 93/94</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Gifted Algebra II – 95/94
AP Prep English II – 88/90
Weight Training – 96/100
Gifted Chemistry – 100/98
Gifted World History – 97/98
Honors Spanish II – 95/95</p>

<p>Junior:
Gifted Spanish III – 95/94
AP Physics – 106/104
AP English III – 100/97
Gifted Calculus – 95/92
AP Chemistry – 107/106
AP US History – 102/102</p>

<p>Senior:
AP Statistics – 108
AP English IV – 100
AP Calculus – 108
AP Economics – 105
AP Spanish – 102
AP Biology – 105</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities
Varsity Football (9th & 10th [lettered])
BETA Club (10th–12th)
Key Club (11th–12th)
National Honors Society (11th–12th)
Spanish Honors National Society (11th–12th)
Science National Honors National Society (11th–12th)</p>

<p>Volunteer Hours
Northlake Medical Center – 86hrs
Peachtree Christian Hospice – 32hrs
Victory World Church – 42hrs
• built a house in TN and repaired a church in Costa Rica</p>

<p>Awards
Gwinnett Football League County Runner-up – (8th grade, just for /flex)
AP Scholar (11th)
Honor Roll (9th-12th)
1st School Science Fair (10th)
3rd Regional Science Fair (10th)
Top 50 SGHNS (state) (10th)
Student of the Month (12th, /flex)</p>

<p>Work Experience
My Friend’s Place Deli (9th-10th summers)
American Deli (11th summer)
• both were my parent’s store so it didn’t feel right to take wage</p>

<p>Colleges
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Pennsylvania
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Texas-Austin
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Johns Hopkins University
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rice University
Northwestern University</p>

<p>I feel like my chances are over in most of those schools, but I can only blame myself. Is there any hope for a normal kid that tried in high school? My recommendation letters should be good, and I am literally putting my heart and soul into my essays. I am also writing a funny/retarded one just to express my personality (laidback, dazed). Thanks again guys (and gals) for your help and comments.</p>

<p>PS: I am really sorry if posting this again is angering some of you guys.</p>

2

<p>dude don’t worry, your sat’s aren’t bad and your grades/courseload/extra curriculars are awesome!</p>

3

<p>Thanks helenrez. You don’t even know how kind those words sound right now (lol). I really wanted to get a good score for my parents because they’ve done everything to get me a good education. I am doing service in the Marines Reserve so my parents can send my sister to a good college (she doesn’t try really hard) and I can use the training since I love UFC (if anyone is a UFC fan, PM me). Anyways, what scores do you think are more “desirable” assuming I studied my ass off for December SAT? Thanks again helenrez.</p>

4

<p>Lots of great engineering schools would love to have someone like you. Don’t worry. You are awesome.</p>

5

<p>Probably the majority of the engineering schools in this country would be happy to have you. Look at colleges that are lower ranked than the ones you are currently considering. You don’t have to go to one of the most competitive engineering schools in the country to be employable at a good job in the engineering field.</p>

6

<p>check out Case Western..
Top ranked BME program</p>

7

<p>Your stats are solid and you should be proud. Don’t beat yourself up. You will be fine! Case is a good idea, also check our RPI in Troy NY…</p>

8

<p>Thanks guys for the comments. I honestly would not mind going to a somewhat less prestigious college than those in the above list. The main reason I am applying to the top notch school is because I come from a low income family. It was more of a pride thing to tell myself and the world that I got into a “named” school. Should I even bother applying now or is there still hope?</p>

<p>jakem333: I will definitely check Case Western. You can tell I don’t know what the hell I am getting into with this college nonsense. Regardless, thanks for the heads up.</p>

9

<p>You have an excellent all around profile and you will get into some very good schools. Agree with the excellent recommendations of Case and RPI. Also check out Tulane, Clemson, Purdue and WPI. All are very good schools. Good luck!</p>

10

<p>Case is also pretty good about merit $$$. Check their website – at one point they had guidelines for grades/scores for various awards.</p>

11

<p>CC permanent thread on colleges with good merit aid. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

12

<p>A little personal/nonCC related question for you guys: What do you guys feel about the military? I love sports (football) so I am all about sweating and mental growth and preserverance. My mother, however, feels like that there is a limit to when one can study and do well in school. In other words, she hates the idea of military because of the war. Plus I don’t mind flexing in front of girls (lolol jk). I told her there is a part-time option where I do both, but she still feels iffy with the whole idea. What do you guys think?</p>

<p>Case Western: one of my good friend is from Ohio, and he keeps saying Ohio is a boring place to live in. Does this affect college life or are colleges in general slightly different from the states themselves?</p>

13

<p>An asian guy who likes sports and has a heart…? Impossible! :)</p>

14

<p>SeaHwang,
Probably the majority of colleges are “name” colleges to a large group of people. In fact, probably the majority of Americans consider their state’s flagship public university (even one that’s second tier or below) to be the equivalent of HPYS. It’s a very small group of people who think that impressive colleges are only Ivies and similar colleges.</p>

<p>I learned this the hard way when on another college board for adults (not CC), I was flamed for mentioning that my S went to a “Big 10” university. S was not even at Michigan, Northwestern or Wisconsin, that are both Big 10 universities that are considered first tier colleges. A lot of parents thought that I was showing off by saying my kid went to a “Big 10 U”.</p>

<p>As for how I feel about the military: How do you feel about possibly having to go to war and do things (even as an engineer) that result in people’s deaths including those of innocent civilians?</p>

<p>I served in the military as a psychologist. It paid for my grad school, which is why I entered. I wouldn’t enter it now, though because I don’t believe in the war that we’re fighting.</p>

15

<p>I agree with the other posters that you are being too hard on yourself; you have great grades in difficult classes and a nice set of activities. You will have no difficulty getting into a good engineering program. Your task is to make sure you have some schools on your list that you will definitely get into. Leave some of the reach ones on the list, also, but perhaps you should look into some of the suggestions others made, above, e.g. Case, RPI, Purdue, etc.</p>

<p>When you are speaking about the military, do you mean the ROTC program? I think you need to start looking into that right away, and see what is available at the various schools on your list, if that is what you are thinking.</p>

<p>BTW, a good friend of my son, a Korean student, is an ROTC student, good athlete, great student, very personable guy. He is using the ROTC scholarship to pay for a top-20 private university.</p>

16

<p>amb3r: lol. in reality, I have no heart. homework, eat, sleep FTW.</p>

<p>northstarmom: I have the up most respect to those that consider the colleges that I think aren’t named as “named” colleges. I didn’t even know how pompuous I might have sounded, and I agree with where you are coming from. I had set high expectations so I came out the wrong way.</p>

<p>About military, I somewhat agree with you. My input in engineering could directly affect the lives of many. However, what if my service saved the lives of others. Except the Iraq War (coldberg>bush), I have the confidence that America is fighting to save the lives of others and there is bound to be deaths in the process. That is my prospective, but your views have definitely opened my eyes to different opinions.</p>

17

<p>midmo: I looked into ROTC. Great program, great way to attain scholarships. The only thing is that ROTC grants scholarship to U.S. citizens only. Hence, the second option: Marines.</p>

18

<p>Should I still consider applying to those schools or modify the list a bit due to low SAT scores?</p>

19

<p>Have you thought about Clarkson? Your scores would probably get you some great merit aid there. I know it’s not as prestigious as you might like, but it’s a pretty good school with a high placement rate.</p>

20

<p>I think you need to consider adding in some more safeties. Right now, your list has too many reaches/high matches and not enough low matches/safeties. While your SATs are a bit low, your sat ii scores are actually pretty good, as is the rest of your app, so I think you have decent chances :)</p>