lost cause? chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My dream school is Georgetown University. Please, please tell me if you think I have a shot there. I know how very selective it is, and I don't want to kid myself about my chances. Also, for bonus points, what do you think of my chances at Swarthmore?</p>

<p>I'm a white female from the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. I'm upper middle class and Protestant, if that helps any. I'm a senior this year, taking three AP classes, an honors class, and two regular classes.</p>

<p>The AP classes I've taken (and am taking) include US History<a href="4">i</a>, Psychology<a href="5">i</a>, English Language<a href="4">i</a>*, English Literature, Computer Science A and French Language. </p>

<p>I played junior varsity tennis for three years, volunteer through my church, have had several contract-type jobs having to do with web design and expertise. This year, I'm taking French 4 (AP) and German 3.</p>

<p>I'm just barely in the top 5% of my class at a large, competitive public high school. I got a 2170 on the new SAT (800V, 680M, 690W).</p>

<p>My biggest points of worrying-I've only taken three years of math-up to Algebra 2. I have no regrets, though; I hate math. Also, I have little to nothing in the way of leadership positions. I was historian of the German club and co-founder of the multicultural club we have. I have only minor volunteering things, no national recognition or anything.</p>

<p>I want to go to Georgetown (also Swarthmore, but to a lesser extent) very badly, and I'm confident that I can make that come across in my application. I write good essays and will have rather supportive teacher recommendations.</p>

<p>Anybody's perspective would be wonderful. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>okay, i dont really know about chances or anything like that, but my friend got into notre dame without taking math her last year of highschool. but she took algebra 1 in middle school so taht's still 4. </p>

<p>if you hate math, you need to rethink your colleges. i'd say liberal arts colleges are good because a lot of people there are more language-oriented. but the difficulty of math available in highschool is nothing like the math at prestigous colleges/universities. </p>

<p>even though you hate math, you should have attempted to show your commitment to being well-rounded. but your sat score is high, so you might be able to get in.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for your response.</p>

<p>I've done well in science-related areas, such as competing at the science fair and getting A's in honors Physics and Biology. So does make up, even a little, for my complete lack of success in math?</p>

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<p>well most colleges require you have 3 years of math through precalculus. but i dont know.</p>

5

<p>Georgetown is a slight reach (a tad less likely than a match). Swarthmore is highly unlikely, a high reach if you will.</p>

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<p>Not chances related, but you said you co-started a multicultural club. I was thinking of doing the same, so what exactly do you do in it? (I'm just looking for ideas)</p>

7

<p>GoldShadow:</p>

<p>Well, so far we've gone to see indie-film type movies you wouldn't normally see on your own (Hotel Rwanda comes to mind) and written down things that were different from our own culture, as well as what was really similar and we could apply universal concepts to.</p>

<p>We're going to an Indian restaurant this week, and we're going to talk with the restaurant owners as well as have a couple Indian girls in the club explain the different meals, as well as how their religion comes into play in their diet. (This is a Muslim restaurant, so they won't serve pork products, for instance.) </p>

<p>We're also planning on going to some less well-known museums (I live in Dallas, so there are a ton of museums everywhere) with work from people other than western European white males (though I'm sure we'll see some of that, too).</p>

<p>Basically, the club isn't fun because of the structured activities, it's because of the interaction of all the people within the club. And it really has attracted a very diverse group of individuals for it, which is a very enriching experience.</p>

<p>Hope that helps. Best of luck with your own club. </p>

<p>Thanks for the replies, also. I'm really relieved to hear Georgetown wouldn't be just a wild hope. Anyone else?</p>

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<p>=( Please? Anyone else?</p>

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<p>As with every post, it's hard to gage your chances. I'll share with you my personal experience. I'm a senior in hs looking at some elite schools as well, but both my brothers went to Georgetown's School of Foreign Service. Hopefully their stats might give you an idea of what it takes</p>

<p>brother 1:
1470 SAT
3.8 gpa (within top 5 to 10 percent)
president of key club
founder and president of franklin club (history club)
boys state
national merit finalist
soccer for two years
environmental protection school organization
national honor society
spanish honor society
plenty of awards</p>

<p>brother 2 (not as impressive, not sure if my first brother going there had anything to do with his admission):
1360ish SAT, i dont remember exactly
3.7 gpa (top 10 percent)
president of key club
president of franklin club
soccer all four years (co-captain, district champs, 3rd in state senior year)
nhs
vp of spanish honor society
a few awards</p>

<p>These stats seem somewhat close to yours, although they had a little more leadership than you do. I forgot to mention btw, that we're minorities (hispanic - south american mother), so that also may have helped. </p>

<p>Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what it takes to be a Hoya.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the information carandra.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the reply, sphinctor. I also want to go to the School of Foreign Service, though I don't think I mentioned that in my original post. A few more things I forgot to add:</p>

<p>I'm a National Merit Semifinalist.</p>

<p>I went to Paris with a Duke University international educational program the summer of 2004.</p>

<p>I went to a seminar entitled Ethics in the International Political Arena this summer, 2005, at Brown Unversity.</p>

<p>Hopefully those last two things will help show the admissions board how dedicated I am to international relations and the study of French.</p>