<p>i have a 3.4 and i am about second quarter percentile (25%-50%) of 700-800 people
it's really competitive but i got a 33 on my ACT and 780 Bio and Math II
I'm in the IB program (so I didn't have room for a lot of APs only like 2-3)
and i have a fair amount of ECs but what i'm wondering is if the 50th percentile will hurt even though my school does class rank based on unweighted GPA</p>
<p>will this hurt for schools like NYU, uchic, northeast, northwest?</p>
<p>I’m also a senior so you probably don’t even want advice from me but I think it will hurt at a school like Chicago for sure. Not because you did bad but because there acceptance rate is around 8 percent. Northwestern is also very selective but I bet with your tests scores you would have a good shot at NYU and Northeastern. Could you chance me?</p>
<p>I’m in a very similar spot as you. I, too, have a 3.4 UW, go to a prestigious high school, and scored high on my ACT (though I only scored a 32, so props to you!) I hate to break it to you, but UChicago, Northwest, and Northeast are dreams that just won’t come true. NYU is a possibility, though I wouldn’t get my hopes up. I’m applying to NYU as well, so we’ll have to see if we can get in. :)</p>
<p>That being said, there are still a TON of prestigious colleges that you can get into with a GPA like ours. Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Loyola Chicago, Syracuse, Michigan State, Penn State, etc. are examples of schools that, while they certainly are not safeties or guarantees, are better matches with our score range. In other words, we actually stand a fighting chance. I’d still except quite a few rejection letters, as these schools also tend to be on the more selective side, but you’ll certainly be accepted somewhere.</p>
<p>Which division of NYU are you considering? Some are much more selective than others. I think you have very good chances for Arts & Sciences or Steinhard. Gallatin is much quirkier, but you have as good a shot as anyone. Stern would be more of a reach, but those strong scores and IB curriculum give you an outside shot. Tisch, of course, places enormous weight on talent submissions; your academic credentials are adequate for them. I wouldn’t say Northeastern or BU are out of reach at all. What about Tulane or Emory? Your weighted GPA is probably around a 4.0. My son got into Tulane with a similar unweighted GPA. He was also an IB student, and he had lower test scores. You might even qualify for a scholarship. He was told to consider U of Chicago as a super-reach, but he did not apply. I’d say it’s a big reach for you, but no harm in giving it a try. Try Pitt, also. I think your chances are excellent, and you might get a scholarship. Syracuse? George Washington? BC?</p>