Low GPA, High SAT, Okay EC?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>-GPA: 80.67 unweighted (100 point scale), 87.2 weighted
*I have taken many AP's and have always taken honors courses when offered.
*I was diagnosed late into my Sophomore year with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and ADHD and due to my schools unwillingness to provide my appropriate accommodation--I have a 504 plan giving me double time in class for tests and quizzes which was illegally refused to me or not properly provided my teachers. It got to the point where my parents were calling lawyers and preparing to sue the school. Overall it was embarrassing and humiliating, and I ended up transferring from my high school in Alaska to a college preparatory boarding school in New Hampshire.
*My new school was far more academically rigorous than my previous school, and although I thrived as a learner, I struggled with the habits of work skills I was lacking from years of disuse. So it began to feel like I've jumped from the frying pan into the fire. I loose the majority of my grade on incomplete homework assignment, but often pull through classes with A's or the top class grade on tests. Many times I have wished that my grades were based solely on tests. I'd be an all-A student, rather that a B- one.
*I know how this looks to colleges: Another privileged, lazy white girl who never applied herself in school, and is now using a learning disability to explain bad grades away. The thing is I have never worked harder in my life. I hadn't struggled academically until the introduction of large homework assignments in high school. In middle school, I was top of my class and was given the option of skipping a grade. I was two-years advanced in math, taking a senior level science course at the high school. Through middle school, I worked mostly independently due to the courses I was taking not being offered by a teacher (too little funding). High school was a shock. I was used to studying my own way, but instead we were given long study guides that did not fit-well with my learning style and I began to struggle. I have cried, I have tried various medications (vyvanse, Adderall, Ritalin, Centura) with no effect, and I have taken high school courses in history, chemistry, french over the summer in hopes to work against my trouble with grades. I spend hours on my homework every night, and I hope one day it will pay off, but the way it feels now, it's not going to payoff before college.<br>
-SAT: 2000 (I was really sick that day but took it anyway, so I'm optimistic it will improve--plus studying never hurts)
*My PSAT scores were 2300 (99th percentile) and SSAT Scores were perfect so fingers crossed about the SATs
-E.C:
*I'm a competitive alpine skier, but currently not skiing at a D1 level. I've gone to Western Region Championships, Eastern FIS finals . . . etc. I've raced since I was six and participate in a "academy" styled ski program in the winter.
*I play the viola, violin, and piano. I took private lessons for piano from age 5 to 16 and private lessons for the viola 10 to 16 and played in a student symphony (not school affiliated) for 2 years. I practiced at least an hour every day and loved it, but gave up privet lessons when I went to boarding school. Now, I play for pleasure but would consider playing in college in an ensemble group of symphony.
*I payed girl's JV soccer my sophomore year
*I raced girls varsity cycling my junior year (I won some races, but honestly I don't think colleges care about cycling)
*I volunteered over one summer at the Humane Society
*I did community service at my school for my fall term, volunteering at a local farm and helping paint and re-model my schools community center.
*I'm an avid visual artest and am considering submitting a portfolio. I'm not sure if I'm a good enough artiest for it to be worth submitting a portfolio so here's a link to some of my work. Please be honest, if I'm not that good tell me, I don't want to spend my time compiling art peaces if they're not going to at least interest colleges. Here's a link to some of my work: Flickr:</a> nkmoritz2's Photostream
*I rock climb and ice climb every chance I get and have received awards in competitions for rock climbing.
*I'm an avid hiker. This spring my dad an I hiked the presidential trail in 10 hours and summited Mt. Webster,Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce, Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Franklin, Mt. Monroe, Mt. Washington, Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Sam Adams, Mt. Adams, Mt. Quincy Adams, Mt. Madison, Mt. Adams, and Mount Abigail Adams. All the names of the various mountains sound impressive but really the hike was only 22 miles and the presidential mountains are not that big. Mountaineering and hiking are something I love and will continue for the rest of my life.
*I'm a very experienced sailor. My family has always sailed. I know the waters of South East Alaska (where I grew up) like the back of my hand and my earliest memories are all of the ocean. Up until I was 7 years old we sailed on our every summer in Alaska, sometimes sailing own the coast of Canada to Washington. When I was 8 or so, we got a 55ft all-carbon boat. My parents would take off three months every summer and we would sail continuously. One summer we travailed up and down the Eastern seaboard staying primarily in Maine and Rhode Island. Another year we crossed the atlantic and travailed all over England, Scotland, and Ireland. One Summer, we travailed down the coast of Africa, stoping at the Canary Island, then making our way back across the atlantic to the Caribbean. We took the boat to Mexico, Costa Rica, through the Panama canal and back to the US. My family and I sailed for three months every summer for six year, at the end of the summer, leaving the boat in whatever country we were last and flying back to it as summer began again. Much of my childhood happened on that boat but although its a kinda interesting story, I don't know how relevant it is to my college application.</p>

<p>I'm sorry I wrote a novel. oops. In truth, I just want to know from an outside observer what my college prospects really are. I'm excited for college, and I feel that collegiate learning will suit me better than high school. Actually oddly enough my highest grades have often been in my most rigorous courses, because they do not require homework and more of your grade is based on tests and quizzes, so you can study your own way. Colleges I'm looking at right now include: Cornell University, Bates College, Brown University, Claremont McKenna College, Colby College, Columbia University, Pitzer College, Rensselaer Polytech Institute, Scripps College, Skidmore College, Trinity College, Whitman College. Do I even have a chance at these schools? I think Brown and Columbia University are a definitive no, but what about the others? What colleges would you suggest me applying to? Please be specific (i.e. names not just California state schools). Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I’m sorry to inform you of this, but your UW GPA of 81 is equivalent to a 3.0-3.1 in the contiguous states. With that, even with the weight making it a 3.3, it would appear as though all of the schools you listed are going to be reaches in some respect. The most likely out of these are going to be Colby, RPI and Whitman, only because you have a 2000 on the SAT. </p>

<p>I’d recommend that you apply to your State University, as that would probably give you a fair shot at admission given your impediments. They will also be most likely to feel sympathy for your learning disability, as the ADA Act requires them to. </p>

<p>Chance back? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1549053-columbia-ed-will-chance-back-within-12-hours.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1549053-columbia-ed-will-chance-back-within-12-hours.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>^I agree. Unfortunately, no matter how legitimate your disabilities are, top schools won’t help you out so much; you’ll have a lot of work with little support from admin.</p>

4

<p>Okey so I guess I should’ve been more clear on my learning disability. Although I am dyslexic, I do not have any reading disabilities, actually I’m a very proficient reader–I got a 80 on my PSAT’s reading section and a 790 on my SAT’s reading section. My primary difficulty in school at this point is homework completion. The courses I have done best in the past had little graded homework, and allowed me the freedom to study in my own way. A good example of this is that my honors chemistry class which had little homework but many hard tests. I received a 102/A+ (best class grade by 8 points) in this course because I never got a question wrong on any test. This is in sharp contrast to the B’s and C’s I’ve received in my “easier” courses. I’ve consistently done better self-teaching and studying than when in a “supportive” classroom environment. So to clarify, I’m looking for a college with strong academics that would rely on assessment more than day-to-day homework. I’m a very independent learner, and that’s where I would thrive. Also, the school I’m at now is somewhat prestigious, and all the student in my classes were in the top 10% or 5% of their previous schools. My college counselor told me colleges would take that into account when reviewing my transcripts. Unfortunately, my state school would be a very bad choice and is not a option.</p>

5

<p>Is there any chance I could be considered for a school like Johns Hopkins University</p>

6

<p>Everything you said in your description is so perfect. I can tell that you’re passionate about your disabilities and overcoming them. Those are the things you need to be writing about in your essays. Literally, if you just polish what you said in your description I think you have a very compelling topic, and you would be able to explain your low GPA to colleges. Maybe also consider writing about some of your unique adventures growing up in Alaska and sailing around the world too. How many people can say that they’ve done that?</p>

<p>Also, being from Alaska gives you some diversity so that helps. Although, you go to school in New Hampshire so I’m not sure how much that would count.</p>

<p>As far as chances go, I don’t know too much about most of those schools so I can’t say. Don’t be discouraged about Columbia and Brown…you NEVER know with the Ivy League.</p>

<p>I don’t know what your criteria is, but here are some more names to research: Amherst College, Boston University (probably a good shot there), Boston College, Middlebury College, University of Rochester, New York University</p>

<p>I hope this helps! Peace be with you </p>

<p>P.S. I still can’t get over how struck I am by your description :)</p>

7

<p>Mariinsky, thank you so much, that was very complementary. Unfortunately I’m not convinced schools like Middlebury College and Amherst College would not just look at my GPA and toss my application and never read my essay.</p>

8

<p>I would agree your background story is compelling. That you are obviously intelligent, articulate and multi-talented would make you a person of interest to many colleges and universities. </p>

<p>Your GPA will be an obstacle, so you’ll need a STRONG advocate – such as your counselor or a supportive teacher – to explain the disparity between your grades and your ability.</p>

<p>I would submit an arts supplement (I responded on your other thread) and I would also submit a music supplement. </p>

<p>Among the schools on your list, I would forget about Cornell, Claremont McKenna, Columbia, Rensselaer, Johns Hopkins.</p>

<p>Brown is an extreme reach but they like unusual so why not? Colby, Skidmore, Trinity, Whitman all sound good. I don’t know much about Pitzer and Scripps</p>

<p>I would add: Bowdoin, Hamilton, Smith, Mt.Holyoke, Hampshire. Colorado College if the block system appeals to you. Reed if the hyper-intellectual atmosphere sounds like something you’d like.</p>

<p>Williams, Amherst and Middlebury would all be extreme reaches but you seem to have a lot of the elements that they value. They all like outdoorsy, rugged individuals, but among the three I would say that Williams puts more weight on artistic involvement – both studio art and music.</p>

<p>I’m assuming that you don’t need financial aid. If you do, your list may be significantly different.</p>