low gpa PLEASE help!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I really just have no idea where I should even consider applying because my gpa is so low while my SATs are pretty high and I think I have pretty good ECs for what I want to do in college. My gpa is low because I did a lot of different things outside of school (mostly focused around music and education of others), and because I took the hardest classes offered at my school. </p>

<p>I attend a public high school in upstate NY that is (supposedly) known to be a tough
school. (our counselors tell us that colleges will recognize that it is a tough highschool)
I have just finished my junior year
I am an Asian girl (first generation immigrant, parents attended college in different country)</p>

<p>GPA: 3.3 (I know...)
SAT I: CR 750 M 710 W 800 = 2260 (first time)</p>

<p>SAT II: Just took US History and Math II in June </p>

<p>APs: World History, US History, Lang & Comp, Statistics, Psychology</p>

<p>Next year's APs: Calc AB, Environmental Science, European History, Gov Pol, Literature</p>

<p>ECs:
-14 years of piano
-8 years of violin
-Advanced Diploma in Music Theories at Eastman Community Music School
-Head Coxswain of Varsity Crew Team
-2 Scholar Athlete awards
-Best Delegate Award at Model UN Conference
-Class Treasurer
-Student Senate
-Officer Adviser of Friends of Rachel
-Pit Orchestra for School Musicals
-School Symphonic Orchestra
-All Girls Acapella Group
-Spent 20 Days Volunteering in Honduras (taught kids English)
-Around 150 Hours of Community Service at Korean Church (Assistant at Korean School, and teacher for Sunday School)
-Latin as an Independent Study for two years, took National Latin Exam, won two awards</p>

<p>My school does not do rankings, percentages, valedictorian. </p>

<p>I think I would like to study Music Education (which hopefully my ECs show). Also, should I write my essay about my passion for these things?? </p>

<p>Some colleges that I would be interested in are (I know some of them are insane):
-Brown University
-Boston College
-Boston University
-UPenn (would do ED if I had even the slightest chance)
-NYU
-Notre Dame
-UCLA
-Dartmouth
-William & Mary
-Wash U in St. Louis
-Georgetown </p>

<p>Please recommend me some safeties as well! </p>

<p>Any comments would be GREATLY appreciated!!</p>

2

<p>Wow. Okay, first of all your EC’s are great, and I can see that you really do enjoy music. You seem to know what it is you want to do with your life which is always great, and that is going to help you a lot on your apps. From what i’ve gathered from my friends who have gone on to the Ivy’s or top ranked schools like UCLA or UCB, every one of them made their passion clear. By that I mean that they all knew or had a fairly good idea of what they wanted to do and took classes and EC’s that would reflect their interests, which you have clearly done. The only thing that I would say is to start working on your essay and really try to showcase your passion for musical education. Also send emails to your music teachers at school in the summer and ask them to write your recommendations, and if I were you, I would find independent programs that offer classes that you can take over the summer. Just make sure that the credits for these classes are transferable. I would recommend that you try to take classes at your local community/junior college or at programs such as Lighthouse Learning center. Good Luck!</p>

3

<p>GPA is going to kill you for Brown, Georgetown, UPenn and Dartmouth, all are high reaches.</p>