Minority from an innercity?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I posted something similar to what I’m about to post a couple months back but I figured that now that I’m in the middle of my junior year that you guys could give me a more accurate interpretation of what my chances are?

This is what my schedule looks like:
AP Spanish ( majority of students pass this test due to most of the school’s population being hispanic. The other half is African American)
AP Language ( only one student passed the test last year and this year we have a new teacher)
AP History (New AP class this year and this is supposed to be a two year course but they’re only giving me one)

Political Science (elective)
Pre-Calc Honors
Chemistry Honors
Public Speaking (required)

Sophomore PSAT: 1260
Junior PSAT:1390
Junior SAT:1610 (studied off of a Princeton book every night for 2-3 months)
ACT:20

Feel of my school:
About 120 students max per grade
Average SAT score is around the 1400s
They push us to go to community college and have laughed at the idea of us going to an Ivy League
Seen as the best school in the inner city but in reality it is below average
Sets their standards low for the highest achieving students in the class

About me:
Was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the U.S at the age of four
Started to learn English
I am both fluent in Spanish and english
Recently became a legal citizen (undocumented for 12 years)

Extracurriculars: softball,cheerleading, volunteer at a Ronald McDonald House, part of a peer leadership group

GPA:4.063
Rank: #3
(Scored second highest in grade for SAT Score. The girl who scored highest scored a 1620 which is sad because it is only slight above average.

I am applying to more volunteer organizations and plan to retake my SATs in October. I plan on retaking my ACTs in June

I am looking for skills in New York:
Fordham (but I heard the religious aspect of it creates conflict with living of students)
Lehman college ( no campus :frowning: )
Barnard
Columbia dream school

Any suggestions on what I can do to get into these schools or any improvements I can make on myself from now until the fall of my senior year ! I’m open to what you say!

2

Your standardized test results (ACT Composite of 20) are basically competitive for the residential schools you’ve cited. You really need to DILIGENTLY prepare for retesting.

3

@TopTier, Did you mean “are basically competitive”? Or did you miss a word?

4

I apologize; I meant uncompetitive and I mistyped.

5

You should come up with a better selection of colleges where your scores fit the student profile. Keep working on raising those test scores, but realize they aren’t likely to take a dramatic climb.

6

Any specific tips on increasing my scores 300+

7

Here are a few thoughts:

  1. Get an excellent study guide and “make it your best friend” for the next five or six months (the SAT/ACT CC Forum – look at the upper left of this page – can assist you in your selection . . . and much more).
  2. Go to your local and school libraries and ask for help; they may know of free/low cost preparation courses and/or they may have books and software to assist you.
  3. Discuss this with your GC; s/he may have some good idea.

Good luck.