My Chances at Brandeis?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
1

<p>I know it’s a bit of a reach, but what do you guys think my chances are at Brandeis?</p>

<p>I just took the new SAT and ACT w/ Writing for the first time…</p>

<p>SAT: (EEK!)
1910
710 CR
600 M
600 W (9/12 Essay)</p>

<p>ACT:
30 Composite
26 English
28 Math
29 Science
35 Reading
26 English/Writing (9/12 Essay)</p>

<p>Rest of my stats:</p>

<p>I’m a rising Senior…just got done with Junior year</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>GPA: ~3.477 unweighted, ~4.0 weighted, these will hopefully be a bit higher by the end of first semester Senior year.
Rank: Unsure, was around 90/660, but should be higher when I go back, that rank was before my 5.0 weighted GPA for 2nd semester this past year, hoping for top 10%, was ~14%</p>

<p>Classes this year:
AP Psychology (A’s)
AP US History (A’s)
AP English Language & Comp. (A’s)
Precalculus Honors (C’s and B’s)
Physics Honors (A’s and B’s)
Debate VI Honors (A’s)
Government Honors (A’s)</p>

<p>Note:
Brought Physics from a “B” to an “A” from 1st to 2nd semester, and brought Precalc from a “C” to a “B” from 1st to 2nd semester, so, rising GPA…</p>

<p>Extra-Curric:</p>

<p>Debate Team (~325 NFL Points…for those who know what those are), this is my passion, I’ve competed in 5 different event categories as well, and placed in 3 of them (Student Congres, Oral Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Public Forum, Policy)
President of Debate
VP of Law Club
Mock Trial Team
Social Studies Honor Society
JETS</p>

<p>Community Service:
Camp Counselor at local summer camp: ~125+ Hours
helping with middle school debate team: ~15+ hours
Work: Public Library (20 Hours/Week), hope this looks good since it’s for the state. Previously was a Lead Graphic Artist and ran my own PC Repair Company.</p>

<p>Background: Single-Parent Home, Dad pays no child support, etc. Roman Catholic, Irish-Italian, Public School in Florida</p>

<p>Looking to major: Poli. Sci., Government, Political Media
Minor: Journalism, International Studies</p>

<p>Courses for Senior year:
AP Euro
AP US Gov
AP Microeconomics
Independent Study (AP World History)
AP Lit
AP Stats
Debate VIII Honors</p>

2

<p>I'd suggest bringing up your SATs a little bit this year and then you sound like a good candidate. Honestly, Brandeis is tough to decipher in terms of decisions. I knew a bunchhhhh of dummies with low stats that got in, but now I'm reading on these boards about so many kids with such high stats that are waitlisted or rejected. So really I think your best bet is the interview and raising your SATs. The interview is a big thing at Brandeis and I feel like it may be why I got in. I didn't say anything groundbreaking but by being there face-to-face with an admissions rep you can really get your point across and give them a sense of who you are so they can take notes and put them with your app. I think it's a really good idea to fly up from Florida for the weekend and see the campus and take the interview, especially because if you haven't seen it yet.... it's certainly a sight.</p>

3

<p>What do you think about my ACT's? I mean, they are a bit higher than my SAT's. I'll try and bring them up if I can though. As for visiting, I don't have the funds to visit until at least Feb when I go to the Harvard Debate Tournament with my team. I will however, interview locally with an alumni here and set that up as soon as I can, I've already inquired and they've said it was too early still. Hopefully, I have a chance, thanks for the input!</p>

<p>~Ben</p>

4

<p>Your ECs and ACT (plus an interview and a strong essay) will probably compensate for your essay. Try really hard to maintain As and Bs first semester of this year, although one C in an AP class won't kill you. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>^ Just found my rank out, as of the end of Junior year.</p>

<p>65/592 (Top 10.9%)</p>

6

<p>Any more opinions?</p>

7

<p>Anyone else out there? Hehe</p>

8

<p>Helloooooooooooo lol</p>

9

<p>The only way you can really know is to apply. To be honest, the people you're asking don't really know any more than you do. This is why I tend not to reply to the "What are my chances?" posts. The best person to ask is probably your high school college counselor. You look fine, but that's never a guarantee. Just write a good essay, interview well, maybe bring up those test scores a bit, and you should be fine. But again, I don't speak for the ad com. I have no idea what goes through their heads.</p>

10

<p>^ Hehe, you're right, and I appreciate the input.</p>

11

<p>I have an interview tomorrow at a local starbuck's, anything I should know in particular?</p>

12

<p>Be gracious, but basically yourself. Talk about your accomplishments, but don't brag about them. Figure out a couple of questions to ask about the school.</p>

13

<p>^ Thanks for the advice! :)</p>

14

<p>Well, just had my interview. It was about 35min, and while I wished it had been longer initially, I am pretty sure it went well. I "reminded her of her son", which I suppose is a good thing? heh</p>

15

<p>Hey will someone give me thier honest opinion of whether I have a shot at Brandeis University. I have already applied to all ten of my school sbut i took some classes with a professor this past summer from Brandeis and loved it. please be honest and I apologize for the poor formatting that occurred in the transfer from microsoft word.</p>

<p>SAT's
 720 Math
 640 Verbal
 630 Writing
700 SAT 2 Bio M, 650 Math 2c, 650 Chemistry
 A.S.V.A.B.
 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
 A.F.Q.T. Score - 97%
 G.P.A.
 Grade Point Average
 Unweighted - 4.0
 Class Rank<br>
 3rd out of 340 (there was an error on the transcript that says 4th)</p>

<p>Ninth Grade
 Attained Straight A’s for both semesters
 Earned Academic Letter
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Co-founded and was the acting Co-President of F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America)
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. Certification
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification
 Earned Scuba Diving International Certification
 Earned BSA Lifeguard Certification
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Involved in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Sat for the S.A.T.’s </p>

<p>Tenth Grade
 Attained Straight A’s for both semesters
 Earned Academic pin
 Earned Presidential Student Service Award
 Accepted to participate in the National Youth Leadership Conference
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Actively involved with F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America) as the Co- President
 Visited Walter Reed Medical Center
 Attending Sam Rhine’s genetics conference at Wesley College
 Participated in Locks of Love
 Participated in Relay for Life
 Arranged for Medical Guest Speakers
 Actively involved with F.B.L.A. (Future Business Leaders of America)
 Became Acting Treasurer
 Attended the regional competition for F.B.L.A.
 Placed first for the entire Eastern Shore for Business Math
 Placed 3rd for Business Math in the state championship for F.B.L.A.
 Actively involved in Stephen Decatur High School Track
 Dual events as a discus thrower and a shot putter
 Participated in both the Regional and Bayside competitions
 Earned Sports letter
 Earned the Minds in Motion Award
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Involved in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Earned the Eagle Scout Award (the Highest award in the Boy Scouts of America)
 Earned Eagle Palms
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. Certification
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification</p>

<p> Earned Red Cross C.P.R. For The Professional Rescuer
 Senior Lifeguard for Ocean Pines
 Sat for the S.A.T.’s </p>

<p>Eleventh Grade
 Attained Straight A’s while taking three AP courses (Biology, Calculus & European History)
 Accepted to participate in the National Youth Leadership Conference
 Actively involved with F.M.P.A. (Future Medical Professionals of America)
 Attended Sam Rhine’s genetics conference at Wesley College
 Attended the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia
 Participated in Locks of Love
 Arranged for Medical Guest Speakers
 Aided with Tsunami Relief
 Actively involved with S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
 Attended Y.E.L.L. (Youth to Eliminate the Loss of Life) Conference
 Helped with Prom activities
 Helped with Senior Week activities
 Actively involved with Play It Safe
 Actively involved with F.B.L.A. (Future Business Leaders of America) and became as the Treasurer
 Actively involved with Connections Community Service Organization
 Surfing with Seniors (teaching the elderly how to use computers)
 Attended American Diabetes Association Walk for a Cure
 Wrote grants to obtain project funding
 Participated in Adopting families to assist during the holidays
 Actively involved with Investment Club
 Actively involved with DeMolay (the Junior Masons organization) as the Vice-President
 Actively involved with the DEEP Youth Group
 Actively involved in Ocean City Christian Church
 Actively involved in the Boy Scouts Of America
 Position of the Junior Scoutmaster ( the highest boy ranking position in the Boy Scouts)
 Attained Brotherhood Membership in the Order of the Arrow (the National Honor Society for Boy Scouts Of America)
 Earned Eagle Palms
 Earned Red Cross First Aid Certification
 Sat for the New SAT
 Earned Red Cross C.P.R. For The Professional Rescuer
 Participating in Stephen Decatur High School Track as both a discus thrower and a shot putter
 Participated in U.M.E.S. Science and Math Competition
 Accepted into Harvard’s Summer School Program to take courses in Principles of Genetics and Biomedical Ethics.
 Attended Regional and Bayside Track meets.
 Participated in Relay 4 Life cancer society fundraiser.
 Became a member of the National Honor Society
 Sat for AP tests in the subjects of Biology, Calculus AB and European History</p>

<p>Summer and Beginning of 12th Grade
 Attended Harvard College for the Summer
 Volunteered for the Harvard College Summer School Blood Drive
 Participated in college preparatory courses at Harvard University in:
 Taking effective notes
 Reading Strategies I: When is it OK to Scan, Skim, or Skip?
 Reading Strategies II: Remembering What You Read
 Time Management Skills
 Stress Management
 Preparing for and Taking Tests and Exams in College
 Making the Transition from High School to College Writing: Meeting the challenges
 Member of the Harvard Extension School Democrats Club
 Participated in intramural sports including volleyball and ultimate frisbee
 Actively involved in Summer Servers Program community service organization
 Senior Lifeguard for Ocean Pines
 Sat for AP tests in Biology, Calculus AB and European History
 Member of Harvard Chess Club
 Member of Academic Team
 Interned at Atlantic General Hospital in the Emergency Room
 Sat for the SAT II in the subjects of Biology M, Chemistry and Math II
 Maryland Distinguished Scholar: Semi-Finalist
 Member of F.M.P.A.
 Member of Connections
 Participated in the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia
 Attended Sam Rhine’s Genetic Conference at Wesley College
 Member of Investment Club
 Participated in the Walk for Diabetes
 Member of S.A.D.D.
 Treasurer of the SDHS Debate Team
 Member of Play It Safe</p>