My Chances-Be Brutal!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Please be honest, be brutally honest!
I really wish to know what you guys really think of where I could attend college. I am a white female, from a single-parent family (of three), and will heavily depend on financial aid. My mother is currently between jobs, money is currently scarce. During my high school years, I have been dealing with life in general—my dad suffers from bipolar disorder, he fell apart (he is basically out of the picture now), my parents divorced; my mother, sister, and I watched all of our money disappear (thanks to the Florida Court system, think of millions of dollars just going down the drain), and my mother has been, currently, between jobs. After 9th grade, I left my private school (since my family could no longer pay the tuition), the transition felt as if I was leaving/losing my family, again. February of this year, my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer; told she only has four months to live; luckily she is still kicking. </p>

<p>My top choice is definitely Yale. Although, I would also like to attend Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, University of Maryland-College Park, Amherst, University of California-Berkeley, Sweet Briar, University of Southern California, and Princeton.</p>

<p>Possible Majors: Architecture, Film, Economics, Philosophy
I’m thinking I might attend graduate school and study Law
Chances?</p>

<p>Here are my stats and fun facts:
I go to a public school in Florida, finance magnet program
I've taken the new SATs once so far:
First time: 2060
will take SAT II's and retake the SAT in the fall
HPA: 4.5, GPA: 3.7
Rank: Seriously have no idea, guessing 70/~650
For the past four years, I have taken all honors and advanced placement courses (by graduation I will have taken 6 APs-English Literature, English Language, Psychology, Micro/Macro Economics, U.S. Government, Environmental Science)</p>

<p>Possible Hooks:
-Legacy (Princeton (great uncle, great grandfather), Yale (grandfather), Amherst (grandfather), Washington and Jefferson (father), Marietta (mother))
-Owns Own Movie Production Company</p>

<p>Extra-Curriculars:
Finance Magnet Program (9, 10, 11, 12)
School Newspaper (9, 10, 11, 12)
-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, A&E Editor, News Editor
Future Business Leaders of America (10, 11, 12)
-Award Winner (twice)
Movie Production Company (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-Co-Founder, Screenwriter, Director, 3 short films
Political Satirical Newspaper (12)
-Founder, Co-Editor-in-Chief
School Yearbook (9, 10, 11, 12)
-Ad Editor, Photographer, Contributing Writer
Student Council (9)
-9th Grade Class President, Student Body President Runner-up, Student Body Speaker of the House, Spirit Week Coordinator, Fundraiser Co-Chairman
Drama Club (9, 12)
-Three Leads, One Supporting Role, Program Designer
Screenplays, Short Stories (Planning to Publish) (9, 10, 11, 12)
Preservation Society (10, 11, 12)
Amnesty International (11, 12)
Feminist Majority Foundation (11, 12)
Film Club (12)
Young Democrats of America (12)
SAT Prep Course (11)
Driving School (11)
Guitar Lessons (10)
Piano Lessons, 7 years, (9, 10)
Varsity Swim Team (11, 12)
Varsity Girls Golf Team (12)
Brokerage Firm Internship (11, 12)
Tax Accountant Clerk (10, 11, 12)
150 Hours of Community Service (to name a few: Habitat for Humanities, Youth Trial, Food for Families, Beach Cleanup, and The ONE Campaign)</p>

<p>Could you please tell me where I stand (safety, match, reach), what schools would be best for my possible majors, and what colleges you recommend, if any?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Your ECs are great, your GPA is good (btw what is HPA) but your SATs will keep you out of Yale or Princeton. You definitely need to raise that if you even want to think about Yale or Princeton, and it will definitely help your chances at Wellesley, Bryn Mawr and Amherst. As for UMD I think you can definitely treat that as a match/safety. Sorry I don't know much about the others. You might also want to look at NYU for film, you would be a very strong candidate there. Are you a junior now?<br>
Good luck.
Oh also what are your section SAT scores?</p>

3

<p>I'll try not to be brutal, although I've been accused of it. First, at your current SAT level, Yale/Princeton will be a big reach. I don't know if the distant legacies will count for much. Remember, it's big reach for almost everyone. If you can get up in the 2200+ range with 3 SAT IIs over 750, you will be much more competitive. Your ECs are strong, so if you want to try one, go for Yale SCEA. That way you won't be bound to bad FA package. If you get reject EA, you can move on with other options. Just don't fall in love with a major reach until they accept you AND you see the FA package. </p>

<p>Assuming you stay under 2200 with some 650-700 SAT IIs, I think Wellesley (and you could add Smith and Mt Holyoke) would be good upper matches to slight reaches for you. Smith, and particularly MHC, have decent merit money that I think you could qualify for. MHC has a very nice leadership scholarship. Amherst will be a reach, but less than Yale. Bryn Mawr should be a match. </p>

<p>You might want to look at Rice and Tulane. Both have merit money.</p>

4

<p>HPA- Honors Point Average. The 'Honors and AP classes' average.</p>

5

<p>Wait. Do you really actually own your own movie production company. Tell more about that. If that's really what it is...that's a huge hook. How many high schoolers own their own movie company?!</p>

<p>However, since you said you need financial aid, and owning movie production companies is generally a profitable thing, I may be overestimating this.</p>

6

<p>Too many people lie on their apps to make their life worse than it seems. You may have a sad story, but it probably wont help very much.
Yale: Reach
Wellesley: Low Reach
Bryn Mawr: Match/Safety
University of Maryland-College Park: Match/Safety
Amherst:Moderate Reach
University of California-Berkeley: Moderate Reach. You could get a lot of scholarships here.
Sweet Briar: Safety/Match
University of Southern California:Safety/Match
Princeton:Reach</p>

7

<p>ur set bro</p>

8

<p>probably dont want to list SAT prep course and driving school as ECs</p>

9

<p>Your story is really sad, but I remember once reading a book thatw as about behind the scenes college admissions. The comittee was reading the app of a girl who suffered through a death in the family her junior year of school and had low test scores and grades as a result. The comittee felt terribly sorry, until someone said 'Would we be considering her if her father hadn't died?" This prompted them to wake up and deny acceptance to the girl. It was unfortunate, but a reality. While your high school life has been hard, I don't think that the colleges you mentioned will cut too much slack in terms of your grades and test scores, but maybe your ecs will make up.</p>

10

<p>You said to be brutal, so here goes:</p>

<p>Wellesley:match/slight reach
Byrn Mawr: match
UMCP: safety
Sweet Briar: safety
USC: match
Berkeley: low reach
Amherst: reach
Princeton: reach
Yale: reach</p>

<p>But good luck, you have just as good a shot as most everyone else.</p>

11

<p>To be honest, and brutal, a 2060 is way out of range for a top school and being below top 10% in your class won't help. Grandparents and uncles don't make you a legacy. Maybe Sweet Briar and Bryn Mawr?</p>

12

<p>In order to get into Yale, Princeton--- I would need a better SAT score, what score should I be aiming for? And if my score doesn't significantly increase, is there anything I should proceed with? More ECs? Focus on my essays? Count on recommendations?</p>

<p>What is Yale SCEA, out of curiosity?</p>

13

<p>It's single choice ealy action. Without a major hook such as recruited athlete, URM, olympic sport, billionaire parents, a 2250 will make you competitive.</p>

14

<p>What does URM stand for?</p>

15

<p>I also think that adding NYU is a good idea. Based on my son's experience, I don't think that the extremely competitive schools ( Princeton, Yale and Amherst) are going to cut you a lot of slack for your grades/rank. It could happen - you should certainly apply if you like them - just don't count on it. </p>

<p>IMO, retaking your SAT I is good, but make sure you pay attention to your SAT II's. Good schools will show that you have mastered the material despite your personal difficulties. </p>

<p>If your GC can put your life difficulties into his/her recommendation, you won't have to do so in your personal statement, where it may come off as whining or a request for pity. Instead, you can concentrate on positives. Talk with your GC when school starts up again. </p>

<p>Best wishes and I hope that life is happier for you senior year!</p>

16

<p>An URM is an under-represented minority, such as african americans, native americans, and hispanics.</p>

17

<p>Thank ohio_mom for your recommendations. Why did your son choose NYU? How hard is NYU to get into? Could I attend NYU right now with my stats or would I have to work on my SATs? </p>

<p>To everyone, I'm really impressed with University of Chicago, do I stand a chance? What other colleges do you think are great that I should be aware of?</p>

<p>Plus, everyone is saying how low my GPA and HPA are-what's wrong with them?</p>

18

<p>A 3.7 is not TERRIBLE for these schools, however, your rank is 60/750. That is not a poor rank, but it's definately low for your high reaches, where much of the freshman class graduated at the top 1%/2%, val, or sal.</p>

19

<p>NEVER SAY NEVER, 3 kids from my school are going to princeton this year, why you may ask. You may think b/c they had stellar grades and stuff, nope. None of the 3 even knocked a 1400 on the sats, 2 just play instruments (btw, not like world-reknowned, they are just really good) and one was an athletic recruit.</p>

20

<p>you said to be brutal so be prepared for what I am going to say</p>

<p>first, about your family situation, single parents are way too prevalent today to make any difference, so is the jumping between jobs and cancer (especially if it's your grandma). I don't think the adcoms will feel too sorry for you especially because you went to a private school until grade 9. Your father's situation might be a little less common, but it's not like you are living in an inner-city slum because of him..</p>

<p>Your grades, rank, SATs are below satisfactory for top Ivies and LACs such as Princeton, Yale, and Amherst. Your ECs are pretty generic, looks more like a laundry list with a couple of easy leadership position. The grandparent legacies will help a little, but not as much (it does count as legacy). </p>

<p>The only thing you've gotten going for you is the production company, unless it's just an alternate version of a school drama club...I doubt a high school kid can make it to Hollywood without connections, but of course that is my assumption (might also become an adcom's as well; they've seen way too many kids play up a benchwarming role)</p>

<p>Yale, Princeton, Amherst, Berkeley: maybe waitlist, most likely reject
USC, Wellesley: reach/match
Bryn Mawr: match
UMD, Sweet Briar: I don't know much about these, so i guess they could be safeties</p>