My Chances?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Syracuse University
1

I’m very interested in Syracuse Newhouse for Television. I’m coming from Quebec which means I graduated high school this year in grade 11 and will be in Cegep next year, I want to apply to Newhouse with only one year of cegep instead of the usual two which where I think I’m weaker.

My SATs are pretty good (2010)
CR: 730
Math: 650
Writing: 630

I’m fluent in Spanish and French (my mother tongue) as well as english. My school also does the French Culture AP exam, I got a 5, but they don’t offer any others because there are no actual AP classes. Because I’m in Quebec we don’t do GPAs but my only grade under 90 is in Math and my final average is a 94. We also don’t rank our classes but I go to a very selective school (we were 19 in our grade, the school ranks top five in the province), will that factor in?

I do tons of extra curriculars,
QAIS (provincial board) school prefect
NYFA film program
Just for Laughs festival volunteer
head of the drama club
directed junior (gr.-8) plays
did cultural exchanges with London, Perth and Paris (I created the paris one)
community service trip to Nicaragua
Duke of Edinburgh bronze and silver
Tutoring elementary school kids
Sub head of my school house
School Ambassador
Member of our Concert Band (flute section leader)
On the committee for organizing our All girls leadership conference
Marketing Intern in charge of film and pictures for school events and their fb and youtube
youth parliament in Quebec city with the national assembly

I was also the recipient of the Advanced Stagecraft Prize at graduation (drama student with highest average), got into my high school on a merit scholarship and completed over 100 hours of community service. My senior year (gr.11) course load was demanding but my Cegep course load is less so. I’m planning on applying early decision to help my chances.

2

You seem like a well-rounded student. You’d be a good candidate for the university itself. But it’s hard to say for Newhouse since it’s just so competitive. I’d still say you have a chance since your stats are good, but you’ll have an edge if you can write very well.

Make sure you take the essay questions seriously. They’re an opportunity to distinguish yourself as the individual behind the numbers and extracurriculars that other people may share with you, and not just another cookie-cutter applicant.

3

The best advice that I can give to you is to kick ass on the essays. You have a lot of EC’s and good grades/test scores and all of that is great, but that’s not what’s going to get you in. You need to show that you’re committed to Newhouse and that you don’t just want to study journalism–you want to study it at Newhouse.

4

Academic-wise, you’re in. But Newhouse is Newhouse, so I’d say work hard on your essays.