I consider “hooked” to mean something you are that gives you a significant edge over other applicants, in many cases leading to an entirely different selection process than standard applicants. Examples include URM, legacy, children of faculty, recruited athletes, children of parents donated millions to the school, etc.</p>
<p>I do not consider persons with exceptional ECs and/or awards hooked, nor do I consider persons with impressive achievements, persons who overcame difficult circumstances, or generally things that you do rather than things that you are.</p>
<p>Using this definition, you can find several examples of sub-2100 applicants without hooks who were accepted to highly selective schools in the decision result threads, particularly SCEA. I don’t doubt that the 40% of the freshman class at Williams who had sub 2100 SATs had a higher rate of hooks than the upper 60% with 2100+. However, that’s very different from saying “they are all hooked” or “0% chance” of acceptance.</p>
<p>The calculation is incorrect. Note that the math and verbal conversions are different.</p>
<p>Assuming dad’s scores were 650 V/720 M, his recentered scores would be 710 V/720 M, for 1430. If they were 720 V/650 M, the recentered scores would be 790 V/650 M, for 1440. </p>
My claim was, “There was no question that I was in the bottom stat quartile overall at all of the schools I mentioned at the time I applied,” which fits with discussion of sub-2100 SAT being in the bottom quartile and Yale/Princeton and in the bottom 40% at Williams. I mentioned that my HS UW GPA was in the bottom 3% of the Stanford freshman class, and my verbal SAT was in the bottom 1%. Class rank was probably similar in the bottom few percent, although I don’t have specific numbers since only a minority of the freshman class submitted class rank. It’s true that my math/science standardized tests were near perfect. However, I’d expect most to consider bottom 3% HS GPA + bottom 1% verbal SAT to be in the lower quartile of overall stats, regardless of math/science scores. </p>
<p>I’d expect the main reason I was admitted was because the schools looked beyond just the weak stats and instead considered the whole application. For example, in my senior of HS year, I was a half time student at SUNYA where I took math/science classes beyond the level offered at my HS, as well as various electives I found interesting that I found interesting with hardly any other apps would have (example: Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience) and had a 4.0 GPA in those classes at the time I applied. I also had a 4.0 GPA among classes taken at RPI and Syracuse. This showed I could handle college level classes, in spite of my stats; and had desirable personal traits, such as being the type who truly loved learning and would take advantage of challenging classes at bigger universities that were not available at my basic HS. My HS only offered only 3 AP classes, 2 of which I took in my sophomore year (the only sophomore in either class). I’d expect my LORs made similar statements, showing a common theme. I don’t consider any of this a hook, even though it helped stand out from the tens of thousands of other applicants.</p>
<p>There are lots of good colleges on the Common Application that do not require an application fee and would be happy to have you. Check them out and apply there in addition to the schools that your dad is thinking of for you. He’s proud of you and that’s good. :)Definitively apply to the schools he sees you at. Add a few others though. By applying to a variety of schools, both in-state and out of state, you’ll hedge your bets.
Here’s a random list plucked from the alphabetical list on commonapp.org - all are free to apply to.
Albion, Albright, Austin, Butler, Centre, Colby, Denison, Earlham, Furman, Grinnell, Hendrix, Illinois Wesleyan, Juniata, Kenyon, Lake Forest, Lewis&Clark, Marquette, Millsaps, Nichols, Pacific Lutheran, Rhodes, Ripon, St Olaf, Sewanee, Transylvania, Union, UNiversity of the Pacific, University of Tulsa, Valparaiso, Whitworth, Willamette, Xavier.
Go to these schools’ website, request information, and feel secure in the certainty that they’re free to apply to - Therefore no one can prevent you from applying there. Plus they’re a match or a safety for you (and most offer aid, need based or merit based). If you get into Williams, Swarthmore, Yale, etc: CONGRATS! If you don’t, you have another possibility beside community college.
BTW: UT-Austin and TAMU info/apps, if you’re auto admit, should be sent in THIS SUMMER. The 7% will be based on your Junior rank.</p>
