My grades suck: Do I have a chance

Colleges and Universities A-Z Worcester Polytechnic Institute
1

<p>GPA: 3.0 Unweighted. School only offers one set of classes. No Ap’s or honors
Freshman year messed me up!!! But did great sophmore and junior year.
SAT’s: Math: 680 Reading: 650 Writing: 620
Will take SAT 2’s in physics and math 1C
Will take ACT
My school doesn't rank
Race and Gender: African American (my dad is Nigerian) and Male
Im from Boston,MA
Main EC’s (I have more but not important):</p>

<p>Theater Work Fall of 2005- Spring 2007
-was featured in The raisin in the sun and took part of the Shakespeare competition. Also was an actor in our own school plays such as Injustices in our world and I dwell in possibility.</p>

<p>BU U-design Summer of 2005
-Made robots using the Lego mindstorm kit.
-We programmed our robots to do challenges such as sumo wrestling and a maze.</p>

<p>President and Co-Chair Fall 0f 2006-Spring of 2008
- Being President of class, I made sure that the Class of 2009 and the faculty kept a good relationship.
- I made sure that our class was being heard and we had somewhat of a say how the school ran.
-I helped with fundraising as well.</p>

<p>MIT SEED Academy Fall of 2005- Spring 2008
- A Saturday Engineering Enrichment Discovery ( that’s what SEED stands for by the way), we would learn engineering disciplines such as aerospace and civil engineering every Saturday and make a final presentation at the end of the semester. </p>

<p>CITYterm Spring of 2008
- Founded by David Dunbar (editor of Empire City), it is a semester boarding school in Dobbs Ferry that engages it students in the history, literature and culture of New York City.
- Projects that we have done so far is make homes for an issue that should be addressed (my group did health) and make a presentation of the Brooklyn bridge, but had to have somewhat of an abstract component ( I made a physical representation of the bridge, but I had famous Brooklynites on it such as Woody Allen and Jay Z).
-For more info, please go to cityterm.com</p>

<p>BU Professor Fall of 2008-
-Every time I get a chance, I discuss and engage in an engineering topic. We previously have done circuits and now we just finished our fuel and solar cell car.</p>

<p>Founder of Alegbra project
-High performing math students help freshman with math.</p>

<p>Cross Country 2 years</p>

<p>Applying to:</p>

<p>BU
WPI
Union
Howard
Flordia A&M
UMASS amherest (spelling error....probaly)
Rowan
U pitt
Va tech
Case western
Drexel
Northeastern</p>

<p>And remember to be NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

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<p>Well, your SATs aren't bad by any means. I think WPI ranges from 650-750 in math, more or less, and the reading/writing scores are good enough. As for your GPA, it could possibly be better, but admissions offices understand that your performance freshman year doesn't really mean anything if you do well junior and senior year. You might want to explain that your school doesn't offer honors or AP classes somewhere in the application. What also may help (if you have the preparation) is taking introductory calc at a community college; in my school district (which is in Oklahoma), the tuition was paid for by the school. Of course, taking the class just to bolster your application isn't a good idea, but it will be nice preparation for an engineering education.</p>

<p>Your extracurriculars seem pretty solid. Colleges do like seeing evident initiative, creativity, and intelligence, which I'd argue you showed. I think you have a good chance everywhere; Case Western might be a bit tricky, and I'm not familiar with some of the other schools, but you seem well-positioned to get accepted to a fine university, such as BU, WPI, Howard, or VA Tech.</p>

3

<p>I'd say you're in at WPI, but I'd be wary that it might cost you more than 30k a year. </p>

<p>My GPA was 3.5, SAT of 2170, a couple of small/insignificant ECs, and I got about 20k in merit aid. A solid amount, but WPI still costs quite a pretty penny. </p>

<p>Maybe look into RIT and Drexel closer. They will probably end up being cheaper. </p>

<p>As for doing things now, I recommend 100% to take calculus at a community college or take the AP exam. It'll save you on the order of five thousand dollars, since WPI is so expensive.</p>