Hello all,
I am a rising senior who is attending a top 25 ranked public high school in New Jersey. I was born in the Garden State to Nigerian parents. I’m going to tell you my College Admissions story as it unfolds. First, the basics.
URM male
Prospective Major: Management/International Business
Family Income: <$30,000
GPA: 2.8
Course Rigor:
Freshman year (2011-12): Global Perspectives, Geometry, English 1, Earth Science, Computer Applications (semester).
Sophomore year (2012-13): US History 1, Algebra 2, English 2, Biology, Spanish 1, Financial Literacy (semester).
Junior year (2013-14): US History 2, PreCalculus, English 3, Chemistry, Spanish 2. Senior year (2014-15): AP European History, Discrete Math (semester), Probability and Statistics (semester), English 4, Environmental Science, Business Principles and Management (semester)
SAT (Taken for the first time in June 2014, no plans on retaking): 2000 (660 CR, 550 M, 790 W)
Extracurriculars: Cofounder & Co-administrator of a Facebook Tribute page and coorganizer of candlelight vigil in honor of schoolmate who passed away in 2013 (leadership position). Also a member of the Young Democrats Club at my school, and I have campaigned for a mayoral candidate in my town. Also a member of the Support Our Troops Club, Helping Hands Club, and Gifts of Gold Club.
Other Hooks: IEP (need extra time on tests), being full pay
Schools I am applying to: UMass Amherst (EA), Bentley (RD), Quinnipiac (Rolling), Hofstra (EA), Northeastern (RD), Fordham (RD), Binghamton (RD), Rider (EA), Monmouth (EA). I am also receiving a streamlined application from Stetson University. I am in-state for Rider and Monmouth.
I had not been thinking very much about college until this past November, when I attended my school’s college fair. Since then, I’ve been enamored with the very thought of receiving an acceptance letter from various colleges. I know the application plans inside and out. My college priorities have changed a lot since then; I used to look at colleges as far as the Midwest until I decided that I mostly want to stay in the Northeast.
During my sophomore year, I went through an incredibly traumatic event in my family life. We were evicted from our apartment and we have been living in family friend’s house in a nearby town ever since. This had a massively adverse effect on my grades and had further aggravated what had already been an incredibly difficult school year. Being homeless and growing stronger from it will be the topic of my application essay, which I will begin drafting on Wednesday. Thankfully, despite these financial hardships, I will be full pay at any college that I attend, as my parents saved a very large college fund for me when I was little.
I plan on visiting my top three schools this summer (this was all that my dad would allow me to visit), and then visiting the rest during the application season. Unfortunately, I did not have sufficient time to visit any schools during my junior year. I plan on applying to UMass Amherst on the first day that the Common Application goes live, as it is my clear first choice.
Any pointers and advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance for reading this!
@ellesea thank you very much! Be sure to bookmark this thread if you want to read everything!
First update: I’ve taken Monmouth off, as I see no need for two safeties. Fordham, Binghamton, and Syracuse are all currently fighting for a place on my list. Actually, two places. Only one will stay off the final application list. I love New York state, and I’ve always wanted to apply to a school on Long Island (Hofstra) and in the City (Fordham). I also really like Syracuse’s athletics, specifically their basketball team. However, I also love Massachusetts and their schools. I don’t want to have more NY schools than MA schools on my list. So, if I were to add Syracuse, I’d have to add another school from MA. Also, I feel that I should have SUNY Binghamton as well as UMass Amherst so I could have two great state flagships to compare.
I was going to begin drafting my essay last Wednesday…but my family has taken an unexpected vacation to the beach. It’s very welcome but part of me did want to begin drafting already. My plan is to begin drafting when I get back. I hope to write my draft as well as possible so that I don’t have to rewrite it as much.
Also, I really like all of the schools on my list, but my parents want me to go to a nationally recognized school as opposed to a regionally renowned school (grad school/job related reasons). That being said, UMass Amherst is my undisputed number one choice, and I’d indicate a PROMISE to attend if accepted in my personal statement. I’d even be willing to put myself on the waitlist for both Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 admissions (see the University’s Waitlist FAQ under Quick Links for more information - <a href=“Admissions : UMass Amherst”>https://www.umass.edu/admissions/</a>). However, Bentley and Quinnipiac, my second and third choices respectively, are regional schools. Therefore, in the event of a UMass rejection, I’d immediately pick the other two over nationally known schools such as Hofstra, Northeastern, Fordham, and Binghamton. I’m prepared for ANYTHING that happens and I feel that I’m very well-equipped for this upcoming application process.
For what it’s worth, Quinipiac and Hofstra roughly have the same national recognition (which is: not much). What matters is 1° is it known to people in your field and 2° is it known in the region where you want to work?
Overall, though, what will matters MOST is what YOU do with the opportunities the school offers.
It can be argued that Northeastern and Fordham are not in the same category as Hofstra and Binghamton.
That’s a very good point. All the schools in my list are well-respected in my field and in my region. I definitely plan to remain in the Northeast, preferably Massachusetts, after I get my MBA. If I’m not in Massachusetts, then I’d either live in New York, Connecticut, go south to live in Florida or Virginia, or return to New Jersey.
Updated my College List a little. Binghamton is no longer on the list, being replaced by Syracuse. I have also requested info from Florida State University.
I have completed the first draft of my Common App Essay…PM me if you want to read it.
Update: UNC-Wilmington has been added to my list, increasing it to eleven schools. I have also completed my third (and hopefully final) CA essay draft; PM me if interested in reading it!
Can you explain your rationale for dropping Bing, adding FSU (potentially) and UNC-W?
This would be useful to the other students reading this.
PM me your third draft if you wish.
I had been thinking of adding Fordham and Syracuse to my list for some time after my SAT scores had been released. Putting those two schools on my list, along with Bing and Hofstra, would have given my list a total of four New York schools. However, my list only has three Massachusetts schools, and I LOVE Massachusetts schools (the entire state is full of world-class institutions). I didn’t want any state on my list to have more schools than Massachusetts. So, it was a toss-up between Bing and Hofstra for who would get the axe. Bing had less eye-pleasing buildings and more crime in the surrounding area, and Hofstra told me that I’m one of their top prospects (I’ve been interested in Hofstra for the longest time). Hofstra also has better basketball and soccer teams, so Bing was the school that was frozen out.
I added FSU because I’ve been recently enamored with the idea of studying in Florida; amazing weather, beautiful campuses, great academics, fantastic athletics (for the most part), great school spirit, super friendly people, and attractive student bodies! I felt that FSU is a great school to add; rich history and tradition, and all the other qualities I mentioned. Plus, I have a lot of Facebook friends who live in Florida, and I also follow many well-endowed Floridian girls on Instagram. It’d be pretty cool to go to college among them and who knows, maybe even join one or two of them at FSU! However, I admittedly do have a few hesitations: distance from home (this is HUGE in case something goes wrong, God forbid), and safety of/recent incidents involving African-Americans in Florida. FSU also doesn’t have a men’s soccer team for me to cheer on. UNC-W, and North Carolina in general, has everything that FSU does PLUS a men’s soccer team (which is pretty good, along with basketball and baseball). “UNC by the sea” does not have a football team; despite this, there’s still great school spirit!!
Another tweak to my list; Northeastern is now my second choice, bumping Bentley to third and Quinnipiac to #4. I joined Northeastern’s Class of 2019 Prospects Admissions Community at Varsity Outreach a couple of days ago; I hope that’s considered a way to show interest! FSU is fifth choice, followed by Syracuse, Fordham, Hofstra, UNC-W, Rider U, and Monmouth U.
My Common App essay is all but complete at this point…PM me if you want to read it.
MASSIVE changes to my list: I wanted to send my SAT score to six more schools. However, since eight schools already have access to my score (including the likes of Bing, Clark, and Stetson), my dad said that I only need to choose three more schools. The three schools I have chosen to receive my scores are Northeastern, Florida State, and Syracuse. I only want to apply to schools that have my SAT score, so Fordham, UNC-W, and Monmouth have all been crossed off.
My updated list (college followed by chance, app plan, and any special applicant status):
Binghamton is a safe campus (it’s several miles from downtown Binghamton, a closed campus on a state highway filled with strip malls, big-box stores and other businesses, on the outskirts of a prosperous suburb). But I think the big problem with Bing is that they are not at all generous to out-of-state students, plus of course the tuition is $10k higher for out-of-state students. Bing is also one of the SUNYs that gives the least merit aid to freshmen.
@oldmom4896 interesting… well, I’ve got three reaches out of nine schools already. But now that I think about it, I guess it couldn’t hurt to have a fourth reach out of ten schools. Plus, I find the SUNY system to be highly unique; the sheer number of campuses all under one system.
@krpoltax that’s great, my man!! I’m drawn to UMass Amherst’s college town setting, immensely tall DuBois Library, rich history coupled with a surging repuation, state-of-the-art Mullins Center and other facilities, and the highly ranked campus food! How about you?
@lbad96 Practically everyone at my school applies to UMass Amherst (Class of 2014, 256 applied and 205 were admitted. 56 will be attending in the fall). Most people apply since it’s in-state is is probably the best UMass. The majority use it as a safety, but for others it would be more of a match/reach. Pretty much applying for safety/ I-S tuition. Haven’t looked TOO much into the school, but Amherst seems like a really nice part of MA. Heard great things about the B-School and the food
@krpoltax forgot to mention that they have great research facilities as well as famous alumni (Bill Cosby, Julius Erving, Rick Pitino, Victor Cruz, Jonathan Quick, Jack Welch, Kenneth Feinberg, etc.)
@lookingforward trust me, I know a lot about UMass Amherst. As for the GPA part, Naviance says that out of 221 applicants from my school (2009-2014), they’ve accepted 164 and denied only 15. The lowest GPA they’ve accepted from my school is a 2.74, but the lowest SAT out of 2400 is a 1410. I’m sure that I’ve got a pretty good chance there.
but part of me did want to begin drafting already. My plan is to begin drafting when I get back. I hope to write my draft as well as possible so that I don’t have to rewrite it as much.
UNC-W, and North Carolina in general, has everything that FSU does PLUS a men’s soccer team (which is pretty good, along with basketball and baseball). “UNC by the sea” does not have a football team; despite this, there’s still great school spirit!! 