My safeties, matches, and reaches

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I don't like doing this, but I'm just curious as to which schools are safeties, matches, and reaches for me. My counselor told me I should start dividing my prospective colleges list into those three categories, but I have no idea how I can do that (besides guess). I figured CC people might be experts at this.</p>

<p>I attend a small magnet school (I've been attending since 7th grade unfortunately) with a student population of only about 1,200 (roughly 200 students per grade). The school is #2 in the state with an Academic Performance Index of 950 out of 1000. I'm in Southern California.</p>

<p>I'm a junior now, and so far I have a 3.75 (weighted) cumulative GPA. I got a 4.17 (weighted) for the first semester. I'm not sure what top percentage I fall into.</p>

<p>AP classes:</p>

<p>Comp Sci A (sophomore) - 3
Language & Composition (junior) - I'm anticipating a 5
US History (junior) - I'm anticipating a 5
Biology (junior) - I'm anticipating a 4
Literature (senior)
Euro (senior)
US Gov't & Politics (senior)</p>

<p>All these classes except Biology, Euro, and Comp Sci are required curriculum at my school. AP classes I'm not taking include Calc AB/BC and Chemistry.</p>

<p>SAT:</p>

<p>I just took my first SAT in March. I'm aiming for a 2100. But based on the answers I've read on CC, I think I'll have to try again in May or June.</p>

<p>SAT II:</p>

<p>Korean - 800 (71 percentile)
Biology (I'm taking in June) - I have no idea what I'll get
US History (I'm taking in June) - I'm anticipating a 700+</p>

<p>ACT:</p>

<p>I'm taking it in April. I have no idea what I'll get.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>FBLA member (10, 11, 12)
-Placed 6th at the 2004 Southern Section Conference for Intro to Business
-Competed at the 2004 State Conference (in other words, I came home empty-handed)
-Placed 5th at the 2005 Southern Section Conference for Marketing</p>

<p>MUN member (11, 12)
-The club just started this year, and we're attending our first conference in April.</p>

<p>National Honor Society member (10, 11, 12)</p>

<p>Volunteer at a nursing center (10, 11, 12)</p>

<p>My newspaper staff is planning to end the SCJEA write-off and hopefully qualify for the sectionals. I guess I could list an award if we win something.</p>

<p>Summer Activities:</p>

<p>Took an Algebra II course at a community college (2003)
-I got a "B"</p>

<p>Short-term mission to Mexico (2004)
-Construction, children's bible study</p>

<p>Worked as a part-time Korean translator at a nursing center (2004)</p>

<p>For this summer, I'm planning on attending the Newspaper by the Bay Workshop at Stanford and taking a class at the nearby community college. Also, I'm hoping to head to Puerto Rico for another short-term mission.</p>

<p>My friend and I are also working on a project where we spend a week during summer documenting homeless life and poverty in urban areas. It's a small investigative project we've always wanted to do, and we hope to learn something from it. We're still working out the details before summer arrives. We hope to showcase our final product at our schools.</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>Won 6th place in a writing contest in 2002 with the OC Register (is this even worth mentioning?; it was almost three years ago)</p>

<p>School newspaper (11, 12)
-The newspaper started over this year with a new staff and adviser
-News editor (11)
-Associate Editor (11)
-Editor-In-Chief (12; if all goes well)</p>

<p>Drummer
-My church needs a drummer for the youth group this year, and I might replace the senior who's currently playing for the praise band once he graduates</p>

<p>I hope to major in English, history, or journalism, but I don't mind if I attend an LAC. Here's my prospective colleges list:</p>

<p>Occidental College
Pomona College
Claremont McKenna
Pepperdine
USC
UC Berkeley
CS Northridge
CS Fullerton
San Diego State
Bard College
NYU
Sarah Lawrence
Rutgers
Vassar
Amherst
Boston College
Northwestern</p>

<p>I'm aware a lot of these colleges are selective and are obvious reaches for me. My ECs are subpar, my grades are mediocre at best, I'm not a minority (at least in my area), and I've had no life-altering tragedies. And I'm aware that some of my "ECs" are overreaching and wouldn't count as ECs at all. Compared to other CC members, I don't stand out very much.</p>

<p>Thanks for reading this overtly long post (if you did actually take the time to look through). I just wanted to give the reader an accurate feel for who I am and what I've done. If you could let me know which are my safeties, matches, and reaches, I'd appreciate it. Also, if you have any suggestions for colleges, please post away. I'm getting burnt out by all the pressure that's about to unfold this fall.</p>

2

<p>Reach:
UC Berkeley
NYU
Northwestern
Sarah Lawrence
Occidental College
Claremont McKenna
Amherst</p>

<p>Match:
Vassar
Pomona College
USC
Rutgers
Boston College</p>

<p>Safety:
Pepperdine
CS Northridge
CS Fullerton
San Diego State
Bard College</p>

<p>Not sure about some of these, but this is a general estimate. I only know these schools fairly well; someone else may provide a better opinion.</p>

3

<p>I may be wrong, but I would consider Pomona a reach as well.</p>

<p>If you are in state Berkeley should be a match.</p>

4

<p>Big Reach:
Pomona College
Amherst
Northwestern</p>

<p>Reach:
Vassar
Claremont McKenna
UC Berkeley</p>

<p>Match:
USC
NYU
Boston College</p>

<p>Safe:
Pepperdine
CS Northridge
CS Fullerton
San Diego State
Bard College
Sarah Lawrence
Rutgers
Occidental College</p>

<p>Look at Emory as another Reach.</p>

5

<p>Out of the 9 colleges I've applied to here is where I stand..</p>

<p>Accepted:
UCI
UCDavis
UCSB
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly Pomona</p>

<p>Rejeted:
UCLA</p>

<p>Havent heard from:
UCSD
Berkely (eecs..yikes)
Stanford</p>

<hr>

<p>I'm hoping for one of these three, because otherwise its UCI, and I live in irvine, ca too...I'm egyptian, male and applied electrical engineering everywhere so what are my chances...</p>

<p>UC GPA: 3.64
SAT: 1360
SAT 2 Math: 780
SAT 2 Writing: 740
SAT 2 Physics: 740</p>

<p>ECs: Basketball/tennis camps, arabic class, Club pres(i founded this club and have been somehow on board for all 4 yrs of hs), regional religious organization board member, mun</p>

<p>Community Service: habitat for hmanity, club community service events, a shelter in santa ana, babysitting (haha i put it in for fun), administrator at a local youth club, tutor. not including babysitting my community service ranges very well over 300.</p>

<p>Awards: charter oak award(academic excellence award), pride of the pack(all around good student award), governors scholarship (sat 9, math), and golden gate exam award (for high test score on golden state exam for math).</p>

<p>AP Scores:
AP European history: 5
AP Physics: 4
This yr i said i would take these ap tests:
Calc BC, Gov, chem, english, stats</p>

<h1>of courses: ive taken arond 25 different classes (1 class is a yr) in hs</h1>

<p>Essays: i discussed mun in one, founding my club in another, and my cultural background and diversity for another. For stanford the 4th was on my fascination with technological advancements in last few decades.</p>

<p>Finally ive been in at least all honors since freshman yr in all core subject classes.</p>

<p>haha i know its long but if anyone cares, a well thought out reply with reasns at my chances at these three colleges would be cool. </p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

6

<p>I think it's rude to include your own personal stats in somebody else's post.</p>

<p>Just my opinion.</p>

7

<p>o sorry, i thot this was like open to anyone that wanted to know. notice that thats my first post so im new to this. Didnt mean to offend anyone. Sorry</p>

8

<p>Yeah i agree</p>

9

<p>sorry guys i didnt mean it. so am i supposed to start my own thread if i want to get an answer to that?</p>

10

<p>Don't worry about it ;) u didn't know.</p>

11

<p>Boston College is not as good as USC, Vassar, or Pomona. BC was a commuter school until 20 years ago. Among Catholic schools it trails Notre Dame, Georgetown and Holy Cross in academic prestige and alumni success.</p>

12

<p>Par72, do you go to Holy Cross? Every post you have mentions Holy Cross in some way...</p>

13

<p>No offense gogolbordello, but you want to consider doing more research and thinking about what you want before you start thinking about matches or reaches. Pomona college is way different from Berkeley. USC is way different than NYU. Maybe you have no idea what kind of school you want to go to, but you still might want to narrow it down a bit.</p>

<p>A liberal arts college or a national college?
East Coast, West Coast, somewhere in between (keep in mind some west coast students can't handle the major lifestyle difference in the east. Be sure you ask around and try hard to visit)?
Large or small?
Is tuition a concern?
etc. etc...</p>

<p>Don't apply to a college just because of the name! Find the college that fits you and you'll be much happier!</p>

14

<p>So funny how people try to pump their schools here. Par goes to holy cross for sure, and I don't think it is more prestigious than BC. You can't lump it in with georgetown or ND.</p>

15

<p>Good Tips Berenelen. It Seems The Op Is Being A Bit Superficial In His/her List Of Schools.</p>

16

<p>Momoney, I'd say Stanford no way, Berkeley probably not but maybe, you are in at UCSD.</p>

17

<p>pomona is really hard to get into, but its awesome
nwestern is <em>slightly</em> easier, but not by much</p>

<p>im just going to ignore that holy cross episode (*** is holy cross)
i like gtown and im not christian--its not as religious i dont think, everyone agree?</p>

18

<p>I would set your sights higher, apply for some reach schools</p>

19

<p>Sorry to be offtopic but may I know where this site is at? </p>

<p>(quote)But based on the answers I've read on CC, I think I'll have to try again in May or June.(quote)</p>

20

<p>I don't mind attending a liberal arts or national college. I would prefer a college in a coastal area (i.e. west or east).</p>

<p>I've been attending a fairly small high school so I'm used to more intimate settings. But I certainly wouldn't mind attending a school that's large enough for me to meet someone on campus and never see them again afterwards.</p>

<p>Tuition is definitely a concern. My family is neither wealthy nor abjectly poor. I'd say my family is more or less middle class. But due to certain circumstances, my dad is unable to attend work and earn his full income. I'm considering applying for scholarships and loans (which I'm aware can be quite a gamble at acquiring).</p>

<p>For the school environment, I'd prefer urban and suburban areas. That's why schools like NYU are appealing to me -- their location and surrounding culture.</p>

<p>The reason my list of colleges is erratic is because I'm not quite sure where I'd fit in. I know USC is known for its Greek life, but I'm certainly not the type to be involved in that kind of social setting. I considered Pomona because the good feedback I've read and heard from its students. Most kids who attend Pomona are very satisfied with their experience.</p>

<p>I would also like schools that encourage class discussion and student involvement. I certainly don't want a textbook education.</p>

<p>I've already ruled out some of the schools on my list. For example, my friend's mom attended Pepperdine and she says it's prevalent with highbrowed snobbery. I'm not sure how accurate her description is, so I can't judge accurately. Any Pepperdine alumni willing to object?</p>

<p>I'm sorry if it seems like I'm only listing "brand-name" schools. I attend a high school where most kids have their sights set on the UCs. I have no idea what colleges might suit me beyond the recommendations of my counselor and peers. If anyone can name lesser known schools that are just as edifying, please post.</p>

<p>Vehement, by 'CC', I meant College Confidential. Go to the SAT section and there's a thread discussing a lot of the answers from the March 12 test.</p>