<p>Hey I am currently a high school senior at a good public school. I am African American and have earned a 3.3 gpa while taking challenging courses, and I have an 1800 on the SAT, I desperatly need help convincing my parents to let me do a PG year at a BS. The reason that I would like to do a PG year is to not only mature, but most importantly grow academically. PLEASE help me out, any advice?</p>
<p>you dont even have a good chance at a good college with those stats… let alone getting into a good BS
(unless you are not telling us some MAJOR, and I mean MAJOR hooks)</p>
<p>bearcats,</p>
<p>chill…</p>
<p>That is not enough information to disqualify anyone from any college. Not suggesting that FM23 is any of the above, but top-shelf athletes with those stats have been known to get into many of the Ivies.</p>
<p>FM23,</p>
<p>Not knowing your whole picture I can’t help you much with the situation. For some kids - the extra year with an improved GPA (especially if you have a 4-year steady rise in grades) can improve your college profile. However, you must realize that colleges will only see your first term at BS. But they will see your final 12th grade scores that they wouldn’t have seen (before decision) if you do take an extra year. In effect you get an extra year of GPA improvement and an additional year to add to the SAT score. </p>
<p>As admissions go, that numeric bump may be a little bit better for admissions chances, but more importantly for your admissions is what you do outside of school in that extra year. I saw that you have some engineering interests from another post. If that is your thing keep up the summer programs and look for a boarding school that may have a special program that may be of your interest. That will be more imporant to your overall profile than the absolute rank of your PG boarding school. I’m not up on what schools may fill that specialty, but perhaps someone else knows of one…</p>
<p>However, I will let you know that many PGs are athletes getting an additional year of physical maturity and yeah, academic improvement to meet NCAA or Ivy requirements. </p>
<p>I think the extra “special program” may also help with selling your parents - to address your original request.</p>
<p>Bearcats – he has a major hook
however he doesnt show that he is an athlete, so PG doesnt really make sense. However, whats an application or three when you are filling out college applications? Apply to colleges, and then apply to BS. If you get in to a college you feel is great for you, but you feel you still need to mature, then go for a gap year. Dont go for a gap year without securing a college first. Once you have your options, you will have an easier time figuring out what to do, and convincing parents</p>
<p>According to a book on the PG year which I have been pouring over, the SAT of 1800 is puts you in the ball park at ALL of the PG programs. Also, the PG year isn’t just for athletes, so it could really work for you.</p>
<p>The book that I am reading is called “The Complete Guide to the Gap Year” by Kristin M. White, and it has an SAT range for every PG program listed in the book. It also has a good overview of what a PG year is, which might help your parents to go along with it.</p>