<p>Hi I am applying this year and I would like to know whether good school grades and a huge amount of community service can compensate for a horrid sat score . i got 1710 in sat and 720 in world hist and 640 in bio e . i want to apply to notre dame , emory and nyu. what are my chances ? I wish to study business and the electives i have taken in school are all to do with business and i have been an a+ student in those subjects .</p>
<p>Look at the Common Data Set for each school. For Notre Dame <a href=“https://www3.nd.edu/~instres/CDS/CDS_2010-2011.pdf[/url]”>https://www3.nd.edu/~instres/CDS/CDS_2010-2011.pdf</a> SATs are weighted about the same as grades, etc (section C7). Your scores are far below the 25%ile for the last class (Section C9). I have a feeling the other schools will be similar. That makes them huge reaches.</p>
<p>A huge amount of community service will not compensate for low test scores. What you might want to do is look at the SAT optional schools.</p>
<p>What does your entire list consist of? Very concerned that you are not being advised well…</p>
<p>Safeties?</p>
<p>Hi thnx for your reply . i have made a rough list of notre dame , emory , nyu , babson , brandeis ,claremont mckenna , lehigh , tulane , boston univ etc. and i have a learning disability so i really dont know what to do !</p>
<p>Perhaps you should look at less selective schools? What can your family afford?</p>
<p>“i have a learning disability so i really dont know what to do !”</p>
<p>Is this a disability that affects your scores on standardized tests? Then perhaps your counselor can discuss that in his or her letter of recommendation.</p>
<p>What is your GPA? If you have excellent grades overall, and you have followed a rigorous schedule in high school your ACT or SAT score will not matter as much.</p>
<p>But realistically, there are limits; grades and service can only do so much. This SAT is just too far off for these schools. </p>
<p>If OP is a junior, then the obvious thing is to study and retake. But if OP is a senior, it’s time to get serious. There’s nothing wrong with a few long shots, but the focus should be on finding some matches and safeties that the OP would like to attend .</p>
<p>Your best course is to apply to several schools where your stats are at least median and throw in a couple of the reach schools you list. Finances need to lead the way. If you can’t pay in full for NYU, I wouldn’t bother applying. In the unlikely event you got in, it wouldn’t be with aid. ND and Emory are much better with aid, so if you need it, make them the reach schools.</p>
<p>thank you for all your replies !
@happymomof1 - my school does not use the gpa system , we use the decile system . i am in the top 30 % and my lowest grade this year was a b in math the rest were either a or a + . i have taken a pretty rigorous course and it is amoungst the most rigorous . and yes my counselor is writing about how it has affected my sat etc !</p>
<p>Retake the SAT; otherwise NYU and Emory are just not going to happen. I think your list is a little reach-heavy, so I’d look at some safeties too.</p>