<p>I am a rising senior. I am not your typical cc kid. My stats are very average, but I want to know if I am considering appropriate schools, where I might gain admission. I would like your suggestions as to other schools and your opinions about how likely I am to gain admission at these schools. I am from New Jersey. I took the sat once and do not plan to retake because I know this is the best that I can do v-580 m-740 w-590. I have a gpa of 3.2uw from a very competitive hs and have taken one AP and one honors class. I will be taking another AP and 2 honors classes as a senior. </p>
<p>Ecs: marching band-4 years
concert band-4 years
tennis team- fresh and shoph years
computer club-3 years- head of web design in hs</p>
<p>Ecs out of school:
Boy Scouts of America- Eagle Scout
2 years volunteer work with children with learning differences-easily 100 hours</p>
<p>I know that I want to major in business; either finance or accounting major.</p>
<p>Schools:
Babson College
Bentley College
Bryant University
James Madison University
College of New Jersey
Syracuse University
Northeastern University
Quinnipiac University
Binghampton University</p>
<p>Note: I would prefer a small to midsize school and would prefer not to be in NYC. </p>
<p>Any guidance on merit aid would be appreciated. I am thinking that maybe I could get some from Bryant, Bentley,Northeastern, and Quinnipiac.</p>
<p>Oh, I fogot to add that I show an upward trend, as my grades freshman year were by far my worst- I had alot of Cs, but have had no Cs in my soph, or junior years.</p>
<p>I would strongly encourage you to retake your SATs. D didn't want to retake them either but did and was happily surprised to go up 90 points on the verbal. How about your SATIIs?</p>
<p>Looking at the schools that I know on your list, I would hazard a guess that Babson, Syracuse, and possibly Northeastern could be reaches (Northeastern could be a high match). Bentley would be a match, and Bryant and Quinnipiac would be safeties.</p>
<p>Another vote for an SAT retake, or maybe ACT - are you an ESL student, that's a wide disparity in M & V scores for a native speaker? </p>
<p>Look at it this way - you are asking about merit aid, 100 additional SAT points might translate into a couple of thousand dollars more per year in merit aid - it makes financial sense to improve if you can.
Check the Xiggi Method, it works. Some people will improve simply by being a little older, and just taking the test twice.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your advice. Cangel, no I am not an esl student.<br>
What do think my chances are for admission to my state school choices with sats as is? The schools, once again, are James Madison, College of New Jersey, and Binghampton University. I am instate for the College of New Jersey. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any college suggestions for a biz major (outside of NYC) with my stats as they are now? I might retake the Sat, but just assume that these are my numbers. I want to be realistic in my choices, but would like safeties, matches and reaches.</p>
<p>Anybody else have other college suggestions for a kid like me (private or public, just not too big, and prefer to be within 8 hours of home)?</p>
<p>Cool,
There are some good websites that can give you the numbers you are looking for. At this one: <a href="http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/admissions.asp%5B/url%5D">http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/admissions.asp</a> , I found that the SAT's for SUNY Binghamton are: SAT I Verbal 650 for 75% of the admitted class and SAT I Math 690 for 75% of the admitted class. You can check out all the colleges you are interested in with this link. From what I understand of the SUNY schools, Binghamton is one of the harder ones to get into. With your scores you might have a better chance at schools that look at more then just grades. Check out the oldie but goodie book, "Colleges that change lives". </p>
<p>The PA second tier state system schools may serve you well: West Chester, Kutztown, Millersville,etc. and would be easier to get into then some of your current choices. Remember you want your scores to be in the 75% of the admitted class for it to be considered a match.</p>
<p>Kathiep, Thank you for the advice. Why do you need to have both scores be at least at the 75% for both v and m? Does that make it a safety, providing that the admit rate is greater than 50%? By the way, obviously, I am better at math.</p>
<p>I do understand that in the midrange and below will be legacies, athletes, and URMs.</p>
<p>75% for math Northeastern-660, Babson-680, Bentley-660, Bryant-610, Quinnipiac-600, James Madison-630, Coll. of NJ-690, Bing-690, Syracuse-670. In math I scored a 740. I am above the 75% for all of the schools on my list in math by minimum of 50 points (TCNJ and Bing-690, but I am instate at TCNJ). I fall within the 25%-75% for verbal at every school on my list, except at Bryant, where I am above the 75%, and almost at the 75th at Quinnipiac(590 is the 75% there). Can someone help me decipher reach, match, safeties within this list? Am I correct in assuming that Quinnipiac and Bryant are safeties? If so, are any of these others matches or are they reaches, and if reaches are they reasonable reaches? </p>
<p>Again my gpa is a 3.2uw from a competitive hs and I have decent ECs with a couple of years of volunteer work, Eagle Scout, 4 years of marching band, 4 years of concert band, and clubs.</p>
<p>Coolkid, I would like to apologize, most kids who post here with such a "lopsided" score are ESL. Their chances of improving their verbal scores are often lower because of contextual difficulties. Your chances of improving your verbal/writing scores are greater, I would think, with some practice. While it will not help with admissions, some schools will use even early senior spring test results for merit purposes. The daughter of a friend who is going to an art school that typically has relatively low SATs, was urged to retake as late as May senior year, in order to increase the merit aid she would get.</p>
<p>I think what Kathiep means is that for highly selective schools (accepting less than 50%) the rule of thumb on this board is be in the upper 25% of admitted students. I agree with what you are implying, with an accept rate of greater than 50%, being in the upper 25% makes a school a safety. The problem with the "lopsidedness" of your scores is predictive value - it is harder to guess what they will make of a kid who is obviously accomplished in math, more average in language arts, and struggled a bit with grades in early high school.
I agree with all the above suggestions - Colleges that Change Lives, looking at schools that look beyond grades, and casting a wide net. I would also suggest discussing your situation with your GC early in the fall - particularly in regards to your school's track record with the SUNYs, and how they will view your app.</p>
<p>Thanks Cangel. I have spoken with my GC, but I am looking for some other opinions. The trouble with CTCLs, is that most of the schools are more liberal arts schools, and they do not have an undergraduate business school (at least the schools within 8 hours of my home). </p>
<p>I can tell you what my gc thinks, but I would rather get opinions of others first.</p>
<p>No, I am not the typical cc kid, and I am definitely weaker in language arts. I think I could get a 610 in verbal on a good day, but it is not going much higher. It could even go lower. I have had some tutoring for verbal only. My math score also could go lower, since a 740 is very good (by my standards, maybe just average here :)). I am not sure retaking it will be worth it, but I am thinking about it. I just wonder where I stand with the schools on this list. Any opinions from anyone?</p>
<p>Cangel, by the way, there there is no need to apologize. I know a lot of kids who are not ESL scoring in the 550-600 range. I am just much better at math than language arts and I know it.</p>
<p>It is a longer drive but how about Elon, Eckerd or Furman...you can always be a Yankee when you're old and grumpy! Come join us...it's better down here.</p>
<p>Oldman, I was considering those schools. Eckerd is known more international biz I think, and I read that upon graduation one may have trouble getting a job in business. I think their true specialty is marine science.</p>
<p>Furman sent some literature to my house. I forgot why discounted it. I know it is small and has a nice campus. I think maybe it was the foreign language requirement that scared me off. Also, I do not think I will feel comfortable that far south with less "yankees" around :). Are they big on frats? That may be why I did not look closer.</p>
<p>Elon- I sent away for the brochure. I did not like how heavy they are into frats. I don't think that I want to be involved with that, which is why in part, I also ruled out University of Tampa. The Elon viewbook looks nice, I sent for it, and yes was considering this school a bit more. </p>
<p>If anyone knows more about Elon, Furman, or Eckerd and thinks they'd be a good fit please chime in. Thanks for the suggestions.</p>
<p>cool - I'm thinking Babson is the reach in your list. The hard thing about whether to call the others match/matchreach/safety is what their individual "take" is on lopsidedness. With such strong math, I think some schools will be "forgiving" as you are WA-AAY above "average" there, but closer to average in verbal.</p>
<p>Question: can you do a great job on your essay, do you think? One doesn't necessarily have to be a good verbal SAT scorer to write a good essay. Do you have some good ideas already? Do you have someone who will be a good essay reviewer to help you "ace" the essay? (You can come here to cc, some parents will always be willing if you don't have someone IRL).</p>
<p>Do you think you have strong relationship with a teacher or two, to get strong recommendations? Will you be able to visit some or all of these schools? Do you think you would do a strong interview - that could also help.</p>
<p>Although I don't know his exact stats, S' good friend from hs got very n ice merit aid from Bentley and he was similar to you. Very lopsided toward math/science. Never in the top 10% at school. Probably v similar GPA to you. So - it could happen.</p>
<p>For a lopsided kid, perhaps WPI (Worcester Polytechnic). They have Management as a major, focused on mgt of technology companies. Don't know if that would fit your interest in Business major. Their website states 680M/620V as the average. I didn't see a GPA average.</p>
<p>I think (from reading about it here on cc) that your Eagle Scout is a strong card for many of your schools. Maybe it will "trump" your more average SATv.</p>
<p>Good luck! and keep us up to date on your progress.</p>
<p>Here's how I see your application: you have a terrific math score, but your writing and reading scores AND your GPA are on the low side for Babson, Syracuse, Binghamton and James Madison (out of state), and Northeastern. I do not think you will get merit money from any of these schools. Furman would be a definite reach school, but Elon and Eckerd would be probable matches, but of the two Elon has a much stronger business program. </p>
<p>A few other schools you might consider that might fit what you're looking for and would be either matches or safeties: Susquehanna U and Juniata, both in Pennsylvania, McDaniel College in Maryland, Ithaca College in NY, Manhattanville in NY, Ursinis in Pennsylvania, and Randolph Macon in Virginia. If you'd be open to a Catholic school, look at Villanova, Providence College, Marist, and Sacred Heart University.</p>
<p>jmmom, Thank you for your reply. Yes, I have already completed my essays for the common app and I gave them to my sat tutor for editing, and for his opinion. I have visited many of the campuses on this list, though not all of them. </p>
<p>Thank you for giving me a feel for where I stand. </p>
<p>Do you have any other schools that you might suggest?</p>
<p>Although I am fine speaking with adults, and people in authority, I thought it would be best not to interview because I think that a lot of kids would make a better first impression. I am sort of quiet, but not at all shy.</p>
<p>I hope my eagle accomplishment will serve me well here. I do not know if it will hurt me on less conservative campuses, but I am most definitely including it in my application to all schools.</p>
<p>Carolyn ,thank you. I will look into Hartwick. I think it is strong in music, but I did not know that it has business. I do not want to go to Widener because apparently it is not in a safe neighborhood. I will also check out Ithaca. By the way, I could be wrong, but I do not think Randolph Macon offers business for undergraduates. I do not think McDaniel does either, I know it is a CTCL school. Juniata, another CTCL, I think offers business, but it has some technology slant to it,and is a science type of school ( a lot of premeds). Do I have a shot at TCNJ (I am instate)? How tough is James Madison for out of state?
I just checked out the Sat verbal range for Ithaca, and actually it is a little bit higher at Ithaca than it is for Babson, and nearly the same as that of NE. Ithaca has a higher acceptance rate than Babson and NE though, and business I read is their weakest department (just people's opinions, not necessarily factual), but they just got some kind of business accreditation. That is kind of interesting.</p>