Northeastern, Tufts, UPenn, Georgetown Chances (Rising Senior, will chance back!)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I posted a chance thread last month however my list of schools has narrowed quite greatly so I want to post another. The schools I will be applying to:
Northeastern EA
Georgetown EA
Tufts
UPenn
Brandeis
American
Ithaca
SUNY Stony Brook

I feel like I am a well rounded applicant, however my testing is slightly low and I was wondering how this would affect my chances. Here are my stats:

I go to a competitive public high school in the northeast. Usually sends 10ish kids to Ivies and a dozen more to top 20 schools.

GPA: UW 97.8/100, W 99.9
Rank: 8/539
Courseload: Most rigorous (1exception- took ap physics 1 instead of combined ap physics 1&2, if this matters). All honors fresh and sophomore and AP world as a sophomore (1st one allowed to take- got a 4)
This year took Physics 1, English Language and Composition, US History. I got a 4 on all three. Also took pre Calc honors, spanish 4 honors, Latin 4 university and chamber orchestra.
Senior Year courseload: AP Lit, AP macroeconomics, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, Latin 5 honors and chamber orchestra. I’ll have 1 more class but I don’t know what it will be yet because I had scheduling conflicts.
Self-studying AP Psychology.
SAT: 2050 superscored. Considering enrolling in prep scholar to bring up 200 points. Taking subject tests in the fall, however UPenn and Georgetown will see some pretty weak ones (630 Chem, 590 bio and 550 world history) :frowning:

Awards: (nothing big but some good ones maybe)
-Published in local newspaper for article about accountability, honored by county board for article and given scholarship
-Selected for Area all-state Orchestra festivals 2013&2014, principal violist 2014
-Selected for All-County Orchestra 2010-2015, principal all years
-Harvard and Brandeis Book Awards
-English&music class awards 2013, social studies award 2014, music award 2015
-respect award 2013-2015

Extracurriculars:
-Yearbook Editor-in-Chief (12,11 staff member 9-10)
-Violist in highly regarded Youth Orchestra in my state- (performed in Carnegie, performing abroad next year, huge televised cancer fundraiser, other community performances) (10-12)
-Weekly volunteer at Physical therapy office, help around the clinic and shadow the therapists as well(have 350 hours, will continue until graduation) (10-12)
-Girl Scout since kindergarten- completed silver award and going for Gold- big big project, don’t want to go into it too much here
-Highly involved in Church- on music ministry (10-12), selected as youth representative on Parish Council (1 of 2 selected) (11-12), confirmation retreat organizer (12), possibly co-religious Ed instructor (12)
-Fiddle Club- president 12, vp 11, treasurer 10, member 9- toured abroad this year in Ireland, lots of community gigs and performances every year
-Recycling Club- vice president (hopefully) 12, vp 11, secretary 10, member 9

  • Rec Soccer- spring & fall, k-12

Summers:
2014- Attended NSLC health care and medicine conference; church camp counselor, also self-employed street musician to fundraise for trips abroad
2015- taking for credit online Harvard course in Neurobiology, church camp counselor, street musician again

Other:
Essays: already started, should be great
Recs: guidance counselor will be outstanding, latin teacher who had me all 4 years even more outstanding, other teacher probably an 8/10. Also submitting additional Rec from a physical therapist I shadow, should be pretty great too.

I will submit a music supplement.I play Viola which is somewhat unique and sometimes needed. It should be excellent, maybe a hook? Probably not haha.

I’m applying to Northeastern’s PT program, Tufts as a community health major, basis of biological behavior at UPenn, human science at Georgetown, Health Promotion at American, HSSP at Brandeis, Ithaca’s pt program and Health Sciences at Stony. I will be a music minor as well.
No hooks (unless Viola counts…)

Also another note, my parents have gone through a really messy divorce over the last 5 years which involved me getting a legal advisor and going to court. I might mention this in the family section on common app BRIEFLY, also im sure my guidance counselor will touch on it a little in her letter of rec.

Sorry if there are any mistakes because I’m on mobile. If you made it through this lengthy post I appreciate it so much. I will chance you back! Just leave me a link.
Thanks!!

2

Hi, I think that your GPA and course load are great. Your EC’s are also really interesting and extremely cool! Probably the only thing lacking might be your SAT, and if you can bring it up, you’re a super strong candidate for all your schools. I think right now that you’ll get into American University, Stony Brook, and Ithaca. UPenn, Tufts, and Georgetown might be more difficult, but not completely out of reach, especially if you bring your SAT up. I also think you can get into Northeastern, even RD. Good luck!

3

Thank you! @bluepants

4

Interesting EC’s. Good diversity. GPA and course rigor are also good, but the SAT score obviously isn’t excellent. As far as admissions go, you’re definitely into American, Stony Brook, Ithaca, and Northeastern. Tufts and Georgetown are low reaches I think, with Penn being the only medium-high reach. Chance back? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1791054-chances-for-uva-unc-wake-forest-vandy-george-washington-u-etc.html#latest

5

Thanks! @tigerrocks13 definitely!

6

The test scores will hurt you, I wouldn’t even send the subjects if they’re not required.

7

They are required at Georgetown and Penn, obviously I won’t send them anywhere else. I’m taking 3 in October and actually going to study this time. Do you think my test scores are low enough to be the reason for rejection? @ivydreams411

8

I think UPenn is a definite reach (As would for many people)
Tufts is a reach since they care more about SAT than a typical school
Georgetown’ll be tough since they also care about the SAT more than a typical college
You’ll probably get in everywhere else though without a doubt.

9

EDIT: Please guess Accept, Waitlist, Defer or Reject please (be honest) :slight_smile:

10

Okay, thanks. @AnonymousChild

11

Your EC’s and courseload are really great! They’re diverse and that helps colleges see that you like to try new things, which may play in your favor as a candidate who isn’t afraid of taking risks.

I think the testing needs to go up for Georgetown and Tufts. I know I have a 50-50 chance at Georgetown if I bring my score up, but right now with the one I have it’s pretty low. Tufts seems to be on the same level, score wise, as Georgetown. UPenn looks for a really close to 4.0 GPA and close to 2400 SAT (my friends who go there have told me they also like to see a bit of personality).

The 2050 isn’t terrible for the other schools, from what I can see, but you would definitely need to bring it up for the three I mentioned.

I’d say with the testing right now, Georgetown, UPenn, and Tufts would defer or reject. They like ECs and challenging courses but I know they also value the SAT very, very heavily. But try taking it again this October to bring it up! You’d be a much better candidate with a higher score.

I think you’d get accepted to all the others :slight_smile: Good luck!

12

One thing I can appreciate about any applicant is a well balanced list. I think your list is very good, with a good range of reaches, fits, and safeties, and I commend you for that. Your course load is very competitive, and your grades are quite good (I understand what it means to go to a competitive high school in the Northeast because I attend one myself). You are correct about your testing scores, especially your SAT Subject test scores, which are quite low. (I would say that you should really work on the testing over the summer.) Your extracurriculars seem to be good enough.
As for your individual schools: Northeastern EA - I think you have a very good shot with improved sat scores/sat subject test scores (and if not, I still think you have a decent shot), Georgetown EA - Reach, Tufts - Little bit easier than Georgetown; low reach, UPenn - high reach (you would have to significantly bring up your test scores), Brandeis - Little bit harder than Northeastern (match), American - (you’ll get in), and I’m sorry but I know nothing about Ithaca and SUNY Stony Brook. Good luck.

13

Northeastern: High Reach (PT program is extremely selective at Northeastern)

Georgetown: High Reach

Tufts: High Reach

Brandeis: High Match

American: Match/Low Match (Demonstrate interest b/c American tends to waitlist qualified applicants with 2000+ SAT and 4.0 GPAs)

Ithaca: Low Match/ Safety if financilly feasible

SUNY Stony Brook: Safety

Raise your SAT to a 2250 and get much higher subject test scores. You will have a fair shot then.

14

Thank you for the responses! @polarbear143 @jarett211 @isl4ndsurf3r

@isl4ndsurf3r what would I have to do to make northeastern better than a high reach? I really want to get into their PT program, I have shown interest there, gotten 400 volunteer hours from a physical therapy office, wrote my common app about PT and gotten a letter of rec from a Pt who knows me well. Is it just a high reach because of my test scores? I thought a 2050 was in range and sorry if I’m ranting im just really nervous now because I would love to go there.

15

2050 is definiely in range for most of Northeastern’s programs and majors. However, PT and Pharmacy are very subjective in terms of what they want. A majority of the students with very, very qualified scores and extracurriculars apply to these programs. One of my friends was rejected from the PT program with a 4.0 UW GPA and a 2170 SAT, along with great extracurriculars. I think the only thing dragging you down is your SAT, because Northeastern is trying to become more and more prestigious. As a result, Northeastern is beginning to weigh SAT scores tremendously in their decisions. You have a shot and should still apply! :slight_smile:

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:frowning: okay thank you! @isl4ndsurf3r

17

You have a nice balanced list of schools and great extra-curriculars! Your course load is really rigorous and your grades seem excellent. Really it’s only the testing bringing you down and you shouldn’t let it. You’re clearly very intelligent and when it comes to standardized tests you just need to practice. That being said, with your current SAT score, everything seems okay except Tufts, uPenn and Georgetown. I can’t say that I’m an expert at this, I’m just a lowly high school senior, but I did bring my SAT score up from a 2060 to a 2300 without any classes, just daily, consistent practice. Good luck with the college process and I’m sure that you’ll find an amazing school no matter what!

18

Northeastern EA: reach
Georgetown EA: low/reach
Tufts: low/reach
UPenn: reach
Brandeis: match
American: match
Ithaca: match
SUNY Stony Brook: safety/match

I’d say that of all the colleges on your list, UPenn would be the highest reach. Don’t be discouraged though, because it’s a reach for a lot of people. Your SAT is really low. I’d suggest getting it up to at least a 2100. Your GPA, ECs, and course load look really neat. Is there a chance that you can retake the SAT subject tests? They need to be higher if you want to look really competitive. Overall, your chances for some of these schools will significantly increase with a higher SAT score. Good luck!

19

Thank you! @hanxin @LionKing2398 I am going to work by butt off to bring up my testing scores in October and November, fingers crossed!

20

I agree with what others said based on what they chances but honestly if you bring all those test scores up it will make a world of difference. Also, I see a lot of awards and time committed to music but you want to go into health? I don’t see enough focus in medicine in your ECs other than the shadowing in the PT office. But your rank in school is very impressive. Chance me back and good luck! http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/18686697#Comment_18686697