<p>hey I moved to CA from India in 2000 and I entered freshman year in 2003. My first language was english and whatever and i didn't have too much trouble adjusting to america until freshman year...because thats when the education really started...i mean, middle school was a breeze! i didn't learn much and it wasn't challenging.</p>
<p>does anyone think I can redeem myself by writting a letter of exlplanation and proving that I am a worthy student but I did have problems in 9th grade?</p>
<p>like do I still have a chance at NYU [CAS] or UCD and maybe USC [for fun, i know it's hard and I won't get in]</p>
<p>I haven't listed EC's and SAT's i just wanted to know if I still am competive...like will freshman year bring me down a lot? because w/out it I am in DECENT shape, not good, but decent.
Thanks,</p>
<p>Here are the admissions stats straight from the NYU website. No doubt you can make your own assessment...</p>
<p>Admissions Statistics
Number of Applications: 33,721
Percent Offered Admission: 29.7%
Number of Early Decision Applications: 3,275
Early Decision % of Class: 29.3%
Number of New Freshmen: 4,250 </p>
<p>Academic Statistics (Four-year Programs)
Average High School GPA: 3.63
SAT Score Range (middle 50%): 1310 1440
Ranked in Top 10% of High School Class: 71.9%</p>
NYU doesn't look at weighted, so that doesn't matter.</p>
<p>You did make a huge jump from 2.4 to 3.6 though, so that could work in your favor. If you have any reasons why your grades were how they were, you should say that.</p>
<p>I wanted to find out if I am still competent</p>
<p>and if a letter to them explaining the situation is valid: meaining i tell them freshman year was hard for me because I wasn't used to the american system...i know most international students excel...some some don't do well...I had 3 years of middle school [6 7 and 8th grade] but still, high school is different. So me explaining to them in a letter about 9th grade and about my coming to America and love for NYU is valid? do you think it'll work? I know its all my own damn fault for screwing it up and being an idiot...but I just want to redeem myself.</p>
<p>I meet the middle 50% for NYU not including freshman year...so I'm not sure</p>
<p>also, from what I understand from numerious counselers and my career center, those stats for NYU are weighted...but hell I live in CA...so they might not know.</p>
<p>Write an explanation letter. It will show you are genuinly interested. Also, a lot of schools--even places like Stanford, dont look at freshman year grades since some schools start high school in tenth grade so a lot of colleges just look at sophomore year on. I'm sorry but I honestly can't say if you have a chance or not without knowing SAT or EC's because that's really what matters. Grades are important but think about haow many people there are in high school around the country with the same grades and even the same SAT scores...it's the EC's that set apart. Coming from India makes you unique and I think that will really help you even though English is your first language. Write your essay on it! Actually, don't write your essay on coming from india, just pick an experience you had (something that you did culturally that is unique to india) and write about it. It will show your diversity and will be different than the thousands of other essays sent in (and if the essay is about something you did in india, you don't need to tell them that that's where you're from because it will be self explanatory through your essay and you'll have done it in a unique and interesting way!) Since I don't know your EC's I can't give you other suggestions but coming from India is a definite boost for your application. Your 'world and cultural' knowledge is your strength so play it up and use it make your application stand out! As for chances (though I really really need to know SAT and EC's to make a good guess...) I'd say for now (provided your scores/ EC's are decent)
UCD-Match
USC- Reach (although they like international students/ students who have lived other places so be sure to talk about it--oh, and do an interview for USC even though its only optional. It REALLY helps! I did one and I got in even though my test scores were lower than the average. I just talked about what I love doing and brought in newspaper clippings, photos of me with friends, photos doing interesting things like SCUBA diving, and I just talked and the admissions officer seemed to like the better than all the people who go in looking nervous and just sit there waiting for them to ask questions. She told my college counselor at my HS that the interview is what most impressed her about my application and it does make a difference so BE SURE to do one and talkk about india! Take photos and make a scrapbook or something to take with you. If you have something to talk about you'll be less nervous too.)
NYU- Slight Reach (Write a good essay-again, about India. My friend got into NYU and they called her and told her it was because of her essay. Seriously, its very important--especially at NYU.)</p>
<p>Good Luck!!! Keep your grades high in your senior year and you should be fine! :-)</p>
<p>well..if you say english is your first language..then you have no excuse..you would match with the standards of ansian and indian kids in the US..I dont think that you should write a letter saying why you did so bad.</p>
<p>BTW. I am indian..I know the indian schools are harder then american so coming here should not effect you.</p>
<p>noone can tell whether you are "competent" or not. people can only guess whether you have a chance of getting into NYU. without providing further information, noone can do that. GPAs vary from school to school. if you want a pat on the back for raising your gpa from a 2.4 to a 3.9, then yes, you are "competent"...for your hs anyway. in comparison to the rest of the population that is applying to NYU, who knows? the fact that your grades trend up help, but if your sat's are poor, you're not getting in. without providing a full profile what's the point of this thread? what does "am i still competent?" really mean?</p>
<p>well, the fact of the matter is you are a dothead(indian). it is tough for you to get into a great school unless you are god-like. i advise you to 0wn on the sat and have some pimpin extracurriculars. your gpa alone is not up to par, especially for a ghandi</p>
<p>"excel" how would you know, btw. They put absolutley no stress on the art of English language...I had to come here and begin from the basics...</p>
<p>Simple material and rules such as personification and similie's were NOT introduced...so you're wrong over there.</p>
<p>Didn't I admit I messed up? all i wanted to know was if I can be forgiven for my abymal 9th grade and I don't give a damn how that is achieved, whether I write an essay or bribe them.</p>
<p>I am from India, but hell, as jjjj puts it, I'm no "gandhi"</p>
<p>I didn't really want to know if I can get into a certain college, because I can make that judgement myself, thank you very much. I just needed some guidance from somebody who isn't biased...but I realized you can't come to a forum for that!</p>
<p>I know the indian standards are hard..I have family there you know..and if you an idian in the US you know that they have higher standards and because you speak english it doesnt mean you can blame your GPA on a language issue. that is not possible. It seems to me you are just trying to find an excuse and that is what the admissions people will probably think...and the things about similie's and presonification, heck some high school kids dont even know that (regular kids). What I am trying to say is that you need to show the admissions people you are good by your actions not send pity letters. THIS IS AMERICA!!!!</p>
<p>I know what you're talking about....what I need more than anything is hope...but what would you suggest then? there HAS to be someway to convince the admissions officer that I am worthy of their school.....if I can achieve that from writing an essay, hell, why not?</p>
<p>look into some summer programs at NYU or USC you get a feel of the school and at the same time you can "meet" the admissions poeple.(if you know what I mean)</p>
<p>btw. Grades arent everything: be smart but at the same time be a playa</p>
<p>what is this "can i be forgiven?" stuff? sure, some schools may not count your ninth grade scores, but not many. the 2.4 is what you're stuck with. apply only to the schools that will ignore your entire ninth grade, that should help save you some money on the app fees</p>
<p>"actually ED lowers chances for NYU, funny huh?"</p>
<p>wrong...ED is definitely easier to get in than RD. </p>
<p>Plus, USC and NYU are equally competitve. Its something like 27 and 29 percent acceptance rate. (Though, according to projection calculation, NYU will be more competitive as they are getting record number of applicants). So y not consider USC too?</p>