So I I’m a rising senior and i have an 88 average. I took the SAT and got a 1580 i plan to take it again in October and bump it up a good 400 points. I’m at a disadvantage because i spent 4 years in Pakistan. So i missed a year of high school. The first year after i came back, I wasn’t that involved in my studies because of the culture shock and getting used to the environment. And before i could finally adapt to my new surroundings, it was Junior year! My guidance counselor told me that I should write about that in my college essay and that colleges would eat it up. But i don’t know does it make up for my academic weakness? ,My extra curriculars have been good. I have tutored junior year, i was also in class council and key club. I played Varsity Badminton Sophomore and Junior year. I have over 500 hours of volunteer work at the local hospital. Do you think i can get into NYU with that? Also my counselor wants me to apply early action so can i still boost up my average senior year before i send in my application? Is there anything else i can do? I’m Pakistani btw. So would that be a disadvantage for me.
Eh to be honest colleges have seen the typical “immigrant” essay before(I understand yours is a little different but it’s generally the same) so I don’t think it will make you stand out.
And how are you positive that you will have an increase of 400 points. I hope the best for you to get that up, and even if you do, that’s still on the rather low side for NYU. Try taking the ACT?
Your GPA isn’t much help, so try and have an upward trend in you’re grades continuing into senior year.
Also applying Early Action will not help you boost you’re grades? That makes now sense since you’d be applying early in November and they wouldn’t be able to see you’re first semester transcripts so you’d be relying solely on you’re 9-11 GPA. I think the counselor is misinformed.