I have a lot of B’s, mostly B+'s but I have gotten 3 B-'s. I really want to go to Wellsley or NYU. Do I still have a chance? (This is my second thread)
GPA:~4.0 weighted (I know, I told you I was a slacker, but my public HS is one of the best in CA so I hope that weighs in?)
APUS: 5
AP Bio: 4 (I thought this was okay until I looked at the AP forums!)
I will take AP Calc AB, AP Lit, and AP Spanish Senior year.
SAT I: (only taken once in March, retake in Oct): w: 740 cr: 800 m: 670
SAT II:
Lit: 760
US Hist: 730 (May) 770 (June)
Math IC: 580 (ouch, long story) should I take the IIC so as not to leave this blemish on my record? my math is shaky at best.
Writing: 790
Extracurrics: (I’m getting this from my resume thing so sorry if it sounds really detailed and stupid)
School newspaper (Section Editor)
National magazine:Served as political correspondent by attending New Hampshire primaries and writing articles on politics)
Soundings School Literary Magazine
ASB (Head Commissioner of Newsletter)
Mosaic Newspaper
Cupertino Historical Society
Stanford Sociology/Psychology intern
Childrens Discovery Museum
Sedgwick Autistic Program (Received Outstanding Service Award)
Yang-Ching Chinese Percussion
Studio 10 Dance
Fong Art Studio
Grail Family services (Illustrated childrens novel to promote literacy)
Villa Montalvo (Received Exceptional Service Award )
Key Club
Chinese School
Honors/Awards:
1st prize, Third New Century International Youth Fine Art Contest Committee
Your Magazinewon essay contest; invited to write for the magazine and website, covering the primary elections in New Hampshire
Ladies Home Journal; Wrote article that was published on primary election visit
1st place winner, World Journal International Art Contest (11); Published in newspaper
Poetic Power-in Celebrations of Young Poets book
TeenInk Poetry Journal
Mosaic Journalism workshop-Most Accurate Reporting, accepted into the workshop (only 20 from Bay Area). Work appeared in Nuevo Mundo and San Jose Mercury News
<p>Lol, you sound sorta like me. SLACKER to teh extreme, billions of B's. D: Like you, I always thought that maintaining "good" grades (like you, many B+'s. ALWAYS 89.4 or something...) and doing a few extracurriculars would be enough to get into college, but you come here and POOF. Panic city.</p>
<p>Anyways... you look fine for all three schools. Math could use some work (I suggest IIC - I'm awful at math too, but relook some precal/cal textbooks, do lots of the problems: Should help oodles! And plus, if you get like 10 wrong, you still might end up with an 800. In comparison to the IC, if you get 10 wrong, that's like BOOM. 700. It's harder, but the calculator makes me feel safe, lol.)</p>
<p>Anyways, your ECs/awards are excellent. They show dedication, which colleges love. You don't have random ECs, which is always a good thing =P Don't know if you should include the chinese school (I went 10 years myself, lol) but it couldn't hurt. </p>
<p>Your grades are decent. Although I won't rely on your GPA too much considering that California's grading system is very different from that of the rest of the country. Your EC's and awards are good. I think your chances are okay. </p>
<p>But I believe your chances for NYU are probably much higher.</p>
<p>How is California's grading system different from the rest of the country? The public schools use a 4.0 GPA scale like other schools in other states as far as I'm concerned.</p>
<p>Your grades are not the best but your test scores are solid. You seem to excel at writing. What do you plan on writing your personal statement about? Wellesley likes well-rounded individuals. Any other outstanding talents? Your ECs, reiterating what another poster said, are very focused and meaningful.</p>
<p>Good luck! Might I suggest applying early evaluation. It's non-binding.</p>
<p>yes, I will. I'm planning my essays around my trip to New Hampshire to cover the primaries for a nat. magazine b/c it was my first taste of real journalism. i have no idea what to do for others. </p>
<p>i'm really not sure about cali grading system at this point. it's just +1 grade point for certain honors and APs. My 4.0 is weighted, or otherwise I'd have around a 3.7. is this not regular?</p>
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i'm really not sure about cali grading system at this point. it's just +1 grade point for certain honors and APs. My 4.0 is weighted, or otherwise I'd have around a 3.7. is this not regular?
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<p>This was also the grading policy at my school too (in CA). A 3.7 is a solid GPA.</p>
<p>It differs greatly from state to state and county to county. My county only gives .5 to APs none to honors or GT. But yeah I definitely agree with wallflower, EV is the way to go! :] Because honestly, who knows what'd happen in 6 months.</p>
<p>Personally, I don't see how anyone can say that you are fine for all three school; you are in the murky middle, where you could get in, but may very well not get in.</p>
<p>If you want Wellesley that badly, you should apply ED. For NYU, they make the strangest decisions of any private school I know of. This year, a kid who got in Dart got denied there and another who got in Columbia, got denied there; they have become a hot school and they are no lock whatsoever.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to be discouraging, but I don't want you to really be downtrodden if you feel you are in great shape with all three schools and then you get a thin envelope. The transcript is still the most influential factor in admissions and the low B's will be a subject of discussion, but your scores, coupled with, the reputation of your public school, could tip the scales in your favor.</p>
<p>It's impossible for any of us to know because, we can't tell how well you write or what your references will be like, and even more importantly, what the personal preferences and prejudices of which admissions committee members end up being assigned to your application are.</p>
<p>There are too many definitive declarations about, how will get in and who will not when admissions is a science, but it's also, clearly an art and that means, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.</p>
<p>i appreciate your honesty, admissionsrep. i do think i'm in the "murky middle" with my GPA and no worries about me expecting fat envelopes. i think my recs and essay will be good but again, can anyone tell me the differences between ED I and II, EV, and EA? I am beyond confused. thanks!</p>
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can anyone tell me the differences between ED I and II, EV, and EA? I am beyond confused. thanks!
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<p>I'll try. Some schools have two Early Decision plans, with two different deadlines. For example, one will be in December and the other in Janurary. Both are binding decisions. Early Evaluation is something unique to Wellesley (do any other schools have this?). Basically, the deadlin is earlier than regular decision. In Feb., you will get a letter indicating your chances of getting into Wellesley, which are either "likely," "possible," or "unlikely." If you get a "likely" then you're pretty much in. Early Action is basically Early Decision without being binding. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>May I ask why you're not applying to Berkley or any public UC schools? I mean I know a lot of people who would rather go to Berkley than NYU or Wellesley? - The only thing is, I suggest EV rather than ED. If you get in, you have to stick it through. And the thing is - as I said, a waiting period of waiting is a long time, you never know. People change. And EV is almost exactly like ED, if you can get in ED you can get in EV - it's just ED but not binding.</p>
<p>i want to go to a smaller lib arts school, not berk or the UCs. also east coast is a nice change of pace. i've spent all my life in around the same area. i'll either do EA or ED. thanks aal0ha.</p>
<p>Have you considered Bryn Mawr, Toffee? I don't think it's quite as competitive as Wellesley, and they have a lot of the same "strengths of a women's" college in common.</p>
<p>My friend is going to Bryn Mawr. She gets to take classes at Haverford and UPenn. Bryn Mawr is also only 15 minute away from the city, so you get both the city life and the campus life. </p>
<p>If you go to Smith, I heard you can take classes at Yale - or something similar to that. I know that they have parties for Smith and Yale. I think if you're into the "all women's" scene definitely look into Smith and Bryn Mawr. Smith is rated higher than Bryn Mawr on the USNews rankings for liberal arts colleges too.</p>