Painfully Average

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Ok so I'll be a senior next year. I have a list of schools that I'm working on visiting and such, but my problem is that I'm worried about not having enough safeties. </p>

<p>Stats:
White female at a private catholic PA school.
GPA: 2.75
SAT: 1270 (610 Writing), Thats the highest of my 3 sittings.
Rank: 50ish/105</p>

<p>EC's:
4 Years Varsity Field Hockey<br>
2 Years JV Basketball, 1 Year Varsity
4 Years Varsity Soccer
Student Government- Soph Class Secretary, Junior President, Senior Rep.
Student Ambassador, Peer Listener, SADD Member
1 Year in School Play
2 Buisness Camps, 2 Leadership Camps (Nominated by faculty)
3 Years as a Lifeguard </p>

<p>Classes:
Jr: Honors Physics, Spanish 3, Honors Citizens & Systems, English 11, Trigonometry, Church History/Social Justice.
Sr: Biology 2 (Dual Credit), Spanish 4 (DC), Speech & Composition (DC), English 12, Honors Precalculus, Apologetics.</p>

<p>If all goes well, great essays, good recs, good interviews.</p>

<p>Probably applying as undeclared..</p>

<p>Schools I'm looking at:
Reach? Syracuse (ED), possibly Northeastern
High match? Fairfield, University of New Hampshire, George Mason
Others: Seton Hall, St. Josephs, Old Dominion, Hofstra, La Salle, Cathoic U, UHartford. </p>

<p>Where do you think I'm likely to get in at? Also can anyone recomend any other schools that I'd be a likely at? I'm looking at schools all along the east coast/ new englands. Thanks in advance, I'll really appreciate any feedback, even if its negative. I know my GPA is terrible.</p>

2

<p>1270 SAT for all three sections?
610 in Writing and a 660 in combined Math and Critical Reading.</p>

<p>Or is it 1270+610: 1880?</p>

<p>A 2.75 GPA will end your chances at Syracuse and many of the other schools. Don't even bother applying there.</p>

3

<p>It's 1880..</p>

<p>The only reason I thought I'd have a chance at Syracuse was because according to college board they have like 11% with GPA's between 2.5 and 2.9, and yeah that's probably mostly athletes, but it gave me a little bit of hope.</p>

<p>Which of the other schools are looking pretty grim with my GPA?</p>

4

<p>^I'd say go ahead and apply to New Hampshire, Fairfield, Seton Hall, Old Dominion, Catholic, and Hartford.</p>

<p>Syracuse, Northeastern, Hofstra and George Mason are going to be bigger stretches.</p>

5

<p>Syracuse (ED): Reach
Northeastern: Reach
Fairfield: Slight Reach
University of New Hampshire: Slight Reach
George Mason: Slight Reach
Seton Hall: Match
St. Josephs: There's too many of them... which one?
Old Dominion: Match
Hofstra: Safety to Match
La Salle: Safety to Match
Catholic U: Match
UHartford: Safety to Match</p>

<p>To find other schools that match your profile, I suggest to go to the collegeboard.com College matchmaker, it is the most specific, accurate college search that I know of. Your SATs are good but your GPA is bad in comparison, you can still get into some decent schools since you have great EC's and are strong in athletics. Some suggested schools that would be safeties:
Anna Maria College, Bloomfield College, Castleton State College, Centenary College, Delaware State, Norfolk State U, Nichols College, Post University, New England College, Suffolk University, Virginia State, Virginia Union U, Wesley college, Worcester State College
Good luck</p>

6

<p>Does your GPA reflect a particularly poor year or semester? Do you have an upward trend? If so, you should include a letter of explanation.
Does your school weight GPAs? If yours is not weighted, you could be in better shape than you think. Your honors and dual credit courses will give you a boost for rigor.
We could use some more info on your preferences. You have quite an eclectic group of schools listed.</p>

7

<p>St. Joes in Philadelphia, sorry.</p>

<p>Ok thanks for all of that. :)</p>

<p>Um, ok so quick question.. When I first started looking at colleges (and when my stats were MUCH better), I dreamed of going to BC or BU, and then things got realistic and I looked at other Boston areas colleges instead and found Suffolk.. but it seemed like it had a negative repuation. Can anyone tell me anything about the school?</p>

8

<p>Ok, well before high school my average was a 98% overall for all classes, all year. I went to high school, committed to 3 varsity sports, and lost most of my free time. Then, in the winter of freshmen year, my mother was hospitalized for 2 months and almost died, and that was where I really dropped. I ended 9th grade with a 2.5, I had a 3.2 Sophomore year, and a 3.0 junior year.. So it wasn't really an upward trend I guess. </p>

<p>GPA's are not weighted, neither are ranks (which explains the girl who is 3rd in the class and has never taken an upper level course throughout high school.)</p>

<p>My schools.. I'm looking for schools that are more well-known than not. I don't really like smaller schools. I'd like to go somewhere with school spirit, and athletic events to go to. I also looked for either a good social scene, or a semi big city. Most of all I just looked at 'do I have any chance of getting in here'. My college search is so hard, because I grew up expecting myself to go to a good college, but then I didn't get the grades to do that, and I really don't want to transfer, so I'm just looking for somewhere semi-good now, because I want to be proud of where I go.</p>

9

<p>Anyone else?</p>

10

<p>Kelly,
Do not rule out colleges with stated GPAs of 3.0.
Many schools will discount 9th grade grades and you had mitigating circumstances. Talk with admission counselors privately about whether they recalculate GPAs to weight honors and AP courses even if the high school does not. Many like to do that for applicants to make it easier for their staff to compare/rate folks. At schools which do recalculate, ask them to tell you what method they use so you can figure out where you stand. Some places give 1 point for all H or AP, others give .5 for honors and 1 for AP. Six of your 12 Jr. & Sr. classes could carry weight for admissions purposes!</p>

<p>You seem to have a good bit of Leadership experience. If you want to continue in leadership activities, you could look to schools which give merit aid to leader program participants, and highlight leadership in your application.</p>

<p>Another thought, many schools are willing to offer admission to a borderline (by admission standards) student who will bring geographic diversity.</p>

11

<p>Well a girl being white and from Pennsylvania isn't really an edge in the geographic diversity department, is it?</p>

12

<p>Kelly, you bring geographic diversity if you look into the schools that are a good distance away from PA. Some of those schools would be interested in students from PA (ie: West Coast).</p>

13

<p>Have you considered Pepperdine?</p>

14

<p>Haven't visited or anything but I was looking at it and crossed it off, because I thought it was kind of competitive.. Would I have any kind of chance there?</p>

15

<p>Kelly,
You mentioned 'semi-big city'; Pepperdine, although near to LA, is fairly isolated.
You have a few Catholic schools on your list; would you consider Loyola in New Orleans, Marymount in Arlington, Va., Villa Julie in Baltimore, St. Mary's in San Antonio, University of Dallas, St. Louis University.</p>

16

<p>Well from what I've read and pictures I've seen of Pepperdine, it such a pretty place (Malibu!), but the area is like really upscale clothing stores and places to eat. I'd trade big city for the beach though definitly. I guess if I had a chance to get in I'd look into it.</p>

17

<p>What about UMass, could I look there at all?</p>

18

<p>..Well anyone else?</p>

19

<p>What about Santa Clara or University of San Diego?</p>

20

<p>Have you looked at the University of Arizona? I think you would have a good shot with your stats.</p>