Please Be Honest!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>No sob stories here. I succumbed to my own laziness. No one to blame but myself. Sigh...I'm the "smart, lazy" type, I suppose. Good test scores and challenging course curriculum, but lousy GPA. I have a LOT of safeties here, but I figure with my SAT to GPA ratio, I can never have too many safeties. Here goes, and if you have any other suggestions for colleges, I'd appreciate it.</p>

<p>Race - White
Religion - Jewish
State Residency - Pennsylvania</p>

<p>9th Grade
Non Western Cultures H - B
Biology H - B
English IH - A
Geometry H - B
Spanish IIH - B</p>

<p>10th Grade
Western Civilization H - B
Chemistry H - B
English IIH - A
Algebra IIH - A
Spanish IIIH - B</p>

<p>11th Grade
AP US History - B
Physics H - C
English IIIH - B
Precalculus H - B
Spanish IVH - A
AP Statistics - B </p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.20
Weighted GPA: 4.20</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Vice President of Philosophy Club</p>

<p>1st Trombonist in concert band, jazz band, symphonic wind orchestra, brass quintet, + 3rd Trombone district XI band in 10th grade, 1st Trombone district XI band and 2nd Trombone District XI orchestra, and 2nd Trombone region VI band in 11th grade (my little music hook, I suppose).</p>

<p>After-school tutoring to elementary school students.</p>

<p>Varsity Golf Team</p>

<p>SAT:
2180 (680 Reading, 710 Math, 790 Writing - 12 Essay)</p>

<p>Extra Information:
My high school does not rank as it is highly competitive.</p>

<p>Intended Major:
Political Science / Pre-Law</p>

<p>Here's some schools I'm considering. Please chance me for them, and also let me know about some others that may just be right for me:</p>

<p>American University
Brandeis University
Clark University
George Washington University
Miami University: Oxford Campus
Penn State University Park
Rutgers: New Brunswick
SUNY Binghamton
Syracuse University
University of Delaware
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester</p>

<p>Notice I've included a lot of publics. While money isn't necessarily a problem, I have a brother who needs to go to college to, and depending on financial considerations next year (we don't qualify for financial aid, but come on...$45,000 a year for a private school isn't "cheap" for many people,) I might just help the family out and go public.</p>

<p>As for geographic concerns, keep it to the east coast, please. Not too far South, West, or North from Pennsylvania (I'd say East, but past the Delaware River, there's only Jersey, lol...)</p>

<p>I'm not asking for a Yeshiva University, here, but I'd prefer schools with somewhat of a Jewish population (that's why Ohio's Miami may have to go....)</p>

<p>I'm VERY active in politics, but completely centrist and non-partisan. I don't mind schools with somewhat of a conservative or liberal bent, just as long as flaming liberals and fundamentalist conservatives don't DOMINATE the campus scene.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>A response...please?</p>

3

<p>out of state publics aren't cheap. That said, your chances look good</p>

4

<p>They aren't AS cheap, but $20-25k a year is inexpensive next to $40-45k.</p>

5

<p>Bump......</p>

6

<p>I'm sorry...is no one able to give me my chances here?</p>

7

<p>Heavenwood, the reason we aren't giving you chances is because this is about the fifth or sixth time you've posted on here for chances. You're a nice guy, but how many times do you want us to rate you?</p>

8

<p>Well calcruzer, now that you ask, my final grades have changed. These are no longer predictions. Of course, if you'd rather leave me hanging, thats your perogative. That's cool. But I would appreciate this.</p>

9

<p>Sorry, Heavenwood--I should have realized new grades are out now--I'll take a look and re-chance. My apologies.</p>

10

<p>No apology necessary. I know that I send these out once every couple of weeks or so, but this should be the last one for a WHILE. At least until November of senior year. I'm just a nervous high school kid who knows that the competition is tough...</p>

11

<p>Your unweighted GPA is 3.19, but you've taken almost all honors courses (14 out of the 16 courses), so your weighted GPA is 4.06, and your SAT (old) is 1390, with a "killer" SAT writing score of 790 (and essay score of 12)--so...... </p>

<p>American Univ--average GPA is 3.47 and average SAT is 1223, so you should have no problem as long as your essay is good--match to possible safety</p>

<p>Brandeis--average GPA is 3.85 and average SAT of 1330, with 71% of the students being from the top 10% of their class--so this is a reach.</p>

<p>Clark University--average GPA is 3.4 and average SAT is 1181, so no problem---match. </p>

<p>George Washington--average GPA unknown, but probably around 3.4--and average SAT of 1240--so low match--the only reason I don't say just safety is because its in Washington, D.C.--meaning lots of Political Science majors (like you) apply here</p>

<p>Miami of Ohio--average GPA is 3.7 and average SAT is 1200, so match to slight reach.</p>

<p>Penn State (University Park)--average GPA is around 3.56 and average SAT of 1210 and they count GPA for 2/3rd and SATs for 1/3rd--so this is a match to slight reach. I'd say match.</p>

<p>Rutgers (New Brunswick)--average GPA is around 3.4 to 3.5 and average SAT is around 1210, but they count both equally, so match .</p>

<p>SUNY-Binghamton--average GPA is 3.6 and SAT at 1250, so slight reach.</p>

<p>Syracuse--average GPA is 3.6 and SAT is 1235, so match to slight reach.</p>

<p>Univ of Delaware--average GPA is 3.5 and SAT is 1190, so match.</p>

<p>Univ of Pittsburgh--average GPA is around 3.4 and SAT is 1231, so match</p>

<p>University of Rochester--average GPA is around 3.75 and average SAT of 1352, so a reach</p>

<p>If I were dropping any of these, the two I would drop would be Miami of Ohio--it's not too expensive, but you'd be paying OOS prices, and they only give grants to 15% of applicants, and you aren't in the high end of these--so you'd probably get zero; and George Washington, which runs $45,000 a year and only gives average aid of around $12K to $15K per year.</p>

12

<p>Hold on...I've taken all honors and AP courses. At my school, weighted GPA is calculated by adding a point to honors and AP classes. You say that I've taken 14 out of 16 honors courses, but why would that lower my weighted GPA if instead of honors courses I'm taking AP courses (which are usually harder....)</p>

<p>Now, a qustion about Penn State and Pittsburgh: I read on their website that they weight GPA. In other words, add half a point to honors classes and a full point to AP classes. I'm thinking that if this were the case, I wouldn't have much of a problem getting in. I cannot speak for the other publics on my list, but I'm pretty sure that since they are mid-level overall (lower end of first tier / upper end of second tier), they would weight GPA as well.</p>

<p>Also, you say that Clark is a match and American a match to a safety. I'm just wondering why since American is more selective than clark.</p>

13

<p>Also, Brandeis I could live without (IE, deal with applying RD and getting rejected). But, if I applied to Rochester early, wouldn't it transform from a reach to a match?</p>

14

<p>Very good chances for all of these schools.</p>

15

<p>I like your chances for most of these as well:</p>

<p>American University- Safe Match
Brandeis University- Reach, but definitely not a huge reach.
Clark University- Safety
George Washington University- Match, but really expensive. Not worth the money.
Miami University: Oxford Campus- Match
Penn State University Park- Match- I would go here if I were you. I'm sure there are a decent amount of Jews at PSU, and you'll be paying IN STATE TUITION which will be at LEAST half the price of all these schools you're naming.
Rutgers: New Brunswick- Safe match
SUNY Binghamton- Safe match
Syracuse University- Match
University of Delaware- Match
University of Pittsburgh- Safe match
University of Rochester- fairly big reach</p>

<p>Even though it's farther, look into the University of Maryland. Plenty of Jews there, and it's a match for you</p>

16

<p>Other possibilities: JMU (low out of state tuition). Very popular school and kids seem to be happy there.<br>
For PSU, you could try Schreyer Honors but it would be a fairly big reach - sometimes a good SAT score and very strong ECs (along with good essays) are enough. They tend to look at the weighted GPA so you might be OK. comes with a small scholarship too (3500). Seems like a really good program. It's a separate app.</p>

17

<p>I know that I would get into PSU - University Park easy, but Schreyers? No way in heck!</p>

<p>Maryland...do they look at weighted GPA? If they do, then it should be a safe match. If not, then I would be screwed....</p>

18

<p>i live in MD and maryland considers both weighted and unweighted GPA...WIth your SAT scores and your GPA Maryland would be a match for you</p>

19

<p>Alright, that sounds about right, since I'm about 75th %ile for their SATs and most likely lower for GPA.</p>

20

<p>heavenwood - I know you think I'm crazy but I still think you should try Schreyer. You have good SAT scores and challenging courses plus good ECs. A couple of kids at my son's school got in with pretty low unwtd GPAS (3.4/3.5) - but they did take very tough courses (like you). Others with higher "numbers" were rejected. We were really surprised. Lots of people think it's really tough (like Ivy admission) -not true. It's tough but not THAT tough. I notice you got a great score on your SAT writing section so you might be able to write some killer essays (a very impt part of the app). I still think it's worth a try...</p>