Please Chance a Dreamer!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Im currently a rising junior, and college applications are already on the horizon. Its truly terrifying. However, i was hoping some of you guys could tell me if i really stand much of a chance applying to some of these schools. I know there's really not any safety schools, in fact, there's mostly reaches! So if anyone can recommend some decent safeties i'd appreciate it! I'm interested in Law and Business, so im thinking about majoring in something related to Business Law. One thing i have to mention is that my gpa isnt as high as it should be because i had a horrible freshman year; i was totally overwhelmed by some of the more difficult classes and thus, ended up with 3.5 uw, 3.83 w gpa, in addition to not doing many EC's. After that, i really got my act together and started getting very high grades and got much more involved in EC's. Please chance me for the following schools:</p>

<p>Harvard
Columbia (probably ED, has been my dream school for a while! I'll apply to Columbia College)
UPenn (Applying to Wharton)
Brown
Princeton
Stanford
Georgetown
NYU (Stern, Dad's a Stern Legacy)
University of Chicago
Tufts
Williams
Swarthmore</p>

<p>Asian Male from Tri-State Area (Toughest Competition :( )
Unweighted Gpa: 3.85 Weighted Gpa: 4.25
SAT: W(770) CR (730) M (750) = 2250
SAT ll: 2260 Cumulative
Rank : Top 10%
Besides Dad at Stern, No Legacy
Family Income >$150,000
Semi-Competitive Public High in Wealthy Town, Sends about 2 to Ivies, a few to good privates like Amherst, Uof Chicago, BC, Tufts)
No Real Hooks</p>

<p>Senior Schedule: AP Lit, AP Chem, AP Calc AB, AP Spanish, AP Gov't, PE+ Health (Mandatory) AP Euro, Psychology </p>

<p>UW gpa- 3.5 (9), 4.05 (10) 4.0 (11)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: (Not too strong, but shows commitment)</p>

<p>FBLA - 9,10,11 (VP) 12 (hopefully president)
Debate Team - 10,11 (VP) 12 (hopefully president)
Varsity Swim Team -10,11,12
Varisty Tennis - 10,11,12 (wont show up for 12 because its a spring sport)
Jazz Band Guitarist- 10,11,12
Member of National Honor Society and Tri-M Honor Society (music)
Non-Paid Internship to local law firm </p>

<p>Jobs:
Guitar Teacher to younger children (since summer of grade 10)
Lifeguard in the Summer (since summer of grade 10)</p>

<p>I do consider myself very well rounded, but my problem with EC's is this: Im good at what i do, but im not nationally ranked for these EC's. I enjoy everyone of them, but im no recruited athlete, professional musician, or competition winning speaker. However, i think colleges will like that i use my talents (swimming, guitar) to help others. Anyways i hope you guys can help and tell me my chances to these schools that im dying to be accepted to! I'll try to chance back!</p>

2

<p>I mean, i know it’s Harvard and 90% of people are going to “probably get rejected”, but what do you think is my weakest point in my app? The unweighted gpa?</p>

3

<p>I don’t think you will be accepted. You do no stand out. Being just kinda good at everything just doesn’t cut the bread.</p>

4

<p>To OP,
If Columbia is your first choice, you should consider whether you want to apply to the engineering or Columbia college. You do need to write an extra essay for the engineering school but the chance for admission is better. Your freshman GPA may hurt your chances at Harvard and Stanford, but you have better chances at schools that ignore freshman GPA’s such as Princeton. An couple outstadning essays will help your chances a lot.</p>

5

<p>Are you saying that if i had won any major awards in my EC’s, that i would then have a better chance at acceptance?</p>

6

<p>@HarvardParent I have no intention at applying at Fu, but i am aware of the significantly higher admit rate. Actually, Stanford, like Princeton, does not factor in freshman grades. But i understand what you are saying, my UW gpa is low because of the bad freshman year. Do you really think an amazing essay could make all the difference?</p>

7

<p>^^pretty much. Still possible!</p>

8

<p>@Adits55,</p>

<p>Yes. The essay is the thing that would allow the admission officer to get to know you beyond the scores and stats. The recommendation letters are important in that sense too. But the essays are things that you have total control over.</p>

9

<p>^ OP, I don’t understand how your UW GPA soph year is a 4.05.</p>

<p>Other than that, I’m afraid from what you’re telling us in the OP you’ll have an average chance. 7-10%. I don’t think you’re telling us how your activities affected your community, so they’re not “impressive enough” (w/e that means) because it didn’t change your community very much.</p>

<p>JB</p>

10

<p>Fu engineering isn’t easier to get into, in fact probably the opposite. Their SAT score range is higher. The admit rate is higher at the college only because fewer kids apply (but the pool is more competitive).</p>

11

<p>@ JoonBug i ended my soph year with like 1 A-, 4 A’s, and 2 A+'s which evened out to basically all A’s with 1 A+, so that A+ added on an extra .05 to the 4.0 the 6 A’s created. And i know that my EC’s don’t seem impressive but the only real way my activities affected the community was through my jobs which i thought would help convey the idea to adcoms that i used my talents to help others. i did however forget to mention that i was the founder of a small local charity that raised money towards cancer research. the charity was music related so i guess it builds upon the “passion” for music i have. but its not like the charity has gone national or anything…</p>