You’re definitely not competitive for Princeton. Your URM status and and the NSLI will definitely help you for other schools but it will only take you so far. You’re test score is low but not low enough to disqualify you from being accepted. That, however, coupled with a lower than average (for these schools) GPA might hurt. You’re EC are pretty average besides that program. It is probably worth applying but you definitely won’t get into all those schools. Also, what are you looking to study. If it is something language related then that would be an advantage. Good luck!
@dnstudent26 I’m looking to study International Relations and Econ, with an Arabic Minor.
There are 3 ACT testing dates in the fall so you still have the opportunity to re-take and improve your score. You will also need to schedule in 3 SAT subject tests (for Georgetown). Which three are you planning on taking? There are three testing dates for those in the fall as well. The college counselor at my child’s school said that the expectation is for 700+ on every SAT II as they are taken to show mastery of a subject. Choose subjects that you excel at and take practice tests beforehand.
While NSLI-Y is a good thing to mention on your application under Honors, it is not as much of a hook as you may think it is. Four seniors at my child’s high school went on the program last summer as juniors (2 for Chinese, 1 for Arabic, 1 for Tajiki) and none were accepted at Georgetown. All were hoping to study international relations through SFS. The girl who studied Tajiki also interned at the UN for a few weeks the summer before and is Hispanic. Rejected at Georgetown and will be going to American SIS. Competition for SFS is fierce with diplomat/expat children, international students, etc. Keep studying for your SAT IIs, re-take the ACT and work on ways to embed your Arabic studies into continuing ECs when you get back. Wishing you the best with your applications!
@scholardad I took the subject tests on Saturday. I took the math 2, Biology, and Latin Exam. And I’m probably not gonna take the ACT again since I’ve taken it twice already. Ill try my chances with the SAT. Also, at my school, like 5 seniors applied for the NSLI program and I was the only one who got it. I have no clue why. They we’re seniors and I was a junior. I also felt as if they were more qualified than me. Also, grade wise, both my rank and GPA had a huge upwards trend during this last semester of junior year. I got all A’s and A+'s in AP and honors courses. My GPA will be 3.8+ unweighted and my rank will probably go down one or two percent from 10% out of a class of 730.
Also, not tooting my own horn, but I’m gonna have excellent recs (which is expected) but also what I think might be a really memorable essay. It’s about my life as a quadruplet and how I was able to establish my personal identit via my passion for international relations and Arabic.