<p>i’ll keep this short and simple- so boston college is my dream school and i’m freaking out that i won’t get in. I just wanted to know if I should apply early or regular. Here are my stats: </p>
<p>gpa- 4.2
sat 1- 2020
740 M, 670 W, 610 R
sat 2- 670 and 650
act composite 30
34 M, 31 W, 29 R, science just awful…
I’m just not too good at these tests.</p>
<p>Ecs-
-Travel Soccer (captain, elite division)
Varsity Ice Hockey ( Most Improved, captain)
volunteer at a shelterhome for homeless & abused kids
run a homework club
Youth counselor
*organize school supply and backpack drives
*organize food drives and help out in pantry, etc
-volunteer at a home where children on respirators live
-teach classes at my church in a first grade classroom
-Soldiers for Hope ( teen leader, in charge of supplying two troops with everyday goods, also organized drives for this and made speeches at local boy scout troops meetings)
Student Government (senator)
OEG club ( vice president, run veterans memorial ceremony every year)
active member in key club and spanish club ( may exclude on transcript)
babysit like 8 hours a week
work in a doctors office ( since eighth grade)
Math leagues ( again may exclude)
-NHS and NSHS (secretary)
<p>Help you with what? Tell you that it’s all going to be OK and not to worry? Well, to my knowledge, no one on this forum is in a position to give you that sort of affirmation. Assuming your UW GPA is around a 3.8 with SATs of 2020 you are statistically right around the 50th%-tile for BC. You have the requisite ECs, leadership and volunteer work that BC looks kindly upon. Assuming you wrote strong essays and had supportive recommendations, I think you have a very good chance of acceptance, but since I don’t work in the Admissions Office, that’s the best I, or anyone else here, can say.</p>
<p>At this point there is nothing you can do to affect the outcome, so “freaking out” about it only adds heat but no light to the situation. Given your athletic background, I’ll use a sports analogy: you’ve just taken the last shot of the game and as it’s arcing toward the goal the final buzzer sounds; all that’s left to do is watch to see if you score. Relax.</p>
<p>There is no reason to be either desperate or confused. You are a candidate for admission. Maybe you’ll be accepted, maybe not. My best advice, though, is to take a deep breath and realize that it’s problematic to label any school as one’s “dream school.” There are so many great institutions that to insist that any one is THE place for you sets you up for disappointment either way. (either you get in and the school can’t possibly live up to your expectations or you are denied admission) My son attends BC and really likes it. That said, there might be dozens of other schools where he would flourish and that goes for you too. And be careful not to credential yourself to death. I got exhausted just reading through your activities. My sense of things is that schools like to see a depth of passion and achievement in a few areas. Calm down. Visit a bunch of schools. Enjoy that part of the process. Identify three or four within reach that you could see yourself attending and then see what happens. Remember, finances plays a big part as well.</p>
<p>When schools discuss percentiles or averages, it means some did better and some did worse. I think it is perfectly reasonable for you to appy to BC. Every kid I know (nothing scientific in that phrase,) who got in had lower stats than you. Keep your EC list- it’s long but shows well. The variety is impressive.
Just don’t let your freak show through. If you really love the school, why not try Early? Note that fin aid and ED are discussed on other threads- mostly hearsay, but some good discussions.</p>
<p>okay thank you so much guys! I just wanted advice on whether or not I should apply early or regular to improve my chances of getting accepted. I saw someone else posted one of these threads and most people told him to wait based on his transcript, so I was just curious. </p>
<p>and chunkworthy- I know what you’re saying, but i’ve visited so many schools and the only one I was crazy about is BC. I’m too picky for my own good. I just felt that BC is the perfect school for me. </p>
<p>and ahh i know. I’m stressing so much, but I just have to realize that nothing I do now, can change whether or not I get admitted. Everythings already taken care of.</p>
<p>You will have no problem getting into bc. I would recommend you look beyond bc. As a freshman, I can tell you it is not what it appears to be. A lot of drinking and a challenging social scene. Plus the new construction of stokes hall adds to the challenges. This was my dream school as well so maybe my expectations were too high. Apply early, increases your odds of acceptance.</p>
<p>Dear pacollegebound21 : When I first read your initial posting regarding your angst, my first reaction was that a College Confidential colleague of ours, “vinceh”, would provide some sage advice for you - much to my surprise, just a couple of posts later were his valuable thoughts.</p>
<p>Your resume is largely determined now with applications coming due in about two or three months. Your SAT/ACT scores are certainly in the middle of the acceptable range, but certainly not outstanding to the point where your application will shine on those parameters alone in the Early Decision Phase. We have seen scores like yours glide into the school and others left at curbside.</p>
<p>Things you can control include whether your essay really reflects what you add to the campus fabric. All too often, students state in their essays that they want to go to Boston College because the school has so much to offer. However, few students reflect on what they will give to the campus - not financially (although you’ll do plenty of that), but how do you make the Boston College community a better place for everyone. Look at your extra curriculars right now - explain why these elements should matter to Boston College; how are you going to use these experiences to improve the campus?</p>
<p>Yes, this is extra work. And yes, this is what sets an essay apart from the pack. Give this some serious thought.</p>
<p>In the meantime, you need to be composing a full listing of schools, ten in total, which are expected schools (4), safe schools (3), and stretch schools (3). History shows that Boston College can be right on the cusp as a stretch school based on your numbers so keep that in mind while constructing your list. In closing, rather than being anxious, use the time proactively - start working on your essay NOW and have a full suite of options ready in your application arsenal.</p>
<p>Thank you so much guys! I really appreciate it! And yeah, I know my test scores aren’t anything special, which is the main reason for my stress! But I’m actually preparing for the act this time and hopefully going to get a 32. I’m just praying that since BC is a Jesuit school, they’ll appreciate all of the volunteer work I do :)</p>
