Please help...theoretical circumstance, please chance me for the following schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I messed up big time in various spots early in high school. I have woken up though, and am on the right track for my junior year next year. Some of these stats are theoretical (hoping I can achieve them next year). Here are the schools:</p>

<p>Cornell University (ED-hope this is significant)
University of Virginia (Out of state)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Boston College
University of Texas (One of the more prestiged ones, and out of state)
Dartmouth College</p>

<p>Theoretical stats:
W GPA: 3.7
UW GPA: 3.5-3.6 (I may only submit my weighted...whatever is more strategic)
Class rank: N/A
ACT Score: 32 Composite
SAT II: Ecological Biology: 760
SAT II: US History: 720
Race: White
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: May or may not be able to identify myself as Hispanic</p>

<p>ECs:
Second Degree Black Belt In Tae Kwon Do (9,10,11,12)
Boys Track and Field (10,11,12)
Drama Guild (10,11,12)
Debate Team (10,11,12)
Women's History Club (10,11,12)
Environmental Club (10,11,12)
Performer (Singer) at a local music center (9,10,11,12)
Chamber Chorus (12)</p>

<p>Volunteering:
Summer internship work with a local trails maintenance committee, relocated trails and built bridges (10, 11)
G Conservation Trust (10,11,12)
L Conservation Trust (10,11,12)
A Conservation Trust (10,11,12)
N River Watershed Association (10,11,12)
G Trails Committee (10,11,12)</p>

<p>Notable factors: As you can see I've been participating in a lot of environmental volunteering causes, and I plan to keep my involvement in them up. I am applying ED to Cornell CALS for the Natural Resources major. I've heard that having target specific majors like this make it easier to get in because they're much less popular, than, let's say General Biology. I plan to write compelling essays addressing my poor grades earlier in high school, as well as emphasizing the great deal of environmental work that will/ has been done. I'm from a decent public school. We get a few graduates every year get accepted to Ivies, but they're never really valedictorian. They get accepted with the help of some other factor (URM, really good at soccer, etc.). For me I'm hoping that it's my passion for the environment and hard work that puts me over the top with Cornell, especially with the specific major. </p>

<p>Sorry, I know this post has been long, but I appreciate the feedback greatly. I really hope to God that my chances will be solid.</p>

2

<p>Also, I forgot to list APs.
AP Env Sci (5)
AP US History (5)
AP Comp Gov and Politics (4)-self study
AP US Gov and Politics (5)-self study
Senior year APs:
AP Stats
AP Psychology (self study)
AP Macroeconomics (self study)
AP Lang and Comp</p>

3

<p>Cornell-HIGH reach
Darmouth- high reach </p>

<p>You should have no problem getting into the others though. However, your GPA is remarkably low…</p>

4

<p>UVA and UT are mid reaches.</p>

5

<p>Dartmouth: high reach
Cornell: high reach
UT: low reach
UVA: low reach
BC: high match
UMass: low match / safety</p>

6

<p>Wow, this is really demoralizing. Sigh. Is there anything in particular I can do to make that scale a little more friendly?</p>

7

<p>(Other than “raise gpa”, which will already have been done to its greatest extent to get me to where I am here).</p>

8

<p>BTW you probably have no say in how schools view your GPA and I highly doubt you can choose to submit only your weighted GPA. Ad Comms look at your grades in the context of your school’s curriculum. Because schools weight differently, and some don’t weight at all, it is really hard to use weighted GPA as a metric. Also, if you don’t know whether or not you can identify as Hispanic, you probably can’t/shouldn’t. Have you actually taken the SAT or ACT yet?</p>

9

<p>Cornell’s average gpa is a 4.3, their average ACT score is a 32. Your 3.5uw/3.7w would be low for an average state school so you have to be more realistic with your chances. Some of the schools you want to go to have many students who’ve never gotten a B or C in their life. You would need a perfect SAT or ACT score to make up for your gpa assuming you can’t raise gpa.</p>

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<p>Well, looks like that’s what I’m going to set out to do. And I know about my low gpa, but I’ll have a massive gpa upward trend, and will have a 4.3 weighted next year. It’s reassuring that I can do at least something in an attempt to make up for the gpa to some extent (raising the ACT score). Thank you all for answering my questions.</p>

11

<p>Yeah colleges love to see upward trend. If you get a great gpa in challenging courses and write an essay (with no excuses) about it then you’ll have a shot. Keep in mind the acceptance rate is for ivies is around 10% and they reject a lot of very qualified apps so don’t take it to heart if you don’t make it. Nailing the ACT along with this will show them that you’d be up to the challenging coursework they expect from their students.</p>

<p>You’d also do well to start building a list of safeties and matches and visiting schools in case you don’t get accepted into the top schools.</p>

12

<p>Yeah I will, and I understand completely. Thank you for your advice and encouragement.</p>