<p>Hi guys! I'm new to College Confidential, but I have seen lots of helpful information coming from this site.
I am currently a high school senior girl, and I'd like to know how I'm doing.
My ninth grade year wasn't great, transitioning to the private school I entered, I pulled an 85 average.
Tenth, I improved a bit: 88 average.
11th, I got the hang of it, 93 average.
This year, my quarter grades haven't come in but I'm guessing something like a 92 will be my average.
So far, my recorded cumulative average is an 89 (without Senior grades)</p>
<p>Do schools consider my improvement?
My ACT was a 33, and my SAT a 2110.</p>
<p>I am applying to (According to my college counselor):
Reach schools -- Notre Dame, Uchicago, WashU, UCLA, Boston College</p>
<p>Possible -- NYU, UC San Diego, University of Michigan, USC, </p>
<p>Likely -- George Washington, Tulane, Case Western, University of British Columbia, Boston University</p>
<p>EC's:
I sponsored and created a school approved cultural club with approved sponsor and location.
I volunteer for a cultural center and have won 3 state-wide awards for my work.
I am the school Band president.
I participate in the City audition choir and the high school All-State band.
I am a journalist for the school newspaper.
I work a paid job at least 7 hours a week.
I am a varsity swimmer (and lettered)
I officially teach a foreign language at the state university school of arts and language.
I volunteer at a senior home on sundays.</p>
<p>How should I strengthen my application then? With Early Action's coming along, I'm skeptical because of my low GPA.</p>
<p>We’re missing the level of rigor of your curriculum, since you don’t list it, but in any case it’s difficult to gauge where you’ll wind up because of your rising grades. It’s a good thing, of course, but how colleges will react is completely up to them. </p>
<p>Given your test score, your list of colleges is completely reasonable, but the grades make you a wild card.</p>
<p>The rigor of your coursework is considered in the context to what is offered and what other students take at your HS, not strictly the number of APs you’ve taken.</p>
<p>True, but 8 APs is considered pretty good in all but the most extreme contexts. There are very few situations where that’s not considered adequate, if not downright impressive.</p>
<p>The number of APs tells part of the story; which APs, higher level college courses, etc. are also factors in how demanding a candidate’s schedule is. If you want to go by numbers, be my guest, I prefer to give more conceptual advice due to all of the other factors that come into play :).</p>
<p>If your guidance counselor has been at your school for years, and knows where everyone has applied in the past and where they got in, and told you that this is a great list for you, you can probably trust that judgement.</p>
<p>If you made the list yourself, or the counselor is new or famous for giving bad advice, well then you probably need a new list. </p>
<p>In either case, here is my advice: none of these are completely safe. You need at least one place that admits by the numbers where your numbers flat-out guarantee admission, and that you would be happy to attend if all else goes wrong. If you can’t find something like that, make a back up plan. Why? Because it is best to plan ahead, just in case.</p>
<p>Where are you in-state? Your public flagship is likely to be your safety, and those schools typically have rolling admission so you can get an acceptance early in the season and relax a little. If CA is your in-state, then you need to go to the CA forum for specific advice as the CA system has special rules about recalculating gpa etc. </p>
<p>Are you looking at Catholic schools specifically? ND, Boston College and Georgetown are on your list. What about Holy Cross in MA, Fordham in NY, Loyola Chicago or LA (if you are in CA). </p>
<p>Tulane can be tricky one to predict, and I am skeptical that if, BC is a reach, BU would then be a likely. No offense, but a 33 and an A- average is not going to get into ND without a serious hook (recruited athlete). Great essays could get you a look at Chicago. Wash U is unpredictable and looks at demonstrated interest, I am pretty sure – that means, visits, overnights etc. </p>
<p>I agree with the earlier poster that nothing on this list looks like an admissions safety, so you want to work on identifying that. If your guidance person is experienced and offers hands on advice, rather than just processes paperwork at your school, then their judgment matters. Does your school use Naviance? Can you use that to doublecheck your list? </p>
<p>As a parent of a student with an upward grade trend, sure, it helps to have that trajectory. But parents will also tell you that, when there are plenty of great students who started and stayed strong, it is tough to sell that upward trend story. Hang in there.</p>
<p>Work on your essays. It is always helpful when you show in your essays who you really are, not just applicant 15 453. Every college wants to have an interesting individual on campus.</p>
<p>I understand your suggestions, and thank you! I might mention though, that I go to one of the Nation’s top five private high schools, and thus the grading here is a bit different. An 87 and above, in fact, counts as an A. Also, I have already been admitted to the State university, but do not plan on going. My college counselor used to be an admissions officer, and I think he is relatively reliable. I will, however, still talk to him about my options. Thank you!</p>
<p>If you already have a safety admission and you’re full pay, then your list is very good.
I’d highlight this:
“I officially teach a foreign language at the state university school of arts and language.”
because it makes you quite unique, although everything you posted is impressive.
Good luck!</p>
<p>^ I agree with MommaJ. This is a thinly veiled chances thread. You can get the best feedback from your “college counselor” or your schools Naviance data.</p>
<p>Given the high difficulty in acceptance for the schools I am applying to, I don’t see how having an 89 average is something to be proud about. I apologize for being desperate, but I’m certainly not in any position to be ecstatic about my performance.</p>
<p>No one is ecstatic at this point, all seniors are now wishing they had a little higher GPA, one more AP, one more EC, etc., because when they cherry pick their friend’s best qualities, plus read CC, and roll them into SuperStudent, they think everyone is going to blow them away. I intentionally tell D, my somewhat high-strung senior, not to come here, it will only depress her. I just give her the highlights and the funny stories that make her look like a genius compared to the worst case stories here.</p>
<p>Your GPA is your GPA, and if your college advisor is any good AND you’ve been listening to him, your schools are realistic for your situation. Control what you can control, get the apps ready to go and submitted, and then sit back and wait. Easier said than done, but realistically, it’s all you can do. That and read CC for those threads where you can truthfully state, “At least I’m not that stupid/unrealistic/crazy!”</p>
