Really Need Advice

<p>First of all, I will be a junior in high school this year.</p>

<p>My dream school is NYU. I honestly tell myself that I don't know what I'll do if I'm not accepted there. I hope to major in computer science there. I really want to know what to aim for to get accepted there. However, I hear completely different things about the school, so I'm confused.</p>

<p>Something that worries me most is the SAT scores they want. Seeing their averages in the high 1900s - 2000s kind of intimidates me. I'm confident with how my math will go, and I'm excellent with grammar, so I'm pretty confident with writing, but CR might be a little iffy for me. Honestly, I'm expecting somewhere around 1800, maybe 1900. I hate to do so, but I tend to make stupid errors a lot. If the worst case scenario were to happen and I were to score an 1800, maybe even high 1700s, would I even stand a chance at NYU? I didn't take a PSAT as a sophomore, so I have no idea of how I might do.</p>

<p>In school, I seem to meet what they want. I live in southern California and attend a rather larger high school, which has about 3,500 students. My weighted GPA ending sophomore year was 4.0, and it was 3.7 unweighted, and I ended in the top 10% of my class. I was enrolled in honors math and science my sophomore year. For my junior year, I will be taking honors Pre-Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics. I stay away from advanced English and History as I am not interested in them and struggle with them more than I really should. I have been in the marching band and wind ensemble at my school since freshman year, and our band is pretty successful with a well-known reputation in the "marching band world". I will join a few clubs for junior and senior year to build up my ECs. </p>

<p>I know it's not a lot of information, but I would really like to know if I stand a chance as of how I look now, and how strong that chance is. I believe I look good based on school stats, but how I will perform on tests worries me. </p>

<p>More advice I could use are tips on how to approach the essay portion of the application. That worries me a tad bit, but I consider myself a strong writer. </p>

<p>Also, I have no clue what to do here. I have a dilemma for my senior year. I would like to do band all 4 years, but I am being offered an internship in San Diego for a computer firm next summer. If I took the internship, I would most likely not be able to do band as I would be missing out on too much that they do over the summer. Which would look better on my application, that 4th year of band, or the internship? </p>

<p>Another thing that I'm thinking about is NYU Poly. Would that be a better school for me where I stand a better chance at getting accepted to? I'm applying early decision to NYU, but this stands as my second choice right now. </p>

<p>Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I would appreciate any helpful feedback. If you were accepted to NYU (or even rejected) and you could possibly post your stats, that would be greatly appreciated as well. It really helps me build goals for myself and see how I stack up.</p>

<p>Bump.</p>

<p>Sorry, I know it’s not a lot of information.</p>

<p>Try posting on the NYU board: [New</a> York University - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/new-york-university/]New”>New York University - College Confidential Forums)</p>

<p>“Also, I have no clue what to do here. I have a dilemma for my senior year. I would like to do band all 4 years, but I am being offered an internship in San Diego for a computer firm next summer. If I took the internship, I would most likely not be able to do band as I would be missing out on too much that they do over the summer. Which would look better on my application, that 4th year of band, or the internship?”</p>

<p>Talk to your band teacher: After three years, he or she knows you well and may cut you some slack so you can do the internship. The internship is too important to miss - it’s your future career. Future employers are not as likely to be impressed by your marching band credentials as they are by a warm letter of recommendation from your supervisor at the San Diego company. And if you discover, as a result of the internship, that your career plans have changed, that will be even more important than another year of band. If your marching band teacher says you have to choose, find another way to keep up with your music.</p>

<p>Re the essay: There are lots of books out there will college essay writing advise. Harry Bauld has a good one but there are many.</p>