Requesting Chancing for the First Time [Please!]

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Background:
Hometown: Hialeah (essentially Miami, FL)
Ethnic Origin: Hispanic -> Cuban-American
School: Run-of-the-mill public school, but we did get 17 students into Ivies last year.
First Generation College Attendee
Bilingual, English and Spanish</p>

<p>Pre-High School:
Earth/Space Honours
Algebra 1 Honours</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
World History Honours
English 1 Honours
Biology 1 Honours
Geometry Honours
Computing for Careers and Colleges [Required]
Life Management Skills (Health) / Driver's Ed [Required]</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
English 2 Honours Gifted
Chemistry Honours Gifted
Algebra 2 Honours
Spanish for Spanish Speakers 1
Keyboard (Piano) 1
Principles of Entrepreneurship
Personal Fitness/Individual Sports
Drama 1</p>

<p>Junior Year
AP Psychology
AP English Language
AP Environmental Science
American History Honours
Business Ownership Honours
Spanish for Spanish Speakers 3 Honours
Philosophy and World Religions Honours
Drama 2</p>

<p>Next Year:
AP Human Geography
AP European History
Comprehensive Law Studies Honours
Business Management and Law Honours
Journalism (Newspaper) 7 Honours
Leadership Skills Development
Drama 4 Honours
Creative Writing</p>

<p>GPA:
Unweighted: 3.3
Weighted: 4.4</p>

<p>Note- These GPA numbers don't include my junior year grades, which I must say were very good, and neither do they yet include my Dual Enrollment classes (below).</p>

<p>I didn't include my grades, because I honestly don't remember all of them.</p>

<p>Other Academics:
I should note I have taken many Dual Enrollment classes; that is, classes at my local community college, Miami-Dade College, which is pretty highly ranked. These are:</p>

<p>Humanities
Class Piano
Macroeconomics
English Composition
American Federal Government
Personal Fitness and Wellness</p>

<p>I have gotten an A in each class and each counts as an AP credit. Furthermore, I took the AP Spanish Language test without taking the class and received a score of 5 on that.</p>

<p>SAT Score: 2010 (After 2nd test)
CR: 710
Math: 560
Writing: 740</p>

<p>ACT Composite: 29 (After 1 test)</p>

<p>ECs:
-Performed free public shows with a piano group at local park. Many hours.
-Vice President [Possibly Pres. next year], Future Business Leaders of America
-Executive Board Member, Hialeah High PTSA
-Student Representative, Educational Excellance School Advisory Council</p>

<p>-Board Member, Culture Shock Miami Advisory Council (Assist in reaching out to community and underprivileged youth to get them involved in the local Arts scene- theatre, opera, art, etc.)</p>

<p>-President, Miami-Dade Student Alliance (Founder of organization for students' right in Miami-Dade County. Works as a watchdog group. Have held successful rallies at School Board, 100+ students. Speak monthly on student issues at School Board meetings. Featured on several news programs, interviewed on local media, recognized for service by Superintendent and Board Members. This was a full-time project last summer and I have been going at it for the last year.)</p>

<p>-Campaign Aide, Shawn Beightol for School Board (Experience in organizing campaign, served advisory role, and spoke to groups of people about candidate)</p>

<p>-Assorted leadership-related community service: Aide at the US Conference of Mayors, Volunteer at several museum events</p>

<p>-Graduate of People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, DC (not sure how much this is actually worth)</p>

<p>Recommendations:
-Very supportive teachers
-Superintendent of Schools, Miami-Dade County (4th largest)
-Several School Board members
-Local political leaders, activists</p>

<p>Majors:
I'm looking to major along the lines of political science, international relations, etc. Possibly interested in the six-year BA/JD, the BA/MA, or other double-major programs.</p>

<p>Please chance me for the following schools:
George Washington University (Preferred School)
Georgetown
Amherst
Columbia
Dartmouth
Boston University
American University
New York University
Northwestern University
Florida State University (though I'm fairly confident this is definitely a safety)</p>

<p>Also feel free to suggest any schools that I may be good for that also have strong political/int'l relations programs. I figure Washington or NYC are the best places for that kind of stuff.</p>

<p>EDIT: I forgot to mention that I have yet to take SATIIs. Those are on my immediate to-do list. If anyone has suggestions for those in relation to the above schools, I'd appreciate that too.</p>

2

<p>You have very nice extra-curricular activities. However, I hope your unweighted GPA as you posted it is deceptive. Acceptance for anyone with a 3.3 unweighted is almost unheard of at top schools.</p>

<p>With some practice, you may be able to raise your math SAT score. This would be very helpful. If this is not possible, however, your current score won’t make you an automatically rejected applicant, but it will hurt your chances.</p>

<p>Assuming your final UW GPA is higher, I think George Washington is a definite possibility (high match). Unless your UW GPA gets above ~3.7, Amherst, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Georgetown (I’m assuming SFS?) will be reaches.</p>

3

<p>you should get into GWU because those are pretty good stats for that school and its not that selective unless you are applying to a particular program, american is a low match/safety for you GTown will be a bit tougher but you have a fighting chance, its a high match/low reach for you and FSU is for sure a safety. as for BU and NYU they are probably match/high matches and NWestern Columbia Dartmouth and Amherst are probably aiming a little too high </p>

<p>HOPE THIS HELPS!!!
chance me back at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/735932-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/735932-chance-me-i-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Florida State is not a safety for you with a 29/3.3uw. It’s a more a match. FSU weighs GPA in core courses more heavily than SAT/ACT scores.</p>

<p>See: <a href=“http://www.ir.fsu.edu/Performance_Indicators/Student/S03.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ir.fsu.edu/Performance_Indicators/Student/S03.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Good luck. Apply early.</p>

5

<p>Thank you all for your responses so far. Again, I’d like to point out that my GPA doesn’t include a whole year of grades.</p>

<p>I’m also worried about the ACT composite score- but I’m planning on taking that again and should break 30.</p>

<p>The math SAT is the one I really don’t know about :confused: I improved from a 520 to a 560, but I’m not sure how much higher I could really push that.</p>

6

<p>To be completely honest, math is the easiest of the tests to study for. It is very systematic, and study guides give you everything you need to know to get good score. Make sure you are taking practice tests too, because questions always end up being fairly similar in stucture on the actual test. For example, they are going to ask many different types of questions so be familiar with all the different types beforehand. Hope that helps, I got a 700 on my math portion if that adds credibility.</p>

7

<p>um… you stopped taking math after algebra 2??? Ouch!</p>