Safe to apply to only 2 schools?

Applying to College
1

<p>Location: New York City
Ethnicity: Asian</p>

<p>GPA: 92 unweighted, 98 weighted
Rank: about top 15% out of around 460ish
SAT: 2000 (760M, 690W, 550CR)
SATII: 760 Math 2c, 720 Physics
AP Physics AB - 4, AP Calc AB - 5 (Expected)</p>

<p>Frehsman Grades:
English 1H - 95, English 2H - 87
Global 1H - 90, Global 2H - 94
Math A1 - 96, Math A2 - 98
Bio 1 - 80, Bio 2 - 86
Spanish 1 - 90, Spanish 2 - 96
Chorus 1 - 97, Chorus 2 - 98
Intro to the Enviro. - 93, Intro to the Urb Enviro. - 98
Gym - 90</p>

<p>Sophomore Grades: [Here is where MOST of my grades drop BADLY]
English 3 - 83, English 4 - 70
Global 3 - 94, Global 4 - 95
Math A3 - 99, Math B1 - 100
Chem 1 - 92, Chem 2 - 95
Spanish 3 - 90, Spanish 4 - 85
Orchestra 1 - 98, Orchestra 2 - 98
Gym - 90</p>

<p>Junior Grades: [Here is where MOST of my grades go back up]
English 5 - 95, English 6 - 98
US History - 95, US History - 96
Math B2 - 99, Math B3 - 100
AP Physics B - 91, AP Physics B 94
Spanish 5 - 90, Spanish 6 - 94
Adv. Orch 1 - 98, Adv. Orch 2 - 98</p>

<p>Senior Classes:
AP Calc AB
Health/Ethics
US Gov’t/Economics
Art
Gym
Lunch</p>

<p>EC’s:
-violin-3 years (10,11,12)
-Math Team-3 years (10,11,12)-won a few first place trophies at local math competitions against a few other schools in the city.
-Internship at YMCA through my school (10) - completed 120 community service hours tutoring kindergarteners at a public elementary school, and received the best legacy award.
-Member of NSHSS (10,11,12) - National Society Of High School Scholars
-YMCA Tech Teens (10) - constructed a website <a href=“http://www.yteensnyc.org%5B/url%5D”>www.yteensnyc.org</a>
-YMCA Leaders Club (10,11,12) - did some more community service (100+ hours each year)</p>

<p>Work Experience:
-SYEP (summer after my freshman year) -Summer Youth Employment Program - worked 25 hrs a week for 7 weeks tutoring 4th graders at a public elementary school.
-SYEP (summer after my Junior year) - Summer Youth Employment Program - worked 25 hrs a week for 7 weeks in a local hospital.</p>

<p>I don’t know where this belongs but I took a College Course at Baruch College after my Junior Year. Will this help?</p>

<p>I will have a good essay and a very good rec from my math team advisor. Is 1 rec enough?</p>

<p>I will be majoring in Mathematics/Statistics.</p>

<p>I will be only to these schools:</p>

<li>Boston University (ED)</li>
<li>SUNY - StonyBrook (RD)</li>
</ol>

<p>What do you think of my chances for each? And what will happen if somehow they both reject me?</p>

2

<p>I really think you will get in, but you should have a few more just in case. By the way, is English your first language?</p>

3

<p>Yes, English is my first language.</p>

4

<p>Lunch isn't a class.</p>

<p>I was considering only applying to 2 schools. That's because I loved the safety school that I found, and I knew that if I got into my other school, I wouldn't go anywhere else.</p>

<p>The thing about only 2 schools, is that you have to have a safety. You have a match, and a reach. There is a chance that you get rejected from Stony Brook (it's low, but there is a chance). It's not really a safety school, with that low % admit and your low CR score. You also aren't in the top 10%, which hurts you.</p>

<p>I think you're passionate about going to BU. If you are, then just find one safety that you would feel very comfortable with. Maybe a school that isn't very high in academic prestige, but one that fits you well.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>One of my best friends applied to ONE school. JUST ONE! </p>

<p>I'd respectfully disagree with the poster above, I think SUNY Stony Brook is a pretty safe bet. Sure, nothing is certain- but if you can deal with the fact that you could POTENTIALLy be rejected from both- then just apply to two.</p>

<p>There is no sense applying to schools that you don't want to go to. Make sure BU knows you are passionate about going there- through interview, visit, essay, etc. You stand a decent chance. Not a safety by ANY means, but a decent chance.</p>

6

<p>Is moneyy going to be an issue ? The big money from BU is based on merit and reserved for the top of the applicant pool or students that have major hooks that the school is looking for. While you will be admitted, the amount of grant/scholarship aid is another ball of wax. If you go into this with the mind set that you (your parents) are going to pay the full 40,000 then by all means apply ED. otherwise you need to cast a wider net so that you willb e able to compare offers</p>

7

<p>If I plan a visit to BU, how will adcoms realize this?</p>

8

<p>i know soooooooooooooooooo many people that applied/ are going to apply to only one school and i haven't heard of anyone who got rejected (waitlisted and later accepted, yes). I think that is cutting it close, even though you "know" you are going to get in. I think 2 is a fine number...but I also think MAYBE you might be able to find another school to apply to, just in case. Your chances look good to me the thing is you just never know. but if you're comfortable then so be it!</p>

9

<p>lil_killer, the best way to look at this is to see how you stack up next to students who were accepted to each of these schools last year. This data is available on the US News website or in their book. </p>

<p>BU has a 56% acceptance rate (the acceptance rate of ED for BU is interestingly LOWER at 46%, so I'm not sure an ED app is going to help you), the average GPA of accepted students is 3.5 (your equivalent is 3.68) and the mid-50% range of SAT of accepted students for Math + Critical Reading (the old English) was 1210-1390. Your combined score is 1310 (your CR score is quite low). You are Asian, so you're not going to get a break for being a minority (you are not "underrepresented"). Therefore, to assure admission, you need to have SAT scores above the mid 50% range.</p>

<p>SUNY-Stonybrook has an overall acceptance rate of 49%. They have the Early Action (not decision choice) which has an acceptance rate of 71%, so is a boost. The mean accepted GPA is 3.6 (you're in the ballpark with your GPA) and mid 50% SAT is 1070-1280. So your SAT is in the top 75% of scores of accepted students here.</p>

<p>So, if you apply to SUNY EA (which is not binding) and BU RD (the reverse of what you planned) you would be most likely to be accepted at one or both. Good luck!</p>

10

<p>What does EA mean? How is it different from RD?</p>

11

<p>EA means early acceptance. The school allows you to apply early (usually around November 1st) and replies early (usually around December 15th), but you are not required to attend if they accept you. You can keep your options open for acceptances from other schools during the RD round, perhaps so you can compare financial aid packages.</p>

12

<p>Thanks. I'm going to apply to BU RD and SBU EA.</p>

13

<p>quiltguru, going with what you said, if I bring my rank up to top 12%, and my SATs to about 2050 (760M, 690W, 600CR), apply to BU RD and SBU EA, I would get into the former for sure.... do you think?</p>

14

<p>There is no such thing as being admitted for sure. This brings your combined Math + Critical Reading SAT to 1360, still in the mid range for BU. I advise you to get a) a college guide and check out all the information about BU including the information on EA and the statistics about students admitted EA at BU. Take many practice SATs (see the threads on the xiggi method for studying) and try to get your CR SAT above 700.</p>