Safety?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Boston College
1

<p>Can i use BC as a safety (that is, do i have pretty much a 100% chance or close to it of getting in?)</p>

<p>Also, how do students find the core curriculum? It seems like i would have to take a lot of classes in areas i don’t particularly care for (theology, blech!).</p>

<p>Here’s my info:</p>

<p>SAT I: 770 CR, 800 M, 780 W (12 essay)</p>

<p>SAT IIs: 800 Bio-M, 770 Math IC, 800 Latin</p>

<p>APs: English language (5), Latin Catullus (5), Environmental (5), US History (5), Latin Vergil, Calc BC, Physics C, English lit, Psych. </p>

<p>GPA: UW: ~97.7, W ~99.7
(our school adds 5 points on the grade averaged into the GPA for honors/AP classes, of which i’ve taken 9 in 3 years)</p>

<p>Rank: 2-5/325 (unranked past 2) </p>

<p>Senior Yr Courseload: French 2, AP: Latin, Physics, Calc, English lit, Psych,
Spanish 4 (without test)</p>

<p>ECs listed on app:
Theater: 3 various shows
Math team: high scorer, 4 years
Science Olympiad: 12 time medalist (1 state medal)
Student govt. - 4 years, BOE liason and PR officer
Class officers - 2 years, Treasurer/nothing
Gay Straight Alliance - 4 years, President 1 year
NHS - 2 years
Job - 1 year at local arts center running classes for autistic people
Lots of various tutoring
4 weeks (2 summers) of volunteer work at NYSDEC environmental camp
2 years Columbia Science Honors Program
2 weeks Northwoods environmental restoration project
1 summer stream monitoring w. Westchester CVMP
2 weeks GYLC conference</p>

<p>Awards: Something like 20 awards from school, Yale book award, 3 National latin exam gold medals, one silver, Medusa Mythology exam Corona Olivae, invitation to AIME exam junior year, local Audubon Society scholarship. </p>

<p>Teacher Recs: 1 superamazingcouldntbebetter… 1 good</p>

<p>Counselor Rec: should be good</p>

<p>Essays: probably not amazing</p>

<p>Upper middle class white male from a high quality public school in New York.</p>

<p>Let me know what you think about BC as a safety!</p>

2

<p>I'm quoting what seems to be CC conventional wisdom: Any school that accepts 30% or fewer of its applicants has to be considered a reach. BC must be hovering close to that, having received more than 26,000 applications for about 2200 spots for the class of 2010. I think they ended up with a class of about 2300.</p>

<p>Yes, your stats look great, but you only have to look at the waitlist-reject thread to know that many worthy applicants did not get in this year.</p>

<p>Given these facts, I would strongly discourage using BC as a safety. But please apply!</p>

3

<p>Given that BC is a Catholic school, i might advise you against putting the Gay Straight Alliance on your application. If I'm wrong about this anyone tell me, but I wouldn't want your chances to be diminished because of a biased member of the Admissions Committee.</p>

4

<p>I'm pretty sure BC will not be biased against GSA. They are a Jesuit University focused on people helping people, and as far as I know do not discriminate.</p>

<p>As for the comment about the core curriculum: It's makes you a well rounded person. you should be excited to expand your knowledge.</p>

5

<p>I would put GSA and anyother pro-alternate lifestyle organization you got. My college essay was a pro-tolerance toward homosexuals. All the "conservative" colleges (including BC) accepted me, and ironically, all the "liberal" schools rejected. So send it ahead.</p>

6

<p>I put Reagan stamps on all my college envelopes. I actually don't suggest doing that...</p>

<p>I used Case Western Reserve and Boston College EA as kind of...I'm-pretty-sure-I'll-get-in-let's-see-early-so-I-don't-have-to-worry safeties. I got in both just fine. My verbal SATs and GPA were lower, but I had more leadership involvement and nationally ranked math competitions. I think we're about even. I think you can use it as a safety, honestly, but I'd apply EA just so you can know you're in somewhere and pick a Case Western level school, too.</p>