Should I even apply?

<p>hey thanks for looking at this i really appreciate it! I've been really stressed by this whole college thing for some time. like you have no idea how much ive been stressed, but anyway stanford was always my dream school. I know my SAT/ACT and GPA scores are bad. Is all hope lost for me? AM I doomed?</p>

<p>GPA: 3.5 unweighted 3.65 weighted
ACT: 25 (retaking)
SAT: 1830 (retaking)
Should get good recs and should write a great essay</p>

<p>ECS
-founded my own business which works with Amazon.com in book sales and distribution
-I love trading stocks and started when I was in grade school
-often talk about starting a business and the importance of academics to kids in underdeveloped communities (having been doing this on a regular basis for 2 years now) through a group that links business leaders to youth.
-berekly model UN
-summer at brown econ class
-taking two college classes at local community college
-work at local store for 10hrs/week
-Vice President (10,11) President (12) of a the teen advisory board which acts as a liaison between teens and the city council</p>

<p>Background:
- I now attend a very prestigious school in a very affluent neighborhood, however I came from a grade school that did not prepare students for this type of a challenging academic atmosphere. It was a fight to be able to go to the high school I do now, but I have always had the dream of attending a great college.
-I went through difficult transitional periods my frosh and soph years but beginning 2nd semester sophomore year have taken the hardest course load and have done extremely well.</p>

<p>Im a hispanic californian and would not need financial aid. Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Honestly, it will be tough for you because your stats are mediocre. But you have nothing to lose if you apply, right? So just give it a try. You never know.</p>

<p>If you've got a good story and explain it to them in the application, you should have a shot. Not necessarily a good shot, but they won't discount you right away. You'll be given a serious look.</p>

<p>You definitely need t seriously improve your SAT score. I would suggest at least something that started with 2 (more than 2000).Your EC's seem good (way better than mine and I got in) but then your GPA is a bit low which I think is due to your difficult school and if that's the case it should be no problem. I think you've got a shot but I strongly suggest you apply to several other universities. I did and I'm really glad I did. Good Luck</p>

<p>Superwizard, YGPM. Just a question, if you don't mind..</p>

<p>No not at all. Know don't get me wrong I have absolutely no idea why they accepted me but my stats go like this:
SAT: Math 800 Critical Reading :700 Writing: 660
SAT2: 800 Chemistry 800 Math level 2 740 Physics
GPA: My school doesn't give out numbers but I got A+ in every class I took in grade 11 and first term grade 12
Class Rank: school again doesn't rank except in percentiles where top 10% is the highest (I got that)
EC's: I didn't have a lot but I guess my main one was working as The Head of the Safety Department for the past 4 years where I have done lots of changes
School recommendation was amazing and also the teacher's who wrote my recommendations have known me for years and really really like me and wrote very thoughtful and well written recommendations
AP's: I took 5 AP classes : English Language, Chemistry, Physics B, Calculus AB, Macroeconomics</p>

<p>That's about it as I said I know people with better grades that didn't get in ans people with lower that did. Once again Good luck!</p>

<p>And I want to point out two things I forgot to mention:
1-My school is very well known in my region of the world and has a very high reputation and is universally known
2- I didn't get into my top choice (MIT) and I would advise everyone who has there heart set on a prestigious university to also consider other universities</p>

<p>Thanks for replying - I checked my pms and was sad because you didn't answer.. (I didn't think you replied here) Yea thanks for telling, nobody ever mentions what they got in with, only what they want to apply with.</p>

<p>And I agree with you on the choosing colleges - I'm trying very hard to love my safety in case I don't get in. Thanks!</p>

<p>No problem julyinoh. I must warn you that I am living in a different country where not many EC's are available to me. My school really pretty much only has a Student Body and doesn't compete in any academic competitions or such. Also julyinoh you really should be trying to love your safeties because you never know if you'll end up going there. I know a guy in my class absolutely brilliant who ended up getting rejected from Caltech, Brown and Yale. He's really good and I'm still stumped he didn't get into any one of these 3 but know he's going to his safety and he's quite happy.</p>