Stanford, Duke, USC, NYU...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm new here, so I apologize in advance if I am going about this in the wrong way.</p>

<p>Stats:
-Sex: Female
-Race: Caucasian (White)
-High School: I'm not going to lie and say that my school is good. It's actually quite the opposite, but my parents don't have the money to send me to a private school, or anything of that sort. Basically, most students from my school end up attending community college or another in-state school.
-Current Location: Maryland
-Possible Major(s): English/Journalism
-Other: First Generation College Student</p>

<p>Courses (9th):
-Honor's Earth Science: A
-Honor's English 9: A
-Honor's Government: B
-Health: A
-Physical Education 9: A
-Algebra II: A
-Application of Computer Technology I: A
-Spanish I: A</p>

<p>GPA (9th):
-Unweighted: 3.857
-Weighted: N/A</p>

<p>Courses (10th):
-AP European History: A
-Honor's English 10: A
-Honor's Biology: A
-Spanish II: A
-Fine Art Prep: A
-Weight Training: A
-Physical Education 10-12: A
-Trigonometry: A
-Foundations of Technology: A</p>

<p>GPA (10th):
-Unweighted: 4.0
-Weighted: 4.125</p>

<p>Courses (11th):
-AP United States History: A
-AP English Language/Composition: A
-Precalculus: A
-Chemisty: A
-Anatomy and Physiology: A
-Photography: A
-Spanish III: A
-Spanish IV: A</p>

<p>GPA (11th):
-Unweighted: 4.0
-Weighted: 4.25</p>

<p>GPA (Cumulative):
-Unweighted: 3.956
-Weighted: 4.0869</p>

<p>Courses for Next Year (12th):
-AP Biology
-AP Calculus
-Biochemistry
-AP Chemistry
-AP English Literature/Composition
-AP Spanish V
-Creative Writing
-Student Aide/Mentor (for Precalculus)</p>

<p>Class Rank: 2/250? (I think that is about the size of our graduating class, but may be disputable. However, I know for a fact that I am second in the class.)</p>

<p>SATs:
March: 560/610/630
June: 630/640/580
*<em>I had not studied before taking the test either time. The first time I thought it would be best to go into it blindsided, and the second time I broke up with my boyfriend of three years right before the test and I know I performed below ability.
*</em>I am considering retaking the SATs in October, but I think that I am going to have to take the SAT IIs for the first time in order to apply for Early Action. (I'm kind of impatient.)</p>

<p>Extra Curricular Activities:
-Varsity Soccer
-Varsity Lacrosse
-Spanish Honor Society
-National Honor Society
-Envirothon
-I also do service work through my home church, especially in the area of child care services.</p>

<p>Colleges:
1. Stanford
2. Duke
3. University of Pennsylvania
4. University of California: Berkley
5. University of Southern California
6. University of New York
7. Syracuse University
8. University of Maryland: College Park</p>

<p>What are my chances?</p>

2

<p>Right now, you have strong grades, and your extra-curriculars are decent but could use some work. But, at the moment, your SAT score is too low for many of those schools.</p>

<p>The first four schools are huge reaches and you’d have to raise your SAT to be a candidate there at all, IMO.</p>

<ol>
<li>University of Southern California - moderate reach</li>
<li>University of New York - you mean NYU? if so, reach.</li>
<li>Syracuse University - match</li>
<li>University of Maryland: College Park - match</li>
</ol>

3

<p>whats up with your boyfriend man. totally disrespectful to break up before SATs >.></p>

4

<p>"The first four schools are huge reaches and you’d have to raise your SAT to be a candidate there at all, IMO.</p>

<ol>
<li>University of Southern California - moderate reach"</li>
</ol>

<p>Wrong. USC actually has about the same acceptance rate as Berkeley out-of-state. One difference in admissions is that Berkeley is more focused on GPA than on SAT scores.</p>

5

<p>So, would it be better for me to retake my SATs in October, studying over the summer, and then wait and take the SAT IIs in November and apply for regular admission to the schools that require them? I knew that the first few were definately reaches, but I was not expecting the same verdict for some of the laters.</p>

<p>omgponies: I don’t know. You would think that it wouldn’t take three years for someone to realize whether or not they love you.. asjdklasdf.</p>

<p>Any other opinions?</p>

6

<p>Eh, yeah, I guess Berkeley could also be a moderate reach for her. But I’m sticking by what I said in regards to Stanford, Duke, and U Penn.</p>

<p>EDIT: Sorry for the continuous posts, but I think your SAT score is really the only thing holding you back. Strong grades with an upward trend, decent EC’s… You’ve got a shot if you bump up those scores.</p>

7

<p>I would recommend something different altogether: take the October ACT instead of the SAT I. Then you’ll still be able to use the SAT test date for subject tests. That’s my best suggestion at this point. If you can get a high ACT score with some studying, that would greatly improve your chances.</p>

8

<p>Get that SAT score up!!! then you stand a good chance</p>

9

<p>highopes: I don’t mind the continuous posts.. especially when you are trying to help me out. =) Being in MD, I could actually take the ACT in September.. but the thing is, I’m not sure what the ACT is. Ha. The only thing I know is that the highest score is 36. I guess I’m also wondering if colleges will look more closely at my SAT score even if I have a high ACT score.</p>

<p>Any other opinions?</p>

10

<p>Berkeley is very hard for OOS because it’s a state school, but if you bump up your SATs (or take the ACT; whichever) and get good scores on your SAT IIs I think you’ll have as much a chance as a CA resident (you have a good hook-- 1st generation and upward trend).</p>

11

<p>I think the ACT is much easier than the SAT, actually. I took both tests for the first time in June and here’s the breakdown - ACT has tougher time limits and a science section, but the test itself is easier. If you’ve struggled before on the SAT, I recommend you try the ACT because it can’t hurt - spend a little time with study materials beforehand and I think you’ll do very well. It gives you the chance to take your subject tests, too, and time to study specifically for them.</p>

12

<p>ivycmm: Thanks for your opinion. I guess I should try and take a look at OOS acceptance rates..</p>

<p>highhopes: It’s not necessarily that I struggled on the SATs, but I never took the time to study. I was planning on studying, but then things came up, as I mentioned, and I didn’t. I know that early action and early decision boost acceptance rates, so I thought that would help.. and I just no longer have the time to take the things that I need/want to. I was that they offered the SATs and the SAT IIs on different days. Ughh. Do you have any recommendations for study books on the ACT?</p>

13

<p>The Real ACT book is the one published by the ACT company, I think that’s the most reliable. There are also practice tests online, I believe, at actstudent.org. For the most part, the ACT and SAT are pretty similar, if you would do well on the SAT, you’ll do well on the ACT, too (like I said, IMO the ACT is actually the easier of the two). Good luck! :)</p>

14

<p>Thanks! :)</p>

<p>Anyone else? USC is the school that I guess I am most interested in at this point..</p>

15

<p>Not to be creepy but I sent you an email.</p>

16

<p>

</p>

<p>Acceptance rates don’t tell you much. Berkeley has a pretty self-selective OOS applicant pool. USC is in LA and attracts a very un-self-selective applicant pool. Berkeley is harder to get into than USC for an OOSer, easily.</p>

<p>To the OP: #1-4 are reaches; USC is a slight reach (50-50). Your chances of getting in will be better (probably a high match to match) if you can raise your SAT score to 2000+ (which isn’t that far, since you’re already at a 1900 superscored).</p>