<p>Personal -
Female
Underrepresented State
First Generation
Low Income
Hispanic
Polisci Major</p>
<p>Stats -
GPA - 3.91 UW/4.6 W
CR - 1st/350
ACT - 28, 31E, 22M, 33R, 24S … Sigh. Ick.
Toughest Coursework</p>
<p>Other Stuff -
Essays - Pretty solid, I think.
Recs - Never saw 'em, but the teachers I chose like me a lot. </p>
<p>Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and ECs. I have A LOT of awards from softball and debate - state and national level. I’m have leadership positions in other clubs. My ECs aren’t AMAZING, but they aren’t a laundry list, and I have show commitment.</p>
<p>Dear kiterunner18 : Your ACT score of 28 is in the bottom quartile for the accepted class profile. However, you are carrying scores of 22 (Math) and 24 (Science) which are so far out of bounds with BC’s profile that it is hard to see how you can overcome those scores. Without a battery of SAT or ACT scores that improve those numbers, your application will just not be accepted.</p>
<p>Now, your valedictory class rank really flies in the face of ACT numbers like these. As a top ranked student in your class, surely you have to have some exposure to advanced placement or honors work in these areas.</p>
<p>Your profile leaves your leadership and volunteerism roles undefined. Your academic honors, honor societies, music/fine arts, awards, and specific course work elements are all missing leading to even more guess-work.</p>
<p>At this point, your profile is not looking positive for acceptance.</p>
<p>kiterunner:</p>
<p>IMO, you are foolish to submit that ACT score instead of your SAT (2190). Some colleges ignore a low science score, but not low ACT-M. Many colleges also readily overlook your subject test scores in favor of your hook (and your high SAT score).</p>
<p>scottj -
Sorry, I didn’t want to make my chances thread very detailed. I have 200 hours of community service, and, as I said, I’m involved in A LOT of ECs… holding leadership positions in many. And while I am at the top of my class… I struggle with the time constraints on the ACT. Sorry, I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but your response was kind of snippy to me… lol. </p>
<p>bluebayou -
The only problem is that if I submit my SATI scores, I have to submit my average subject test scores. So you’re saying that I should just go with my SATI scores, regardless of so-so subject tests?</p>
<p>hahaha that post by scottj was kind of discouraging, but i have seen many of his posts on other threads and he seems to be very knowledgeable. my opinion would be to submit both act and sats, since that seems to be the weakest part of your app. dont worry too much about standardized testing, however, because i think your nationality could help your application. i myself am african american, and i was accepted EA with an average GPA (3.4) which is well below BC standards, a 23 ACT (horrendous), and 1800 sats with 650 and 610 subject tests (also below average for BC). Nationality is only one factor, and ot certainly wont be the deciding factor in their decision, but lets face it, a homogeneous school like BC is trying to become more diverse, and if they have a strong minority student like you applying, they will not turn you down because of a 22 in math ACT. Hope this helps</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Since you have great SAT I and “so-so” subject tests scores OR you have so-so ACT, I would recommend send SAT.</p>
<p>^ thanks for the help, bluebayou and eemmzz10. :)</p>
<p>emmzz10 wrote:</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>emmzz10: Implying that the OP’s ACT scores won’t be a problem because you got accepted with low credentials is a big disservice. We don’t know the reason you got accepted, but we do know that for every one of you, there are hundreds or thousands every year who get rejected because of such scores.</p>
<p>Dear kiterunner18 : Let’s review your postings. You include in your profile an ACT score that is bottom quartile for Boston College. Your “struggling with time constraints” seems to be your explanation for the 22 (Math) and 24 (Science), but clearly no such issues exist on your sections that scored a 31 (E) and 33 (R). What courses have you been taking in Math and Science at your High School, particularly as a class valedictorian? Typically, a valedictorian will be in a Calculus BC sequence in senior year and will have seen at least two of the three AP sciences (Chemistry, Physics, and/or Biology) by senior year. With that type of academic rigor, one does not get scores like you have posted. Remember, a 22 is the equivalent of a 520 on an SAT scale; 24 maps to a 550. These scores are nationally speaking, average. For Boston College, they are off the charts to the downside. Someone has augmented this thread with a discussion of your SAT I/SAT II performance that you yourself did not even think to include when we posted our original review. You did not include details on your extra-curriculars other than an update that says you are involved in many after an original post that stated they were not amazing. Rather than adding up the equation, your conclusion is that the post was snippy. Here is my question back to you. Are you expecting an acceptance and why?</p>
<p>Dear eemmzz10 : Fanning the flames of hope using your scores as a benchmark but offering that diversity is the answer is a significant problem. (jpm50 provides some specific thoughts in this thread on the subject.) Boston College enrolls 35% of the admitted class in minority categories. Not as high as other institutions, agreed, however, suggesting that standards can or are often bent so very far from the mean in order to accomodate such institutional profile gains is incorrect reporting. Top students nationally of all races and backgrounds are part of the applicant pool. Your case is by far the exception and should not be used as evidence that such happens regularly. Here is my question back to you. Are you expecting the original poster to be accepted and why?</p>
<p>Dear All : College admissions at a Top 40 institution is a dog-fight whether you want to compete or not. It is harsh, it is honest and it is somewhat random in the acceptance or rejection process of an application. If you doubt this, spent some time to really read through the Class of 2014 decision results thread here on College Confidential for Boston College. Really compare this posted profile to those that have already been rejected much less deferred.</p>
<p>scott:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Let me turn it around: please identify any posted profiles with the below stats that have been rejected by a #20-40 school, particularly at a school seeking to expand its diversity?</p>
<p>3.9, tough curriculum
2190 SAT
URM
First gen</p>
<p>Maybe we should hit the reset button on this thread.</p>
<p>Here’s what I’ve read about the OP:</p>
<ol>
<li>Class Valedictorian</li>
<li>3.91UW/4.60W GPA Implying at worst 1 “C” or 2 "B"s</li>
<li>200+ hours community service</li>
<li>State & National level awards in Softball/Debate</li>
<li>Leadership positions in ECs</li>
<li>URM Status</li>
<li>ACT 28 with poor Math and Science scores</li>
<li>SAT 2190 (per bluebayou) with poor subject test scores (per the OP)</li>
</ol>
<p>If I only knew points 1 - 6 I’d say that not only would the OP be accepted, she most likely would be considered for some sort of merit scholarship. Obviously, the problem is the standardized test score. If in fact your SAT1 is 2190, (which equates to roughly a 33 ACT), I would definitely submit that. There is little that you can do about the sub-scores at this point, but even if the SAT1 is 800CR, 800W and 590M I suspect you’ll be accepted, given points 1 through 6 above. I would suspect that your subject scores would have to be hellaciously low to even give a major pause.</p>
<p>@scottj - I am, in fact, in Calculus AB, and I have taken every AP science offered at my school (we offer all except physics). I think it’s kind of funny that you can make the assertion that “with that type of academic rigor, one does not get scores like you have posted.” Yeah, I struggle with science and math on timed tests. However, it doesn’t mean that I haven’t taken the toughest classes possible & excelled in them. Additionally, I was in a rush, and I really didn’t have time to post my list of ECs. What I meant by “nothing amazing” was that I’m not AMAZING in one specific area, but I’m extremely well-rounded. Some examples - President of German Club, Freshman Mentor, Softball, Debate, State Director for the Genocide Intervention Network, working a full time job, etc. Sorry for any confusion. Finally, I’m not <em>expecting</em> an acceptance. However, I feel like my grades, ECs, and unique background (low income, first gen, working to help support my family, etc.) make me a competitive applicant.</p>
<p>Kiterunner, you posted that you wanted to know your chances, yet when someone gives you a considered opinion that leads to an answer that you don’t like, you get defensive. If your goal is a broad ranging dialogue about the likelihood of your acceptance, don’t atack the respondents. Scottj is one of the most knowledgeable posters on the CC site for BC and he gave you the logic behind his answer. To Vinceh’s post, kiterunner would have had to apply EA to get merit money, and then we wouldn’t be posting…</p>
<p>I don’t care about the broad range of opinions I’m receiving, I am irritated by the unwarranted assertions that scottj has made. So chillax.</p>
<p>It’s tough to call scottj’s replies “unwarranted assertions”. </p>
<p>Before you reply, can you spend a few hours reviewing the “accepted” and “deferred” threads for the past year or two? It may help you understand that some of the replies were trying to be honest and realistic instead of negative.</p>
<p>scottj: “fanning the flames of hope”? im giving my opinion, which is the purpose of this forum. i personally think that there is a chance kiterunner could be accepted. what i see is people, especially you, feeding into the “BC is impossible to get into” stereotype, which is totally false. most of the people that posted on this thread are discouraging kiterunner, which is the last thing you want to do to a college applicant, especially one that seems to have tried very hard to put themselves in a position to compete. And to jmp, as well as scottj, its one thing for me to call my stats low compared to BC standards, but you cannot do so without knowing the context. My school uses a program called naviance, and it displays the stats of previously accepted students from my school. I was actually right in the area where students were accepted, even with my 3.4 and 1800. So in reality, my stats were low compared to all the stuck up people who posted their 2300 sats and 4.0 gpas, but they were on par with students that got accepted to BC from my school. Its clear to me that BC felt as though they were sufficient as well. and for the record scottj. i clearly said “Nationality is only one factor, and it certainly wont be the deciding factor in their decision”, meaning that i understand nationality wont make or break a decision. it is merely a factor that carries some weight. i can post my opinions on diversity, and you need to make sure you understand what you read before you try and call me out. I’m not going to give somebody hope unless they have a chance. i can relate to not knowing how BC will decide on an application, and i am trying to bolster students who have a shot, rather then bring them down, because i was in that same position just a month ago.</p>
<p>And for the record scottj, i am aware that you are a knowledgeable person, as i said in my initial post. i have seen your responses in several other threads, all of which show detail, unbiased opinions to an extent, and consideration. But that doesnt mean that your opinion is the only one that matters, and it doesnt mean that it is always right. in response to your question “do i expect kiterunner to be accepted”, i can see it going either way. i dont want to give false hope as you said before, but at the same time, i dont want to discourage someone who has a good chance at being offered a place at BC. I’m not using my situation as a benchmark, but merely as an example that a person with “less then BC material” stats (even though they really arent) can be admitted. so if i had to choose, i would say yes, i expect KR to be accepted, because if they use their SAT scores, there isnt one aspect of the application that warrants rejection, in my opinion</p>
<p>Kiterunner, I think you have a good chance of getting into BC. You are valedictorian, have a great GPA, are a minority, have solid community service/extracurriculars, and take tough classes. Yeah, your standardized test scores may not be as high as other applicants, but the whole application process is not only about SATs and ACTs. If your other areas of the application are fairly strong, one weaker section is not going to lessen your chances so drastically. I personally agree with eemmzz10 about the nationality factor. Yeah it’s not the absolute deciding factor of an application, but it can set people apart from each other. Myself being an Asian-American, I got into BC and my credentials are very similar to your own. I’m not saying my nationality is what got me into BC, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt my chances.</p>
<p>Kiterunner, your chances of getting into BC are very good, in my opinion. You seem like a great candidate for the school.</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck.</p>