UChicago, Northwestern, Brandeis, Boston, American, Penn

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm looking at some top schools, but I'm really not too sure whether to bother applying to some of them, since I'm the first child in my family to go through the application process. Senior Year will be big for me, I slacked off a lot Freshman and Sophmore year, and with a very heavy courseload, if i do well, I can really turn a lot around. I know I've got some weak spots numerically, but constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thank you in advance!</p>

<p>GPA (weighted/unweighted): 3.85/3.4?</p>

<p>APs: US History, English Language/Comp, European History, English Literature/Comp, German, maybe Statistics. Honors Foreign Policy and Honors Wind Ensemble (and some others from Freshman and Sophmore year)</p>

<p>Class rank: 199/725-ish</p>

<p>SAT Score (First and Only time): Superscore: 2120, CR:800, Math: 610, Writing: 710</p>

<p>AP Scores: USH - 5, English - 4</p>

<p>EC's: 4 years Speech and Debate - Vice President (2nd Place Statewide, National Quarter-finalist, Numerous local awards)
4 years Marching Band - Trumpet marching section leader
JSA Summer School - (3 weeks at Georgetown University, studying Government and Politics)
Current Events Club
My friend and I plan on starting a philosophy club this year.</p>

<p>Employment: I worked at a grocery store bagging for 4 months last summer, and also worked for my father, helping him with his business. The money is just savings.</p>

<p>Honors/Awards: Highest score in my school on Current Events League tests
Top ten, state-wide essay contest for PSU, there's probably other things I'm forgetting. </p>

<p>I can count on glowing recommendations from my english teacher, as well as my US History teacher, and a good (not great) from my science teacher, which Chicago would require. I haven't thought about my essays that much yet; this JSA program monopolizes my time, but I'm a good essay writer, and based on the prompts from Chicago, I think I'm creative enough to do well on them. </p>

<p>As for me, I'm a pretty average person, demographically. White male, 2-parent household in the upper-middle-class suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA. I'm a voracious reader, active in politics (volunteering with various campaigns), and I write, produce music, and moonlight as a DJ in my spare time, just uploading the mixes onto the internet, though.</p>

2

<p>Hi Mr. Doug (one of my radio stations in my area is Doug-FM ... an extremely crappy radio station playing horrible musi ...) ANYWHO ... I'm happy to chance you, but can you chance me too? <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/538677-please-chance-me-i-d-really-really-appreciate.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/538677-please-chance-me-i-d-really-really-appreciate.html&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Your UW 3.4 is pretty low, but your upward grade trend coupled with APs (assuming that you went up junior year) should help you a little with admissions. Generally, a prospective student for the top schools should be above a 3.7 or 3.8 UW to play safe (a 4.0 is not required). Your SATs are pretty good as well; however, your Math is pretty weak at a 610 ... it puts you at or lower than the 25th percentile at most top schools for math ranges ... most people aim for 650+ per section ... if not a 700. Good job on the reading section tho! Your ECs tho few in number show that you're interested and active in them (and pretty good at doing your work in those ECs!) ... you also demonstrate leadership in what you do. Good job on that! Your participation in JSA does help ... from what I've heard. Please don't start a club ... especially if it has little significance!!! It's disheartening to hear about people doing that just to boost their chances of admission. I like your history of employment ... and working with your dad shows that your connected to your family in an era when people don't connect with their family ... good! Your honors are also pretty good. You should also mention to colleges about your production of music ... I suggest that you send a copy to the schools you're applying to, especially Chicago --- they will appreciate it. </p>

<p>Overall, you seem to have been reborn out of the ashes after not doing so well freshman and sophomore year. My advice for you is to NOT show how great you are in your essays; instead, show colleges the lessons you've learned --- why you've suddenly changed courses in life and tell them how you fought for higher grades, even when the odds were against you, since you took harder classes. If you had a family issue (divorce/death of a loved one) or personal issues (surgery), you should also mention that and how you overcame that obstacle. The better and more throurough you explain things in your essay, the more admissions officers learn about you ... and the more forgiving they will be for your GPA. </p>

<p>*Chances: *
Chicago: Reach (GPA is way below average) ... but it doesn't mean you won't get in
Northwestern: Reach (GPA is way below average ... and they tend to look more at numbers)
Brandeis: Not familiar
Boston U: Slight reach (GPA is slightly lower than average)
Penn State: Slight reach (ditto)
UPenn: Far reach </p>

<p>Good luck, and remember to return the favor by chancing me!</p>