What colleges can I get into? D:

College Search & Selection
1

<p>GPA: isn't very...er...well, it's pretty bad. 2.9, I'm fairly sure.
I've taken 3 APs total (APUSH, AP Comp and AP Lit) and Honours English 4 years, Honours Spanish for 1 year, if that helps any. :/.</p>

<p>SAT: 740 CR/520 math/680 Writing/1940 total; I'm retaking this in Nov and expect to improve.
ACT: 34 Eng/34 Reading/25 Math/24 Science/29 total</p>

<p>ECs:
-In 7 clubs, and the founder/president of an eighth.
-Published writer (short story magazine, but not a well-known one, so...)
-Volunteered at a church, a print shop, and various health-care related events.
-I don't know if this counts as an EC, but I've been playing guitar for 6 years, bass for 1, and piano for 4. My band's played small clubs and parties. I also modify/repair guitars, basses and amps.</p>

<p>I'd also probably be able to do well in writing application essays, so there's that. :S.</p>

<p>I've been looking at:
CSU East Bay
CSU Fullerton
SFSU
DePaul University
SUNY Old Westbury
SUNY Buffalo
Mercy College (NY)
Hilbert College (NY)
Medaille College (NY)</p>

<p>I'd really like to go to college in a big city, and would love to be in NY. SF or LA might be more feasible financially, though, since I'm in CA. </p>

<p>Erm, if you've read this far, do you think you can tell me what colleges on my list I have a shot at? Or, if you're being very nice, could you suggest any others I should look into?</p>

2

<p>Is that your UC GPA or your total GPA (including ALL classes you’ve taken )?</p>

<p>Is that your weighted GPA?</p>

<p>How much will your parents pay each year?</p>

<p>What is your likely major?</p>

<p>Forget the SAT because the ACT is obviously “your” test.</p>

<p>If your weighted GPA of all your classes is higher than what you’ve stated, then there are some schools that might give you a scholarship for your ACT score…but you’d need a higher GPA.</p>

<p>Some of those schools on your list may be unaffordable because they don’t meet need or give much money.</p>

3

<p>That’s the UC. I think the total (weighted) is 2.98-3.0. I’m not entirely sure; I can’t get my transcript til next week.</p>

<p>If I raised my ACT to 30+, would that look much better, or…?
And at what level would my SATs have to reach, for more aid? I know it’s really not my test, but I’ve already signed up to take it again.</p>

<p>My parents are willing to take out a loan, and I’m going to work through college. I think we can put up 5-10k. I’m really not sure right now. They’re both self employed, so money comes in rather sporadically…
On the bright side, our EFC should be fairly low, so I might be able to get some financial aid?</p>

<p>Major-wise, I can’t decide between Communications/Journalism and Nursing, but I definitely want to do one of the two.</p>

<p>Admission-wise, though, do I have a chance of getting into the school(s)? Regardless of the money.</p>

<p>I’m sorry for all the questions. :(.
Thanks to anyone who’s read this, and to anyone who replies.</p>

4

<p>Regardless of money…there are schools that will accept you. :slight_smile: However, paying for them will be another story. :(</p>

<p>That’s the UC. I think the total (weighted) is 2.98-3.0. I’m not entirely sure; I can’t get my transcript til next week.</p>

<p>??? Shouldn’t your “non-UC GPA” that includes ALL courses (including PE and electives) be a lot higher?</p>

<p>*
If I raised my ACT to 30+, would that look much better, or…?
And at what level would my SATs have to reach, for more aid? I know it’s really not my test, but I’ve already signed up to take it again.*</p>

<p>Here’s the deal…</p>

<p>For merit scholarships…you need the best scores you can get.</p>

<p>For admittance into the schools that have the money to give you good need-based aid (if YOU QUALIFY), you need strong stats - and unfortunately your GPA will likely keep you from being admitted to those schools. :(</p>

<p>MOST schools do not have much institutional aid to give, so even if you can demonstrate “need,” most schools can’t give you much more than loans. Most schools will gap you.</p>

<p>*
My parents are willing to take out a loan, and I’m going to work through college. I think we can put up 5-10k. I’m really not sure right now.*</p>

<p>Not sure what you mean. Do you mean that your parents will give you $5k-10k per year and then they will borrow the rest? Or are you saying that the combined amount (loan + family funds) that your family can provide is $5k-10k per year?</p>

<p>If that is so, your choices are going to be very limited.</p>

<p>* They’re both self employed, so money comes in rather sporadically…
On the bright side, our EFC should be fairly low, so I might be able to get some financial aid?*</p>

<p>If their income is irregular and low, then they might not qualify for loans. </p>

<p>Find out what your likely EFC is…
Quick EFC
[FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Quick EFC - Finaid)</p>

<p>Also…please get a dollar figure from them…how much they can give you out of their income each year and how much they will be able to borrow each year.</p>

5

<p>Major-wise, I can’t decide between Communications/Journalism and Nursing, but I definitely want to do one of the two.</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>Those are two very different majors? Frankly, I would think that a BSN (nursing) would be more likely give you a regular and good salary.</p>

<p>Are you male or female?</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the help again!</p>

<p>Yay, people will accept me! :). That’s of the greater concern right now, I suppose. I think If I got accepted into a college I really loved, we’d find a way to pay for it, even if we have to go beg family members who’ve got a bit more money than we do…</p>

<p>Well, I got into several arguments with the PE teacher, so my PE grades dragged my non-UC GPA down more than I’d have liked. </p>

<p>But I haven’t seen my transcript in a year, so I could be slightly off. I don’t think there’s going to be a huge difference, though. I’m generally a B student, with the occasional A and the occasional C. Actually…considering the honours/AP courses I took and the GPA increase from that, it really should be higher. Huh. Well, I’ll find out next week.</p>

<p>and the 5-10k is non-inclusive of the loans. </p>

<p>I asked for a dollar figure, but they said they haven’t got the slightest clue. :l. </p>

<hr>

<p>Haha, I know. :). I was hospitalised recently, and really, really appreciated the nurses and all they did to make me not terrified. The doctors were there to figure out what was wrong, not to be comforting. But the nurses’ care really inspired me, and since my mom’s in the health care industry, I figure I’d also have a foot in the door. Of course, my dad thinks that’s a useless career, but I’d personally love to be a nurse. </p>

<p>I still feel my best skill is writing, but I worry about the irregular salary, especially if I want to live in NY/SF! Technical writing would make money, but would also bore me half to death, so…</p>

<p>And I’m of the female persuasion.</p>

7

<p>Alright, just got my transcript.</p>

<p>UC GPA: 3.0435
9-12th GPA: 3.00
(both weighted…but apparently the UC one is just an estimation of how the UCs will determine my GPA. Either way, it’s an improvement on what I expected).</p>