<p>OK I'm new here and didn't know the protocol so when I posted this question, I was directed by an admin to post it again in another place. I'm hoping this is the correct place to post it and I'm this is the perfect place to get an honest, straightforward answer to this question. I'm a senior and will be sending out my applications in around january for the regular admissions deadlines. Long story short, I received a 1760 SAT score (550 reading, 560 math, 650 writing) which seems like a pretty average score, (but I'm not really sure). I only took it once and did it with no preparation. My cumulative GPA is about an unweighted 2.8, but most of my classes were IB/ICAP classes (very similar to AP). I missed a lot of school because of health problems which has contributed to overall lower grades than I think I would have gotten had I been able to be there more. Also, I have some community service hours but not a lot of them. The colleges I will be applying to are as follows:
MICHIGAN STATE
GONZAGA
COLORADO-BOULDER
WISCONSIN-MADISON (reach)
PENN STATE-UNIVERSITY PARK (Also reach)
OREGON STATE
OREGON</p>
<p>I am from CA so will be an out of stater for all of them. So again, my question is, which of these realistically do you guys think I can get into? Thanks for reading and I look forward to your responses.</p>
<p>UWI: High reach (people who got into UWI with a 1760 SAT had ~3.9 UW)
Penn State: High reach (GPA is 2/3 of the way into Penn State)
CU-Boulder: Low match
MSU: Match
Oregon State: High match
UOR: Reach (the glass floor is 3.0 UW there)
Gonzaga: Reach</p>
<p>I’ll start with the ones you say are your reaches. </p>
<ol>
<li>Penn State- It’s possible, but you’d need a killer essay (maybe talk a little bit about your health if possible??). Definitely a pretty big reach.</li>
<li>Wisconsin-Madison- Not very likely. Your SAT scores are good enough but not the GPA unfortunately. </li>
<li>Michigan-State- You have a chance. Match/Low Reach</li>
<li>Gonzaga- This is going to be a Mid/High Reach because of your GPA. Your SAT scores are up to par, though.</li>
<li>Colorado-Boulder- Once again, you’ve got the SAT scores, but the GPA is what will make it a bit of a reach. Low/Mid Reach</li>
<li>Oregon State- Low/Mid Reach</li>
<li>Oregon- You could do it with your SAT definitely, but your GPA is bringing you down. So, it kind of makes it a Mid/High Reach.</li>
</ol>
<p>This is just based on the numbers. With your essay, ECs, etc… it may be possible for some of these schools, especially Michigan State in which you already have a good chance even with just the numbers. Good luck!</p>
<p>thanks! and yeah a good essay is a possibility because that was the strongest thing for me on the SAT. but obviously the GPA is holding me back. its a little annoying because on most college websites they talk about “oh the gpa is only a small part. there are other important things as well”. Figures that in reality it would still be mostly based off GPA</p>
<p>The obvious thing for you to do is register for the December or January SAT and STUDY.
(Beware: it’s late registration for December and even that stops Nov 25).
To prepare well, register on number2.com and do the targeted exercises.</p>
<p>Now, next question: Can your parents pay $35-50,000 a year for your out of state fees? (You will only be allowed to borrow $5,500 and will not get any financial aid depending on the university/ at most of those.)
If you want to go out of state, look at private universities, and make sure to include in-state safeties.
If you tell us what’s in state for you and what you’re looking for, we’ll be able to give you more suggestions.</p>
<p>Decisions are based on GPA for most of the universities you chose to apply to. Choose to apply smaller colleges, they will be holistic, ie will take everything into account.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input MYOS1634. all of that has gone into account and consideration already and these were the schools that I have basically narrowed it down to. also, I am considering doing ROTC which will help pay for the out of state tuition. I think i will make a different thread about that in fact, and see what people have to say about ROTC. Is there a specific section that I should post that in or are there already some threads that involve that topic?
thanks again.</p>
<p>According to the specialists here on CC, it’s basically too late for a ROTC commission.
At best you’d get a ROTC first year and if you do well with all exercises, training, etc, you’d get the scholarship the other years.
Nevertheless you can try, you never know. :)</p>
<p>I think you can start a thread on that in “college selection” or “college admission”, I don’t remember a ROTC-specific thread</p>
<p>Thanks. and yeah I’m not diving straight in to ROTC with the 4 year scholarship. I want to wait until im in college and then go check it out, talk to the officers in charge etc and decide if i think its right for me.</p>
<p>OK; So if the finances are taken care of & you know what to do with your GPA, all you need now is a higher SAT score, and you’re good to go for MSU, OSU, and Colorado Boulder. So, register for the SAT, practice with number2.com, try to aim for 600/620/680 = 1900).
You may want to check out SOU (Southern Oregon), Fort Lewis College (CO), University of Portland, Penn State branch campus (a few have residence halls, such as PSU Harrisburg/Beaver/Behrend/Greater Allegheny), Pitt or the Pitt branch campuses - those are similar to the schools you mentioned but your odds of getting in are higher.</p>