<p>Sorry, didn’t see that you had responded.</p>
<p>I have enrolled at Penn State for next fall. I got into the more-selective honors college there, so that was nice. Apply to more than four schools, that’s my advice. 
My match school, where I totally expected to be admitted, waitlisted me, so I only got into my safeties. Not smart on my part to have such a small list.</p>
<p>+1 to all @hezekiel said
Also, @bodangles could you please post your stats?
Thanks!!</p>
<p>I’m gonna apply to “too” many schools, simply cause my gpa is below par.</p>
<p>really brings me down, seeing a 2330 guy turned down :(</p>
<p>Do go to the Harvard/Stanford subforum and take a look at the stats of people who applied there. You will see a lot of people with 2300+ ( hell, even 2400) get rejected, while people with lower scores get admitted.</p>
<p>An Indian student this year got admitted to Stanford, Yale, UPenn and whole bunch of places with a 2190 SAT. Getting a 2400 in SAT just means you are a great exam- taker. A lot of top colleges understand this, and when they have got loads of applicants with high SAT scores, they have to look at what really stands out and makes your profile different.</p>
<p>and yea, @bodangles
I don’t think you applied for aid, did you?</p>
<p>I did apply for aid</p>
<p>Fuller stats:</p>
<p>SAT: 2330 (2350 superscore)
SAT IIs: Chem 740, Math II 760 (not great, but my grandma had just died…)
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.50 W
APs: Chem (5), APUSH (5), World (4), Lang (5), Lit + two dual-enrollment college classes through Pitt (Calc I and Stats)</p>
<p>ECs:
Started creative writing club at school sophomore year
Marching band for four years + two types of leadership + soloist
Quiz team (like Jeopardy) for four years
Church youth group for four years
Physics Pasta Engineering Team senior year
NHS both years</p>
<p>Awards:
AP Scholar with Honor (basically useless)
NHS
Student of the Month Feb 2013 (also basically useless)
National Merit Commended
Regional and national creative writing awards, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards</p>
<p>Applied to:
Penn State + Schreyer
Pitt + honors
Case Western Reserve
Penn</p>
<p>Definitely apply if you get a score in the range of 2200+ or so. Below that, though, I’d just put your money towards some match schools instead</p>
<p>SAT/ACT scores are overrated because they are the only things that can be improved on your application, hence the hype. It is an important factor no doubt but not the only one. Remember admissions are holistic and the context plays a larger role i.e your essays and your background combined with your interests/major. And yes apply to around 5-8 colleges with a mix of reach, match and safeties 
Wish you the best of luck!</p>
<p>don’t know if this list will help.
<a href=“http://www.thebestcolleges.org/rankings/top-50/”>http://www.thebestcolleges.org/rankings/top-50/</a></p>
<p>GPA and SATs scores are the first filter for your applications when you apply. Equally important is the ‘match’ factor when selecting a list of colleges. So does your Coursework, ECs, Essays, Subject SATs score as well its relevance to the program that you are applying to, Acceptance rate, Diversity, Tuition and Cost, Location, Size of the school should also be the filters you should apply when you make your college list.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for all the responses! I feel motivated again.</p>
<p>I’ve already finished my essays and everything, gotta start prepping hard now.</p>
<p>Make sure that you get your counselor to explain your circumstances, and also how they expected you to do very well in your boards.</p>
<p>Yes @hezekiel, absolutely!
I’ve seen her recommendation… It is the most convincing and includes the circumstance explanation!</p>
<p>I still have to get 2250 or 33, SAT/ACT and 750+ in subject tests to be considered for Cornell ED.</p>
<p>Do y’all think it’s martyrdom to mention all this on your app.?!</p>
<p>list of schools which may be helpful
<a href=“http://www.thebestcolleges.org/rankings/top-50/”>http://www.thebestcolleges.org/rankings/top-50/</a></p>
<p>You just have to ensure that it does not sound too much like an excuse for not performing well.</p>
<p>@hezekiel I will make sure of that. I don’t want to create a sob story… My counselor is writing about it as I said, so I really don’t need to…</p>
<p>Now its almost a gap of three years. How can you get LOR?
Its highly competitive for CS at those schools you listed.
Many Indians who want to apply tier I schools have 2350+ 750+ and Straight A’s.
Tier I schools don’t need extracurricular but initiatives. Any you’ve planned?
Moreover they’ll ask what you did in those three years gap?
If you’re already enrolled in some college then they might ask you for college transcripts even you don’t want credit or transfer to the course.
Many admission counselor evaluates your good and bad. If you’re good in things which others are bad then they might consider your application. It might either put in waitlist/defer or reject category.
There is a chance of improving your academic performance.</p>