I’m in a bit of a situation, and I was wondering just how badly I’d do when compared to other applicants.
Basic stats:
GPA: 4.5 weighted
Race: Korean
SAT: 2360
I attend a low-income, heavily minority, public school. My school doesn’t offer many honors courses and only three AP’s (I took all of them). I am also planning on graduating a year early, so next year I’ll be a senior.
The problem is that I have very few extracurriculars, because I spent a lot of time working (as a cashier at a restaurant here), and doing my community college courses (so I could graduate early). I used to be on the cross country team but had to quit because I just didn’t have enough time. I have attended CTY during the summer, though (I pay for the flights from my own savings), and I participate in programming contests online.
I have NO awards whatsoever - I just don’t have the time.
I’m aiming at elite colleges - Stanford, Ivies, MIT, Duke, UCLA, etc. My safety is my local state university. I plan on applying for ROTC as well. My planned major is engineering.
What can I do to improve my application? Will colleges take my situation into consideration?
Whats your UW? What grade are you in? Class rank? California Resident?
I know that working and school is very difficult, but since you need some way to prove that you are a good student if your transcript won’t show it. I would recommend you work a bit less so you can join / start a club (perhaps an engineering one)
UW - 4.0, sophomore, school doesn’t rank, not from California.
I don’t really have the option to work less (I would if I could…)
Is there anything else that I can do to prove that I can handle college and contribute? I get top grades in my CC courses.
Working IS an extracurricular. Use your essays and interviews to make it clear why that has been your path and what you’ve learned from that. You sound hardworking, resilient and self-sufficient. Many schools will find that far more appealing than the activities racked up by a kid who has many options and resources at their disposal.
Working is an EC. It’s a more impresssive EC than joining a fluff club to pad a resume.
For a successful career in engineering, it’s not necessary to graduate from an “elite” private college. Job recruiters tend to favor big State U as a hunting ground for recruiting engineers. So don’t give yourself an ulcer overstressing.
There is a thread that was featured last month about essays about money, see if you can find it and read it. Working is is a great EC. It helps you stand out from the kids for whom mommy and daddy paid for tutors to get their 2360. See about Questbridge as well.
Look at Univ of Alabama – potential full ride – and a solid Engineering school. Undergrad prestige is not a big deal for engineering – you want any ABET certified pgm.
Thanks for the replies! I really didn’t think about my job as an extracurricular. There were just so many things I wanted to do at school but didn’t have the time because I had to work, and seeing those long lists of extracurriculars and clubs kids post here is kind of discouraging
Thanks for the Alabama recommendation - I will definitely check it out. As for ROTC, yes, this is something I would like to do (and not just for the scholarship).
@Mojori please talk with your guidance counselor. He will be able to add a note to your rec as to why you have to work. It is much better to have this info come from the counselor than yourself. Good luck.
I’d hate to be ** that ** jerk on this thread but…*
While working is a great extracurricular,… at schools like MIT, UCLA, Stanford… working alone typically isn’t enough of an extracurricular to their standards. What they are looking for is the ability to manage time while being in an organization with good grades (w/ a preference to leadership in said organization).
Remember a lot more then EC make your application. Your AcT / SaT scores, grade maintenance, community involvement… Also if you don’t have time to now because your busy working, when will you find time to study for the ACT? Because that is ** extremely ** important to top tier schools. If you physically can’t find the time for it, you could be a good applicant for somewhat less elite schools like U of Alabama or U of Houston or Florida A&M (if you maintain your grades, get good test scores, etc.) All solid, all accredited (and all give out money for class rank)
I’d advise in this last month of school ask a teacher to sponsor some club idea you have and maybe meet once every 2 months or something. Something that shows you are involved in your schools community for X amount of time. It will only make your application better.
UCLA and other UCs do emphasize opportunity for California residents from low SES backgrounds, so it is not surprising that their admissions processes and criteria are designed to maximize the ability of such students to apply and be admitted. The result is a significantly higher percentage of students on Pell grants than at many other very selective schools. Note: a financially needy non-California resident will not be able to afford to attend UCLA or other UCs, unless s/he earns a rare top-level merit scholarship.
In contrast, many other very selective schools have admissions processes and criteria that favor applicants from high SES backgrounds (without needing to directly considering financial need), resulting in entering classes where half are non-financial-aid students (i.e. family income > ~$200,000 for high list price private schools with good financial aid), and a much smaller percentage are on Pell grants. This is presumably by design, to keep within the financial aid budget.
@lessonwitch2 OP has a 2360, no reason to waste time studying for an ACT. It is absolutely not necessary with such a great SAT score. Also, if OP is working because it is necessary for his family, then that could be a great essay. It would also be much more unique than a priveledged individual winning a science award. There are plenty of kids applying to HYPS with national or international level ECs, but not many low income, working, 2360 SAT, 4.0 students.
Completely agree with @class0f2017, I guess OP DID find the time to study for the SATs! Since OP did not pay for tutors, that 2360 is much more impressive than someone who could afford tutors and got similar grades.
A few schools are requiring the new SATs but I think for this year the old one is still OK. I would read the instructions when applying and if there is a problem see if you can get a waiver given your circumstances.
OP, are you the first in your family to go to college? That is helpful as well.
I think if OP is a first generation applicant AND works a lot of hours AND has amazing stats (grades and scores) AND writes a compelling essay than he/she has a shot anywhere and might be of intererest to admissions people who see padded resumes everyday
@ucbalumnus Your are completely correct…MIT consideris ECs and volunteering higher then work experience. and Stanford but alot more weight on ECs then working. but in the 2nd post OP said she isn’t from califronia. Thats why I used it as a source… along with the others. And schools that only “consider” working do just that. Consider it. Their are alot of full time working students who apply and they consider it, but that doesn’t make up for a blank application. .
1, true normally, #2 great essay topic! No argument. #3 I'm not sure about unique (you have thousands of kids applying the odds of most being rich non-working majorities are unlikely with so many immigrants and lower class people trying to reach for success) but it would be unique to over come the time constraint of working with any club. Because think about it, on common apps about 2/3rds of his/her application will be blank with no ECs, no awards, and no volunteering ... that's never a good sign. Because places like Harvard review everything about their applicants... (and having the high old sat score may not make up for a blank application)
The fact is w/ the new SAT out and OP applying in 2 years after when the old SAT will be out dated, it makes sense that a more current test may be wanted from the elite schools (like MIT and Stanford who only use the SAT to compare you to other students). Remember the SAT isn’t like a smartness test, alot of colleges just to other students applying. Their is know way to know in 2 years i they will even accept the old SAT is my concern. I’m only saying that because some colleges ** already ** don’t let you use the old SAT scores for the class of 2017, so their is a chance that in 2 years elite schools may do the same.
I just wanted to point out that she needs time to study for the new sat / act. And she needs to make sure that she has enough time to study for those.
PS A lot of low income high achieving people apply to places like MIT for the 100 financial need met. A lot just don’t get in.
PSS It doesn’t even need to be a club that mets or anything, you help your teacher grade once or maybe contribute to some school function. Something that shows you are involved in your school to a degree.
