<p>Hi guys and girls! I have a question. With my SAT Score of 2040- 720M, 660R, 660W,
and GPA UW=3.98, I know I am definitely not as qualified as others for big name schools such as Stanford and CMU (the two reaches I applied to). However, I am VERY rooted and involved in band and band leadership (I have been section leaders and brass captain), from marching band, concert band, small ensembles, and All-County band every year. I also VP of our NHS. I have hundreds of hours of community service with my church and I have been on two week-long mission trips out of country to the Dominican Republic and Colombia.
I come from a high school that lacks MANY MANY opportunities (ie courses, organizations, clubs, etc). My question is, how much does my large extracurricular involvement in band and on community service projects, especially out of country, help round out my application by making up for my lower stats? And does this still make me a contender for schools like CMU and Stanford?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Thanks! :)</p>
<p>I think this belongs in the What Are My Chances forum.</p>
<p>Yes it makes you a contender! What brass instrument do you play? </p>
<p>I had a lower gpa than yours and got accepted EA to Stanford this year (probably mainly because of my musical involvement). Stanford really values a well-rounded individual, and that includes a lot of musicians. I’ve heard of kids with scores in the 1900s getting accepted. ECs count a lot! </p>
<p>In the last two years, four kids from my school were accepted to Stanford. All four were in band. Three sent in arts supplements/live auditioned. If you haven’t spoken with someone in the music department there, you probably should. It will only help if they put in a good word for you.</p>
<p>Those scores and that GPA are great and Stanford level…</p>
<p>Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.</p>
<p>Stanford has a very talented band, but you don’t have to have the time or discipline to pefect a lot of marching and blocking. Did you see them in the Fiesta Bowl? They made fun of people from Oklahoma, so I guess you do not have to be nice either.</p>