With Harvard as my safety, would bothering to apply to Yale look too pretentious?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Not quiteeeee. =]</p>

<p>Please, please, please chance an overzealous but underconfident junior for th 40,000th time. I promise it will be well worth your while, because I'll chance you back. And if you don't have a chances thread, I'll send you a cookie, or a puppy, or something equally as awesome.</p>

<p>The Basics
White female, moderately competitive public high school in the suburbs of NYC.
Single-parent household. Will most definitely require financial aid. </p>

<p>The Stats
GPA: 3.6 (Low, yeah, I get it. I've had some medical issues... I won't elaborate here, but I will on my apps, if necessary.)
Rank: Top 20%
SAT: 2320 <a href="Total%20fluke...%20I%20guess%20I%20had%20a%20lucky%20day.">CR:780, M:740, W:800</a>
SAT II: Will take in US History, Lit, and Italian
ACT: Haven't taken it... should I?</p>

<p>Courseload
Junior Year: APUSH, AP Physics B, AP Language, AP Psych, Honors Pre-Calc, Italian IV, Creative Writing.
Senior Year: AP Gov, AP Bio, AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Italian, Journalism, Film Analysis, Anatomy & Physiology</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars
In School:
Student Literary Magazine (Editor-in-chief, next year)
Yearbook (Good shot at editor-in-chief)
Newspaper Reporter
Head Writer for student news program
Student Council (Historian)
Grade Council (Treasurer)
Student Peer Leader
MUN (Chapter Founder)
Private Tutor
Varsity Badminton
Varsity Tennis
Out Of School:
Religion Teacher
Altar Server
Hospital Volunteer
I've written some things for a local newspaper
Work Experience:
Part-time clerical position at a doctor's office
Summers:
CTY - 2 years
Brown SSP - 1 year
This Summer:
Trying to get an internship at a newspaper or magazine
Taking some extra courses to bump up my GPA</p>

<p>Honors
National Honor Society
Language Honor Society
A few writing awards here and there
A couple of departmental awards at school </p>

<p>Intended Major
English or communications with a large focus in writing. Maybe a minor in political science or linguistics. I haven't quite figured that out yet.</p>

<p>Schools
1. Fordham University
2. Tulane University
3. Manhattan College
4. American University
5. Lafayette College
6. Gettysburg College
7. Binhamton University</p>

<p>And anything else you might want to suggest? I'm looking for a relatively strong English/communications program, as close to the East Coast as humanly possible. Oh, and that will let me in.</p>

<p>Please and thank you!</p>

2

<p>good chances at all. apply to some reaches…</p>

3

<p>make sure you spell Binhamton right… : )</p>

4

<p>The EC section on the common app only has seven spaces. Are you going to attach a resume?</p>

5

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<p>Aw, damn. And I thought I edited thoroughly.
B-I-N-G-H-A-M-T-O-N. ;]</p>

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<p>I didn’t know that. I was planning on attaching a resume anyway, though. Why? Would you reccomend not doing so?</p>

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<p>Seriously? All of them? Okey dokey… As for reaches, does anyone have anything to suggest? Columbia is my major dream school, but I’d never get in. Is it worth the application fee?</p>

6

<p>A 3.6 GPA and top 20% isn’t spectacular, but it’s solid. </p>

<p>Your SAT score is amazing, so I definitely see no need in taking the ACT. Your score will boost your application to any college you apply to.</p>

<p>Your ECs are also strong, especially for those colleges. </p>

<p>Write great essays and get good recs and you’ll be set for some quality reaches (not sure what kind of college you’re looking for). Columbia isn’t out of the question, but I’d say it’s a very big reach with that GPA. </p>

<p>And attaching a resume in the additional information section is fine. I had a big word document with a resume and addendum attached there.</p>

7

<p>With your SAT I would apply to some more selective schools. You know you need to bring up that GPA. If you can get 700+ on your SAT 2’s, you’ll be able to get into some schools on stats alone.</p>

8

<p>You look great for those schools, like the poster above me, I suggest you apply to even better schools. If one of those on your list really capture’s your heart, that’s great, but otherwise, there’s no reason not to reach for the sky.</p>

9

<p>You should definitely apply to better schools. (Harvard/Princeton/Yale/Stanford level)</p>

10

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<p>You’re kidding me, right? I think the farthest I’d dare of going up the ivy ladder is Brown. But, eh. I don’t know. I’m really clueless in the area of reaches. I’ve been told that because my GPA is so bad, my chances at ivies were pretty much shot to hell. My school’s guidance department is full of twits, to say the least. </p>

<p>I made another thread in the search section, describing what I’m looking for in a school. Maybe some of you can help me out? Thanks. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/695597-help-me-pick-some-reaches-safeties-please-im-clueless.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/695597-help-me-pick-some-reaches-safeties-please-im-clueless.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>If not at the Ivy League level, try a notch lower like Duke, Georgetown, Boston College, USC, Northwestern, Tufts, and GW.</p>

<p>Your ECs and course load are solid and its clear you’re interested in English and communications. Your SAT is above average at every college and don’t be that worried about your GPA. It’s still pretty good, just remember it’s only one factor of the many that admissions officers look at. Make sure you get a 4.0 for the rest of this year and the first semester next year. That should bring you up to at least a 3.7, which is an A- average. Depending on what type of school you go to, this could be an excellent GPA.</p>

12

<p>I think your GPA is just fine! I am pretty sure you can get into Fordham, and Tulane. The SAT I is spectacular, and I think you should apply to Columbia if you like the city, and maybe some reaches! A 3.6 is not that bad, trust me! </p>

<p>Chance me?<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695607-wrong-me-fall-love-these-schools-chance-me-tell.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695607-wrong-me-fall-love-these-schools-chance-me-tell.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

13

<p>You’re funny. Make sure you infuse some of this self-deprecating humor into your essays. It makes you seem likable.</p>

14

<p>you will definitely get into tulane and fordham i got into both of those school with stats not nearly as good</p>

15

<p>Yup, your SAT scores are above average at every college. You should try to raise your GPA, and apply to better schools. Brown could be a reach! Good luck.</p>

<p>PS: Hmm… a cookie or a puppy…tempting… but I’ll be satisfied if you rate my chances LOL :)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695633-ivy-league-am-i-track-please-help.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695633-ivy-league-am-i-track-please-help.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>I think every single one of your listed colleges would be a match school for you. You’re obviously very intelligent and, like many posters above me have said, should probably apply to some better schools as well!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695726-attention-all-chancers.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/695726-attention-all-chancers.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

17

<p>Yup, all those schools seem very likely…like others said, maybe try Brown, Columbia, maybe some top LACs if you’re interested in that?</p>

18

<p>If not at the Ivy League level, try a notch lower like Duke, Georgetown, Boston College, USC, Northwestern, Tufts, and GW.</p>

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<p>I might add Georgetown, Duke, and Tufts to the reach list. Maybe BC and GW too. Undecided. Thanks for that.</p>

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<p>Thank you! I think I just might be able to exhale [partially] the Tulane and Fordham. I’ve fallen in love with both schools; they’re my top two choices at this point. Columbia is definitely getting an application. As is Brown, I think. I spent three weeks at an SSP at Brown last summer and loved it. </p>

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<p>Why thank you. :] Essays shouldn’t be an issue. If anything, writing is my strength. I think I can find a few teachers who tolerate me too, so I’m also covered with reccomendations.</p>

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<p>Thanks. Can I be so nosey as to inquire what your stats were?</p>

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<p>You sure? These poor puppies are being neglected. Suit yourself. ;]</p>