What can I do?

smatz1 · 10-31-2006, 04:18 PM

Im a junior in one of the top 10 public high schools in NJ. my frosh and sophmore cum. GPA is 3.5(w), i took mostly honors level courses. This year im in 2 ap and 2 honors, and am looking at geting around a 4.0; I play basketball and golf, am currently in mutliple clubs, and have a fairly active volunteer service resume. My two sisters currently attend, and I really want to go there next year. I just vistied the school, and I am defiantly going to apply ED. What should I do to strengthen my chance of getting in?

gellino · 10-31-2006, 04:26 PM

1450+ SAT. Run for senior class office. Good essays.

smatz1 · 10-31-2006, 04:53 PM

seriously? you think im gunna need a 1450?? I would think that since i am applying ED with two older sisters(w/o finicail aid) I would be looked at a little diffrently compared to the normal applicant

TerrarumOrbis · 10-31-2006, 04:59 PM

3.5 Weighted?? The average Unweighted GPA is 3.71! I would certainly suggest some SAT studying!! Good Luck! I think the legacy will certainly help you--don't rely on it though.

smatz1 · 10-31-2006, 05:23 PM

i understand that but im looking at geting at least a 4.0 this year and porbably the same for beginning of next year. Which brings up another question. Do they look at ur senior year grades and class choice if u apply ED?

gellino · 10-31-2006, 08:06 PM

While they will like that it looks like you are starting a family tradition of going to Colgate, having a father/mother/grandfather that attended the school is still looked at more favorably as far as legacy status is concerned. I think 1430 is the 75% level, which I think you generally should strive to surpass to give yourself a good chance of getting into any school. Don't underestimate how much lower the SAT avg for a school is hauled down by athletes and other special interest groups and how much better than the avg you're going to need to do to compete with students presenting similar qualifications to you. That why I said a 1450+ should be enough to put you over the hump into having a very good chance. A 3.5 W GPA at your school vs a 3.7 U GPA at the avg hs is very difficult to determine which would better regarded. Your best bet is how similar students from prior years at your school have done. How well had your sisters done? Senior year grades will in no way factor in an ED application unless you are deferred unless you end up doing significantly worse than you had historically.

jrpar · 10-31-2006, 08:23 PM

Many colleges will call high schools to find out an ED applicant's first quarter grades for senior year, particularly for applicants on the edge. And I think the common app has you list your senior year courses on the school report form.

Gellino's point about understanding the school's SAT average is a really good one.

smatz1 · 11-01-2006, 05:07 PM

Yea. I mean by the time i apply next fall my GPA should be up around a 3.65-3.7(w), compared to what my sisters had(around a 3.8w). My sisters also did not break 1300 on there acts and got around a 29 on heir ACTs. But their extracurriculars are a llittle better than mine. I'm thinking that if i get a 1320+ and 30+ on my tests I will have quite a solid shot.

ticklemepink · 11-01-2006, 08:14 PM

Sounds like it. You'll have a really good shot with your sisters at Colgate since there's two of them- I know several legacy students who've had multiple family members attend Colgate- including one whose mother, the mother's siblings, and her grandfather all attended Colgate. That's like 4-6 people there! :O

gellino · 11-01-2006, 08:46 PM

I always find it funny to hear about someone's mother having gone to Colgate, since that was an impossibility when I was there and I didn't graduate that long ago.

collegeparent · 11-03-2006, 02:46 PM

2100+, 3.85+ uw, 5+ APs, great essays, exceptional ECs, top leadership, good recs -- and enjoy athletics.

ticklemepink · 11-03-2006, 08:57 PM

gellino- it was in the late 70's

It's our class that is just beginning to have mothers who are Colgate alums... won't be for another 20 years before applicants can claim GRANDMAS on their forms!

smatz1 · 11-08-2006, 03:47 PM

wait was colgate once a male-only college?

TerrarumOrbis · 11-08-2006, 06:32 PM

Yep! The first w/females was 23% women! (Found that out from the Women's Studies Open House....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

jrpar · 11-08-2006, 08:44 PM

Colgate went co-ed in 1970 - around the same time that a number of all-male northeastern colleges went co-ed.