lifegr

thank u everyone for the replies!! helped me alot thanks!

lyl926

lifegr, I'm in the same situation as you.
my gpa and extracurriculars say that my dream schools a big reach,
and the comments from teachers and parents aren't helping much either.

But like emgamac said, "what if?" i think just giving it a shot and failing and getting it over with is much better than spending a lifetime wondering what if and regretting for not having tried at all. Sometimes, I think that all that i'm doing right now is futile and not worth the possible humiliation and risk. But when you look back on it later, it really is nothing, and you will wish that you had dared to do more.

Right now, I'm depending heavily on my essays and the ACT (i'm abt to take tom... lol)
and my "special circumstances". Hopefully, whatever result comes out will be the best for me.. and I wish you the best too! Good luck

lifegr

^ thank you! good luck on your ACT! Make a 37

spiritualwitch

You can't get in if you don't try. If you get in, you can shove it in all the peoples faces who didn't believe you and if you don't get in, oh well, at least you tried. I'm trying for all of my dream schools but my parents are rather accepting of this because I have some safety schools in mind.

ckohsa

At this stage, you have not mentioned your school or very much about your details. Your parents, GC etc know a lot about you that we don't and they probably have a good idea where you stand. There are some schools that could be reaches (Harvard is for example a reach for everyone but a closer reach for some). There are many who apply to Harvard who do not have a chance (or a very trivial chance) and they are either blind to reality or believe that that can hoodwink the adcom. Harvard would like more applicants as this increases their selectivity, but in reality only a small percentage of the candidates are really competitive and others get rejected.

So you need to be honest with yourself and decide if you are in the impossible zone or you are in the possible but difficult zone. If you are in the impossible zone, don't waste your effort on your dream school but instead use the time to get into the reach schools where you have a better chance. So, OK you wish to take SAT II later, but if that school is in the impossible zone, then may be your SAT II effort can be spent elsewhere. Remember, people close to you have your best interest and they may be saying something you do not want to hear, but it may be what you need to hear. Good luck with your decision.

mom2collegekids

Since you haven't mentioned your dream school(s), we also don't know if they meet 100% need w/o loans AND whether your family has a high or high-ish EFC that they cannot meet.

Your parents may be like my in-laws that discouraged some schools simply because they knew that they couldn't afford them.

But...you still should apply to a couple of your dream schools! But, please tell us, what are your financial safety schools? Or, if money is no object in your household, then what are your safeties?

collegebound41

try and signup for the next sat II. you could probably get in as long as you pay the late fee.

kosherz

go for it.

I think Einstein once said our greatest sin is aiming too low.

Shoot for the stars!! On the other hand, you are not gonna get into Harvard with a 3.5 GPA and 2000 SAT.

crazed

My friends daughter got into her reach school (with merit money) and was rejected from her two safties (one told her she'd get in and get money when she went on her tour, etc..).

Unless it is a ridiculous reach for you or you can't go due to finances, apply and see what happens.

Good luck.

lifegr

^ thank u! what a h o p e f u l reply!

JHUHHH

You should listen to yourself. It's your preferences that matters the most, not your friends or families! Make sure you have a couple of back up schools, just in case.