urbanlegend213

hey,

im trying to figure out which schools i should apply to and really want to get into an ivy school. My scores and gpa are low(2000sat/90gpa) but im not your average student. i come from an abusive household, my dad was arrested, parents went through a rough divorce, wouldnt see my mom( who i lived with) for weeks at atime, very poor, etc.

im not trying to start a sob story or even asking for sympathy, i truly feel greatful for my situation cause in the end its made me a stronger person. but i am curious if dartmouth or any of the ivies are a worthwhile application for me considering i do have a very weak application (although i have very strong ECs and Recs as well as a really great essay).

rm1234

Dartmouth and all other schools are very understanding when it comes to those issues. Just make sure to explain your situation to them. Also, don't just focus on the ivy league because several other schools are just as prestigious and selective.

sybbie719

There are ~4000 colleges and universities in the country. Almost all of them will give you a great education, if it is your desire to obtain one. I agree rm1234, don't just set your sights on 8 schools which are part of an athletic league. Since you posted the question on all 8 ivy discussion boards, it sounds as if you know what you want, you are just simply chasing a brand. Some of the schools are vastly different from Columbia's core to Brown's open cirriculum to Dartmouth's distribs. Columbia in the heart of NYC is like night and day from Dartmouth in rural NH.

I hope that you really research the schools and get past the IVY name to see if any of them are the best place for you (there are plenty of students who feel that none of the schools have exactly what they are looking. While they have the "stats" to make them academically competitive candidates, they are not interesting in attending or applying).

As far as explaining your situation, it is time to sit down and have a talk with your GC so that s/he can explain your situation in their evaluation/recommmendation.

Xanatos

This is going to sound harsh, but basically they're not going to care unless they can squeeze some PR out of it.