official CHANCES thread for 2014

[Damon1570]

Caucasian Male from public high school.

Applying to Steinhardt RD

GPA: 4.0 (not sure if its W or UW)
High School Rank: 13 last year, but I'm pretty sure I moved to 11 or 10 out of about 240, so top 10%

SAT (...the not-so-great part of my app) - CR:460, M:620, W:550....1620 out of 2400
ACT (plan on retaking, possibly twice) - composite 26, ENG: 24 READING: 26 MATH: 28 SCIENCE: 24

Possible Majors: Media, Culture, Communication - French/Spanish

AP/HONORS Courses:
AP English Lit (2...)
AP Calc (senior year)
AP Psych (if they make it AP senior year)
English Honors (9th and 10th)

AP FRENCH AND AP SPANISH are no longer AP status at my school, if I'm allowed to take the AP test for them, I will.

Other than that, school doesn't really offer too many other APs

College Classes:
ENGLISH (all year senior year at local college)
2nd Year French (after self-studying at home, i tested into 2nd year french at local college, 1 or 2 semesters)

Awards:
9th Grade Citizenship Award
Most Improved Varsity Tennis Player (10)
Mental Attitude (11)
Homecoming Court (9,10) Prom Court (11)

EC's:
Spanish Club (10, 12 either president of this OR key club...i need choose)
Key Club (11, 12)
Green Club (Founder, President 11,12)
Student Council (12, Treasurer)
Class Representative
Varsity Tennis (10,11,12...captain 12)
JV Tennis (9)
JV Track (9)
JV/Varsity Cross Country (10)
Girl's Tennis Manager (10, 11)
Showchoir (9,10)

Jobs/Job experience:
Coffee Shop Barista (during school year 10th grade)
Activities at Retirement Home (junior year - present)
Camp Counselor (2 weeks, summer 09)
Tennis Instructor (summer 09)
In-school Internship ESL Classroom (12 weeks)
Out of school Internship Fitness Center (2 weeks)
Out of school Internship Elementary ESL Classroom (10 weeks)

50-60 Volunteer Hours

Studied Abroad Summer 08 in Barcelona, Spain. I went to a language school (4 hours every weekday) and lived with a host family for 7 weeks.

Great essays and Great Recs are expected

What are my chances? Are my test scores going to hold me back a lot?

[Not Your Raven]

Thanks a lot for your help!
I am a white male rising senior
I go to Millburn High School in New Jersey (a competitive public school, ranked #1 in NJ by a magazine, 165th in the nation by Newsweek, etc.)

GPA: ~3.89 weighted, I don't know my unweighted, it is significantly worse
I have taken all "accelerated" (equivalent to honors I believe) courses except some electives, Precalculus, and calculus.
No ranking per se at my high school, I'm in the 3rd decile.

I took AP U.S History my junior year, got a 5.
I am taking AP Psychology, AP Literature, and AP Language and Composition my senior year.

I got a 2130 on my SAT, only took it once. Math:690, CR:790, Writing:650
I got an 800 on my U.S History SAT II, I'm taking the Literature Subject Test in October.
Extracurriculars:

I have been playing bass guitar for 4-5 years, I take weekly lessons.
I have been in a high school band for about 4 years, we have recorded about 11 original songs and played lots of local shows.
I have been sorting vegetables for a local co-op for about 4 years. I work once every other week during the year.
I volunteered 3 hours a week last summer at the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society, my local historical society.
This summer, I am just finishing up a 6 week internship at the New-York Historical Society, where I work 15 hours a week.

I'm applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, and I'm interested in political science/government, law, and history.
I'm applying early decision, not requesting need based financial aid.

Thanks a lot for your help!

[missamericanpie]

(in general, not directed towards the above posters)

FOR THE LOVE OF J.SEX USE THE SEARCH BAR!

seriously, people. there are a lot of basic questions coming up (greek life, campus life, financial aid) that have been answered so many times already; usually in threads with fantastic answers. please try and use the college confidential "search this forum" button FIRST before you ask!

[missamericanpie]

@damon

ouch. your test scores are low for Steinhardt. i would definitely retake because other than that, your application is really good!

have you considered doing three SAT IIs and submitting that instead of an ACT or SAT I? it's part of NYU's new standardized testing initiative. if you can score above a 650 or 700 on those, it'll really round out your application.

i'm a media major as well!

[missamericanpie]

@not

the only thing that made me squint a bit at the screen was that you don't have a lot of ECs. i know how time consuming bands are, and there's really nothing you can do now, but if you write a terrific essay about the experiences you do have, i'm sure you'll be fine. you have strong standardized test scores for CAS and ED always helps.

i just wish i knew your UW gpa. NYU weights GPAs to their own system.

CAS doesn't admit by major, btw. but it's always good to indicate interest in a major.

[missamericanpie]

@iloveschnops

you're a very strong candidate. i don't really know what else to say! just write terrific essays.

[missamericanpie]

@gitar

i would say that you wouldn't get into Stern, but CAS is a possibility because your standardized tests are so high.

you only get to apply to ONE school, EITHER regular decision OR early decision.

if you are not accepted the first time, you have to wait one academic year before you can apply again. no deferrals.

[missamericanpie]

@loly

need the breakdown of your SATs as NYU weights the CR/M score more because the writing section is still considered new.

if your SAT is high, i would say that you're a strong candidate for CAS.

ED or RD?

[gitarmunky]

Ok thanks. Do you think that would change if I applied ED?

[clo28]

Location: China
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
School Type: Private (international school)
Applying to: Tisch

Stats:
GPA: 3.72
SAT: 2110 [640 Writing; 700 Math; 770 Critical Reading) - probably retaking for the sake of my writing score
SAT IIs: 710 US History; taking Lit and Chinese this year

Senior Year Course Load:
IB English HL
IB Film HL
IB Theater HL
IB Env Sys/Societies SL
AP Chinese
AP Statistics

Community Service:
Habitat for Humanity trips
Weekly visits to a local orphanage
Helper at the Special Olympics

Honors/Awards:
3rd Place in prestigious international writing contest
Forensics awards

Essays/Recommendations:
Essays: above average
Teachers Recs: decent
Guidance Counselor Rec: decent


my question is mainly this - I'm debating between applying to Tisch for Theater or Film as I'm passionate about both. While I know both are subjective areas - for a white female, how tough is it? Or should I just apply to CAS?

or... i should probably just redirect this to the tisch board!

[HelloColorClear]

Background:
Location: California
Ethnicity: Asian (Chinese) American
Gender: Male
School Type: Public, sends many grads to top schools
Applying to: Stern (finance) ED

Stats:
GPA: 3.879 UW, 4.512 W
ACT: 31 (Plan on retaking)
SAT IIs: 790 Math Level 2, 710 Physics
Rank: 21/393

Extracurriculars/Volunteer/Work Experience:
1. Future Business Leaders of America (10-12, Secretary 11, Pres 12)
2. Volunteer at Chinese School (9-10)
3. Part-Time Job Summer of 2007
4. Varsity Tennis (10-12, Capt 12)
5. Taught English for a month in Taiwan during July 2009
6. Founded KIVA Club my Senior Year.
7. Key Club (11-12)

AP's/IB's:
AP Calc AB - 5
AP Calc BC - 5 AB Subscore - 5
AP Chinese - 4
IB Econ SL - 5

Senior Workload:
IB English 2 HL
IB Biology 2 HL
IB Theory of Knowledge
IB Math 4 HL
IB Global Studies HL
IB Chinese 2 SL

Honors/Awards:
Various awards from FBLA @ Regional and State levels.

Essays/Recommendations:
Essays: Will work hard on them
Teachers Recs: Will be from teachers that know me well
Guidance Counselor Rec: Generic

[Boyan]

Hello. I'm an international student (from Bulgaria). I will probably apply in Stern on ED.

SAT I: 2090 (my first attempt) (CR:630;M:770;WR:690)

SAT II: I'm taking Math I,II and probably WH/physics in Oct. I will probably have 2x800 on the maths and i don't know how on the science SAT (could i have only the 2 maths withouth science?)

TOEFL: I'm taking it in Sept

Awards: I have about 60 awards from mathematical competitions but they are from local competitions. The most important award is a 2nd place in a international mathematical festival in Kiev.
I have written 2 mathematical projects and one of them is with a special award from Ministry of Education.

GPA: 3.95 (I don't know exactly - 5.80 out of 6.00 in Bulgaria - we have 12 classes)

Other activities:
- One of the projects I mentioned above is economic.
- Part of a debate club.
- Part of a library club.
- Part of a mathematical club.
- Teaching mathematics to the mathematical team of my city and some younger students
- Play piano.
- A participation in a project of EU.

Sport: Football

Work:
- work as an agent who sells innovative houses
- voluntary work in a hospital for 200h
- voluntary work in a library

I need a financial aid. Probably applying for Finance? Is the Business School of NYU prominent?

[missamericanpie]

International students are not eligible for financial aid from NYU.

[roaritsrobbie]

l0lin' i just became a member of college confidential in order to discuss my potential acceptance to nyu!

Planning on applying ED to CAS
* QUESTION: is financial aid/scholarships in the slightest bit more available to one who applies ED? i would really appreciate the ability to afford going to my dream school!

Major: English (would like to double major in social science such as anthropology, economics, sociology, linguistics, etc)
Minor: Spanish (maybe something cool like metropolitan studies?)

btwz, imma white boy from tha dirty Jersey

GPA: (currently being re-converted from a 4.5 scale to a 4.0 scale which will be in actuality a 4.3 scale due to the fact that the school doesn't want to remove the weight added to honors/ap courses. yeah i really don't get it either) ANYWAY, it will most likely be between a 3.95 and a 4.0 (94 or 95)

*QUESTION: regarding the SAT and ACT, does NYU prefer one over the other?

ACT: 32
- English: 34
- Math: 30
- Reading: 32
- Science: 33
- Writing: 9

SAT: 2080
- CR: 650
- Math: 660
- Writing: 770

Extra-curricular:
- Won Euro Challenge national championship during sophomore year
- Class Secretary all 4 years of high school
- FBLA all 4 years (served as Membership VP during last 2 years)
- Spanish Honor Society (currently serving as Vice President)
- National Honor Society member
- Founding member of Gay-Straight Alliance
- Participate in Fed Challenge
- Student Ambassador during senior year
- Member of Spring Track Team
- Castmember of school plays during junior year

Volunteer:
- pre-school teacher for a week-long camp at my church during summer
- tutor children at charter school once a week during school year

work:
- work at local tennis club during summer

Senior year courses:
AP Spanish
SUPA Honors College English
AP Euro
AP Environmental
Calculus
Creative Writing

My HS is top 30 in NJ/sends a few students to NYU every year

Also, my teachers LUVVVV me so I best be gettin' some good recommendations ( ;

P.S. I love NYU/have wanted to go there since sophomore year. W00T w00t

~*~*ChAnC3 m3 BaBii~*~*

[roaritsrobbie]

also my SAT Subject Scores:

Lit: 730
Spanish: 660 and i studied SO hard... ) ;