bridgealita1989

Hi everyone. I wanted some advice on my chances into getting into these schools below? I figure I'm okay, but now that I've finished sending in my apps, I don't have to worry or be anal anymore about them and I'm ready to hear whatever from the forums as you are all much more knowledgeable than me with this stuff!

I went to Marquette for a year and a half, Beloit for a semester and withdrew completely so no credit there, and then Marquette for another semester before dropping out. So about 2 and a half years, with some CC credit and AP credit totaling around 80 credits completed; I may have gotten one or two C's at MU, but nearly all A's, and all A's in honors. My GPA at Marquette, from what I remember, was a 3.7 or a 3.8, and I was in the honors program. My essay explains the whole situation. I talk about overcoming fear, depression, alcoholism-- and I tie it in incredibly well with my intended major--anthropology--and do it within 6 pages double-spaced (like 2000 words). I basically describe what hindered me from going to school and reaching my potential before, and how I have pushed through and overcome those obstacles in my personal life, and now am ready to do so in my academic life. I have a lot of life circumstances that prevented me from going to school the last three years as well, and now I have the opportunity to go back. So my essay is very good, I have been told by others as well. Anyway, it doesn't matter as I already submitted! So these are my schools:

University of Illinois at Chicago
Loyola University
Northern Illinois University

UIC has such a low transfer rate that I figured my essay would make or break me! I got accepted into Loyola back in '07 as a freshman but went to MU instead, obviously. My mother (who passed away a couple of months ago as well) went to Northern and they didn't even ask me for a personal statement or essay...

Any feedback would be much appreciated. Like I said, I've been out of the college loop for quite a while. Thanks :-).

bridgealita1989

Sorry, going to bump this.

earlygrad123

I think you have a good shot at those schools (yay for anthro majors). But you should also consider applying to other places as well. UCLA, UCSD, USC.all those schools are looking for nontraditional students who have something to add. Just make sure your personal statement ROCKS. have you taken standardized tests?

bridgealita1989

I wanted to go to somewhere close to where I live and cheap, or had decent transfer scholarships. UChicago has always been a dream of mine but I can't afford it right now. My general plan at the moment is to finish my bachelors, complete an honors program, do some research, get great scores on GRE; basically all the stuff necessary to get into a great graduate school, like UChicago.

I got a 31 on the ACT quite a while ago, at least four or five years.

bridgealita1989

Hurraaaayy!! I got it to all schools. Good luck to everyone else especially to those applying to the high-reach schools! :-)