piratemonkey

Hey! I would really love it if you would give me your honest opinions about my chances!! Feel free to give advice - i definitely need it!

Grade: I'm a
Nationality: Canadian, Czech
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
School : International School of Prague [very competitive]
Gender: Female

Freshman GPA: 3.6
Sophmore GPA: 3.8
Junior GPA: 3.9 or 4.0 depending on what I get in German


SATs [my first time taking them, will do better in the fall]

Combined score: 2050
Critical Reading: 800
Math: 550
Writing: 670

Junior Schedule:

IB Higher Level 20th Century History (A+)
IB Higher Level English (A)
IB Higher Level Theatre Arts (A+)
IB Math Studies (A-)
IB German (B+ or A-, not sure at this point in time)
IB Biology (A-)

My EC Highlights + Awards:

Varsity Girls Soccer [captain next year]
MUN [received an honourable mention both years]
key roles in our school theatre productions
CYA certified Silver Level Sailor [i compete in the summers and will be a part-time instructor this summer]
30 hours on Habitat for Humanity + doing another 30 hours next fall

so the above are my favourite EC's. I don't feel like listing every random little thing i've done in the past four years.

Hook: International student + I am OBSESSED with history!!!!!!!!

Schools I plan on applying to next fall:

Oxford
Brown ED
Amherst
Bowdoin
McGill

piratemonkey

Oh, by the way I do realize that my SAT score is pretty bad and i'll do a lot of math review over the summer. I think i can get at least a 650 in math if I just study, and definitely a 700+ in reading. That would give me a combined score of at least... 2150, which i think is decent. I'm taking the SAT II's in World History, Literature, and German this saturday.

piratemonkey

Is it possible to just send schools my Critical Reading score?

Sorry, I forgot to mention these awards:

Award for Excellence in History

Award for Excellence in Theatre Arts

ses

Nope. You have to send the entire SAT. If you can get your score up to 650, then I think you'll be in good shape. Especially given your strong grades. If it stays at a 550 for math, though, you're going to test yourself out of the international pool, you'll be too weak.

piratemonkey

hmmm, thanks for the advice. So do you think if i get below a 650 in math i should just not submit my SAT scores?

greennblue

You have to submit them to Brown. Your only other choice is to submit ACT scores instead. Bowdoin is SAT-optional, I think.

piratemonkey

oh, ok. I never took the ACT so i guess my best bet is just to do some math over the summer...

So if I got a 2100+ on the SATs, what would you think of my chances?

pinnipotto

If you really can get the SATs up, I think you have a shot at Brown. For McGill to an extent, and very much so to Oxford, your IB predicted scores will also matter, which you don't state. Bowdoin, as mentioned, is SAT optional, and is also probably the easiest school on your list (though by no means easy! it is a quite elite school) so your shot there is good.

You're not definitely in anywhere though...you definitely need a safety, or even some true matches, as I would still consider all of your schools high matches at best. (Actually, as you're Canadian, you're probably in at McGill, but not 100%.) That could be a lower-tier US school, but bear in mind that many are very limited in funds for internationals, if that is an issue for you.

piratemonkey

Thanks pinnipotto! That was some very helpful advice! I'll find another Canadian school to be my real safety. Maybe Queens or Dalhousie... I do realize that all the schools on my list are reaches or low reaches but I'm really glad you think that I have a shot at some of them if I improve my math SAT score. I don't need financial aid so that does save me some stress. Oh, by the way, we don't get out "official" predicted scores till the fall but I've asked some of the teachers what they think i will get and alltogether it will definitely be over a 40. It might even be a 42 which would definitely get me an interview at Oxford. I took anticipated exams in Math and German which means i have another shot at a 7 if i don't get one this time around.

How much do US schools look at predicted IB scores?

piratemonkey

so... any one else with advice