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Will my stats keep me out of the schools I'm aiming for?
aladyinmoscow
9 replies4 threads New Member
Hi y'all! I'm new to CC, so if there are any missteps I make, pointing them out is appreciated.
I'm going into my senior year, with my dream schools being Princeton, Columbia, and Stanford, and am considering eliminating them from my list of schools to apply to because of my stats. I come from an upper middle class household, have a 3.85-ish GPA unweighted (around 4.4 weighted, I think), 36 ACT, and four 800s on SAT II Subject Tests (Physics, Bio M, Math II, and Literature). I've taken the most rigorous schedule my school offers each year, with 1 AP and two honors sophomore year, and 4 APs and 2 honors my junior year. I have four 4s and one 5 on my AP exams. My high school is competitive, ranked 2nd in my state.
I take care of a terminally ill parent, and have been throughout high school. This is a time commitment of about 35 hrs/wk during the school year. During junior year, I ended up taking care of both my parents, as the other parent was injured badly. As a result, I ended up with three 4s and one 5 on my AP exams, as well as a total of 5 B-pluses. Are my chances at Stanford, the Ivies, and similarly competitive schools shot?
Edit: My ECs are okay but not exceptional (I haven't had significant time to devote to them as a result of my responsibilities at home). I do lab research at my local university, and will continue that position into my senior year. I do a lot of service work, and have started a business with that end goal. I have had a couple of gallery shows for my artwork, and depending on how this summer plays out, may have my writing published online and/or my music played by a city orchestra.
17 replies I'm going into my senior year, with my dream schools being Princeton, Columbia, and Stanford, and am considering eliminating them from my list of schools to apply to because of my stats. I come from an upper middle class household, have a 3.85-ish GPA unweighted (around 4.4 weighted, I think), 36 ACT, and four 800s on SAT II Subject Tests (Physics, Bio M, Math II, and Literature). I've taken the most rigorous schedule my school offers each year, with 1 AP and two honors sophomore year, and 4 APs and 2 honors my junior year. I have four 4s and one 5 on my AP exams. My high school is competitive, ranked 2nd in my state.
I take care of a terminally ill parent, and have been throughout high school. This is a time commitment of about 35 hrs/wk during the school year. During junior year, I ended up taking care of both my parents, as the other parent was injured badly. As a result, I ended up with three 4s and one 5 on my AP exams, as well as a total of 5 B-pluses. Are my chances at Stanford, the Ivies, and similarly competitive schools shot?
Edit: My ECs are okay but not exceptional (I haven't had significant time to devote to them as a result of my responsibilities at home). I do lab research at my local university, and will continue that position into my senior year. I do a lot of service work, and have started a business with that end goal. I have had a couple of gallery shows for my artwork, and depending on how this summer plays out, may have my writing published online and/or my music played by a city orchestra.
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Replies to: Will my stats keep me out of the schools I'm aiming for?
Note that the AP scores won't be an issue- so many B's as a junior is the bigger ding.
But: you have a laundry list of famous names, many of which are expensive. Have you sorted out your finances? You need to start there.
And, as others have said, you need to work harder on identifying colleges to which you are very likely to be accepted, and some where you have a good shot. Bluntly, almost nobody has a good shot at Princeton/Columbia/Stanford/MIT/UChic/NU (UC-B would have to see your UC GPA vis à vis your subject).
It's easy to be in love with the super-shiny names, but you will set yourself up for a happy spring (and possibly save yourself a boat load of pain) if you find a some less shiny names that you would be honestly happy to attend (they exist!!), and who would be likely to want you to come. If one or two of those are EA, so much the better. One of the worst parts of being on CC is seeing the students who wash up here every spring, who have worked their hearts out and built amazing application profiles- and then strike out at all the places that they really want (or, even worse- that they get their dream school and can't afford it). I suspect there is also room to cull your current list- that's 7 reaches, and you need at least 1 'for sure' and 3-5 'good shots' (b/c matches =/= certainty at this level), which adds up to a lot of college applications. Good essays take a lot of time.
It's tricky to explain you spend so much time helping your parents. Don't inadvertently leave the impression they will be without help and you really can't leave home.
When you take a good look at more colleges, you'll find others withthe same spirit as those tippy tops. Get a Fiske Guide to Colleges.
Then find two safety schools where you will be happy. Then optionally find three match schools. Of course, if your safeties are strong enough and attractive enough, you might not need any matches.
You also need to find out what your budget is, then run the NPC on the schools that you are applying to (unless your budget is at least $320,000 for four years).
My spouse went to Harvard and about 10 years ago they sent out a publication to alumni profiling some recently admitted students. *Every* single one had lost a parent or had one who was significantly ill ( Dad was a surgeon who had a stroke and could no longer work). Harvard clearly values kids who have faced adversity and risen to the occasion.
My two cents is that you fit right in to this profile. Of course they are super roaches for anyone but in my opinion your Bs absolutely do not disqualify you. And I would urge you to write about your experiences in the essay, not leave it up to a guidance counselor.
Best of luck to you as you navigate this stressful time, which is much more so for you. Hugs. You are going to do wonderful things!
In addition, why art? Because it can be done at home.
Dealing with a gravely ill parent is a time commitment but also shows a person's character and their ability to handle something that is emotionally scarring.
Is there a way to establish this in my application without making it seem as though I will not be able to be away from home for college? I have already made arrangements with my family to take care of this.