Another Chances Thread

dyserenity · September 27, 2006, 1:45am

First of all, let me apologize for the length. Erm. –cough-

Grades:

GPA: 3.2 UW 3.5 W

High school has been pretty rough for me. Near the middle of the first semester in ninth grade, my sister was diagnosed with anorexia and it made my home life hell. At the beginning of tenth grade I had knee surgery that made me miss the first week of school, and then two months into the semester I had my first asthma attack. I also had developed weird sleep patterns where I’d literally go days without sleep. My sister attempted suicide during my first semester in tenth grade. My home life went down the toilet again. Towards the end of tenth grade things were getting better and then in October, during eleventh grade, I had my first full-blown migraine. It lasted about a week. I couldn’t stand up or walk by myself. I babbled and screamed when someone turned on a light even when I had sunglasses on and my eyes were closed. The doctors ended up giving me an I.V. infusion. Which, of course, then caused an asthma attack. Sigh. The migraines got worse. When I got one, they usually started while I was sleeping so I wouldn’t be able to ward them off with migraine drugs. They’d last for days and I wouldn’t be able to do anything. Because of this, I ended up missing over half my French classes and probably a quarter of my Calculus ones. The reason why I have B’s in everything else except for French is because of attendance. My French teacher was kind enough to let me repeat the class the following semester as an incomplete because otherwise I’d have failed it. I haven’t had a migraine in about a month now and hopefully I can keep them away for my senior year.

Seventh and Eight Grade:
Algebra I: B/B
Geometry: B/B

Ninth grade:
Gym: C
Intro to Art: C
Algebra II Honors: B/C
English I Honors: B/B
American History: A/A
Word Processing and Keyboarding I: A
Honors Biology: B/B
Art and Design: B

Tenth grade:
American Studies English: B/B
American Studies History: B/B
Honors Chemistry: B/A
Math Analysis: B/A
Latin I: A/A
Gym: B
Drawing and Painting I: B
Health: A
Teacher’s Aide: P

Eleventh grade:
(I enrolled full-time as a Post-Secondary Enrollment Option [PSEO] student, which basically means I got to take courses at my local community college instead of at my local high school)
Sem I:
Calculus I: C (this was the best I could pull with all those absences)
Introduction to American Government: B
Reading for College (required for high school graduation): B
French I: A
Classical Physics: B

Sem II:
Calculus II: B
Honors English I: A
Speech: B
Guitar: A

Twelfth Grade Sem I:
Sem I:
Chinese I
English II Honors
Guitar
Noble Conference Honors
Japanese Philosophy Honors
World History to 1500

Sem II (Tentative):
Organic Chemistry
Calculus III
Classical Physics II
Creative Writing
French II
Chinese II

Activities:
Play Techie (9, 10, 11, 12) Lights Crew, Construction
Speech Team (10, 11, 12) I earned a couple of awards but nothing amazing
Art Club (9, 10, 11, 12) Co-President
Adobe Photoshop Workshop (9) It was disbanded due to lack of interest.
4H (6-9)
NaNoWriMo Club: (12) I’m starting this club this year. I participated in NaNoWriMo in my junior year and it was a blast, even though I was sick most of that month.
Programming: Weeklong Summer Camp C++ (9, 10); the summer after tenth grade they offered it year long with meetings once a month to go over work but I had to drop it. It would have counted for high school credit.
Volunteering: Quarry Hill Nature Center (10 hours); with 4H group (20 hours);
Music: I play guitar (six months), piano (11 years), and violin (5 years). Piano and violin are just for fun now.
Work: I worked at a local grocery store for about four months in tenth grade until my parents made me quit because of my health. I had an internship at a local architecture firm this summer doing input in autoCAD and just learning the trade a bit to see if I like it. Right now I work in a chiropractor’s office doing insurance stuff.
Languages (By the time I graduate):
French: 2 years
Latin: 1 year
Chinese: 1 year

Awards:
Who’s Who Among High School Scholars: (10, 11)
The National Society of High School Scholars: (10, 11)
I’m editing some of my short stories to submit to a few contests to (hopefully) get published, so maybe I’ll actually have something here. I’m also working on a novel.

SAT:
April 2006: M: 630 CR: 630 W: 560 E: 7 Composite: 1260/1820
June 2006: M: 660 CR: 660 W: 610 E: 8 Composite: 1320/1930
The SAT and I don’t get along well.

ACT:
April 2006: Composite: 28
English: 28
Math: 29
Reading: 31
Science: 24
Writing: 25
Essay: 7
June 2006: Composite: 31
English: 32
Math: 31
Reading: 32
Science: 30
Writing: 30
Essay: 9
The ACT and I are buds, however. :D

I’m taking SAT IIs in November and the SAT Is this October.

Do I have a snowball’s chance?

Edit: And I forgot to ask my main question. It’s been a long day. Should I wait and apply RD? I know I can get straight As this semester and that will pull up my GPA a lot.

JM8879 · September 27, 2006, 2:10am

Wow, I am almost in the exact situation as you, especially for test scores. My highest SAT was in the 1900’s too and my highest ACT is 31. Moreover, my high school life hasn’t been smooth at all either probably cause I didn’t know we needed extra-curriculars until 11th grade making junior year hell as I try to catch up.

With you incredible situation, I would definately write that as part of the essays. However, my counselor warned me not to focus on the negatives of high school in the main essays and instead write about something that influenced you greatly. I bet you’ll get some slack in terms of GPA because of your circumstances if you express it right.

Test-wise, I’m trying to find out if 31 is good. UChicago doesn’t need SAT II which makes it all the better. Your extra-curriculars are there, just write a good essay and you will have a good chance.

The only problem I can see is your lack of AP classes. While it’s almost impossible to load your whole scedule with college prep courses in your situation, it will still be hard to excuse a lack of major AP ( of course, this is not including your honors courses which will help you some in admissions).

Please take my opinion as what it is. I’m not accepted yet and I’m just relaying a lot of information in which my counselor (who once worked as an admissions officer) said to me. As for the EA or RD, that is your choice.

dyserenity · September 27, 2006, 2:21am

I’m planning on writing a supplemental essay explaining all that lovely stuff that has followed me through high school.

A 31 is a little better than average. Somewhere on UChicago’s site there’s admission stats. The page has been linked a billion times before. It’s a good score. :)

The classes I’m taking are at AP level. I forgot to mention that I took the AP Calc BC exam last year and I plan to take a few this year too. I was going to take a few others last year but the tests were the same week as finals and finals are more important. Plus, all my classes from junoir year on are at a community college, so I’m going to try to transfer them.

Wish you luck! :)

WSham0 · September 28, 2006, 9:03pm

You’re sort of in my position stats wise, except i have a 3.3 and 2030… well yea.

Write a brilliant essay about your positions is all I can say :).

Your GPA is static now though, and your senior grades won’t actually factor into your GPA (dunno if its like this in other schools though), but they’re very important.

Don’t put the Who’s Who Among High School Scholars; it’s pretty much a pointless award that schools will think you’re trying to pad your transcript with and is a scam to get your money. (I don’t know if the National Society is in the same vein…)

motpasm23 · September 28, 2006, 9:12pm

honestly, you have a pretty small shot, but definitely don’t give up. tell chicago all that stuff, but explain how it has changed you in a positive way or something, as opposed to making a list of **** that’s happened to you. your essays better be the crowning glory of your life.

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