Hello, I just finished my junior year at a very competitive high school and am planning on majoring in something related to poli sci. It would be great if you guys could chance me so I can get a better understanding when doing my college apps.
Political Science or Philosophy Major
I am interested in USC, Northeastern, Babson, Cornell, NYU CAS, Pepperdine, Carnegie Mellon Dietrich, Chapman, and Occidental College.
Stats:
3.35 UW 3.71 W (extenuating circumstances sophomore year but went from a 2.83 to a 3.83 this semester)
1510 SAT
34 ACT
800 SAT USH
780 English Lit
AP’s:
7 APs (AP CSP 4, APES 3, APUSH, AP LANG, AP LIT, AP Human, AP Psych)
EC’s:
FBLA President
JSA Treasurer
ASB for 2 years
Key Club Cabinet for 3 years (200 hours)
2nd-degree black belt Taekwondo (10 years)
Research at the UCI Center of Ethics related to poli sci
Boys State Attendee 2019
Model United Nations
Professional Experience:
Internship for a well-known Congresswoman
Large leadership roles in 2 campaigns for Congress
Intern at a political advocacy firm
Have also taken over 12 community college classes with a GPA of 3.8
Great ECs and test scores, only issue is your GPA. It does look like, however, that you may have a compelling story to tell based on your “extenuating circumstances”. Stories can mean a lot, but I couldn’t say really how much.
Do you have a shot? Sure. Is it a good shot? I don’t really know for the reachy schools like Cornell and NYU, etc. but you have a shot. Find a good way to present yourself and story when writing your common app essay. If you don’t have much a story to tell with your upward trend, then leave it to your guidance counselor in her rec letter. Regardless, find the best way to present yourself in your common app essay that will appeal to any school, and you could have a good shot.
And when you write supplements for the schools that require them, research them well and find a way to present yourself in a good way that appeals to each individual school. Tell them why they would be a good fit for you (without sounding entitled, of course). Same goes with interviews, should you have any.
Best of luck!
I know that for Cornell anyways, it seems that it’s easier to get in if you’re in state and from a competitive school, every year from my school about 3/4-6/7 students are admitted. The thing that really makes or breaks your application is your essay. Admissions officers read thousands of applicant essays, and you don’t know when they’ll read yours, so you have to make sure it stands out and that they’ll remember it (for the right reasons of course)
What were your results? Where did you end up going?
