Chances at these Unis--special circumstances

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Persian
Location: Buffalo, New York
School: Competative public school–consistantly ranked in the top three for western New York.
Languages: Fluent in Farsi and English, 6 years of French taken, know basics of Japanese and can read a little.</p>

<p>Background: I moved in with my father when I was in 8th grade. Before that I lived with a verbally abusive grandmother and a mentally ill mother. There were psychological issues there with myself and grades were up and down but didn’t matter much. Once high school started, things got worse. My anorexia developed into full blown bulimia which required numerous doctors and therapists. In the summer of '06 I felt suicidal and had to spend a week in the adolescent psych ward. In September of '06 I had to take a month off of school (I’m currently a Junior) to go to a hospital in a different city for anorexia and had to get 13 stitches in my left arm. I missed the PSATS then. I’m currently on a correct concoction of medications and I feel fantastic! Problem is, because of all of these things, my grades have plummeted to unbelievably low numbers from the straight A’s I had freshman year and parts of sophomore year.</p>

<p>Freshman year courses (overall average 93%):
R= Regular A= honors
English 9 (for freshman)
Math 1R
Earth Science
French 1A
Global History
Studio Art</p>

<p>Summer School:
Global 2 taken for advancement</p>

<p>Sophomore year courses (overall average 83%):
English 10-12 A
Math 2R
Biology
French 3A (I skipped up a level)
Advanced Studio Art
AP US History
Creative Writing
Theater</p>

<p>Summer School:
Chemistry taken for advancement</p>

<p>Junior year courses (overall average unknown):
English 10-12 A
English 10-12 A (yes, taking two)
AP LANG
Women’s History
Psychology
French 4A
Advanced Studio in Drawing and Painting</p>

<p>*I was signed up for AP Macro, AP Gov, AP Bio, and Math 3r but had to drop them all due to personal situations and missing nearly 2 months total of school due to health and mental reasons.</p>

<p>Future Senior year courses:
AP Lit
Math 3R
AP Psych
Visual Presentations (a continuation of the previous art class)
Health
Economics R
Government R
Sculpture and Ceramics</p>

<p>*Possible course that I am still deciding on and will sign up for next fall if my mental state seems capable of the stress and work load: AP French</p>

<p>I haven’t taken the PSATS as I wasn’t around for them. I have yet to take the SATS. I’m quite behind because, again, I was never around when people actually took these things. I believe a few more options for the SATs are coming up soon so I will sign up then.</p>

<p>Desired Major: Japanese Language <em>Possible duel major with International Relations or something related</em></p>

<p>Schools:</p>

<p>University of British Columbia
University at Buffalo
Boston University
Northwestern (HUGE stretch but my father knows people who will be able to help…well…push me in a bit lol…and he says that if I raise my grades up to about a B+ I will have a good chance.)
Buffalo State
University of Pennsylvania</p>

<p>ECs:
School newspaper since Freshman year
Shakespeare Club (an acting club) since Freshman year (student representative)
Drama Club (in various performances) since Freshman Year
Philosophy Club since Sophomore year
Literary Digest (It’s not a club but rather a magazine where student writers may write and publish their work.) since Freshman Year
Student Coucil Representatives (not actually ON the council but elected by homeroom classes to work WITH the council) for Freshman and Sophomore years</p>

<p>Accomplishments & Awards:
Unfortunatly I have not found the cure for cancer. In this catagory, I am terribly unoriginal and ordinary.</p>

<p>Recs: I’m afraid many teachers are not understanding of my situation and I am afraid they will misinterpret me as “lazy”. However, I have a very good relationship with my guidance counselor and one of my teachers who has always said I would of been the top of the class if things didn’t get in the way should definitely write a strong rec.</p>

<p>I haven’t had much time to do in depth research so if any of you have <em>any</em> suggestions about other schools not on my list, PLEASE let me know!</p>

<p>I’m currently on a good track mentally so raising grades should not be an issue. I realize what has happened in the past is over and done with and can’t be changed but I’m hoping that my new found…“wellness” has not come too late.</p>

2

<p>Congratulations on your recovery, if I may be so audacious as to say such a thing. That is far more important than the university you get into.</p>

<p>That said:</p>

<p>Boston University - slight reach
Northwestern - reach
University of Pennsylvania - reach (biggest one on the list)</p>

<p>I’d look at a few LACs which offer Japanese majors, and the chance of international studies. Maybe:</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon (reach)
Colgate (reach)
Scripps (high match)
Trinity (match)
URochester (not sure)</p>

<p>Just to start.</p>

3

<p>Thank you :)</p>

<p>Any other opinions?</p>

4

<p>As someone who understands your situation fairly well, know that the safety/match/reach tactic applies a little strangely to you. Different schools will weigh your situation in different ways, and there’s just no way for you to tell who will react how (which I’m sure you know). I got into schools I never dreamed I could have, and got rejected from schools that should have been beyond safe. I didn’t get any merit scholarships, despite being much more qualified than some who did. My bad year was freshman year, with a steady upward climb afterwards. I go to Scripps, which a previous poster suggested, and do love it (one random note: be wary of all-women’s schools b/c eating disorders can be even more rampant than usual, not just in occurrence but in general visibility. The silver lining is that recovery resources can be similarly more abundant. Just know yourself and take this random fact into consideration).</p>

<p>Point being: apply to obscene reaches (i.e. those that would be reasonable reaches if you had spent 4 years at your healthiest), don’t get your heart set on “definite” safeties, and don’t get discouraged by trying to compare your situation to those of more typical applicants. Glad to hear your state is improving, and best of luck!</p>

5

<p>I’m sorry to hear about your difficult past. I also had a pretty rough past comparable to yours but I chose to hide that fact in my application (except to mention it in the vaguest terms) because I was embarrased by it. Perhaps that was a mistake. I’m no expert but I expect that your best chance would be if you emphasized how you overcame these circumstances rather than just endured them. That would potentially give colleges confidence that you will endure any unforseeable circumstances that occur during your degree/postgrad appointment. I don’t suppose you can get in contact with any professors from any uni you want to apply for? I believe people tend to have more compassion on people they know than strangers behind an application form what does anyone else think?</p>

6

<p>i think you should consider looking at smaller schools- they tend to offer a more supportive, close-knit community, which might be nice for you!</p>

7

<p>Thank you all for the wonderful advice. I was actually looking at Trinity and I LOVE Connecticut soooo much but it seemed very hard to get into. I’m surprised you say it is a match!</p>

8

<p>yeah you should get into all those except NU is a definate reach and i would say upenn is far out of your reach</p>

9

<p>bump–anymore info on possible good match schools?</p>

10

<p>bump bump…i want more opinions please! specifically about Trinity…</p>

11

<p>About a month ago, this helpful poster went on to CC’s Trinity College site. Maybe would still be available for questions… </p>

<p>"12-18-2006, 01:35 AM #1<br>
wonderingaa
New Member</p>

<p>Join Date: Sep 2006
Threads:
Posts: 4 Any questions? </p>

<hr>

<p>If any applicants have questions about Trinity, I’d be happy to answer them. I think there’s a few others here who would as well. "</p>

12

<p>your grades fluctuate alot and the inconsistency will be a factor at Northwestern. If your dads connections are that strong, you have to show a strength somewhere, and at this point only teh SAT’s are the thing u can really change. ull need to score around 2200-2250 and write about your history and hiow that effected grades. Connections can get you in anywhere, its just a matter of how strong and deep they are.</p>

13

<p>Just one more semi-unrelated tip: when it comes time to writing personal statements, etc., you may want to post again and ask for advice. In the end it’s definitely a personal call, but be careful of thinking “well THIS has all made for an easy essay,” because you’ll really want to be careful about the way you paint your situation.</p>

14

<p>Sorry for bumping this up as it is like a month old but I didn’t want to re-write everything and make a new thread :)</p>

<p>Alright well, there are a few more schools I would like you guys to chance me with!</p>

<p>University of Toronto
York University</p>

<p>Both are in Toronto. Anyone familier with the Canadian school system?</p>