<p>These are chances for my cousin who will be a senior this fall. She’s excited about these schools, so help would be great!</p>
<p>Female from Idaho
GPA: 3.45 (on 4.0 scale)
SAT I: 1750 (M 510, W 610, CR 630, Essay 10)
Taking SAT IIs in fall
Girl Scout (about to get Gold Award)
Volunteers at a local thrift store where proceeds benefit domestic abuse victims and an animal shelter and some other random places
Part-time job at a video store (15 h/wk)
Will have decent essays/recs</p>
<p>Schools:
Northeastern (#1)
University of South Carolina
University of West Virginia
University of Puget Sound
Evergreen State College (safety)
Sarah Lawrence
Lewis and Clark
University of Utah (safety)</p>
<p>I think she has excellent chances at all of the schools listed. Receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award is looked at really highly, and her job at the thrift store sounds pretty cool and interesting.</p>
<p>The biggest reaches on her list seem to be Sarah Lawrence, Lewis & Clark, and Northeastern. I think she has great chances at Sarah Lawrence and Northeastern especially, but her SATs scores are a little low (Northeastern’s average is 1250 or something). </p>
<p>If she’s serious about attending Northeastern, she might want to retake the SAT in Oct. and apply ED (if SAT IIs aren’t required).</p>
<p>I think she might be applying ED to Northeastern. Her family won’t need significant financial aid, either. I’m not sure if it’s need-blind there, but maybe that’ll make a difference. She’s planning to take the ACT, which is good, but what else can she do to boost the app a bit? Would more extracurriculars help? She was thinking of joining the school newspaper.</p>
<p>I can’t really speak for the 2400 scores since I don’t really have a conception of what is considered decent yet.</p>
<p>I think Northeastern ISN’T going to be a reach. My friend had a 1280 (of 1600) and like a 3.2 GPA. She was on the debate team but didn’t excel, she tutored kids at Church, and that was pretty much it. Just an example of someone with lower ‘cred’ than your friend who got into Northeastern. (She also got into Holyoke but went to a state college)</p>
<p>Northeastern has been getting more and more selective each year and is really working on raising their admission averages. I have not seen current numbers but understand that this fall’s freshman have the highest averages they have ever had, so this may make it a little more of a reach than in the past (it also depends on which school you are applying to). AP, IB and honors courses will obviously help, as will strong ECs and slightly higher test scores. They do not require SAT IIs.</p>