First-generation college student

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Please?</p>

<p>Basics:
-Female
-Arab-American
-Muslim
-State: WI
-Rising Senior
-Attending a Catholic, all-girls school
-Income: $48,000, and I have 4 siblings…so, I need financial aid…badly…
-First in family to go to college
-Plan to go into engineering or computers</p>

<p>Academics:
-GPA: 3.977 un-weighted
-ACT: 33 (E: 34; M: 34; R: 32; S: 32)
-SAT: 740 CR, 690 M, 670 W (will retake in October, since I only took it once)
-Subject tests: Chemistry 790; US history 760; Math II 710 (Should I retake?)
-APs:
Sophomore year: AP American Gov, 5
Junior year: APUSH, 5; AP Chem, 5; AP Pyschology, 5
Senior year (planned APs): AP Computer Science; AP Calc BC; AP English Lit; AP Stats; AP Physics C: Mech; AP Physics C: E+M
-On the Honors Math, Honors Science, and Honors Social Studies track–though I’m sort of dropping out of the Honors Social Studies track next year because I’m not interested in taking AP Euro.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Friends of Islam Club, event coordinator–all 4 years
-Policies and Practices Commission of Student Congress–Junior/Senior year
-NHS President for Senior Year (I’m developing the tutoring program)
-Worked with a few other members from my Student Congress commission to research the disconnect between what high schools teach and what employers want by interviewing senior leaders of organizations/businesses in our area. We’re now using the research to improve our school’s curriculum and other programs.
-Volunteer monthly at a soup kitchen (it sounds pathetic in terms of volunteer work, but I actually love doing it, even if I don’t do it too often)</p>

<p>Awards:
-National Science League: Biology Contest—Top 10 at my HS (May 2008)
-National Science League: Chemistry Contest—Top 10 at my HS (May 2009)
-Le Grand Concours National French Test—7th in WI (May 2009)
-United States Achievement Academy Award (May 2010)
-Le Grand Concours National French Test—10th in WI (May 2010)
-Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award (May 2010)</p>

<p>Chance for:
-Northwestern
-Wash U
-U of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
-Purdue
-MIT</p>

2

<p>aim higher</p>

3

<p>your grades and test scores are mediocre, no substantial awards, and ec’s are but decent. MIT and Northwestern are extreme longshots while the others might work.</p>

4

<p>xlarax–you think? Suggestions?
Johndoe–…ouch.</p>

5

<p>Other thoughts?</p>

6

<p>You have very solid stats, I think. You should consider another reach or two (after M.I.T. – plus, for M.I.T. you’ll probably need stronger Math scores on both the SAT & SAT II), possibly an Ivy. They give very good aid, and possibly all of it could be covered.</p>

7

<p>i don’t know what johndoe is talking about. last time i checked 3.977 is basically a 4.0. Also you have two state awards and several high school awards, so i think he’s crazy. I think you have a good shot at northwestern, and the other schools (besides MIT since its hard for everyone).</p>

8

<p>Really? Thanks, everyone. I have a friend who took a lot of AP classes and had a very good GPA who applied to only top-tier schools and was rejected from almost all of them, so I guess I was a little hesitant about applying to too many top schools.</p>

<p>Does anyone have particular suggestions for a good reach? Stanford? UC-Berkeley?</p>

9

<p>If you need aid I wouldn’t suggest the UC systems since they don’t give out that much aid to OOS students.</p>