I need a quick chance me

scottj
Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:34:17 +0000

Dear miktau : Some comments on your profile. First, your Westchester location, private or otherwise, is neither an advantage or disadvantage as New York is a major drawing area for the Boston area schools. (Even Yale in Connecticut draws 20% of the application pool from the New York area.)

Your curriculum is standard for a student targeted at a strong (five or more) AP course load in the senior year of high school. Based on taking Euro AP “last year”, that places you on track as a junior to have about eight to ten AP courses by the time you finish school. You do not have a hard science in your junior year which some schools do provide and allow their students to wind up with two (or more) APs in science. Be sure to have a science and Calculus (BC preferred over AB).

A PSAT at 1450/1600 implies that you had a 145 two-part score, but I do not understand your “forecast” for a 2150 on the SAT three-way : what was your three-way PSAT score?

Dealing with just numbers, your GPA would likely not be in the top 10% of most schools - so that will be a major hurdle.

Be sure to cover what Echo has done in the community - and how you have had an impact in that club. Sports (track/swimming) show involvement on that front. Any honor societies or additional clubs to offer? Without the honor societies, your 88 GPA will be underscored as not among the top students. Any music/arts or other awards (academic or otherwise) to raise?

Lastly, your personal situation is a wild card and would likely be considered in scope as a swing factor more than anything else - although it does back up your GPA situation. What was the change in your GPA after these significant events? Hardships are always difficult to calibrate into an acceptance or rejection.

My recommendation is to use the next three marking periods (two as a junior and first as a senior) to bolster your GPA and offer a before and after story. In parallel, I would think about about honor societies or school activities that would help my case as a campus leader. Right now, your profile is a stretch in these areas although your standardized test scores fit. Good luck and keep us posted!