***IMPORTANT**Should I even apply & spend $400 on applications for my reach schools?

Chance Me / Match Me
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<p>I go to a public, vocational high school. It’s not the best. However, the teachers are good, it’s the students that aren’t. There are exceptions of a few students.</p>

<p>My reach schools are Stanford, Harvard, Georgetown, John Hopkins, and UChicago. </p>

<p>I come from an unprivileged family. I’m Hispanic (mom is Ecuadorean and father is Mexican). They never went to college and my parents are divorced. My mom makes >$26,000 a year. Father pays $300 a month for child support. My health insurance was canceled and I faced difficulties since the 5th grade due to eyesight. I got glasses in 7th grade and my irresponsible self lost them. I never replaced them until my mom thankfully bought them with her tax money at the end of my freshman year. Due to this, my grades have been not so good. Especially not for these schools. </p>

<p>My transcript looks like this.</p>

<p>I took 2 high school courses in middle school by the way so they’re on my transcript.</p>

<p>Living environment 83/86
Algebra 87 </p>

<p>Freshman year :
English 83/89
Physical Education 85/87
Global 98 /98
Earth Science 90 /93
Level 3 Spanish 90 /95
Geometry 86 /93
Fashion 98
Graphics 95
Text complexity 95 /89</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Global 97/97
English 98/98
Chemistry 99/99
Trigonometry 97/97
Health 97/98
Fashion 97/97</p>

<p>Junior year:
Pre - calculus 97/97
AP Biology 98/98
AP US history 98 /98
English 97/97
Fashion 98 /98
Physics 97/97</p>

<p>Senior Year:
AP Calculus 95/
Forensics 98/
Ecology 99/
Psychology 97/
AP English 97/
Economics 97/</p>

<p>Regents Scores:
Living Environment (1st time) 79
Living Environment (2nd ) 88
Algebra 81
Geometry 86
Earth Science 91
Spanish proficiency 94
Spanish LOTE 98
Trigonometry 95 :
Chemistry 97
Global 98
Us History 97
Physics: 92
English: 93 </p>

<p>AP: ALL 5’ s</p>

<p>SAT: 2200 </p>

<p>Class rank : 5/457 ( trying to move up) I would’ve been #1 if it was’t for my freshman year.</p>

<p>GPA: Unweighted: 3.9 Weighted: 4.4</p>

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<p>You can def get into JHU/Georgetown.</p>

<p>Uchicago if you write good essays.</p>

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<p>Would any of these schools offer waivers for the applications? Do you also have matches and safeties?</p>

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<p>Of course I do ! These are just my reach schools. I’m applying to all CUNY schools, NYU, and there’s more I have to look up. I’m planning to major in biological sciences.</p>

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<p>Reach schools have fee waivers. You can have your guidance counsellor request it through email/fax or by using a NACAC form.</p>

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<p>I will definitely use those fee waivers ! Thank you :slight_smile: my guidance counselor told me that there’s a certain amount of fee waivers I can receive.</p>

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<p>Never mind ! Turns out I can get an unlimited amount :)</p>

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<p>I think you should throw Columbia in there! With your interest in NY schools. They have better FA than NYU so I’ve heard.</p>

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<p>Yes but Columbia is also incredibly competitive.</p>

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<p>Thanks, I might apply :). Add it on as another reach school. The reason for my interest in New York schools is because I am a New Yorker :).</p>

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<p>Hmm, apply to Sarah Lawrence College too then. Low match if you write good essays :)</p>

<p>Barnard if you’re a girl.</p>

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<p>Thanks I will :slight_smile: might as well since I qualify for fee waivers ! I am a girl by the way :D</p>

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<p>Do you think it’ll be a good idea to write an essay on how getting glasses has opened my eyes to the world and how it changed me or no?</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Well she does have Stanford and Harvard on her list as well. OP what about your ECs?</p>

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<p>Your grades are more than fine and your test scores are phenomenal. You have a lot for your essay.
Apply not only to Ivies and other Top 20 national universities, but also Top 20 LACs.</p>

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<p>I don’t know about the essay on glasses, but definitely tell your GC about it so she can put it in the GC recommendation as a point to consider regarding your freshman year grades. It could be a good essay topic if you can use it as some kind of metaphor on other ways your eyes have been opened over time…</p>

<p>Also – remember as you are going crazy with your applications that you also have to do the financial aid paperwork for all those schools! It is a lot to keep track of, and it sounds like you have a non-custodial parent who will also have to provide information for CSS Profile schools. Just saying, you will need to really keep on top of that, as the deadlines and requirements vary quite a bit by school.</p>

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<p>@TVenee here’s a link to my extra curricular activities, etc.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1565882-rate-extracurriculars-volunteer-work-job-experience.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1565882-rate-extracurriculars-volunteer-work-job-experience.html&lt;/a&gt;
I have about 500+ hours of community service. I have to try to get that up.</p>

<p>I’m also a member of POSSE and a member of Opportunity Network :)</p>

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<p>@MYOS1634 thank you so much! I will definitely look into those! Do you think that I should apply to Harvard SCEA? It’s due November 1st and I already have everything ready. Should I send it out or just apply regularly?</p>

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<p>@intparent as of now my essay is very literal. There’s some literary techniques in there, but definitely not the entire essay. Ill try to make it metaphorical somehow. I think that shouldn’t be too hard since after all I do have a lot to say about them and how much of a help they’ve been. </p>

<p>I did talk to my guidance counselor. We have a good relationship. She knows a lot about me. She definitely knows about the glasses situation and will make sure to mention that. Thanks :).</p>

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<p>Can someone else please respond to this thread ?</p>