Is my counselor lying to me???

Applying to College
1

<p>So a counselor my parents hired for me told me that NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) is a Target/Match school for me. My GPA is a 2.07 with a 1700 SAT score. I have been told many times before that I have absolutely no chance at NJIT but my counselor keeps telling me that NJIT is a match/target school for me. I have a feeling he is lying to me just to make me feel better about myself. What should I do?</p>

2

<p>Ask him on what basis he is claiming that you’re a match. He should be able to show you statistics that NJIT people range from XXXX to YYYY on SATs, and there you are, right in the middle. Ditto for GPA. </p>

<p>If he can’t show you those stats, then I’d seriously consider the lying scenario.</p>

<p>The thing is, it’s not in his best interest to tell you it’s a target/match if in fact you’re far off the statistical spectrum. Why would he do that? He’d only be hurting his reputation.</p>

<p>Get statistics and then see what’s up.</p>

3

<p>Well on their website, it says Most freshmen who are admitted to NJIT have a (B) average</p>

<p>I certainly DO NOT have a B average. My GPA is like a C average. You can’t consider a college a “target/match” if your GPA DOES NOT fit even though your SAT’s do, right?</p>

4

<p>You’re going based on one criterion when likely NJIT takes many into account. Your GPA may not be that high, but the other stats that you have may be well above their requirements, the combination of which would make it more of a target school than a reach.</p>

<p>Based on NJIT’s profile it does seem like the school might be a little of a low reach for you, though. I can’t find GPA statistics but your GPA is on the low end of most schools, and your SAT scores fall within their average range - not high in it, not low in it, just right. The acceptance rate there is 70%, though, and you may have other subjective qualities that make it a better fit.</p>

<p>What are your counselor’s credentials? Does he have a history of getting students into their top schools, especially when they have below average GPAs? Ask him straight out - after all, you are paying him for the service. “Are you lying to me to make me feel better? What is it that makes this school a good fit for me even though I have a low GPA?”</p>

5

<p>Your SATs are right in the median range. The question is less about what your GPA is than your class standing. Approx 50% are in the top quarter of their class (83% in the top half). Where do your scores put you?</p>

6

<p><a href=“http://www.njit.edu/admissions/docs/Freshman__Profile_2008.pdf[/url]”>http://www.njit.edu/admissions/docs/Freshman__Profile_2008.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
^link to the NJIT freshman profile for 2008</p>