Is this a good list of schools for me??

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>I am an OK student, but really uncertain about where I stand, so I was wondering if this list of potential colleges I compiled is right for me–ESPECIALLY whether my assessment of my chances of getting in is accurate (in terms of reach, fit, safety)…</p>

<p>What you should know about me: </p>

<p>I am female, have physical disability, permanent resident, live in NJ, most interested in psychology. SAT score 2130, GPA 4.1, SAT II scores: Bio-M is 750 and US History is 770. (No ACT) Class of 2010 high school senior, will have taken 9 AP tests by the time I graduate. Considerable extra-curricular involvement including leadership (maybe not amazing, but OK for someone with a physical disability, I’m told.)</p>

<p>Here is the list:</p>

<p>Stanford University—uber-reach</p>

<p>University of Pennsylvania—reach</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon University—reach/fit</p>

<p>New York University—reach/fit</p>

<p>Barnard College—fit</p>

<p>Emory University—fit</p>

<p>University of Chicago—fit</p>

<p>Marist College—fit/safety</p>

<p>Montclair State University—safety</p>

<p>Boston University—safety</p>

<p>Rutgers University (New Brunswick)— the obvious safety school</p>

<p>Michigan State University—extreme safety, but… out-of-state (cost)</p>

<p>Seton Hall University—uber-safety</p>

<p>What do you experts think? :slight_smile: I would really appreciate any advice you can give me. And also if you can think of any other good psychology schools for semi-smart-ish people like myself, I would be very grateful. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!</p>

<p>**EDIT. Sorry I forgot to say. I am in NHS, French NHS, fluent in Russian. THANKS!!! Oh, and… I will chance you back :slight_smile: sorry, I am a newbie.</p>

2

<p>I think the only thing that’s holding you back a little is your SAT score. Maybe take it a few more times, before you apply–I’ve heard that December is the easiest test, but that could be a rumor. You have a good shot!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738106-new-user-what-my-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738106-new-user-what-my-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>^I don’t think theres an easy test when dealing with months. Otherwise, that would be extremely unfair.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for your input!! I didn’t think my SAT score was low, but… hmm. I never wanted to retake that stupid test, the problems it caused me and the hours of sleep I lost I didn’t think were all worth it… >.< but thank you anyway!! Glad to learn something from people.</p>

5

<p>It looks like a good list, with a healthy mix of safeties and reaches. Good luck :)</p>

6

<p>Maybe I should be more specific and name my ECs??</p>

<ul>
<li>Swim team member (9th grade–50 yds freestyle relays & medley relays, one of fastest freestyle relayers) swim team manager (10th grade)</li>
<li>Teacher’s volunteer; received award for service (10th grade, 11th grade)</li>
<li>Earth Club President, received several awards (10th, 11th); Vice president (12th)</li>
<li>Eleventh Hour Rescue (pet rescue) Web Director (10th grade); member (11th grade)</li>
<li>Wrote an article which was published in the Star Ledger (a statewide newspaper, NJ)</li>
<li>Teamed up with a representative from Kaplan(R) to create practice SAT and ACT tests at Montville Township High School; received letter of praise from Director of Guidance (10th grade)</li>
<li>Volunteer at the town library (10th grade, 11th grade)</li>
<li>Mentor at Pathways for Exceptional Children; community service, help mentally challenged children to learn reading and social skills</li>
<li>Philosophers’ Guild (philosophy-oriented discussion club) member</li>
<li>Tapestry (school literary Magazine) Art Director; submitted short stories and artwork in the past (11th, 12th)</li>
<li>Model United Nations member (11th, 12th)</li>
<li>Volunteer at Pathways for Exceptional Children summer 2008</li>
<li>National French Honor Society member (inducted March 2009)</li>
<li>National Honor Society member (inducted May 2009)</li>
<li>Member of the Writers’ Group at town library</li>
<li>Town Library Teen Council chairperson (help organize library activities/events for adolescents)</li>
<li>2009: nominated and attended Girls’ Career Institute (four-day residential program at Douglas College of Rutgers University, feminism themes)</li>
<li>2008: nominated for People to People International</li>
<li>Permanent resident of the United States (Russian citizen); bilingual</li>
<li>Handicapped (neurological disorder–CIDP; afflicted July 2007)</li>
</ul>

7

<p>your ECs are all over the place…maybe try to really focus and become really involved in just a few. </p>

<p>I wouldn’t call you just an “OK student”…you have a really good sat score, sat subject test score, and gpa.</p>

<p>so, i think you are a very good candidate for all of the schools you’ve listed!</p>

8

<p>You are underestimating how difficult admission is to UChi. It is probably comparable to UPenn; the applicant pool is self-selected. Also, I wouldn’t call BU a sure thing, though I would expect you to get in. You have plenty of safeties, so it doesn’t matter.</p>

9

<p>i think its a good mixture but try to find a focus in ECs</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the comments!!! I should have clarified my unimpressive ECs, sorry…</p>

<p>They make sense, actually, because:</p>

<ul>
<li>I was really involved in Earth Club, so next year I’m taking AP Environmental</li>
<li>I was kinda involved in Philosophers’ Guild, so I took Psych this year, next year I’m taking AP psych, AP stats, and sociology (it might sound weird, but philosophy and psych are connected)</li>
<li>I did volunteering at the library mostly for the sake of volunteering; but Pathways for Exceptional Children makes sense also because I took Child Care in 9th grade (which also goes along with psych) and thus I do this stuff with children</li>
<li>Art editor of literary magazine makes a lot of sense, as well as school newspaper contributor and me writing a newspaper article about my friend, because I am really into writing. I took Forensics class, creative writing, and AP English language (AP lit next year) so there…</li>
<li>Volunteering for my teacher makes sense because it is community service, but also because she is the french teacher, and I got really high marks in French all through high school. Also I am in the French National Honor Society (which goes along with that)</li>
<li>Teen Library Board chairperson makes sense because I also volunteer for the library…</li>
</ul>

<p>So, anyway, sorry for such rebuttal of what are generally good suggestions, but I just felt like I needed to point these things out so that you get the whole picture. I’m really into several things (psych, writing, the environment, French kind of) so I really try to do both ECs and academic things in those subjects. So considering what I just told you… what do you think? :)</p>

<p>I’m so sorry, it’s my fault for not providing you with enough info the first time!!! I’m new to this site so I don’t really know how things work here. Sorry again!! And everyone is giving me pretty sound advice which I really appreciate. Thank you all once again!! And I’m sorry! And thank you! :)</p>

11

<p>O.O REALLY?? UChicago is really hard??? crap… -.-</p>

<p>Thanks for the tip, though!! Actually, I was judging these colleges a lot based on majors and admission rate. UChicago is like 28% and Boston U is like 50+%, so that’s why I thought it would be, well, not “easy” but not as nerve-wracking as some others. </p>

<p>I really appreciate the info, I didn’t know that! Thanks!</p>

12

<p>THANKS!! Really useful when someone can give me an assessment of my choices. ^_^</p>

13

<p>If you can make your essays give your ecs more focus, it would help. Also, you didn’t mention your essays, but just know that you don’t have to talk about your disability. You can include a little “subnote” sort of thing with your app and then talk about other things in your essays. :)</p>

<p>Stanford University—reach</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon University—match</p>

<p>New York University—match (apply early–it’s binding though and I forget what it’s called–and you’re in)</p>

<p>University of Chicago—high match</p>

<p>Boston University—in</p>

<p>Michigan State University—in</p>

<p>[Chance</a> pweez?](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738434-chance-suggest-average-student-ill-chance-back.html]Chance”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738434-chance-suggest-average-student-ill-chance-back.html)</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the tip!! I actually already wrote my essay. What if I post it here, is that weird?? O.O</p>

<p>in short summary: my essay (SLIGHTLY over 500 words, but I heard that’s ok) is about me coming to America and coming to terms with life here. It’s slightly satirical and funny, but it also, i guess, “has a message” or whatever. My english teacher liked it??? So…???</p>

15

<p>wipe off the bottom five, add 2 more big reaches</p>

16

<p>your list is good, chicago might be a low reach or high match</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738616-do-my-sat-scores-ruin-my-chances-ill-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/738616-do-my-sat-scores-ruin-my-chances-ill-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

17

<p>I bump up!!!</p>