Maybe, just maybe

Colleges & Universities University of Southern California
1

<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>I applied to a bunch of schools that I probably don’t have a chance in hell at, and just wanted to know where I’m standing at USC, since it’s my only first choice that I have a shot at.</p>

<p>Demograhics: low-income black kid at bad public
GPA: 4.0, but school offers no APs or honors, because it’s a bad public
Rank:1/150, but again bad school, so that’s not saying too much
SAT: 2100/1370 cr+m
Course Load: All classes cept Calc 3 and International finance at local community college. Schedule would include: Eng 101, Eng 102, Brit Lit, US His, Physics 100 level, French 200 level. So far I’ve received 95+ in every class.
Intended Major: Linguistics</p>

<p>ECs: Almost all outside of school
Volunteer with non-prof called the Student Conservation Association- 9-12;
Collected over 500 hrs of service doing environmental work. This year I have a pretty significant leadership position and am currently working towards 450 hrs of service through Americrops.</p>

<p>Employed for three years by the University of Washington and National Institute of Health- 9-11; Researched the effects of a non-commercialism policy in my school district</p>

<p>Currently interning with another non-prof call the MAVIN foundation, which advocates for people of mixed race/heritag- 12</p>

<p>Studying Arabic language after school since last year, 11-12</p>

<p>Volunteer with a program called Talk Time, which helps recent immigrants to learn English by allowing them converse with native speaker- 11-12</p>

<p>Teen Court- 10-11, similar to mock trial
Cross Country 9-10
Other random things not worth mentioning</p>

<p>Summer Stuff:
Spend 4 weeks every summer doing conservation work in national parks including two years at Mt Rainier in Washington and last year at the White Mts in Alaska</p>

<p>Awards: Uh, won a few essay contests both local and national, back in 10th grade, nothing too exciting
Was made an Honorary Member of the World Affairs Council</p>

<p>Hook: Maybe race, no money, obscure ghetto high school
Hurt:A lot of students from my area apply to USC</p>

<p>So am I okay?</p>

2

<p>Though I find your post to be a tad implausible, I congratulate you if it is all veracious. First of all, you are a URM because of your race and with that GPA and SAT you are automatically in. Your ECs are wonderful and I hope that you applied before the December 10th deadline because I could see you getting a scholarship.</p>

3

<p><<though i=“” find=“” your=“” post=“” to=“” be=“” a=“” tad=“” implausible,=“” congratulate=“” you=“” if=“” it=“” is=“” all=“” veracious=“”>></though></p>

<p>Why do people keep on saying that? Some of the people on the “What Are My Chances” thread doubted my honesty too, but I’ll put it on whatever God you care to name that it’s all valid. I’m curious though, what strikes as false? It’s the Alaska stuff isn’t it. I wonder if the adcoms are going to doubt me too?</p>

4

<p>What makes it sound implausible is that your race coupled with your grades, sat, and ecs are amazingly rare to me. It is not often that I see a black person with such determination and accolades. I am not trying to be racist, it is just what I have noticed where I live. I do have a black friend who had similar stats to you and got into Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Brown, and UC Berkeley.</p>

<p>*I only doubt you because this is CC. If you send in your application with everything that you told me the Adcoms won’t think you are lying because they will have in their hands school documents and your essays.</p>