No GPA, no rank, no APs, good/bad?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>I go to a very unusual expeditionary learning outward bound (elob) based high school. As a result, I take unusual courses (soil chemistry, mythology, “sustainability” of agriculture, etc.) and don’t necessarily have a GPA.</p>

<p>Kids from my school often go to CSU (Colorado state) or Humbolt state, but most don’t apply anywhere else. However, a few past students with average ACT scores (not CC average, 25-27) have gotten into both Colorado College and NYU.</p>

<p>Occasionally my school gets dorks like me, but they’ve gone to state schools for their scholarship money in the past.</p>

<p>Demographic:
Rich (once divorced parents incomes are combined since I’m both of their independents) pasty white boy.</p>

<p>My stats:
GPA: Say what?
SAT I: 1920, 700 CR, 680 M, 540 R (stupid traditional essay requirement)
SAT II: Bio E 540 (ouch), World History 590 (meh), Math I 680 (there goes Caltech, lmao)
ACT w/o writing: 31 composite, 31 English, 29 Math, 35 Reading, 30 Science (joke of section)</p>

<p>ECs:
Black belt Taekwondo
Leadership Enrichment Program (camp counselor) for two years
Tutor to elementary school kids for three years
Teen Court Juror for three years</p>

<p>In school “learning experiences,” time off from school to do cool stuff:
Freshman year: Created two flash based video games to convey emotion via design.
Sophomore: Visited and documented my experiences Europe during my dad’s sabbatical.
Junior year: Interned with a CS Grad. Student and helped him teach programming to high school kids.
Senior year: Self taught basic analog circuits and embedded c programming to create swarm robots. Worked with a professor of elecrical engineering.</p>

<p>My school:
Badass, if I can make it past statistical elimination due to my lowish test scores, my school should make me look awesome.</p>

<p>My letters of rec are great.</p>

<p>My essays are pretty good too.</p>

<p>200 hour of community service.</p>

<hr>

<p>I put down CS as my intended major when asked to declare in my supplements.
Schools I’m applying to:</p>

<p>Safety:
CU Boulder</p>

<p>Mid?:
UCSD</p>

<p>Reach (parents won’t pay for anything more expensive than instate boulder tuition unless it’s significantly better school):
UCB
Carleton
Reed
Grinnell (they don’t look at SAT I writing scores and SAT IIs are just bonus, whoop whoop!)
CMU
NYU
Vanderbilt
Williams
W&M
Oberlin</p>

2

<p>You certainly have an interesting profile, and your CR+M looks way better than with the writing included. You also have a pretty good ACT. Your ECs show commitment and a real interest in CS.</p>

<p>I only chance schools I know, its only fair that way. </p>

<p>CMU- reach, if for CS. Their CS program is wickedly competitive.
NYU- Higher match.</p>

<p>I wish I could chance you at more schools, but I do not know enough about them.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/838448-chance-urm-aa-male.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/838448-chance-urm-aa-male.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Reed has been known, in the past, to take a chance on bright kids with less than perfect grades or scores. An interview may work to your advantage. Some of the more selective LACs on your list (such as Williams) may be out of reach without (a) higher test scores to compensate for the lack of GPA, and (b) eye-catching leadership roles or significant awards.</p>

<p>I think you’ll have a tough time as well with numbers-driven, out-of-state public universities such as the University of California schools.</p>

<p>You mention Colorado College. No interest? It’s the most selective school in your state (so maybe your parents would go for it). If your HS is in Colorado and has sent students to CC in the past, their admissions people must be familiar with it. Your chances there might be significantly better than at other very selective LACs. </p>

<p>I’d suggest looking at schools a notch or two less selective than the ones you list, but then, your parents might not support your choice. For instance, you’d probably be an interesting applicant to Hampshire College. Although this school might not be an immediate parent-pleaser, you could point out the advantages of the 5-college consortium (which gives you the huge course selection of UMass-Amherst, with its excellent CS department, and top-notch liberal arts at Amherst, Smith, or Mount Holyoke). </p>

<p>If nothing else works out, you could do a lot worse than UC Boulder. Work your tail off for good grades, then transfer if you are not satisfied there.</p>

4

<p>It might be a little tough for the UCs, particularly UCSD, because they admit based on points and grades in certain courses (A-G). THey get so many applications, I don’t know how they would handle a situation like yours. Reed or Whitman might be better possibilities</p>

<p>[UC</a> San Diego Comprehensive Review Admission Process: Freshman Selection, Fall 2010](<a href=“http://www.ucsd.edu/prospective-students/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/freshmen/process.html]UC”>http://www.ucsd.edu/prospective-students/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/freshmen/process.html)</p>

5

<p>thanks for the chance!
I really only know about NYU, Vanderbilt, CMU and Reed.
like someone said up there- reed has been known for experiementing with it’s student body and would probably be curious as to what you have to offer. apply, get and interview, and show them that you are more than just your numbers.
your ACT is not bad at all so I would say
NYU- low reach (very confusing without a gpa)
CMU- computer science is basically the majority of the school, very competitive so you have to show (and through your accomplishments you basically do) that CS is what you do best. low reach?
VU- hmmm. the harvard of the south. reach.</p>

6

<p>I’d say apart from Reed, your chances are also fairly bright at Carleton, Grinnell and Oberlin. You could add places like Pitzer or Occidental, if you want to stay on the West or perhaps as someone above mentioned add places like Hampshire and Bard. I’m assuming you like the small, Liberal Arts feel.
Specifically with Reed (since it’s what I’m most familiar with) I think that you’ve actually learnt in a high school environment that de-emphasised grades, and you had unconventional courses may work to your advantage. Like others said, go ahead and show them you’re interested-visit and interview, if possible.
Also, in the UC system, look at UC-Santa Cruz-they have a no letter grade philosophy and may value your application more than other UCs.</p>

7

<p>@tk21769: CC is a good school for sure. Personally, I don’t think it’s good enough to justify its average CS program that’s offered by its math department.</p>

<p>@Paradox7: Thanks for mentioning the interviews, today I got them all set up. That would have been a bummer if I didn’t.</p>

8

<p>up for justice</p>