(Haven’t taken physics 2, took the last one as a joke after finding out there were 3 test slots and didn’t cost anything to take the third. Made a pattern on the last 5 questions. Didn’t know you have to report all the scores from the same day. This was honestly a train wreck)
Act: 32, 33 Superscore
College Courses (Main Hook): Real Analysis (4 Credits), Number Theory (Tested Out), Differential Equations, Multivariant Calculus, Cryptology. The catch is that I got a C in Real Analysis and Differential Equations. I don’t come from a great background and nobody around me knows math. I know its not a great excuse but I was failing Diff Eq and RA at one point and manged to pull off a C. Frankly it was a miracle.
Other points of interest: Two state science Olympiad medals and a second place finish at states in Vex Robotics.
Things I’m considering doing to make me “More of a catch”: Upload a C++ program that uses a fourier series and physics to track a robot and fire a projectile at a target based on displacement very accurately. I also wrote a program in C that is almost a perfect instagram account bot. I’m currently working on masking my IP when exchanging packets, but I might be able to spin that. Also a professor at the college I take classes at is interested in having me do some work developing software to track a drone they’re working on for God knows what. Probably a good angle as well.
Any advice on how to spin the crap I have planned between now and RA or other things I should do would be much appreciated. Also any advice on the whole SAT thing for other colleges I apply to would be great. Not doing this on a PC I own, but I should be able to respond to any Q’s within 12 hours. Thanks for your time and any advice you have. Frankly would like to not end up bagging groceries with my drunk dad the rest of my life, thanks.
There are thousands of good options that fall somewhere on the spectrum between Harvard and bagging groceries, so don’t worry. You have options, you just have to be strategic about targeting them.
What are the other colleges on your list and your intended major?
(Still not sure if the question is how to put together your best app for other colleges or how to appeal to Harvard. If your question is about appealing to Harvard, my answer would be to not waste your time and instead focus on realistic targets.)
No way to recommend a match without understanding much, much more - courses, rigor, AP scores, GPA, LORs, essays (the last two are almost impossible for anyone to self-rate).
Since you don’t have much time left to put together good apps, it’s time to be very realistic and concentrate your focus on places where you would be a good fit, not dreamy reaches. Most of the top selectives are going to have concerns over the fact that you struggled in the advanced courses you took - the Cs in RA and DiffEq, so those aren’t hooks, those are red flags.
What colleges interest you and why? Do you have some realistic matches and at least one safety?
Also when I took RA and diffeq I was a junior who liked getting high between classes. I made some pretty questionable choices that year between studying and waisting time so cut me some slack. I did well in the other college courses and a lot of my professors have liked me. LORS are my Calc BC teacher and AP Lit teacher who both were really important people in my life sophomore and junior year. Essays are probably meh, not gonna rate them myself.
@milee300 Main ECs are in original post, Science Olympiad, Vex, Big Brother (LEGION) program, and NHS. Otherwise a few camps I went to at colleges around my area and some volunteering at local churches. As I said, VEX and SO are my two main ones.
@Suzy100 yes I may have messed that up though because I didn’t send them my college transcript and so as far as I know they only know about RA and they won’t have a grade (which might be a good thing). Frankly expecting a rejection there.