Should i even apply? Could i get in?

Colleges & Universities Stanford University
1

<p>Rising Senior, attending MUI HS in Alameda County, Northern CA.
I’m an African American Boy applying to schools with good Accounting/Business, Engineering (Computer), and/or Law Programs (Yes I know a lot of different fields, but I’m passionate) ^_^.</p>

<p>OK i am worried that although my GPA is good and im an active student, that my Sat/Act scores will weigh me down. I dont see myself (when i retake the test) advancing 800-1000 points. I dont take tests well. If there is anyone willing to help me or work with me please pm me. This is my academic resume so far:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9 UW
My high school doesn’t offer AP’s so I will Community College Courses
African American
Second generation
Family Income $30k<0
3.8-9 GPA
SAT: 1450 (500V, 400M, 550W, 8 on my Essay) Retaking in October to get at least 1900-2000. (Low because of family difficulty at the time)
ACT: 18 [8 on my essay (Low because of family difficulty at the time, parent laid off dying relative etc.)]
7 Years of Spanish.
1 Semester of Japanese
Self-Teaching Russian
My grades could have been better but I was dealing with financial issues, family problems and other personal stuff at the time. I know it doesn’t excuse my poor scores I’m not going to mention it to any of the admissions officers or in any of my essays, but it played a large element in my grades because freshmen year and sophomore year I got straight A’s.</p>

<p>Next year I’m taking college Courses:
Jouranlism
English Lit/Comp
Government
Calculus
AP Biology (online possibly)
Computer Science</p>

<p>Extracurriculars include:</p>

<p>4 Years Jiujitsu
Student Artist (Graphic)
Student Body Vice President (Sophomore)
Student Body Pres. (Junior)
MESA Alum (Math Science Engineering Achievement)
ACAP Alum(Accounting Career Awareness Program)
NABA Alum(National Association of Black Accountants)
Learning Russian
Feeding the Homeless Each Sunday (8,9,10,11,12)
Read to Kindergarteners (10,11,12)
School Ultimate Frisbee Captain (11,12)
Honor Roll Student (10,11,12)
Chairman of Quidditch Club
Debate club President (10,11,12)
Book Club
Junior Author Association of America
Fruit of Islam Scholar
Junior Muslim Scholar of America Local Captain
ACAP/NABA Co-Chair
Grindin’ Coffeehouse (Student owned and run on campus coffee shop I helped start and run along with 8 other students. I am Co-Manager/Owner. We have received Grants of $4,000 up from Youth Uprising 5 Years in a row.)
Guitar Player (11,12)
My own Band: Frozen Inferno (11,12)
Poetry Club Treasurer (11,12)
Keep a Child Alive Junior Charity Member (11)
Author Club (11)
Student Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The MUI Gazette (10,11,12)</p>

<p>Does anyone have any recommendations, comments, or suggestions??</p>

<p>Im applying to: </p>

<h1>1 Choice—Stanford University,</h1>

<h1>2. U. of California at Berkeley,</h1>

<h1>3 U. of California-Los Angeles,</h1>

<h1>4 U. of Washington-Seattle,</h1>

<h1>5 New York University,</h1>

<h1>6 Columbia U.,</h1>

<h1>7 Univ. of Southern California,</h1>

<p>IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WOULD OR COULD LIKE TO HELP ME PLEASE PM ME!</p>

2

<p>Is that your whole list? It doesn’t have anything but reaches, especially with your current SAT and ACT scores. </p>

<p>You need safeties that meet all three of these criteria: you have a high chance of being admitted; you think you can be happy and successful there; you think you can afford to go.</p>

<p>Also, NYU is notoriously bad with financial aid. Between that, and the cost of travel from coast to coast, I think it’s not a very good choice for you.</p>

3

<p>that isnt my whole list, this is:</p>

<h1>1 Choice—Stanford University,</h1>

<h1>2. U. of California at Berkeley,</h1>

<h1>3 U. of California-Los Angeles,</h1>

<h1>4 U. of Washington-Seattle,</h1>

<h1>5 New York University,</h1>

<h1>6 Columbia U.,</h1>

<h1>7 Univ. of Southern California,</h1>

<h1>8 San Diego State University,</h1>

<h1>9 Pepperdine University,</h1>

<h1>10 Harvard U.,</h1>

<h1>11 San Francisco State University,</h1>

<h1>12 Cornell,</h1>

<h1>13 UC Santa Barbara,</h1>

<h1>14 Sacramento State University,</h1>

<h1>15 U.Penn,</h1>

<h1>16 Boston U.</h1>

<p>why which safeties do you recommend?</p>

4

<p>If you can truly get your ACT and SAT to dramatically increase, to say a 26 or 1850, from what I’ve researched you’d have a chance at Boston U. Everything besides your testing is good.</p>

5

<p>I would say give it a shot though. You have a zero percent chance if you don’t apply. Just apply because you don’t know what a college is looking for. Plus there are some test optional schools that allow you to apply without submitting test scores if you feel they do not adequately show your academic potential.</p>

6

<p>as is, you’re only going to stand a chance at pepperdine… get your scores up. </p>

<p>family problems may be present in an ongoing way through your gpa, but on a single test day that takes 3 or so hours… come on… </p>

<p>–and you’re not alone, and the people reading your app won’t have tremendous sympathy since many other applicants have problems that may exceed yours</p>

7

<p>You should pull your test scores up. Try your best, I know it’s hard though. I’ve had unimaginable personal issues as well. Just try one more time. Take as many practice tests as you can. Good luck :)</p>

8

<p>The SAT advantage for a low income minority applicant to top private schools runs from about 350-450 points on the SAT. Given this fact, you need another ~400 points or so on these tests to be competitive for Stanford, the ivies and similar schools; less for some of the less competitive schools on your list. The UC schools (well Berkeley and UCLA at least) however are probably out of your reach - since California banned affirmative action you need to compete on an equal basis with everyone else, and to be competitive there you have to get your scores up to ~2100-2200.</p>

9

<p>Remember there are many low income URMs who have SAT scores in the 2100+ range so you have to pull up your scores to be more competitive. Go to a library and get an SAT prep book and use that. Also, use free online SAT practice tests. I use them too</p>

10

<p>I’m going to be honest. Like a lot of the other posters have said, if you don’t raise your SAT/ACT score by quite a bit, you have a slim chance at a lot of the schools on your list.</p>

11

<p>seems like everyone here seems pretty optimistic. don’t want to pop your little bubble and all, but your college list is just outrageous. even taking into account that you’re a URM and that you’re annual income qualifies for zero tuition to most of the colleges on your “list”, there are certain qualifications. Competing against students that find 31’s and 2200’s precarious when applying to top schools, your test scores are to say the least a joke. they’ll probaly look at that 1450 and 18 and think, “at least we’ll get a share of the 90 dollars he spent to apply.” But you may think, “i have a lot of EC’s, that’ll get their attention!” But the thing is, breadth<depth. If i asked you to give a title to all of your EC’s (excluding volunteer), i imagine you will have a hard time. I find being the chairman of Quidditch Club, School Ultimate Frisbee Captain, and forming your own band something hard to categorize under one topic. And since you plan on not mentioning your family problems, admission officers will probaly view you as some untalented and naive applicant who read some college workbook encouraging you by giving you some kind of “a shot not taken is a shot missed” analogy. Call me a hater but i would recommend saving yourself the disappointment of being rejected by all but maybe one school (Pepperdine). Berkeley and Stanford, lol good to know what i’m competing against.</p>