Suggestions and Chance for the "Average Smart Guy"

davematthewsxvii · June 4, 2009, 8:44pm

Before I recap everything about me, I want to say thanks in advance for helping me and I’ll do my best to chance you back. I really appreciate the time and I’ll try to make all of this eye friendly too

<h2>I go to a private college prep school with a small class size (56), I’m top 10% for sure maybe 5. Our school doesn’t rank. Relevant information : NY Resident. I’m white. haha</h2>

GRADES

Freshman Year: GPA 4.11 UW
English 9 : A
World History I : A
Algebra/Trigonometry : A+
Biology : A+
Latin II : A+
Script 2 Screen : A-

Sophomore Year: GPA 3.95 UW
English 10 : A-
World History II : A+
Honors PreCalculus : A-
Honors Chemistry : A
Latin III : A
Essential Technologies : A

Junior Year : GPA 4.13 UW
English 11 : A
US History : A+
AP Calculus AB : A (projected score 4 at best)
AP Biology : A (projected score 5, if im unlucky though 4)
Latin IV : A+

AVERAGE GPA : 4.06 UW

Senior Year Schedule

AP Chemistry
AP Statistics
Anatomy and Physiology
Honors Physics
English Elective

<hr>

SATS

Math : 680
Writing : 680

<h2>Critical Reading : 60</h2>

1960 … I’m taking them again Saturday, I don’t know if I’ll do better though. Studying for standardized tests are a fault of mine. They give me anxiety so I usually don’t (we’ve all been there). The 1960 was taking it only after going over math a little

Biology Sat 2 : 740

<hr>

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY (Non volunteer)

~ Theatre High School Productions (9-11)
- Our Town
- FOOLS
- A Funny Little Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical, LEAD)
- Wonderful Town
- All in the Timing (all characters are leads really)

~ Varsity Wrestling (I LOVE this sport, first year doing it but im hooked)
- 3rd Place Greg Rockwood Memorial Tournament 119 lbs
- Ichabod Crane Dual Meet Most Valuable Wrestler (Undefeated and most wins)

~ Student Ambassador for my school (5 years now)

~ National Catholic Forensic League (11)
- Grand Nationalist (does this look good?)

~ Titan Wrestling Club (a premiere wrestling club for the best wrestlers in the capital region, this is my first year doing it)

~ Head Photographer of 07-08 Yearbook

~ Latin Honor Society (11)
- Officer = Historian

~ Varsity Track (9,10)

~ Astronomy Club (11)

<hr>

VOLUNTEER

~ THE RESCUE. I helped put together one of 100 nationwide events held in 100 cities around the world on April 25th. I did lighting and sound on the actual day too, and was an event manage. 47 hours were put into this

~ American Red Cross (Ambassador and blood donator)

~ Many hours in school (I don’t think these count for anything do they?)

<hr>

AWARDS

College of the Holy Cross Book Award
High Honor Roll (9-11)
*** Will hopefully get Cum Laede in Fall, if not then Spring (that would suck…)

<hr>

Summer I’ve Done:

~ Job (Dental Office assistant, been doing since 7th grade)
~ NYLF Medicine (ton of fun)

There ya go. Thanks a lot for reading guys haha. I know it was probably tough. Now for the suggestions… I honestly don’t know what kind of schools I’m capable of getting into I really short myself sometimes and doubt myself. I either want to do PreMed or pharmacy, so do you have some suggestions for me? Anyway would help a ton. Also, could you chance me on some schools below. You don’t need to do all haha. Thanks a ton

<ul>
<li>Northeastern University (Pharmacy)</li>
<li>University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Pharmacy)</li>
<li>Purdue University (Pharmacy)</li>
<li>University of California San Francisco (Pharmacy)</li>
<li>Boston College (Premed)</li>
<li>Boston University (Premed)</li>
<li>UNC Chapil Hill (Pharmacy, or pre med too i guess) </li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>Cornell</li>
<li>John Hopkins</li>
<li>Tufts</li>
<li>College of the Holy Cross</li>
</ul>

Love you guyssssss

davematthewsxvii · June 4, 2009, 9:36pm

bump please

Poseidenj · June 4, 2009, 9:37pm

You are definetly in at Boston University, go for the latin-scholarship they have.

I’ll go through a few things.

1) You are a great candidate from grades And ECs

2) You ARE at a disadvantage being an overrepresented group from an overrepresented area

3) You took latin as a language for 4 years, which is very unique. IDK if it’s a hook though. The problem I can forsee is many colleges look for 4 years of a MODERN language.

4) IDK what that national thing is, but just being a qualifier isn’t the same thing, you need to place to be noticed. Otherwise, legit. Though, I can’t really see a “passion”.

5) NYLF is completely useless, not that it isn’t fun, but it won’t help you, those are cash cows. But the job, if it is a job-job, is very significant, you worked at a dental clinic for a long time.

<ul>
<li>Northeastern University (Pharmacy): In</li>
<li>University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Pharmacy): Reach</li>
<li>Purdue University (Pharmacy): Match (I’d say in, but you are OOS majority)</li>
<li>Boston College (Premed)- match</li>
<li>Boston University (Premed): In</li>
<li>UNC Chapil Hill (Pharmacy, or pre med too i guess): Reach</li>
<li>Northwestern: Reach</li>
<li>Cornell: Reach</li>
<li>John Hopkins: Reach</li>
<li>Tufts: Match</li>
<li>College of the Holy Cross: In</li>
</ul>

Pretty good mix you got in here. I’d suggest you look at SUNY Binghampton for a safety, you need a couple of those.

UCSF is a grad school

davematthewsxvii · June 4, 2009, 9:47pm

Wow thanks for the great post poseidon

UCSF doesn’t have a six year pharmacy program? Also just for reference, what’s the separation between a match and an in? Which of those are really high reaches and low reaches as well if any too

blakebengals · June 4, 2009, 10:07pm

What’s your UW GPA on a 4.0 scale?

davematthewsxvii · June 4, 2009, 10:19pm

on a 4.0 scale, my unweight gpa would be
Fresh: 3.95
Soph: 3.9
Junior: 4.0 (i was super proud of my grades this year haha, I was so surprised i guess i never really thought about em till i realized oh **** this is the best ive ever done)

Poseidenj · June 4, 2009, 11:58pm

I don’t believe so, though.

And an “in” means I’d almost bet my life you would get in, match means very high chance/opportunity. Although improve your SAT, you will be a slam bam candidate with a 2200+.

The high reaches would be Umich and UNCH. Why? Because they are publics and you are OOS, so that is a turn down. Err, I’d actually say the other three are high reaches too, but a bit lower down on the spectrum. Get your SAT up and I would say the former two remain high reaches, but then JH becomes a low reach, but the other two stay the same (unless you get 2300 +). haha, though, with latin you better have had an 800 on the verbal :p

And I would say, try to get to at least a “300” in a modern language at a community college or something, it could really help you. Romance languages are easy to learn, and knowing latin will only help you more.

Sorry, I’m just really impressed and intrigued by the latin! I wish I could take it for a 3rd language!

1980collegegrad · June 5, 2009, 7:45am

You might want to look into the several full tuition merit-based Classics scholarships that are available at Holy Cross.

NuclearPakistan1 · June 5, 2009, 7:53am

Hey, I am a 125 varsity wrestler in the capital region too!

I wrestle at Journeymen and Guilderland. You?

davematthewsxvii · June 5, 2009, 8:59am

Hey nice paki, I do Titans
I’ll probably do 125 next year if you stay at that weight, my school never faces Guilderland but I could see you in a tourny or 2 especially over the summer

and Poseidon thanks again! Do you have any other suggestions for schools too?

Septiambre · June 5, 2009, 9:19am

" Pretty good mix you got in here. I’d suggest you look at SUNY Binghampton for a safety, you need a couple of those."

Binghamton ain’t no safety for you. Match maybe. It’s gotten a lot more competitive. You do need a safety or two though.

Septiambre · June 5, 2009, 9:21am

Northeastern University (Pharmacy):match

University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Pharmacy): Reach
Purdue University (Pharmacy): Match
Boston College (Premed)- match
Boston University (Premed): match
UNC Chapil Hill : Reach
Northwestern: Reach
Cornell: High Reach
John Hopkins: High Reach
Tufts:reach
College of the Holy Cross: In

davematthewsxvii · June 5, 2009, 9:38am

For a safety I always have Albany College of Pharmacy and I would say SUNY. I’d really like to go to the best college I’m capable of getting into though for the respective career area I choose to follow… would you say those schools are the best options for me as far as where I should apply?

Septiambre · June 5, 2009, 11:59am

University of Rochester would be a good match for you premed. Another option to consider. Also Case Western.

davematthewsxvii · June 5, 2009, 8:26pm

ok thanks for your help guys so far! i decided im not going to take the SATs tomorrow, because i think i could do better on CR and maybe writing but not math because I haven’t reviewed in a while (i did for the last one). I’m going to wait to see my AP exam grades, and then take Chem and math 2 after studying for em a little at the end of the summer in october.

I MIGHT study for the november SAT if I decide I really like a college that I haven’t seen yet upon visiting, and my scores should be better. That would also depend on how busy I am with school and stuff. I failed to study for the June one because of the finals I attacked this year (not an excuse, I procrastinated a lot and I know I shouldn’t have. although i must say, my grades turned out a lot better than i expected the year ones i mean)

Would I have to apply regular decision to use the november exam though does anyone know? Or could apply EA, then send them my november scores when they come out (if they haven’t already made the decision?) ? That wouldn’t be bad would it

RD isn’t bad as well right?

davematthewsxvii · June 5, 2009, 8:54pm

I’m thinking about adding Notre Dame and Williams. I know Williams will be a reach (high/low?), but not sure about Dame

davematthewsxvii · June 6, 2009, 10:44am

bump please

superstar12 · June 13, 2009, 10:02am

northeastern university pharmacy is going to be a reach

azn135 · July 17, 2011, 11:46am

-Northeastern University (Pharmacy) - low reach

University of Michigan Ann Arbor (Pharmacy) - reach
Purdue University (Pharmacy) - match
University of California San Francisco (Pharmacy) - match
Boston College (Premed) - high match
Boston University (Premed) - reach
UNC Chapil Hill (Pharmacy, or pre med too i guess) - reach
Northwestern - mid reach
Cornell - high reach
John Hopkins - high reach
Tufts - reach
College of the Holy Cross - I don’t know too much about this college to say anything

1) your grades are good however, you don’t have much course rigor. All of your classes are fairly easy. That may be frowned down by colleges because of that.

2) I like that you have a job, especially in a place that has somewhat of a link with your future profession. That will show that you have a passion for what you want to be.

3) You definitely want to increase that SAT of yours past the 2000 range. If you don’t like the SAT, then take the ACT

4) You have decent EC’s.

5) you could volunteer a little bit more and get more leadership positions

What isn’t too impressive: your course rigor, SATs, and some of your EC’s.

Suggestions and Chance for the "Average Smart Guy"

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