Unique Case of Weak GPA-Strong SAT

Chance Me / Match Me
1

So I’m a Questbridge College Match finalist applying to the usual Ivies and whatnot. What are my chances for Cornell/Yale/Columbia? A response for any of the three is welcome and greatly appreciated.

GPA: 3.42
SAT I: 1540/1600 (770, 770, 20 on essay)
SAT II: Math II: 780, Physics: 760
AP: Calc AB (5) Global His (4) Physics (4) Calc BC (5) US His (5) English Lang (5)
(For the most part the toughest classes available)

Extra Curricular:

  1. Have led and co-led(since 8th grade) a diversity awareness organization that holds bi-monthly meetings for discussions regarding social identifiers in today’s society. Monthly attendance is around 120-150. We hold annual conference with attendance at around 650-700.
  2. I am a freelance photographer and editor. I started learning in 5th grade and have evolved into a paid photographer. Biggest milestone is being hired for a wedding at age 17.
  3. I have been an active and competitive spoken word poet since 9th grade. I participate in recitals and do performances in different Poetry clubs around the city. Was reached out to by manager of world-renowned poetry club to open for a major event.
  4. Co-founder of school film club. Major milestone is creating the school video that advertises to prospective students both in assemblies and on our website.
  5. Founder of Advanced Calculus club this year. Purpose is to tackle higher level math classes not offered in class with other willing students through peer tutoring and group study.
  6. I am the “grade representative” and have been since 9th grade for
    my Model UN club and regularly oversee preparation for the conferences.

Work:

  1. Tutor: I have worked as a tutor since sophomore year teaching any level of math including SAT math. I also help people write essays as I am regarded by my grade as the strongest writer in the school. I work year-round.
  2. Photographer: I have worked as a paid photographer since sophomore year. These photo shoots range from single person shoots to groups, events, and weddings. I work year-round.
  3. Retail Sales Associate: Busy work during summers to make up for a lull in tutoring business.
  4. Supermarket clerk: More busy work year-round in case I don’t make enough from the other jobs above.
    (All of the above except retail associate are under the table jobs)

Extenuating Circumstances:
There are 5 people in my one bedroom home. All of them are too young, too old, or too unstable to work. I have been the bread maker in my home since freshman year. We officially make 0 dollars according to our taxes. I work 7 days a week doing anything to make money. I get home late in the evening or at night and proceed to clean or cook for the next day’s meal. My mother is too sick and too mentally unstable from alcohol and prescription pill abuse. My sister deals with her own issues as well. My niece is too young and my grandma is too old and sick. She recently battled with cancer and when she had the tumor extracted, I was the one to swab and clean the open gash it left in her head as she recovered. I try my best to manage school and work but a lot of times, I am unable to get all my hw done which is why my GPA is so low. My sister and her baby daddy often engage in violent arguments and I’m the one who has to mediate and shield my niece from watching them fight. I have battled with Housing Courts to not be evicted from our home when the money doesn’t reach to pay bills and we actually became homeless last year, though I was able to eventually fight us back into our home.

More unique things:
-I have created and led various demonstrations and protests in NYC in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Our largest protest was 150 strong and was actually televised.
-my college essay brought my guidance counselor to tears
-my supplements were referred to by English teacher as some of the strongest writing she had ever seen from a high schooler

Personal Qualities:
Bold, outspoken as hell, natural leader, public speaker, very articulate
Ethnicity: Hispanic (Afro-Latino)
First generation

2

What is your weighted and Unweighted gpa?

It sounds like you have a very moving background, the kind colleges want to see. It is amazing you’ve managed all you have while supporting your family.

One thing that should be pointed out is your zero dollar tax income. Do you not file taxes on your income? That’s very illegal.

I really do hope that you are able to get into the top colleges you are trying for.

May I suggest you lower your standards a tad bit? The schools you listed are reaches, so you definitely aren’t guarantee a spot there, especially a moderately low GPA (if that’s your unweighted). If 3.42 is your Weighted GPA, and you have a sub 3.0 unweighted GPA, your chances are almost none.

Try looking for schools that will meet 100% need. Here’s a list: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/list-of-colleges-that-meet-100-of-financial-need/

It sound like you’ll have zero dollars contributed from your family, so you’ll need every dollar from the schools as possible.

3

I agree somewhat with the above poster. Yale and Columbia will be a definite reach, although columbia is great for aid (Not sure about how other schools do it.) Yeah, strong SAT, but if your Wgpa is that low that’s going to be a major downside. Is it consistently low, or do you have any upward trend to it? I think you’ll have a good shot at Cornell, they really heavily weight essays.

But again, you may not get as much aid as you need there. Also, just in general, how is your family going to get by if you go off to college? You may want to investigate some closer-to-home schools (Maybe you’re in NY, given what you said about protests?) Columbia is a reach to have in there, even with your story and circumstances, but I’d suggest applying to other NYC schools, i.e. NYU, Fordham, St. Johns. I don’t know what you want to do/study, but if you want to do engineering things, check out the Cooper Union: They’re in NYC, a great engineering program, and it’s all free by design.

Best of luck, you sound like a very impressive applicant. Just make sure you’re applying to schools that will make it possible for you to attend, and for your family to be OK.

4

Oh, one more thing: Check out the app Scholly on the app store. It’s 3 dollars to get the full thing, but well worth it for someone like yourself. It lets you find tons and tons of scholarships, very very easily, and I have no doubt that you’ll be able to easily find thousands and thousands of dollars that you didn’t know you could get, if you get in somewhere that doesn’t fully meet your need. You’re definitely the kind of applicant these scholarships are looking for. Good luck again. Maybe I’ll see you at columbia or cornell.

5

Our 1040A tax form shows 0 because no adult in my family makes money.

3.42 is unweighted. I have an upward trend in my grades. I have a 4.0 so far this semester. It was just really tough because I was essentially still a child dealing with all of these things so it was taking a huge toll on my school life.

Most of my family is moving back to Dominican Republic once I live so they’ll be fine and yeah I’m NYC.

I’m also applying to schools like UVA, UC Berkeley, UMich, Carnegie Mellon, and Norte Dame. Do you guys think those are good targets? Berkeley, Umichigan, and UVA are my favs.