What Chance Do I have to Get into Boston College?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

I have taken the SAT twice. First try was 1950, while the second one has yet to come back. I am an English-geared student: English is my favorite subject and one I excel at, and writing is my greatest passion and love. For the first SAT’s, I received a 710 in Reading, 740 in writing, and 500 in Math. I am not proficient in Algebra, as my grammar school failed to supply us with a decent foundation in the subject in preparation for high school. Regardless, math and math/science based career fields are not what I see in my future. Science, though a subject I receive high marks in (Bio was low 90’s, Chemistry was low to mid 90’s, and Physics is mid to high 90’s) is not a subject that interests me at all, so I have little interest in pursuing a career in that field.

My academic qualifications:

I go to a nationally-recognized Blue Ribbon school, one that has seen girls off to several Ivy Leagues. We are college prep, and our rigorous curriculum never lets us forget it. Since freshman year, I have taken advanced courses. 1st year I took 1 high honors course and 4 honors courses, with no main-level subjects. Sophomore year I needed to slow it down, so I took only advanced levels of subjects I was proficient in-History and English- while using the three mainstream classes of Spanish, Math, and Science to boost my skills in each class. Junior Year, I advanced to High Honors English, and am taking Honors Math, Honors Spanish, and Honors History, with mainstream Physics. My GPA is the equivalent of about a 4.0 on most college scales; unweighted, it is about 94.59, while weighted it is 96. I have a consistent academic record, have attained Honor Roll and Principle’s List every quarter since starting at my school, and intend to continue with such through my senior year. Currently, in HH English, I have a 99 average. English is one of my best subjects, mind, which was reflected in my SAT, and I am hoping that, as a future English major, this will appear favorable to colleges despite my lesser scores in classes such as Math.

Also, as an additional point, I was the Valedictorian of my 8th grade class. Whether or not that is of any significance, I do not know, but found little harm in mentioning it.

My Extracurricular Qualifications:

I have been a Girl Scout since kindergarten, and am now the rank of a Senior Girl Scout. We have participated in yearly blood drives, helped to clean up our local GS park and camp, and have served younger, blossoming GS troops in our area. I have received two awards, both in grade school, and am aiming at achieving the Gold Award by my senior year. I also am the Submissions Editor of my school’s literary magazine, which I am set to take over as Co-Editor-in-Chief next year, and perform editing tasks as a hobby on the side, providing criticisms and comments for the works of others (this is not a job, as I am not paid). I have been apart of my school newspaper for three years, have spent two years on the Debate team (despite a break taken for junior year, I am going to rejoin next year), and am a member of my school’s Gaelic Cultural Society, another club I hope to take over next year.

One of my favorite on-the-side pursuits is that of performing arts. I have taken vocal lessons since the fourth grade, and intend to pick up piano and violin lessons, both of which have taken a hiatus throughout my high school career, in senior year. I have participated in school shows throughout my years at my grammar/middle school, and have played background and supporting roles in my high school’s Fall Drama for the past two years.

As stated above, I love writing. After taking up the craft as a small, idealistic fanfiction writer in grade 7, I quickly realized my works were not going to cut it in the real world of more advanced, nearly perfect written work. I made it my mission to improve on my skills, writing whenever I possibly could. I went from mediocre at best to someone who has been told on several occassions that her work and writing style significantly surpass that of others her age. Some of those who tell me such things have been English teachers I have had in high school. Now, I am working on not one but two, possibly even three serious projects that I hope to publish in the future. Referencing my SAT score, I ommitted no answers, and only answered three problems incorrectly. My essay received a 10.

I have performed community service in high school with my Girl Scout troop (blood drives, cleaning camp, etc.) as well as with an Urban Missions trip offerred in my school. I hope that in my senior year I will have a little more time, as I hope to volunteer at my local Petsmart with helping out the kittens they care for. I also have served as an Altar Server at my local parish (I am a Roman Catholic) since the 5th grade.

Finally, I am a black belt in the Chinese martial art of kung-fu. I engaged in the art since kindergarten, though ceased in 8th grade due to scheduling conflicts. I hope to start this again in senior year. I understand that it may seem as though I am piling much on my plate for next year, but with my schedule planned and the SAT threat taken care of, I find it easier to work everything into place.

Classes I intend to take next year include two AP’s: English IV and Government &Politics. I am also taking Honors Anatomy and Honors Humanities, both which grant college credits. Additional classes are Psychology (normal level, as we do not have advanced); Sociology (similar to Psychology); Creative Writing; and an Independent Study of Theater. I find this allows me to explore my options and find classes I enjoy, while still choosing options that will further my chosen major (Creative Writing and AP English).

Another fun fact is that I am applying to a Summer Honors Program course this summer, which is very exclusive and accepts only the best.

My question is, do I stand a chance at getting into Boston College? My school is nationally-acclaimed, my grades are high, and I have many extracurriculars that may seem admirable to colleges. I am a dedicated, hard-working student who strives only to do her very best and succeed. What are my chances?

Thank you to all who provide an answer, your help is greatly appreciated.

Side Note: Other colleges I am applying to are Tufts, Boston University, U. Mass (safety school), Colgate, Binghamton, Northeastern, Penn State, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins, to name a few.

2

Tufts High reach
NU Match
Northeastern Low reach
BC Low reach
Penn High reach to Out of reach
Johns Hopkins High reach

Your Math SAT is really low

3

Yes. Unfortunately I ommitted too many the first time around, so my omits actually outweighed my wrong answers. The second time I only ommitted about 9, nearly half of what I’d done the last time, so hopefully it will work in my favor. It’s just barely belw national average, and I’m not a math-geared student in the slightest, so I’m just hoping that if I stress my interest in English and History-related studies, it can be a bit forgivable. Plus I thought with some of my extracurriculars that might factor in positively, as well.

4

Yes but the top schools you are considering do not want “average” students. That Math has to be brought up to at least 600 to give you a shot at the top most schools.

5

I’d say BU is a good match if you can bring the Math to at least a 600. UMass (Amherst) is not a safety school anymore and is most likely a solid match with your scores right now. The others are reaches and most unlikely. Are you a junior this year? I’d really start looking at schools more in line with your scores and put together a better balanced list.

6

I would agree BU is perhaps a better match if the math score goes up. Tufts isn’t going to happen sorry to be blunt but your test scores just aren’t up to par with the students they admit. JHU and UPenn also aren’t happening you can apply if you really love them but if I were you I wouldn’t waste money applying to those two and would instead apply to two schools where it isn’t completely unlikely you get in. BC and Colgate are reaches. Northeastern which is getting more competitive each year is a reach as well. Penn state and Binghamton seem like solid matches though getting up your math would certainly help. UMass is a safety if you’re in state which I assume you are but I would definitely try to work on a more balanced college list. Right now your list consists mostly of reaches which is never a good idea when applying to schools.

7

Enthusiasm for creative writing is awesome, @UniGirl2017, but to blame your grammar school for a lousy math score and over rationalize that score’s insignificance sabotages your future success. Wait to see the second set of test scores before concluding that the “SAT threat” is “taken care of.” Do the other girls admitted to Ivies from that national Blue Ribbon high school also score in the 500s? As the other posters noted your school list is dominated by unrealistic reachy top tier prestige institutions. If you truly want the opportunity to learn writing, look at schools like Emerson, Iowa, Oberlin, DePaul, and Colorado College with strong writing departments. Demonstrate in your applications to these schools a strong fit. Consider test optional schools too. Please verify that none of the schools you consider have distribution requirements or core curriculums that mandate math and science. Lastly remember that the head administrator is a “principal” not “principle.”

8

I will be honest: I’m very confused as to why everyone who has commented so far references ONLY my S.A.T. mark in math. I do mean any disrespect, and do not wish to sound ungrateful or defensive in any way. However, I will admit that I have seen girls with lower grades than I who have gone off to colleges no one would have thought possible for them. My school sends nearly all of its students to sub-Ivy League schools, and it is not as if my grades are significantly below those of my peers. Additionally, I stand to hold leadership positions in at least two clubs (I forgot to include my school’s Diversity Club, in which I hold the position of Editor) and am heavily involved in Girl Scouts, which is very greatly admired by colleges. I do find it odd that none of these things are taken into account. I worked hard to improve my math score and hope my efforts have paid off. However, given that the S.A.T’s are not the primary thing that is looked at regarding acceptance, I question why everyone who has mentioned primarily those scores. Additionally, the other schools were not the focus of this post. I wished to know my chances for Boston College, a school which my college counselor believes will not be very difficult for me to gain acceptance into. The other schools were meant merely as a way to show where I am looking in regards to school level. Please, I ask that the title and focus of the thread-regarding Boston College- be looked at primarily before anything else.

I also wish to point out that despite the math score of the S.A.T.'s, my English-geared mindset will benefit me somewhat. Again, I have seen girls in my school gain acceptance to colleges that seemed unlikely because of the programs they wished to invest in. Additionally, I have family members who have attended a few of the schools I have listed. Having witnessed for myself the benefits of having relatives as alumnae in certain colleges (both with others and with myself), no one can tell me such has no impact.

I thank you all for taking the time to answer my inquiry, and appreciate your feedback greatly. Thank you very much.

9

Forgive me! I was rewriting a sentence above and accidently ommitted a term. I meant to say “I do not mean any disrespect”. Apologies for that error.

10

I love Girl Scouts. What was your bronze, silver and gold award projects?

11

BC’s “Freshman Admission Profile” for its class of 2019 gives its SAT mid 50% range of SAT scores as CR 620-720, W 640-730, M 640-750, Comp 1950-2150.

This means that based on your first test date, you are predicted to be just above the mid for Writing, in the mid for Reading and Comp, and below the mid for Math.

12

10% of admitted students have a math SAT of 500-600, 1% have a math SAT of 400-490; most students with a score well below 600 probably had some very major hooks (recruited athlete, child of an influential politician, etc.). If you didn’t do better on your most recent date, you will need to study hard for math and try again to have a significant chance at BC.

Also, don’t include valedictorian of 8th grade on your app.

13

People have commented only on your math SAT so far because other than that you are a strong candidate for BC. However, your math is low enough that it has a pretty good probability of derailing your chances at BC. 500 is very far below their average and low enough that they will have serious doubts about your ability to do the core coursework.

Perhaps your college counselor knows something I don’t but I think the characterization of BC being “not be very difficult for [you] to gain acceptance into” is very far off the mark. I believe that if you could get your math SAT up to 600 your chances would improve by more than an order of magnitude.

If math fundamentals are your problem you might try Khan academy’s free SAT prep. It is very good at identifying weak areas and helping you improve them.

14

People only comment on your math score because there are thousands of applicants with the same exact credentials as you. You might have better EC’s but many, many candidates probably have 100+ points higher than you on the math. The one thing that sets apart them from you is your low math score. Math needs to get into 600s before you can say it won’t be difficult to get into Boston College.

15

Tufts: Far Reach - they require you to submit ALL your SAT tests
J Hopkins: Far Reach
UPENN: Far Reach
Northeastern: Far Reach
BU: Reach but College of General Studies is likely with 500 Math SAT
Penn State: Safety but be sure to visit campus
BC: Reach (again because of Math SAT) but if full pay, Far Reach

16

Sorry if we are all sounding negative, but SATs are HUGE no matter what a school says publicly about 'holistic admissions."

For top schools you will need minimum of 2200+ and significant leadership accomplishments–not sure you are aware of what that means by your post. You are certainly very involved, but at the best schools it’s a totally different league. Athletes have a huge advantage and often they have lower scores because they bring a unique ability to campus and sports are BIG MONEY at the top schools.

Try to get your work published, enter major writing competitions, and spend your time on real “accomplishments” rather than activities that don’t help develop a strong profile…a well rounded student is hard to distinguish from “superstar” students that have developed a deep and narrow passion that led to significant accomplishments over several years.

You might consider taking 3-4 SAT subject courses this spring to help demonstrate your subject knowledge

There are many terrific schools out there --consider Sarah Lawrence, Seven Sisters, NESCAC schools: Colby, Bates, Connecticut College, etc., Syracuse.

17

I wouldn’t recommend mentioning activities that you have not continued through high school career. Colleges want to see that you have been able to pursue interests and taken initiative while maintaining your academics throughout high school. The quality of the activities that you engage in is more important that quantity. Try to focus on meaningful experiences that you have gained through the Girl Scouts, community service, and your school’s literary magazine and less on pursuits that have not impacted your life during high school.

Although attending a nationally acclaimed high school definitely offers the resources, guidance, and support that may lead to success, admission into more competitive schools is not guaranteed. There are other factors, such as recommendations and college essays, that I believe provide a more personal look into the personalities of applicants. When I applied to Boston College, my subject SAT scores weren’t stellar and the activities that I had pursued were common among the average applicant (National Honors Society, Math/Debate/Science Bowl team, volunteer work, etc.). While I must admit that I did rank high in a class of 600+ students at a public high school and my ACT score fell in a higher percentile, students with credentials similar to that of my own have also been rejected by BC before.

Here is what I’ve learned through my application process:

  1. Apply Early
    By applying early you show interest in the school and face a smaller pool of applicants.
  1. Essays Matter This shouldn't be a problem since you seem to be someone who excels at and enjoys writing and literature. However, I struggled during the writing process greatly. Don't be afraid to make the essays personal. It is the only time during the application process where you can speak for yourself.
  2. Get familiar with the admissions office Send postcards, thank you notes, questions and concerns to the admissions office. While I have not done this, it was suggested by my teacher who conducts Brown alumni interviews. I think this not only shows that you are interested care about the school, but it's also a way for admissions officers to become more familiar with you and your name.
  3. Visit the campus Once I had visited a school, I found that it was a lot easier to explain why I wanted to go there. I could describe what I liked about the atmosphere, point out specific buildings, aspects of the curriculum, etc.
  4. There are always other schools A rejection is not the end of the world. Different schools look for different students. At the end of the day, the admissions officers are people too. They have different morals, beliefs, and backgrounds. There is no recipe for admissions and sometimes, the decisive factor could be an odd hook, such as geography. There are also other terrific schools out there as @Booksmart27 mentioned and a few safety schools never hurt.

Anyways, I wish you good luck. You seem to be a well rounded student. While I can’t say that you’ll definitely get into BC. It can definitely be less of reach with a higher math score, which I know seems redundant.

18

I should probably mention I took the OLD S.A.T. once more, got 550 in math and 2030 overall (boosted my reading to 720 and writing to 760 as well). I also took the NEW S.A.T. and got 1320, 710 on reading and 610 on math.

19

BC also considers religious affiliation where they are a Jesuit School and Legacy. SAT’s need to be at least 700 on each. Your grades are good but the EC’s are sort of weak. Sorry for the negativity. I would suggest UMass UConn and UNH. Seem to be the best fit for you.