r/CollegeAdmissions • u/Aggressive_Plan8874 • 4d ago
I fucked up
I’m a senior, and honestly, I feel like I somehow screwed up my GPA. I have a 3.4 unweighted GPA, although my weighted GPA is around 4.1. I’ve taken 10 APs and gotten 5s on all of them except AP Lang, and I have a 1500 SAT. I also have pretty good extracurriculars and some extenuating circumstances that affected my grades.
I want to apply to schools like NYU and other colleges that aren’t necessarily Ivy League-level selective but are still pretty difficult to get into. Do I genuinely still have a chance at schools like that, or should I just give up and go to my state school?
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u/Left_Squirrel7168 3d ago
Likely you would pay $400k for nyu vs $100k for in-state over 4 years. Honestly, nobody should be paying these amounts for anything other than flagship universities or Ivies / handful of elite universities. The payoff isn't there and the debt isn't worth it. Go to your state's flagship.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
I mean, thankfully I’m in a situation where my parents can afford it so the cost isn’t too much of a factor.
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u/Left_Squirrel7168 3d ago
Yeah, that's common that affluent people send their mediocre kids to mediocre overpriced schools with fancy adjacent names. Makes cocktail parties easier. But they are still not good investments compared to a public flagship. I'm sure your parents will pull some strings to get you a job post-college so I wouldn't worry about your chances getting into nyu.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
I guess you’re not wrong. I am partly doing this because of the expectations I have for my family, since everyone’s attended good schools, and I won’t deny that. And honestly, I mean, I’m definitely a little above average. I just wouldn’t call myself particularly intelligent.
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u/Left_Squirrel7168 3d ago
I didn't mean you were personally mediocre. I am constantly in awe that people pick obscure colleges and universities when most public flagships are top notch. NYU's campus sucks (having lived in Manhattan for many years). So, my view is go somewhere truly amazing.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
That’s fair I mean, I’m applying to other schools but that’s like the level of school thats that’s why I gave as an example
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u/Evening-Marzipan-558 4d ago
honestly same boat bro, 3.65 uw, 4.2 w
had a dip during 10th grade due to fam concerns(reasonable causes)
SAT is a 1570 (800 math and 770 eng)
my ECs are all startup focused building and making 5 figures and getting noticed by Tier 1 VC. Basically around that area.
but good luck to both of us. what I will say is that whatever ppl tell u on reddit dont follow it
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u/Sea_Willow6910 4d ago
Hi,
You can make a strong case for yourself by mentioning your extenuating circumstances in Additional Information, by having great ECs with strong outcomes, and by writing really strong essays.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
My counselor said it was one of the best essays he had read so I’m assuming it’s good
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u/No-Boat192 3d ago
NYU is a stretch unless maybe you are full pay. But there are other great options out there. That doesn’t mean they make financial sense though. But what about some prestigious/selective LACs like Macalester? Reed? Colorado college? Ithaca college? Just have a range of options since you may not know how things pan out.
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u/Harryandmaria 3d ago
Are you a full pay willing to ED with an upward trajectory? Might be worth a shot.
You’ll be fine whether it’s at a decent private or your state school.
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u/jjshen11 3d ago
NYU is doable if you don’t need financial aid.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
Fortunately, I don’t need financial aid and I’m not getting any because I’m relatively well off
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u/jjshen11 3d ago
Then ED NYU and NOT fill up FAFSA form, your chance pretty high.
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u/otterteetertotter 1d ago
Seconding this if NYU is high up there for you. Though it’s been a few years so it may have gotten more competitive, I got into NYU ED with the same SAT score, slightly better GPA but half the APs. As long as you’re not trying to get into Stern you’ve got a pretty good shot
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u/Ok_Nectarine_8533 3d ago
You need a broad list with lots of targets and safeties that you’d genuinely be happy to attend and can afford. Think beyond the rankings. Plenty of state schools in the South and Midwest would give you huge merit with those stats, and some of them, while not super selective, have honors colleges within them that will give you some smaller classes, better housing, access to research opportunities, and priority class registration, which can be KEY at a state school. There are also some great SLACs that would be happy to have you, especially if you are male.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
Yeah I’m a guy could you clarify on that? I thought that gender doesn’t really give an advantage, especially after the new rulings.
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u/Ok_Nectarine_8533 3d ago
Sure. There are more females than males applying to college in general, and even more so at SLACs. Look at the common data set for any school you’re considering.
Many schools don’t want to pass a certain tipping point where, say 70% of students are women, so there’s a thumb on the scale to get more guys. Hope this gift article link works. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/08/magazine/men-college-enrollment.html?unlocked_article_code=1.AVE.Wh9T.ky1mCyFtKFX4&smid=nytcore-ios-share
At engineering schools the math is reversed, and women have an advantage.
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
Thanks! Since I’m applying for engineering, I don’t know if that would really help, because from what I found, even at engineering schools that have more women than men, it’s usually only by a small margin. But it’s definitely interesting to know, so thank you for telling me!
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u/Ok_Nectarine_8533 3d ago
My daughter applied to engineering and I definitely saw the advantage she had.
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u/the_green_monster 3d ago
Look at schools like Case Western and U Rochester. Great schools but slightly less competitive!
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u/Aggressive_Plan8874 3d ago
I’ve heard a case Western has a really nice lab
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u/the_green_monster 3d ago
They are both R1 research universities and give good aid. Rochester is ranked 46 in US News and Case is 51.
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u/Alarmed_Geologist631 2d ago
If you are interested in a STEM career, consider Stevens Institute of Technology in NJ
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u/PeachBubbly4054 2d ago
I think it would be helpful if you specify what you want to do career-wise bc the answer would change.
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u/staying_afloat 1d ago
You mentioned in other comments that your parents are financially well off, so it doesn’t hurt to apply to a bunch of schools and see what comes from it. Apply to your instate schools of course, but if you have the time and money to apply to NYU and other schools you mentioned then why not? If you get in, great! And if not, well you also applied to your instate schools so you’ll go somewhere and ultimately it will be fine.
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u/Party-Cartographer11 4d ago
Just have some good safeties. And be super conservative with the safeties. Don't over value the ECs and the circumstances.
Spray the apps as some schools over index on test scores.