College entrance question

[GarrettM]

Ok heres the deal. I am filling out college apps. It sucks but hey.
My SAT scores are like this:
Critical Reading: 540
Math: 550
Writing: 510

I am in atleast the top half of my class, My GPA is around a 3.3-3.4. The colleges I am looking at break down like this for Freshman info:
GPA:

That brown/orange color is me.

High school rank:


SAT Score:



Do you think I will have any problem getting into this school? Last year, I failed English for the 3rd term. Will this have any bearing?
I am going for Pre-Law.
Thanks.

[speedhop]

Are the graphs supposed to be the comparison of you and the average person for the school you are looking at? If not...then what school

Why would one go pre-law when writing is not a strong suit? You're pretty average (no offense) so maybe something more broad like business would suit your better.

And yes, they do not look kindly at failing anything

[Charlie]

Since it's now been 10 years since I took an SAT test, what is the new score out of, 2400? I remember the old 1600 system. Did they change the ACTs as well?

No offense, but how does one fail english? I can see an analytical course such as physics or calc, but courses like English have such a broad spectrum and so many ways to BS, how do you end up failing?

-Charlie

[Dave]

Unless things have changed drastically, most colleges do not have a "pre-law" major, nor will most law schools be enamoured by that.

If you are thinking law, (and struggles with English are not a good thing if that is the case) then you need to look at some specific liberal arts degree - English, History, Psych., Poli Sci., etc. The only exception would be if you are set on patent law (Engineering or science would be good) or tax (accounting).

Like Chuck, I am not familiar with the new SAT scoring. It was a 1600 point scale when I took it, (800 verbal, 800 math). No offense, but scores in the 500s under that system were mediocre at best.

[UNHCLL]

You're also reading to much into the "numbers".

One of my closest friends in HS had the following:

3.95 GPA
1350 SAT
Summer College @: Georgetown, Harvard, Tufts.
Honors courses up the ying-yang.
($$ was also no problem when it came to tuition)

He got denied from every school he applied to.


Bottom line, you can't go by the numbers and "plan" on getting in.

[Dave]

+1 to that ^^^^^^

I am sure things are different than they were "back in the olden days" when I applied, but essays were a regular part of the process for all but the lower end state schools. Several of the undergrad schools I applied to also had an interview.

[Emre]

One of my closest friends in HS had the following:

3.95 GPA
1350 SAT
Summer College @: Georgetown, Harvard, Tufts.
Honors courses up the ying-yang.
($$ was also no problem when it came to tuition)

He got denied from every school he applied to.

Sounds like your friend was a real dick at his interviews :p

I'm an alumni interviewer for a highly respected college (routinely makes the top 5 on every list). The only time you see a guy with 3.95 GPA, pretty good SAT scores, and tons of honors courses, extra-curriculars, etc. getting rejected is if he comes across as a complete ass in his interviews, application essays, and/or reference letters. Lots of "good students" have personality traits that turn colleges off. It's not "all about the numbers," despite what many students seem to think.

Emre

[Emre]

Do you think I will have any problem getting into this school? Last year, I failed English for the 3rd term. Will this have any bearing?

As others have said, you can't know. You just have to figure out where you'd like to go, put together the best application you can, collect the strongest reference letters you can, then hope for the best. If and when you get called to interview, be honest (interviewers can see right through b.s.) and try to be as relaxed as you can.

Lots of students get rejected from their "safety" schools only get get into their dream school to which they only applied fro the hell of it. You can't predict it. It's a mistake to not apply to a school that you really want just because you think your numbers don't add up.

I am going for Pre-Law.

That doesn't really matter at this point. The college is going to accept you or reject you based on who you are, your academic performance, etc. They don't care much about what major you'll choose once you get there.

However, if you're struggling to pass high-school English classes, you'll have to seriously think about whether Law makes sense for you. Reading and writing are 90% of the day for a typical lawyer. Besides, you'll struggle to get through law school if you can't, for example, throw together a solid, well researched, excellently written 15-page paper in one weekend. This is bread-and-butter stuff for lawyers.

Emre

[s0urce]

Do you think I will have any problem getting into this school? Last year, I failed English for the 3rd term.

Short answer: Yes
It looks like you're having a difficult time grasping the basis of College Admissions. This, coupled with the fact that you failed English leads me to believe that Pre-Law might not be the best route for you to choose.

What exactly prompted you to go the Pre-Law route, as opposed to say...Starbucks?

:loco:

[Rigmaster]

Short answer: Yes
It looks like you're having a difficult time grasping the basis of College Admissions. This, coupled with the fact that you failed English leads me to believe that Pre-Law might not be the best route for you to choose.

What exactly prompted you to go the Pre-Law route, as opposed to say...Starbucks?

:loco:

Maybe you can hook him up with a recommendation to The School for Professional Dickheads- looks like you graduated Magna Cum Laude.

[s0urce]

Maybe you can hook him up with a recommendation to The School for Professional Dickheads- looks like you graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Hey now..that's Summa Cum Laude, pal.

[GarrettM]

Never again.

[kroberts]

Just write "Chuck Norris" in every answer box.

[Herb]

I agree numbers aren't everything... best friend scored 980 on SAT's in '98 (1600 scale), graduated S.C.L. in a class of 470, didn't get into Clemson, went to Texas Tech... He is now an Engineer for Richard Childress Racing (owner of many NASCAR teams, fyi).

[andyman2487]

Not to be an asshole, but alot of the above posts are true. If you're having trouble with a high school english class, you are probably going to have to work your ass off in college to pull decent grades. IMO high school was a cakewalk compared to college. I'm pretty good at bullshit and calculus though, and that seems to be all that matters in engineering.