← Full detailed plan

Carmen Reyes

Grade 12 · Journalism · NY

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Portfolio read

Competitive

1 High 1 Medium 1 Low

GPA

3.72

SAT

1390

Target major

Journalism

Schools analyzed

Activities

Days to RD

174 days

Schools

verdict · committee confidence · drill in

Medium Northwestern UniversityJournalism Low confidence Analysis →

Low Columbia University in the City of New YorkJournalism Medium confidence Analysis →

High Boston UniversityJournalism Medium confidence Analysis →

Priority actions

ROI-ranked · what moves the needle now

Publish a deeper investigative series with a recognized NYC outlet (Gothamist, City Limits, Chalkbeat, or similar) using public records, data, and multiple sources — ideally a multi‑part story with measurable civic impact.

🎯 Columbia University in the City of New York ⚙ High effort 🕒 3–6 months before application deadlines

Apply Early Decision to Northwestern and use the supplemental essays to explicitly connect your Bronx community reporting to Chicago community journalism opportunities at Medill and The Daily Northwestern.

🎯 Northwestern University ⚙ Low effort 🕒 Before the November ED deadline

Explicitly document the rigor of your transcript — list the most challenging English, history, government, or writing-intensive courses available at your high school and explain if advanced options are limited.

🎯 Boston University ⚙ Low effort 🕒 Before submitting applications or through additional information section

Complete and publish one additional deeply reported investigative piece (housing, education access, food insecurity, etc.) with a recognized local or regional outlet and show measurable public response or policy discussion.

🎯 Northwestern University ⚙ Medium effort 🕒 Within the next 3–6 months

Clarify and showcase maximum course rigor and academic trajectory — document hardest humanities courses taken (AP English, AP History, etc.) and emphasize any upward grade trend.

🎯 Columbia University in the City of New York ⚙ Low effort 🕒 Immediately when preparing the application

Led an investigative school newspaper series on lunch nutrition that reportedly triggered a district policy review and change, demonstrating real-world impact.
Published six reported articles in established outlets (Gothamist and City Limits) through NYC Youth Press Corps, indicating experience working with professional editors and reporting on public policy issues.
Strong, coherent journalism profile across formats: editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, published reporting on youth housing insecurity, and a podcast with about 15,000 downloads that was a finalist in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge.
Overall academic record suggests consistent B+/A‑ level performance (3.72 GPA).

Academic metrics (3.72 GPA, 1390 SAT) are solid but not clearly at the top of the applicant pool, raising questions about readiness for a highly demanding academic environment.
Course rigor is unknown in the summary file, leaving the committee unable to assess how challenging the student's academic program was.
Details about the depth and process of the investigative journalism work are limited in the file, making it harder for reviewers to evaluate how rigorous the reporting actually was.
Academic metrics sit in a middle range (3.72 GPA, 1390 SAT) where context and supporting evidence become crucial.