I’m so sorry, I accidentally posted this in the financial aid forum, but I’m not sure how to delete that discussion, so I’ll just repost it here!
Hello!
After visiting UVA, I fell in love. It is my number one reach school, but I want to know if I honestly even have a sliver of a chance to get it. I’m a junior,
3.87 gpa unweighted- 4.01 weighted
4 year varsity athlete
2 years of debate team
100+ hours of Christian service
Junior year class president
One year of JV lacrosse
34 on the ACT, no SAT
I would also be in state at UVA, with no financial aid. I don’t really have a hook, but I have overcome a plethora of obstacles in high school that I may write about.
Honestly, do I even have a chance? I also really like William and Mary and Vanderbilt, but that is most likely a pipe dream.
Thanks for your input!
I’m also in the Honor Society and the French Honor Society!
@emmecollege You have great stats and probably have a 50%-65% chance of being admitted to UVA since you would make the top 20% of admits. The only advise I would give you here is not mention that your community service was “Christian” as that would make you appear as a religious fundamentalist which some admission officers wouldn’t like since they dislike christian activists on campus. Other than that you would probably get admitted I would just avoid using the words “Christian service” as they could lower your chances. That may not be true for UVA but better safe than sorry.
Agree completely with @Ali1302 Be wary of coming off as an evangelical; most adcoms are progressive minded.
@emmecollege The idea that someone thinks you should not use the words “Christian service” in your app or “come off as an evangelical” truly saddens me. BTW, not sure how previous poster equated “Christian service” with religious fundamentalism. I’m also blown away by the statement that admissions officers “dislike Christian activities on campus”.
My advice - if your your Christian faith and service is important to you then you should not hide it from anyone or any school. I know nothing about UVA, but I seriously doubt the great majority of admissions officers at any school would decrease your chances because of your commitment to Christian service. And if they did, would you really want to be there?
I have a son who applied to and was accepted by several very competitive schools (non faith-based) and in his application he spoke to his commitment to faith-based activities in the US and on a mission trip. In his application and essays, he tied that commitment to both what he could bring to campus as well as why he wanted to pursue the major he is pursuing. Worked fine for him. BTW he is involved in “Christian activities on campus” that the school he attends fully supports.
Good luck to you.
If you live in the DC/NoVa area, it may be a reach. Anywhere else in VA, I think you have a strong chance. Same goes for W&M, but Vandy is a reach for everyone.