<p>UNC Chapel Hill is my dream school and I would do anything to have someone evaluate my stats and tell me where I can improve in order to have the best shot at getting in.
I am currently a junior in high school..</p>
<p>Class rank: 6/334</p>
<p>I am a white female, and I live in-state</p>
<p>GPA at the end of sophomore year: 4.83333 w, 4.0 unweighted
Currently AP classes: AP Calc AB, AP United states history, AP Environmental Science, AP English Language and Composition (All A's)
Last year: AP World (3)
SAT: 1890 (took it once, planning on improving)
Writing: 580
Critical Reading: 640
Math: 670</p>
<p>ECs: President of the Eco-Club
Secretary of Invisible Children's club
Vice President of National Art Honor's Society
Treasurer of the Entrepreneur club
Beta Club
Science Olympiad (one year)
Reading Buddies: 3 years (read with local elementary school kids)
Tutoring: Math and science (people in my grade)
Local animal shelter volunteer work
Local soup kitchen volunteer work
Sports: Varsity Swimming (1 year)
Indoor track: 2 years (Captain this year)
Outdoor track: 3 years (Captain this year)
Awards: Highest achievement in biology freshman year
Highest achievement in chemistry sophomore year
Spirit of (my high school) Award</p>
<p>PLEASE give me advice on what to focus on or improve, it would be greatly appreciated! </p>
<p>For instate it sounds like you have very good chances. Just try to get your SAT up to 2000 or above and I think you’ll be fine. Also I think all public schools in NC give a free administration of the ACT so be sure to try hard on that as well. Other than that, don’t worry about college too much this year, just focus on your grades and what you are passionate about. You will have plenty of time to worry about college next year, believe me </p>
<p>How important is the ACT? I like everything but the science, as it completely goes over my head and I have no idea about most of them. For this reason, I prefer the SAT instead</p>
<p>The ACT can be as important as the SAT. Like you, I really focused on the SAT and studied for it. I ended up just taking the ACT at school completely cold and did better on it than the SAT and just sent my ACT score in. Just try your best on both of them and send in your best score. Btw I think the main key with ACT science is just working fast…questions are not hard, but there are many of them. Obviously that’s easier said than done though</p>
<p>@student9988, you have an excellent chance of getting into UNC. My advice: get some review books (e.g. Barron’s) for your AP classes and also for the ACT. It’s hard for teachers to touch on all AP subject matter, so the review books may fill in some holes. As others have noted, you will have to take the ACT anyhow, and many people do better on that than the SAT. You may not want to send off your standardized test scores until you find out how you do. Good luck.</p>
<p>I agree with all the posters who say that raising your score will improve your chances. The science portion on the ACT is much about reading- being able to read and interpret the questions- as it is science. If you are a NC junior, I think you will take it at school in the spring, so you will know how you do. </p>
<p>I think that you can pretty much assume that almost every student in the state of NC will apply to UNC, because it is great value for an instate student. This affects your chances as much as any other student, so your best chance is to be the best you can be. Your grades, and EC’s are good, and raising your scores will help you. </p>
<p>This said- aim for UNC but do not overlook the other good schools in the state.</p>
<p>I don’t know how much being a legacy helps. I don’t think that UNC would admit someone on the basis of that, and I have heard of UNC not admitting some legacy applicants. UNC also admits many non legacy students.</p>
<p>UNC is a very popular college and has more qualified applicants than it has room for. This basically means that you should do anything you can to be as competitive as possible, and apply, but also realize that admission isn’t entirely predictable. This would be the same for all students applying- so yes, love UNC, but do not disregard the other choices. </p>
<p>Depending on what you wish to study, possible in state matches for you would be NCSU, and Appalachian. If private colleges are an option: Elon, Furman. I see that you are strong in the sciences - take a look at the options at NCSU. They have many interesting majors such as zoology. If working with animals is an interest, NCSU is excellent in animal science. Considering your science background, and if you wish to continue in that area- NCSU would be an great match for your interests. </p>
<p>Family ties for the children of alumni within North Carolina are not considered in final admission decisions. Since the number of alumni within the state is considerable and since the University is a state-supported institution, giving a significant advantage to their in-state children wouldn’t be fair to the other North Carolina taxpayers. Legacy is a factor used for final admission decisions for non resident applicants.</p>
<p>Hey, I noticed you replied to my thread. I appreciate that since no one else did haha. </p>
<p>Anyways I read over your thread and I think that you have a great chance of getting in. Your stats are similar to mine but I’m still nervous. UNC is a really competitive school to be admitted into, but what you should also remember that it judges holistically. If you have good essays and letters of recommendation then you’ll have an even better chance of being accepted. @student9988</p>
<p>I want to give advice to everyone on this thread. I am a current UNC student. I transferred here, and I have never made below an A in my life in college. UNC is very very different from most Universities. With that said, be prepared to be a conceptual learner, a critical learner, with very good spatial reasoning and good reasoning skills in general. memorizing will not help you here! You have to know the material, not just memorize. Let’s say for biology, any class for example. They are all conceptual/ critical and reasoning based, and the exams reflect that. A question on an given exam will be at least two sentences long and and each A,B,C,D, E answer will be at least two sentences long ,and the answer will be most likely not obvious. You will have to read through each answer, use what you have learned, and put it in a real world type scenario, there are no memorizing type questions, no definition type questions here! It is all reasoning, and critical thinking at UNC, I repeat no memorizing or you will fail! Yes, memorize first, but you need to know everything about what is being learned not just the memorizing or looking for keywords to jog your memory. Questions like, Which one of these are a G-Protein coupled receptor will not be on exams, that is too easy. More if a G-protein coupled receptor is inhibited at such and such point compared to this such and such point, what will the consequences be? And every A,B,C,D, E (they will all at least be through E) answer will be a long statement and they will look all similar. With that said, if any of you as been getting through on memorization and barely knowing they details, then stop doing that and do what I say, or you will not do well here. I an orientation specialist now and I tell every student this. Don’t come in here cocky, because most everyone does, because you will be struck down hard by these professors. They are here to do research and get grants and teach only because they have to. They are not forgiving for the most part. They want the students here to learn the material inside and out, not just the surface of the material. Come in confinement not cocky, and be flexible with your academic path that advisors might offer you as alternatives. Most will see this and not understand it until after your first semester, but please stop just memorizing material and do what I suggested.</p>
For those who received their decisions, can you post some advice and hindsight for those applying next year?