Hi all, I was wondering what my odds are for admission to UNC. My family and I recently visited the campus and I now consider it my first choice. My numbers and stats are:
SAT: 1250, 1300 super scored
GPA: ~4.5 weighted
Course rigor: Taken dual enrollment since sophomore year, with my junior year being exclusively dual enrollment. I have approx. 47 credit hours, with one ‘B’ in spanish II, and a “B+” in Biology I. Otherwise, I performed very well, being the the top student in two English classes and one Political Science class. My college course list includes: Rhetoric/ English I/II, Western Civ I/II, American Constitution, Literary Classics of the Western Tradition, Biology I and II, Public Speaking, Pre Calculus Algebra, Pre Calc Trig, Spanish I and II, and Economics.
My senior fall semester includes Calculus I, Chemistry, and Intro to Philosophy
I am a rising senior white male, from a semi rural community, who is homeschooled.
My extra curricular activites include skeet shooting on our county recreational team, being the weekly drummer at a local youth group, participation with almost all church events, and mission trip in middle school.
I manage the boarding operations at my parents farm, and have ridden around with our Vet on multiple occasions.
I have built a profitable landscape company, with literally 100s of satisfied customers. I have overseen the labor of various subcontractors.
I now realize that my extra curriculars are not necessarily hat colleges want to see, so I wish I had taken the time to pursue these opportunities a year ago. Do I have a chance at admission?
If it matters, I would like to major in a Biological science in hopes of entering into a DVM program in the future. My skill sets are diverse to say the least. Ranging from my practical knowledge of biology, horticulture and chemistry which I have picked up from my landscaping and agricultural background, to my expertise gained from dealing with people and animals, to my passionate love for writing and philosophical discourse, it is safe to say I am a generally well rounded person. Does UNC care is my question?
I think that your ECs are fine in light of your intention to become a DVM–which, in addition to being a doctor, typically requires one to run their practice as a small business.
Your weakness is your SAT score, but, as a resident of North Carolina, I think that your chances for admission to UNC are very good. Nevertheless, you should plan to apply to at least 6 colleges & universities which are of interest to you & for which you have a reasonable chance of admission.
Don’t worry about having the “right” ECs; passion and commitment to your ECs should be more important than engaging in specific types of ECs. When it comes time for your actual application, elaborate on your leadership abilities and examples of leadership in your ECs. This is important because, if you look at the Common Data Set for UNC-CH, here, https://oira.unc.edu/files/2017/07/cds_2016_2017_20170411.pdf, Part C7 tells you that standardized test scores, application essay(s), letter(s) of recommendation, and the rigor of your high school record are “very important” academic factors considered for freshman admission, whereas GPA and class rank are “important” academic factors considered for freshman admission; extracurricular activities, talent, and character/personal qualities are considered as “very important” non-academic factors. (I would also try to bring up your SAT score, inasmuch as standardized test scores are a “very important” academic factor in the admission decision; perhaps you can take a test preparation course and retake the SAT, or maybe take the ACT as well – students typically tend to do better on one test over the other.)
Additionally, if you live in a more rural or underrepresented county, you may get a boost from a relatively recent policy enacted by the UNC Board of Governors. In its publication titled "Higher Expectations”: The Strategic Plan for the University of North Carolina (2017-2022), the BOG states that by Fall 2021, it seeks to "increase enrollment of students from Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties by 11% over fall 2016 levels (an average of 2% per year) to reduce the existing participation gap by at least half.”
(Counties are placed in “tiers” as follows: “The N.C. Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a Tier designation. The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3. A county automatically qualifies as Tier 1 if it has a population less than 12,000 people or if it has a population less than 50,000 and a poverty rate of 19 percent or greater. A county automatically qualifies as Tier 2 if it has a population less than 50,000.”)
See https://www.northcarolina.edu/sites/default/files/unc_strategic_plan.pdf, at Page 9 and footnote 1.
If hoping to go DVM, at NC State? I would talk to them about the best avenues. Vet school is very competitive to get into as there are only 30 schools in the country (NCSt is ranked 3rd btw). Good Luck!