Am I Overestimating Myself?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi everyone,

Just to give a little background, my family is very strict about grades. My parents care deeply about getting the best marks. My sister was a perfect student. 4.0, tons of APs, great SAT score, and tons of extracurriculars, and so, she got into a great college. I’m not quite as studious and my resume isn’t nearly as impressive (as you’ll soon see). However, I feel a lot of pressure to apply to top schools just like my sister did. My question is, am I delusional? Do I actually have a realistic chance of getting into most of my colleges? Please be as honest as possible and don’t sugarcoat anything.

Colleges:

-UC San Diego
-University of British Columbia
-University of Washington (in-state)
-Northeastern
-University of Florida
-University of Wisconsin Madison
-UC Berkeley
-UCLA
-University of Southern California (USC)
-University of Michigan
-Notre Dame
-University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)

Demographic:
-White male living in Washington looking to go into business and then get a masters in law.

Credentials:

-3.703 Cumulative GPA
-3.93 Cumulative Weighted GPA

Test Scores:
-ACT: 34
-SAT Subject Biology E: 700
-SAT Subject US History: 750

AP Classes:
-AP World History: 5
-AP European History: 4 (I didn’t take the class. I studied for and took the AP test on my own time)
-AP Chemistry: 2 (Definitely not sending this one)
-AP Biology: 4
-AP US History: 4

Senior Year Workload:
-UW Composition (College in the High School)
-AP Government
-AP Statistics
-AP Economics
-Guitar 1 (need half an art credit to graduate)
-AP Calculus AB
-PE (Another graduation requirement)

Extracurriculars:
-Officer for school’s Speech and Debate Club
-2x State alternate in Impromptu Event
-1x State alternate in Oratory Event
-1x State Qualifier in Oratory Event
-As a school, we (me and 4 others that went to state) won 4th overall school in Washington State

-Co-founded and current officer for Mock Trial Club

-Played Soccer for 14 years. I’ve won some awards (1st in state (2015), 1st in district (2013, 2015), 2nd place at a select soccer tournament (2018)) but they were all with a recreational team, so I don’t know if I should bother including them

-Soccer Team Captain (recreational)

-54 hours volunteering as an adoption counselor with a local cat shelter

-Currently working as a lifeguard/swim instructor at my local YMCA (Working since May 2018)

-National Merit Commended Scholar

Any and all responses are much appreciated. Thank you!

2

UC GPA capped weighted and Fully weighted? https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Do your parents have $260K to spend on the UC’s since they offer little to no financial aid?

3

I’m lucky enough to have very well off parents. They’ve repeatedly told me to just worry about getting into college. They’ll handle the financial aspect.

4

And UC GPA?

5

Weighted: 4.00
Weighted and Capped: 4.00

6

Some UC statistical data.

Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19 capped weighted and not major specific:

UCB: 12.6%
UCLA: 11.7%
UCSD: 38.7%
UCSB: 53.6%
UCD: 56.5%
UCI: 52.1%

2018 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.23
UCSD: 4.16
UCSB: 4.13
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.11

25th - 75th percentiles for ACT:
UCB: 30-35
UCLA: 31-35
UCSD: 28-34
UCSB: 28-34
UCD: 26-33
UCI: 26-33

UC’s tend to be very GPA focused so you have a solid GPA but below the averages for all the UC’s on your list. Your ACT is well within range. You have some very good EC’s and being full pay may help your chances.

UCLA/UCB are Reach schools. UCSD is High Match/Low Reach. You would have a better chance of attending a UC if you applied to UCI (they do have a Business school). USC would be a Low Reach also but they tend to be more test score focused.

Although I will not chance you on the other schools outside, overall I think your list is very Reach heavy.

Best of luck.

7

Being OOS will really help, the yield for almost every public college and OOS students is dismal so they tend to admit many more on a percentage basis (realizing that on average less then a third will matriculate). Basically many colleges are banking on full pay OOS students including the UCs.

8

Although the OOS admit rates are higher at the UC’s, the academic is also higher. Definitely apply just make sure you have some safety schools on your list and are willing to attend.

9

Don’t compare yourself to your sister. Your grades and scores are great! Remember that college selection is more about fit than prestige. Students that make “prestige” their main focus often find out that the school is a poor fit, and their college experience is miserable. Shop around and choose a good school with the right vibe.

10

Your personal statements/essays are very important. Last year many high-achieving students did not get into good schools because of this. And apply to UCR or some safety school in case, you probably won’t be rejected from all your list, but it has happened.

I got into UCSD with a 3.7, 1010 SAT, 22 ACT (very low) but extraordinary personal statements and amazing extracurriculars. And a full ride. And a capped major (Neurobiology, 1st choice)

Let me know if you have any questions.

11

For Michigan your ACT is right on and your GPA is just under their 3.8 avg for lsa. But your all AP senior year is a big deal for them. Ace out and apply early. Out of state is tough for them but your resume is very good.

Have back ups being out of state. You will most likely get deffered with everyone else. But still apply.

12

UNC-CH is a real reach, b/c of their cap on OOS students (18%, including recruited athletes)

Notre Dame also looks like a real reach, in part b/c the element they care about most is HS rigor, and yours (at least from what I can see here) doesn’t look dazzling (yes, sr year has 4 APs, but 2 of them are 1 semester APs - unless you are doing both Econs & both US & Comp Gov. More to the point, you appear to just about meet their minimum requirements- and not their ‘preferred’ distribution of HS credits.

13

A masters in law comes after a law degree. Is that what you meant, another 4-5 years after undergrad?

14

I think that your chances are quite good at both U.Washington and UBC. I however don’t know whether business is harder or easier than other majors with regard to admissions. I think that both are great universities in beautiful locations. I would not call either a safety.

Do you have a school on your list that you would consider a safety?

15

Make sure your essays demonstrate you know the college well, what makes you a good fit, what opportunities the school offers that you’ll make sure you’'ll use, and that you love the college. Demonstrate your love for the college and all these things will go a long way. It’s not just about GPA and SAT/ACT. Polish, polish, polish your essays.

16

I should’ve specified but both classes are year long as you mentioned. AP Gov also includes Comp Gov and AP Economics is 1st semester micro 2nd semester macro. I see your point though.

17

I think you’ve got a decent shot at the schools listed. Two things were curious to me–why University of Florida and a masters degree in law?

I realize you have much time to think about post college plans, but you’re going to be better off thinking about a JD instead of whatever a masters in law is.

18

I would say the last 6 on your list are reaches. USC had a very low admit rate this year, though your chances are better than if you were a NMF (1/2 tuition; they took only 1 of these from my S’s grade last year).

You are obviously very bright. You will get into some of the schools on your list, though I question how you put your list together. Did you look at the school’s business school, since this is your desired major? Haas and Ross are incredibly competitive and require high-level business-related ECs.

IU Kelley has an excellent business school (top 10) and you would be a direct admit to Kelley and the honors program with your stats.

19

I would add in at least one safety school. They all seem like targets or reaches.