And so I throw in the towel

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Full-disclosure: I usually think these threads are so stupid, but I find myself sending my application and really thinking "Wow... I'm on the edge." I switch daily between thinking I'm in for sure and have no chance. So. Eh. I dunno. Take a look? I'll try and rate you back, I'm pretty good at objectively looking at this stuff, if it's not for me obviously. Though, no promises; I'm not on this site everyday. Shoot me a PM so it gets sent to my email, if you like.
Now, on to moi:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.3/4 and 4.05/5.
ACT: 34 Comp, 35 Super
35 Eng, 34 Math, 36 Sci, 34 Reading, 12 Writing</p>

<p>Averages from my school for those accepted to Northwestern/UofC:
GPA: 3.76/4 and 4.1/5
ACT: 32</p>

<p>EC's (Just the ones I'm sending)
-Student Congress: Mock debate, 4 years
-Model UN: Other mock debate, 2 years
-Track: 4 years
-Volunteering at a hosp: 2/3 years (I have to figure that out... oops)
-Troubadour (Lit Magazine): 4 years</p>

<p>OOH. Almost forgot. EDIT!
Only three non-honors classes in total all 4 years, 1 AP sophomore year, 5 each year after that.
4 Years SS, 4 years math (Up to Multivariable Calc), 6 Years Science (All main AP's, not APES, and an independent study in human anatomy), 3 years spanish and a year in chinese, and 4 years in English. </p>

<p>AP Scores:
5's on all but Calc BC (AB was a 5), and a 4 on APUSH. </p>

<p>SAT2:
Only 1 :P 800 on US Hist. Weird, right?</p>

<p>My common app essay, in short, is talking about how I was/am pretty wealthy, but faced a couple of hardships growing up which taught me empathy and explain why I ended up volunteering. It moves away from the typical essay format of a single experience and melds together a few memories with some metaphors. It sounds horridly pretentious, and it is kinda blunt, but it suits my personality, so I'm sending it anyway. Though I don't think that offers any information to you.
And the main thrust of my supplement essays is explaining why my parents want me to go to school A--strong pre-med programs--, and I then explain how I want to be a renaissance man and a good LA education offers that to me, so it's the opposite of my parents. Again, I maintain it's a lil more flowery than that, but I'm not going to post the whole damn essay. </p>

<p>My schools?
-Northwestern (ED, no one is changing my mind)
-University of Chicago
-Maybe WashU?</p>

<p>Thanks for reading! I wish karma upon you and all that jazz.
Actually, writing this out was a bit cathartic. Hmm.</p>

2

<p>Sorry, I keep throwing in edits. I should mention I’m in the bottom 50% unweighted, and the top 20% weighted (though we only go by quartile, my counselor did some calculations for me).
And my awards are AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Semifinalist, and three years of placing Gold in the National Spanish Exam.</p>

3

<p>Though I think everything else is strong your GPA and quartile (bottom 50%…) is going to be extremely detrimental. I can def. see how you think you’re on the edge, I think you’re on the edge as well. Your exams and everything are great but your GPA is the only thing bringing you down.</p>

<p>Otherwise I’d say easy in for Northwestern, but now I would consider it a low~mid reach since it is a selective school, and GPA does matter a lot. Bottom 50% UW is bad but top20% weighted (whoa huge difference here that’s sort of unique) is okay at best. Ninety-something % of people in these colleges are top 5-10% of their year, so it’s hard to say with great EC’s yet not being in that GPA group.</p>

<p>UWash… From my view: In.</p>

<p>Chanceback? I’m on the same boat. Towel throwing, I mean.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1019616-chance-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1019616-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I’m in the same boat as you GPA-wise, and also applying to UChicago, so that’s the school on which I can offer my opinion in terms of your chances. Though they’re pretty evasive when it comes to questions about the GPA of admitted students, what it seems to me they’re looking for is a sign of adventurousness and enjoyment, not necessarily perfect grades in everything. That being said, it’s still going to be tough for you, since you’re so low in your school’s rankings. It’s a sign of unreached potential, especially with your high ACT. However, you have lots of APs and great AP scores, so I wouldn’t rule any school out yet. Are any of your ECs leadership positions?
Hope we’re both in Chitown in the fall (or Evanston, as the case may be for you)!</p>

5

<p>what other schools are you applying to? Are you a senior?</p>

6

<p>i think you have a fair chance of getting in at NW kind of like high match/low reach</p>

7

<p>Those are the only ones. I may apply to Johns Hopkins, but that’ll be later, if I get rejected from UChicago and NU (I sent those both in early). Yes, I’m a senior.
In terms of leadership, I had a leadership board for the debate team, and I’m the head trainer of volunteers for the hospital thing.
Also, I’m sending in some research I did/planned to do. It’s a study set-up in conjunction with residents at the Northwestern Med School (Feinberg).</p>

8

<p>I HIGHLY suggest you look at other schools for the sake of choice. I personally think you may get into at least one of these schools, but just in case you don’t you should look into some other options.</p>

9

<p>So you are like a genius but you don’t try in school or what lol</p>

<p>the scores are good and EC’s good so I’d say decent shot at them</p>