Average Student - What colleges are attainable?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Compared to the majority of people on College Confidential, I am pretty middle of the road when it comes to stats/EC’s. I am currently a junior/in 11th grade at a very competitive public high school with over 3000 students. My school does not give out class rank because it does not properly represent a student’s academic achievement since so many people here excel. Also, I have heard that many of our “regular” classes compare to an honors class at less competitive high schools in the area. That being said, here are my stats. Any advice or insight on where I could get accepted or ways to improve my chances would be incredibly helpful in my college application experience!

GPA: 3.6
ACT: 29
new SAT: 1300
(I plan on retaking both tests again soon to hopefully get my ACT to 31+ and SAT to at least 1350+)
A and B grade average with only a couple C’s

AP classes: World History (10th grade)
English Literature and Comp, European History, Seminar (11th grade)
Biology, French, Statistics, Research (12th grade)

By the time I graduate, I’ll have also taken 4 honors classes, 4 advanced classes, 2 dual credit classes, and the 8 AP classes mentioned above

Extra Curriculars:
Elementary school kids mentoring club (9th)
Key Club (10th-12th)
Medical club (11th, and I will hopefully become president of the club senior year)
I volunteered at a food pantry once a month for two years
I currently volunteer at a hospital once a week
I have a job

Other:
By the time I graduate high school, I will have taken 5 years of French since I started world language in 8th grade
I went to France with other French students from my school last summer
This summer I am visiting my aunt who is a clinical director and professor of pharmacy at UVA’s hospital to shadow her for a week (She will probably give me a letter of recommendation also)
I am a good writer and plan on putting a lot of effort into my essays to benefit my application
I am participating in the AP Capstone program (Seminar and Research) and will get the Capstone diploma as long as I pass both of the AP exams

With that information, here are the schools I am considering applying to in the fall. This list is obviously subject to change.

  1. University of Michigan
  2. NYU
  3. Boston University
  4. UVA
  5. Fordham University
  6. Indiana University
  7. Rutgers University
  8. Purdue University
  9. American University
  10. Boston College
  11. University of Cincinnati (safety)

I plan on majoring in biology, genetics, or a biomedical science and minor or possibly double major in French. I will hopefully go onto med school after undergrad.

My dream school is University of Michigan. What are my chances at getting accepted? Please be honest, I know my GPA is low for some of my top schools, so any advice to improve my chances would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

2

If out of state for Michigan it is out of reach. In state would be a reach. Same for UVa.

BC is a reach, NYU Stern is out of reach, other NYU is a reach.

That won’t carry any weight as your test scores match your GPA.

3

Correct me if I’m wrong but for the state schools, I’m assuming that you are OOS for all of them in this evaluation, since you didn’t specify which state you were from.

University of Michigan - reach
NYU - reach
Boston University - low reach
UVA - reach
Fordham University - match
Indiana University - high safety
Rutgers University - low match
Purdue University - match
American University - low match/match
Boston College - reach
University of Cincinnati - safety

I’d like to note that with a 31+ ACT or 1400+ SAT some schools that I called reaches (BU, BC) would fall into high match territory as well. I would still call UMich and UVA reaches at that point as well, but admissions is by no means impossible there.

This list is also very state school heavy as well, don’t want to rain on your parade but OOS students at state schools usually receive little financial aid. I don’t know where your family is financially, but it’s something to bear in mind.

4

@MemeMan666 is definitely right in how much of a role location plays in your chances and affordability at these schools. Your stats in general are, as you put it, average but still a tad low for comfort.

That being said, none of these schools are impossible for you. Your essays and the crafting of your application should be something to spend ample time on. Demonstrating to admissions how you can uniquely contribute to campus life or how much you’ve done to pursue your intellectual interests, that can get you into a great university despite low stats.

Good luck on your applications! :-bd

5

I’d bet my money on Fordham, Indiana, Rutgers, Purdue, American, and Cincinnati. I go to University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and they give nice scholarship packages (and for you, I think they give $18k). Maybe add USciences as a safety school too.

If you’re still aiming for UMich and the other schools, retake the ACT (I suggest using the Barron’s book, it got me from a 26 to a 32). However, I wouldn’t guarantee that the higher test scores will definitely get you in.

Hope this helps and best of luck applying!

6

UMich gets harder every year. UVA too. All you can do is try. BC is also a big reach. But the rest are either reasonable reaches or good matches! Good luck!