Bad Stats, cool ECs? Chance me please.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, everyone!

Please tell me honestly and bluntly what my chances are:
-UT Austin (My dream school)
-UNC
-USC
-UCLA
-ASU is my safety

GPA: 3.71 UW - 4.5 W (Hardest available, 1 C in US History because I’m an idiot.)

Rank: Top 6% in top public school in AZ

SAT: 1410, but taking again, scoring about 1460 on practice tests.

PSAT: 1420

APs:
Human Geo: 5
World History: 5
Rest of my scores are terrible
Calc: 3
US: 3

Recs: Great Recs from teachers and coaches.

Essays: Writing is good, reviewed by teachers, parents, and coaches. Talked about social justice.

ECs:
Speech and Debate: Moderate Success, ToC 2 times in a row, Harvard Quarterfinalist twice, ASU 8th place.

  • Impromptu Captain for Speech
    HOSA: Moderate Success, Qualified to Nationals, top 32 in biomedical debate.
    Volunteered at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
    President of Helping Hands (Service Club)
    NHS member (sigh)
    Intern for Arizona Democratic Party
    President and Founder of a non-profit in AZ (helped community with meals and stuff, easily my most proud achievement while I’ve been alive.)

Summer:
2015: Did some STEM Solar lab stuff pretty boring
2016: NSLI-Y Scholarship winner: 6-week state department scholarship to travel to China and be immersed in Chinese culture while learning the language.
2017: Working at the Patrick Air Force Base in Florida to do research on equal opportunity and bystander intervention. Paid internship

Awards: Misc. School Awards, Teen Diversity Council for Mayor Certificate (basically had to do some course and attend meetings and got it, not prestigious at all)

Indian (Actually India) Male, upper middle class, parents both college grads, no hooks. Don’t know what I want to major in yet.

2

Also, I have 4 publications from my time at Patrick Air Force Base.

3

UCLA is the most applied to and most selective UC college right now. UCLA is a reach for all.

4

UT Austin- Reach
UNC- High Match
USC- Reach
UCLA- Reach
ASU- Safety

I’d consider applying to ASU Barrett as well.

5

I disagree with UNC being any type of match. It’s very very hard to be admitted OOS. OP, I think UNC is a Reach.

6

I’d say, IMO:
UT Austin - Low Reach
UNC Chapel Hill - High Reach
USC - High Match
UCLA - Reach

ASU - Safety

Low meaning it’s on the easier side, High meaning harder. So High reach = hardest (like ivy league) and low safety = 99.9% guaranteed admission.

I’d really try for USC; they only have a low (16%) acceptance rate bc lots of unqualified kids apply. If you look at their mid-50%, it’s actually 27-33 ACT and 3.63-3.98 GPA UW. I think you have a good shot! Make sure your essays are really unique and not the typical “nerdy overachieving Indian/Asian kid” type. Good luck!

7

No financial aid for OOS students at the UC’s/ If admitted can you pay $60,000/year for four years?

8

@aneeshs17 …what? If you look at USC average admitted stats, they’re higher than every school on that list.

9

@ThisOneKid my bad, I was looking at the average scores of kids who APPLIED, not kids who got in. I wish I could delete posts here :frowning: Thanks for correcting me

https://about.usc.edu/files/2016/10/Freshman-Profile-2016.pdf