Can I get in?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>I'm at WashU visiting right now, so I decided it would be a good time to see how my chances are. I had a great interview today.</p>

<p>I will send you my essays on request. I apologize for this lengthy post. I always copy it from other chance threads and it seems to grow a little each time.</p>

<p>Tests:
SAT I: Verbal: 730 Math: 800 Writing: 790
SAT II: Physics 800 Math IIC: 800
ACT: English: 35 Reading: 32 Math: 35 Science: 36 Writing(essay): 31(8) Cumulative: 35
Unweighted GPA: 3.44 (not taking into first semester senior year)
Weighted GPA: not quite sure, probably around 4.1-4.3, we don't weight
unranked HS</p>

<p>Extracurricular:
Marching Band
Math Team - Captain
Science Olympiad
Drama Club
Film Society
Volunteered at local Jewish Community Center drama program
conducted research at Columbia's astrophysics lab this entire past summer
Built website for multi-school district anti-drug coalition
Built website for school's counseling department
Ham Radio Technician Class License
Former Moderator of Large (10,000+ members) computer forum
invented and distributed new ring tone (commended by New York State & covered heavily in the press)
Taught myself guitar and music theory
Contestant on winning team on "The Long Island Challenge" TV Trivia program (had to qualify)
Ran a company for tech support and computer construction in 8th and 9th grade
Design and maintain commercial websites</p>

<p>Awards and Recognitions:
5th Place (11), 8th place (12) individual - Nassau Math Tournament - County
6th Place (11) team - Nassau Math Tournament - County
National Merit Finalist</p>

<p>I attended a private school for the gifted that had an IQ requirement for grades 5 through 8, at which I took high school classes beginning in 6th grade. My grades in high-school level classes (on a separate transcript sent to colleges) were all 4.0.I skipped my sophomore year of high school.</p>

<p>Classes:
Freshman:
Precalc Research Honors (honors + 4 independent projects)
AP Physics B
Global II H
English H
Spanish H
Writing Enrichment</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Calc BC
AP Physics C
US H
English H
Spanish H
Natural Science Research Seminar
Health</p>

<p>Senior:
Multivariate Calculus
AP Chemistry
AP Government
AP Economics
AP Biology
English H
Spanish H
Independent Science Research</p>

<p>My situation concerning my GPA is a little bit weird. After 8th grade, I switched into public school and got terrible grades, a 3.2. After that year, I was skipped ahead to 11th grade. In eleventh grade, I got better grades. My public school will not integrate my 4.0 GPA from 8th grade (which was all high school classes) and earlier into my cumulative GPA.The principal of my school has included a personal recommendation for me that explains my situation and how to view the other school's grades.</p>

<p>If it gives you any clue to how WashU will see me, I got a likely letter from Rice.</p>

<p>Thanks for putting up with my absurdly long post.</p>

2

<p>Looks like good #s for WashU, but Rice is a great school, too. Can't go wrong at either.</p>

3

<p>You'll be fine either way.
How's your GPA >4 if it is not weighted??</p>

4

<p>WashU should be understanding. I included a paragraph in my app about having to drop French after 9th grade because of schedule conflicts, and they had no problem with that. Your GPA looks good and your test scores are great. You've definitely got enough extracurriculars. The biggest concern with such good credentials is that they'll reject you because you're overqualified. However, you've gone for an interview and are showing interest, so you're pretty much in.</p>

5

<p>nngmm, I meant that that was my own estimate of my weihted GPA, but my school doesn't calculate an official number. </p>

<p>By the way, that 3.44ish GPA is under my schools harsh system and is viewed more like a 3.6-3.7 if you apply a more standard system.</p>

6

<p>the best thing you can do is: "SHOW INTEREST"
the thing WashU cares the most about is if you really want to go here. You definitely have the grades/EC's/scores to get in. But WashU really wants kids to show genuine interest and if they think you applied as a back up to HYPS then most likely you will get waitlisted/deferred. (the WUSTL myth is that admissions likes to mess with its numbers for a better USNWR ranking. True...? I can't say.) I think the interview will help alot as a way to show that your interested.</p>

<p>I'd say you have a 80% chance if your artsci and 90% if engineering. Good Luck!</p>