Chance Me at Tulane, Duke, USC, WashU @ St. Louis, UChicago

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello! I posted this a few days ago, but exclusively for UChicago. Would you mind chancing me for Tulane, Duke, USC, WashU @ St. Louis, and UChicago? I am applying to UChicago ED and Tulane EA. I understand that these are all reaches for me. I want to find a few safety/match schools, but also need to be somewhere urban and super academic.

Bio:

  • Citizenship: US
  • State of residence: Kentucky
  • Income: ~$52,000
  • Race: White
  • Gender: Cisgender Female

School:

  • Type (Public/private & size): Well-known public school that has about 500 students per class.
  • Graduates (How many go to Ivy’s/top 20): It seems like all students go on to collegiate studies. Many of them do go to top-tier schools. A decent number of students every year go to Ivy schools. I personally know a couple this year who almost certainly will.
  • AP’s Offered: 38. The issue with this––and this is something I fear uChicago will not see when they view my record––is that many of these classes are available only to students within specific magnets [i.e. art AP’s, advanced math AP’s (not including Calculus AB, in which I am currently enrolled.), music AP’s].

Academic Profile:

  • Unweighted GPA: 3.74
  • Weighted GPA: 3.95 (I struggled with personal issues that I outlined in my Common Application), but a 4.3 during the first semester of senior year.
  • AP’s: Human Geography (5), World History (didn’t take test), Seminar (4), U.S. History (3, and not reporting), Language and Composition (5), Literature and Composition (enrolled), Comparative Government and Politics (enrolled), Calculus AB (enrolled), Environmental Science (enrolled).
  • ACT: 33.
  • SAT: Not submitting.
  • SAT II: Not submitting.
  • Rank: My district has a no-ranking policy.
  • Course Rigor: I have no idea. I feel that many students take more AP’s than I have, but that I am way more involved in my magnet. I have exclusively taken Honors and AP classes in courses where they are available, however.
  • Current Courses: Yearbook, Literary Magazine, Editorial Leadership (a required class for publication editors), AP Calculus AB, AP Literature and Composition, AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Environmental Science, Spanish 5.

EC (Not really in order of importance/commitment):

  • Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook (we win national awards every year). (12)
  • Copy Editor of the yearbook. (11)
  • Staffer on the yearbook. (9, 10)
  • Designer on our literary magazine (also nationally award-winning). (9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Wrote for a controversial local youth magazine. (9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Media Manager at local food justice non-profit. (10, 11, 12)
  • Volunteering by teaching instruments at Girls Rock Camp. (9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Co-founded a local social justice non-profit. (9, 10)
  • Barista. (11, 12)
  • Spanish Teacher Intern at local middle school. (12)
  • In a band that played with Speedy Ortiz and Girlpool. (9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Have played piano since I was six.

Honors:

  • Medalled on the National Spanish Exam. (9, 10, 11, and hopefully 12)
  • Honorable Mention in the National Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.
  • Advanced Diploma.
  • Rising Star Award (it’s just a school media competition).

Intended Major: I want to study Political Science and Spanish in-depth. I want to study Arabic, French, astrophysics, computer programming, and creative writing on the side.

Strengths and Weaknesses: I believe that my essays, EC’s, and ACT score are decent. I am, however, worried about my AP’s and overall GPA.

Thank you!

2

Bump

3

Reach/low reach for WashU-the ACT score is in the middle 50%. The range for last year was 32-34. The GPA is not that low. And most schools will probably know that your high school is a magnet from the profile. WashU has a pretty active LGBT group on campus.

You might have a decent chance for most of your schools. You have an unusual enough demographic. Write some compelling essays as well.

Chicago is a reach just because of the acceptance rate. It looks like you write pretty well and if you can figure out their infamous/quirky essays, then it can be a target.

Tulane is a match/low match.

4

Tulane has a 21% acceptance rate, middle 50% 31-34 ACT, middle 50% SAT 1410-1500. I would say that’s a match, but be careful. The acceptance rate is low and they routinely reject applicants who do not show enough interest in the academic offerings and community service orientation of the school. Tulane has very high happiness and quality of life rankings and the admissions staff places great emphasis on finding people who are enthusiastic about being there and will be happy both academically and socially.

I would say you are also a match at USC and Wash U, and a reach at Duke and Chicago, But those are all very hard schools that you’ve picked. I would find a true safety or two that you would really be juiced up about attending. Best of luck!

5

Bump

6

@NJDad68 schools with a 16% acceptance rate (USC/WashU) are not matches. That being said USC and WashU are low reaches for the OP.

7

Tulane, USC, and WashU could accept you if you have great essays. Duke is tough. While UChicago is probably the most competitive out of all these schools, they really like accepting ED applicants because it protects their yield. You have a decently strong profile so I could see UChicago accepting you ED because of your ECs

8

Reach for duke and Chicago but match for everything else, high match - low reach for wash u though. Good luck! Chance me back please?

9

Thanks! Unfortunately I don’t feel comfortable chance-ing you back simply because I have neither the expertise nor the informational confidence to do so––that’s why I made this thread! I hope you find your answers and get into your dream school, though!