Hi all, Current Junior
So high school has been a roller coaster ride as my grades have been up and down
-I have a 3.5 unweighted and a 4.22 weighted by the end of junior year the highest possible at my school is a 4.5-4.6
The school does not rank
-1590 SAT and a 35 ACT
-SAT II- Biology E/M- 780/800 Chemistry- 780 Math II-800
-AP exams- AP World, Biology, Chemistry, Calc BC- 5 / APUSH,APES/AP Lang-4
Haven’t taken Bio and chem ap’s but I’m sure I can score a 5 if I review and grind based assumption on subject tests.
EC’s
-Founder of FBLA and state medals
-Geoge Mason Assip
-NIH summer research ( likely this year, I hope)
-Science Olympiad- Regional medals
-Biology olympiad - Got past round 1/ Hopefully I can do more this year
-State-level Science fair 3rd
I'm a dual credit student took honours and aps 9th and 10th and currently taking college classes 11th and 12th./ North Carolina student
Chance me- UNC chapel hill, NYU, Georgetown University, University of Maryland, Duke, Top 30 schools like acceptance rate from 10-35%
Colleges will look at the unweighted GPA since many schools do not weight or weight in the same way. Your test scores are impressive but at most top 30 schools they will not be enough to compensate for the lower grades, since most competitive applicants will have performed at that high level in both areas. Your GPA is very good but it the weaker point of your application and at that level of selectivity, it will be the limiting factor in admission. If there are extenuating factors for the grades, your guidance counselor should address them in the recommendation letter.
Grades are the top factor admissions offices look at (as a broad generalization) IME. Nothing can really “make up for it” - high test scores just provide a strong part of the broader portfolio.
In a world of 3.9+ applicants and 3.9 admitted student averages, several of the schools you listed (Duke, NYU, T30 in general) will be very tough without other exceptional data points. UNC and MD may be closer to a slight reach, but I’d advise looking for some solid matches and safeties to go with this list.
For UNC over 96% of their accepted students had a 3.75 or better so even instate chances look pretty slim. Actually for NYU 60% of their accepted students had below a 3.75 and 31% below 3.5 so chances look a little better there.
Your school may not rank, but you should have a good idea where you stand in your class- are you in the top 10-15% ish? Top 20-25 ish? Your UW GPA will be looked at in the context of your class/school, and the GPA range & medians will be noted.
Are you seen by your teachers as one of the strong students in your year? That will matter for LoRs.
There are other public universities in NC beside UNC-CH. Apply broadly and see.
I guess my question is…why top 30 schools? Your stats are good enough to garner merit aid at some colleges. I believe University of Alabama will accept you with significant merit aid, and it’s a great school.
Can you pay the full cost to attend BU? The school does not meet full need for all accepted students. Neither does NYU.
I’m not clear what you want from these colleges other than living in an expensive urban area. Please clarify why these schools are on your potential list.
Do I personally think you will get accepted at NYU and BU…probably. But their admissions get more and more competitive every year…so no way to even guess what will be a year from now.
And they both hover at $70,000 a year…or so. Can your family pay that?
My S20 has slightly lower, but similar stats – GPA UW 3.5 / W 4.7 with SAT 1510 and similar AP classes/scores. He has had good success getting accepted to large state schools, including those considered more selective (e.g., 50% acceptance rates). Smaller schools in the most selective range (e.g., 17-30% acceptance rates) have been more hit or miss, but he was accepted EA to Tulane (and is super excited about it). Even though schools do look at unweighted GPA, they also look at course rigor and many apply some kind of weighting system. We definitely cast a wide net given the GPA, with more than a couple of safety-type schools. A few rolling admissions schools are nice to have too. ED obviously helps, and I would encourage you to show applicant interest regardless (visit, meet with reps at school, attend local events, etc.) because many of the smaller, most selective schools consider this. Also, consider/apply to residential colleges and honors programs offered at some of the larger state schools. My S is now considering one of his “safeties” because he was offered a spot in the science/math residential college + honors college, with multiple merit scholarships.
I think your school list is a good start, but you are missing some safety options. Add a few of those for sure. And good luck!
@thumper1 BU offers 100% need based aid and my family makes less than 40,000 so i should expect alot. Additionally, i am dual enrolled in a smaller LAC and it is not my fit. Really boring campus and minimal research activity is not my ideal
I take back my comment. This is on the BU website…and must be new for this entering class.
That’s fabulous news! If the net price calculator has been done accurately…you have a decent chance of it being affordable.
But I will caution…if they really are meeting full need for all, their applications will go UP, and so will the selectivity of the school.
Good luck. You are in the ball park for admissions. Make sure your grades this year and first term senior year are tippy top. Schools like to see an upward trend.