GPA- 3.65 UW (b’s and a c sophomore year due to death in immediate family, explained in essay)
Rank- 27 out of 189
School Type- small, underfunded inner city
school, low graduation rate, no AP or IB offered
Clubs- Scholars Bowl (Vars. Captain 2 yrs) Elite Choir (Section Leader) Talented and Gifted Program (No leadership available) Academic Decathalon (Founding Member) Topeka Model UN (GA I and II) Link Crew (No leadership available) NHS (member, by-laws committee) French NHS (no leadership available)
Honors- 1 ranking at regionals for solo voice, 1 ranking at state for small choir, 1 ranking at state for large choir, Youth Civic Leadership Institute attendee (only 50 kids accepted) Girls State President of the Senate, Girls State Best Senator, Presidental Scholar nominee, Dansforth Scholar nominee, 2nd Place at Topeka Model UN
I think you have an excellent chance with your test scores, involvement, and GPA. Id say 95% confident of getting in even good probability of a scholarship. Be sure to talk to your admissions counselor they love to hear from students.
@jamesk2014 do you consider thank-you emails to be a good idea? Something along the line of “Hello I’m ***** and I’m very excited to be considered as a priority applicant etc.”
I have been in contact with SMU for little over a year and a half now and my counselor has been switched 3 times. It is proabbly because my state accounts for .1 percent of their total student body, but even though there has been a lot of turbulence, I have really liked every one of them. I have read that your SMU admissions counselor is a huge proponent in getting scholarship money. With that being said, I would email them as much as possible. Showing them that you are interested will definitely help your chances.