Chance me for UNC CH

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
1

So I am in-state, and UNC CH is my dream school. however, I have heard that wake county is somewhat more competitive?

GPA: 3.7 uw / 4.05
class rank: 25%
ACT: 30 (taking again and should be able to get a 32+)

Only 1 AP class so far- APES. taking APCS and Stat this year.

EC’s:
NAF academy in information technology + program mentor
DECA international finalist + lower level awards
1(possibly 2 or even 3) U.S. pending patents. Not provisional patents! (being paid for by summer internship company)
Built a few android apps
summer internship at a large computer company
Varsity tennis team
programming tutor for all 3 levels of programming offered
National Honor Society

LOR from alumni hopefully.
Essays should be pretty solid.

I know my GPA and class rank are low. I have taken a bunch of honors but was scared of AP’s. this is what really scares me. on the common data set it says 96% of applicants had a 3.75 or higher, and about 95% were in the top 25%. I’m literally the 25th %. I feel like other than that, as long I get my ACT up a bit, the rest of my application looks good. however, I know that UNC really cares about GPA and rank over pretty much any of this, which is stressing me out a lot. Also does being in Wake hurt my chances?

2

I would say that your chances are good for UNC, especially in-state. I would say 50/50. I would also add NCSU to the list. Their CS program is just as good.

3

OP, in regard to your statement “that UNC really cares about GPA and rank over pretty much any” other admissions factors, Part C7 of the UNC-CH Common Data Set, here, https://oira.unc.edu/files/2017/07/cds_2016_2017_20170411.pdf , states that standardized test scores, application essay(s), letter(s) of recommendation, and the rigor of your high school record are “very important” academic factors considered for freshman admission, whereas GPA and class rank are “important” academic factors considered for freshman admission. Extracurricular activities, talent, and character/personal qualities are considered as “very important” non-academic factors.

So, according to the CDS, your GPA and class rank are not quite as “important” as your standardized test scores, application essay(s), LORs, rigor of your high school courses, along with your ECs, talent, and character.

Your residence in Wake County may be somewhat more of an issue, given that the UNC System seeks to increase the enrollment of students from rural and/or economically distressed North Carolina counties over the next few years:

“2. Rural: By fall 2021, increase enrollment of students from Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties by 11% over fall 2016 levels (an average of 2% per year) to reduce the existing participation gap by at least half.”

(Counties are placed in “tiers” as follows: “The N.C. Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a Tier designation. The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3. A county automatically qualifies as Tier 1 if it has a population less than 12,000 people or if it has a population less than 50,000 and a poverty rate of 19 percent or greater. A county automatically qualifies as Tier 2 if it has a population less than 50,000.”)"

https://www.northcarolina.edu/sites/default/files/unc_strategic_plan.pdf , at Page 9.