Chance me UNC-Chapel Hill

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
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African American Female (Nigerian)

State: Illinois

Intended Major: Biology

Weighted GPA: 5.571

Unweighted: 3.980

Class Rank: 1/436

ACT: Composite: 32
Superscore: 33

Coursework: Mostly Honors and AP classes throughout high school. 10 Honors classes (biology, geography, algebra 1, english 1, english 2, chemistry, geometry, algebra 2/trig, spanish 4, pre calculus). 12 AP classes (biology, chemistry, physics 1, psychology, European history, US history, calculus, microeconomics, government, literature and composition, language and composition, spanish language). Also took junior leadership and senior leadership.

Senior Classes: AP Calculus, AP Spanish Language, AP Literature and Composition, AP Microeconomics, AP Government, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Senior Leadership

Extracurriculars: Volunteer 4 hours a week at a hospital (over 200 hours). Work on weekends at a country club. Mathletes (9th-present), Science Club (9th-10th), Student Council (9th-Present), Student Ambassadors (10th-Present), NHS, Spanish Honors Society. Also an executive board member in student council.

Awards/Honors: NHS, Spanish Honors Society, 1st place mathletes conference champion (11th and 12th grade), Illinois State Scholar, Honors with Distinction for grades (9th-Present)

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Also an AP Scholar!

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Our OOS high school usually has a couple of students admitted each year to UNC-CH; and, with the exception of legacy students, our admitted students have SAT scores of 1350+, ACT scores of 34+, and weighted GPAs of 4.5+ on a 5.0 scale. Other kids in our city who I know were admitted to UNC-CH recently have also had similar statistics; and all of these kids were “unhooked” in admissions parlance (i.e., not a recruited D-1 athlete, or URM, first-generation college student, etc.).

If you look at the UNC-CH common data set, under Part C7 it states that standardized test scores, application essay, letter(s) of recommendation, and 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.

As you may know, admission of OOS students is very competitive; and UNC admits OOS applicants in numbers that are calculated not to exceed 18% of an entering freshman class. See “Undergraduate Admissions” on Page 2, here: http://www.admissions.unc.edu/files/2013/09/Admissions__Policy.pdf. Last year’s entering freshman class had a 15% acceptance rate for UNC-CH: http://admissions.unc.edu/apply/class-profile-2/.

Having stated all of the above, your ACT score, GPA, and URM status should make you competitive for admission. Having good essays and letters of recommendation will help a good deal; lack of leadership positions in your ECs does not help, IMO.

Just out of curiosity, why not go to school in-state at an excellent university such as UIUC, and pay in-state tuition rates, especially if there will be post-graduate education in your future? In the event that money may be an issue, UNC-CH will be extremely competitive for merit aid, especially among OOS students.

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@gandalf78 basically UNC is my dream school and I am up for the challenge. Also, you get very tired of Illinois after many years…