Hello, I am currently a senior and I am finalizing my college list. I believe I am 100% set on ED’ing to Washington Universiity in St. Louis, but here are the colleges I am thinking about applying too:
WUSTL Early Decision
Northwestern EA
University of Michigan EA
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Brown
Stanford (because why not)
I know the list is super selective, which is why I am here. So these are my stats:
GPA: 3.75 UW//4.17 W (poor sophomore year but upward trend)
ACT: 33 Superscore (32 Composite), 11 Writing
Taken 9 AP’s including 3 senior year
My academics are on the lower end of applicants, however, my EC’s really make up for it:
Extracurricular’s (leadership in parentheses):
Muslim Youth Group (VP), not a joke Youth Group either like we invited a guest speaker who was on The Colbert Report
Made a short film and got first place at a film festival
Senior Class Office (Secretary)
Muslim Student Association (Co-President)
Key Club (Chairman),
South Asian Student Association (Treasurer)
NHS (ran for president but lost)
Debate
100+ Hours at hospital and 400+ else where including the hospital work
Shadowed multiple doctors
Cross Country sophomore year
Did an internship freshman year where I helped edit videos for an organization called Center of American Islamic Relations
Did science research at a local university
For WashU’s ED, I have done everything I could of to show demonstrative interest (i.e. getting in contact with admission officers/visiting)
Recommendations: AP Bio teacher, AP Euro teacher, College Counselor, and previous WashU student who is the director of our youth group
I think I am ready for the competition, I am a leader in my community but my academics are on the lower end as you can see. Because these schools are super selective, what do you all think?
NU has ED instead, so you will have to apply RD.
Anyway, it would be a pretty high reach for you.
Where is your home state? UMich and UCLA are both reaches for you particularly if you are from OOS. For UMich, your GPA is below admission average while your ACT is around admission average. They do not superscore ACT and consider GPA to be more important. Your chance there would be below average OOS applicant which has an admission rate of around 20%.
If WashU is your first choice and you plan to ED, show them the love. Looks like you’re doing it with visits and keeping in contact with your regional admissions rep. Have you intereviewed with them yet?
I would suggest you take another ACT. The 33 is slightly low. 34+ would be a good idea. GPA is OK-my son is a WashU freshman and got in with roughly the same GPA. He had higher standardized test scores (2290 on old SAT, 780 SAT 2 in USH, 790 in Biology, 800 in Math 2 and mostly 5s on AP tests).
@billcsho
I live in Missouri, but I don’t think IS or OOS matters for WashU. I am honestly putting 95% of my effort into WashU and the other schools are just kind of there. I have a better chance of getting a full ride to St. Louis University, so if I don’t get into WashU I may just save some money and go with my safety.
@Hamurtle
Yea I did an interview and it went really well. I am taking the ACT once more and hoping to grab that 34, however, if I can only keep a 33 then I hope that doesn’t hurt my chances all that much.
@kjake2000
yea sorry that was my bad. I think I meant to say vandy EA
@equinox19 sounds good. If the interview went well, that’s a good sign. My son got the same feeling after his interview.
You have enough unique/interesting extracurriculars that make you a compelling candidate for admission. Good luck and hopefully you will be in the Class of 2022.
I don’t think vandy has ea either lol
@kjake2000
You know what, disregard everything I said. WashU is 100% my top priority and I put those other schools so more people would come to this thread and post their thoughts haha. I am not sure where I should EA though, because you can never be certain with these schools…