Chance S24 4.0 UW with strong leadership for Southeastern schools [FL resident, 1400 SAT]

Chance Me / Match Me!
, , , , ,
1

Everyone has great insight on my thread for my D24, so I am hopeful the board will help provide insight for her twin, S24 as well.

Florida resident
Small private college prep school in rural county (55 kids in class)

Will either major in Business or possibly PoliSci, or both

4.0 UW; 4.7/5.0 W

  • Class Rank: school doesn’t rant but inducted in Cum Laude Society for top 10%
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1400; 730 Math 670 EBRW (will be TO at more selective schools) - test score definitely is a weakness but it is what it is

All Honors/AP
APUSH - 5; AP Lang - 5; AP Bio - 5; AP World History- 5; AP Latin - 2 (class issues - entire class failed)
Senior Year: AP Calc AB; AP Lit; AP US Gov; AP Env Science; AP Research, H Journalism

Student Council President - 12th; Student Council Rep 9-11th
Varsity Cross Country 8th-12th; co-Captain 10th; Captain 11th and 12th; raced in State Championship every year; named All-District and All-Region; school MVP award; school leadership award
Varsity Track - 9th & 10th; 6th place in 4x800 relay in State Championship
President, Latin Club
NHS
Cum Laude Society
Managing Editor of Yearbook
Student Tutor in Latin and Math
Part-time job at local club as busser/food runner/event staff since age 15; works year round
Started his own Photography business and has done photos for charity events, sport events, family portraits, business headshots, etc

Full pay (do not wish to discuss costs)

Schools

Reach:
Wake Forest - TO; considering ED2
University of Richmond - TO; EA, considering ED2
UVA - TO; EA

Target
U Miami- EA (Scoir at school shows all students with his stats admitted)
UF - EA, in state
FSU -EA, in state
SMU - EA (counselor wants him to apply for Hunt)

Likely
Auburn - applied 9/14
TCU - EA
U South Carolina - EA

Safety
Ole Miss (already admitted)

He is excited about every school on this list except UF (Business majors have to take a lot of classes online and he absolutely hates online classes). He is a kid with a big personality who leans in to a work hard/play hard vibe, loves school sporting events, is interested in Greek life, and also is serious about school. He leans toward a finance major, but also is considering law school, and wants to study abroad. He wants to stay in the Southeast (hates the cold) and would prefer to be within driving distance of home.

His dad and I honestly worry about transitioning to a large state school after being in such a small school and because he is a kid who thrives in small, interactive classes. He will apply for Honors colleges at the state schools. Dad and I like Wake and Richmond, S24 currently very excited about Auburn. I wish he would add Tulane but he doesn’t like New Orleans, and I also want him to apply to Furman or Elon but he thinks they are too small.

Thank you for your insights!

1 Like
2

I think your son will be accepted to most of these schools. I think if he applies ED to Richmond or Wake he will have a decent chance at either of those as well. The only school I think will be tough is UVA as he is out of state. He should have lots of choices!

4 Likes
3

Washington and Lee University should be on his list. Super strong in business/finance, in the South, Greek life, and a work hard, play hard rep. They are the only LAC with a law school. Though, probably a bit of a drive from Florida. Plus, the Johnson Scholarship, which emphasizes leadership.

6 Likes
4

If Elon is too small, then why Richmond for ED2 which is far smaller?

If he doesn’t like UF, then why apply? There’s mixed feedback on this site. Some say UF has lots of online. Others say it doesn’t (in the b school). You may want to research. FSU isn’t as large as least - certainly campus size.

Your likelies are all safe as is SMU.

I think Richmond is safe but much smaller than the rest.

Is there an ED1? I see two ED2s.

Surprised not to see William & Mary on your list. Decent size (trending smaller but close to WF and strong in both areas of interest.

But not UVA size. UVA, btw, is not direct admit to business (commerce). Emory might be another to add - also not direct admit. Or even Ga Tech.

I get not all mentioned (W&M) are driving distance - but neither is most your list :slight_smile:

Good luck.

What’s his end goal job wise if he stayed in finance? Corporate or Wall Street like jobs?

1 Like
5

Law school does not require any particular major or course work as an undergraduate, so if that is the only reason for considering political science as a major, that is not much reason.

6

University of Richmond is very small. It is unclear to me why he would ED2 if he thinks Elon is too small (Elon has more students). Have you visited Richmond?

I think he has a chance for Richmond and Wake Forest, but I think UVA will be tough.

7

I agree that I think your son will see a number of acceptances. If he likes the big publics and gets into their honors programs, then he may get the smaller classes or more individualized attention that you’re hoping for him.

If looking for something a bit smaller than the big Florida publics that would be within driving distance, has he thought about U. of Tampa? It would be a safety and is test blind. It has about 9600 undergrads and there is Greek life, but it’s not dominant. College of Charleston has about 10k undergrads and could be another possibility?

Not trying to out you, but could you let us know constitutes driving distance (8 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours) and whether you’re in southern FL, northern FL, etc (distances are different from Miami vs. Jacksonville vs. Pensacola, or their rural equivalents)? If there’s a convenient airport for you, would nonstop flights to other warm destinations be a palatable option? If so, what would be the airport we should look for flights from?

2 Likes
8

He seems like a very good match with Wake, they really like kids who serve as class or school president. They also were test optional long before Covid. I would apply test optional as his scores would be low if submitted.

9

Thank you all!

We are in northeast Florida and Jacksonville is the closest airport, but he prefers not to fly, so SMU and TCU are not top favorites. Around 9 hours or less is “driving distance.” He thinks 12 is driving distance but that seems too far for me. We have easy access to I-10 and I-95.

He does not want to apply ED1 anywhere. At this point, he is not ready to make that kind of commitment. He might consider ED2 if he decides he really wants Wake (his favorite of the tours so far) or possibly Richmond.

The list has been shaped through several tours, though we have not seen them all. We toured W&L and he didn’t love it, and because it was a reach I was fine with him dropping it, even though it is excellent and has a lot that would be a great fit. Richmond was a fantastic tour, we have friends who have had phenomenal experiences, and the location in a state capitol balanced the smaller school size.

W&M is my alma mater and I love it! There is a lot that would appeal to him, but he would not love Williamsburg. Plus, his twin (who has a stronger profile) is applying to W&M and we are loosely trying not to apply to the same schools.

Yes, my husband and I are both lawyers so we know undergrad major doesn’t matter (I was English, he was history). It’s more that he really likes polisci (AP Gov has been his favorite class ever, and he also loved APUSH). Business/finance is more of an interest for him because it sms like a good choice to lead to a job. He also likes math, so the idea of finance and analysis seems interesting to him, but he has not yet had much exposure to finance.

2 Likes
10

Why no Clemson on the list if going to apply to Auburn and South Carolina?

11

The information we have about online classes at UF comes from friends who are students there and his college counselor but we do intend to double check if he gets in. UF places many applicants who apply as a business major in their PACE program, which is not very appealing. He will still apply because he knows it is a very good school and he would love to have it as an option.

2 Likes
12

Clemson could get an application but I think he just loves the SEC

1 Like
13

Ha. My daughter went to Clemson and is now a 3L at university Florida law school. She has been taking advantage of Sec sports at UF. Two weekends ago UTK at night in the swamp
And then volleyball on Sunday against #1 Wisconsin.

14

Emory

3 Likes
15

That UT game was incredible! S24 is a huge Gator fan and loves games in the Swamp. Glad your daughter is enjoying the SEC. We are big Trevor Lawrence fans in our family, too :smiley:

16

Your son seems pretty gung ho about Greek life, but you may want to reach out to the OP on this thread: Wake Forest sophomore looking to transfer-Match Me and Chance Me! [3.7 college GPA; history, English, government]. I don’t know if her son always planned to not go Greek, but at least this one individual seems to have had a hard time without an acceptance to a frat. I would investigate for any campus whether or not a student is essentially guaranteed a bid if they go through all the steps (i.e. filling all their slots with possibilities, etc…I didn’t go Greek, so I don’t know).

Another school that your son may want to consider is Samford. 35-40% of its males join a fraternity, it has about 3700 undergrads, and is probably within driving distance of most of Florida. This would be a safety. 56.6% of classes have fewer than 20 students and 2.3% have more than 50, per USNWR.

Georgia Tech would be a reach, but work hard, party hard seems like a good description of much of the student body. About 22% are in fraternities and Atlanta is likely within driving distance (and almost certainly a nonstop flight away from your nearest airport). Almost all Atlanta schools are part of a consortium whereby they can take classes at other schools (like Emory, SCAD, Spelman, etc), so he could also dabble at other schools, too. And its business school has a good reputation, but small classes at the university are not as common as you’d probably like (per USNWR, 29.5% of classes have more than 50 students).

Speaking of Atlanta schools that are part of the consortium, Morehouse could be an interesting possibility. It’s an all-men’s HBCU with about 20% of its undergrads joining a fraternity. There are about 2600 undergrads here, but with the ARCHE consortium (and very close relationship with Spelman, about 2400 undergrads), it definitely has opportunities to have a more expansive feel. 49.6% of classes have fewer than 20 students and only 0.7% of classes have more than 50 students, per USNWR.

17

What about Vanderbilt? It’d be a reach, but it seems as though it’d hit a lot of his interests. It’s 8h58m from Jacksonville, has about 7100 undergrads, a robust Greek scene (27% in frats, 43% in sororities), test optional, and it’s a member of the SEC (though not an athletically dominant one). 60.6% of classes have fewer than 20 students, while 8.5% have more than 50, per USNWR.

ETA:
What about Duke? Again, a reach, but it’s 6h43m from Jacksonville, has about 6600 undergrads, a robust Greek scene (29% in fraternities and 42% in sororities), remains test optional, and it actually is a sports powerhouse, at least in basketball, and is trying to become moreso in other sports, too. 70.6% of classes have fewer than 20 students while 7% have 50 or more, per USNWR.

2 Likes
18

Wake Forest has 99 percent of classes with less than 50 students. It really offers a pretty unique combination of D1 power 5 sports, medium size school and liberal arts college size classes.

1 Like
19

I am flattered on his behalf that you suggest Vanderbilt and Duke! I agree that Vanderbilt checks all of the right boxes and I think he would love it. We just thought it was too much of a reach and his counselor thought it was an unlikely admit. We similarly think Duke is fantastic, but an unlikely admit. He has not mentioned applying to these recently (the lower than hoped for SAT scores really rattled him) and I have been hesitant to suggest more reaches for him. Do you really think he would have a shot at either of these? They seem like schools that still prefer to see a test score and his activities, while solid things he genuinely enjoys, I did not think were sufficiently “wow!” To make up for below-range test scores

20

If interested in business/ finance, note that some schools e.g. Wake, UVA, have secondary admissions which means another hoop to jump through once you have enrolled/ started there

may or may not matter to you, just mentioning!

1 Like