Chances at Georgetown, USC, Virginia, BC, Michigan

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, any help would be greatly appreciated…

I’m currently a junior in at a top 10 public high school in my state. This will be my 2nd year at this school after I moved to from another top 10 high school after freshman year. Freshman year I had a major family crisis on multiple levels, and my grades suffered (1 A, 3 B’s, two C’s and a D), but I was much better than that. That year I was a very successful writer for the school newspaper, on the debate team, and played basketball.

After moving going into sophomore year, I turned things around and got straight A’s in mostly CP classes and 1 honors (poor grades freshman year prevented me from taking harder classes). I played JV basketball and ran track, as well as being in Habitat for Humanity, Model UN, and helping out in a classroom once a month for children with physical disabilities at my school.

This year, I am in 3 AP’s, 1 honors, and 2 CP (and gym) and will probably have all A’s and A-'s except in AP Lit and AP bio, based on how it is so far. I am on the varsity surf team this year, will play varsity basketball, and run varsity track. I will continue with Habitat for Humanity, will be in FBLA, and plan on creating a Political Action club that debates politics and does campaign volunteer work for local elections. I will continue to help out with helping out once a month with children with disabilities. I plan on either interning/working over this upcoming summer or doing a service trip, or possibly both. Next year, I plan on taking 3 or 4 AP’s and will continue with the other activities. Do not have SAT scores yet, but have prepped for them and test pretty well. GPA is currently a 4.24, will most likely finish high school in the 4.38-4.45 range.

I visited BC and BU this past week, and I am considering the following schools

Georgetown
University of Southern California
UVA
Boston College
Michigan
Wake Forest
Fordham
Boston University
UPenn (would have legacy here)
Villanova
Tulane

I’m looking for a school that has great academics, but has a great social scene as well with tons of school spirit. I plan on majoring in economics or business management. I want a school where people have fun but also are very successful.

Lastly, despite others believing I have a chance of being accepted, I worry that my freshman year grades will hold me down. Do I have a realistic chance at these prestigious schools? Please, any help would be greatly appreciated and if you have any suggestions for “safety schools” with decent economics programs in a good setting with strong academics and a good social scene, please include as well, as I realize at least half of those schools I listed would be considered “reach.”

2

P.S. ^^^ My school does not calculate unweighted GPA, but to put some context to that, I had straight A’s easily in all CP classes and honors US I last year. This year, I will most likely finish with all A’s in CP French 4, PE, CP Precalculus, and Honors US II, an A or A- in AP Macroeconomics, a B in AP English Literature, a B in AP Biology. I could only take the classes I took sophomore year as a result of the poor grades freshman year, as I mentioned. Next year, I plan on taking the following:
French 5
PE
AP Microeconomics
AP US History
AP Calculus
AP English Language
Ceramics/AP Art History

If you have any suggestions to improve my chances at these schools, also, please include that. Thanks again.

3

Intended major?

That is a good W GPA.

USC’s average SAT is a 2075, and a new SAT of a 1440 is equal to an old SAT of a 2060. USC is a tough admit but with that profile, you seem like you have a chance.

What are your SAT subject tests? Georgetown University strongly recommends its applicants at least 3. If you haven’t taken any yet, I suggest you do.

Good luck.

4

No one can really chance you without an actual standardized test score. In spite of that, with a GPA that high you have a chance at most of the schools (UPenn is a reach for everyone though).

Have you taken/will you take the SAT subject tests? To my knowledge, Georgetown U strongly recommends 3 to be submitted.

5

^ Agreed. You need to carefully map out your testing strategy now as you need to schedule in 3 Subject Tests with multiple SATs or ACTs, particularly as you have a much heavier school course load compared to last year.

6

Please chance me for Georgetown, UVA, University of Southern California, Villanova, Boston College –

Male / White / Upper Class Town
School - #7 ranked public school in the state, 99% of students go to college

Weighted GPA currently is a 4.24, should be at around a 4.36 by graduation

Grades:

Did poorly freshman year, as had a major family crisis (2 A’s, 3 B’s, 2 C’s, 1 D)
Sophomore year, transferred to this school, got straight A’s in all CP classes, and 1 Honors (US-I History Honors), couldn’t take higher classes due to poor grades freshman year
Junior year - A’s in French 4, PE, AP Macroeconomics, US-II Honors, Precalculus, B+ in AP English Literature, B in AP Biology
Senior year - A’s in French 5, PE, AP Microeconomics, A- in AP US History, B+ in AP Calculus AB, B+ in AP English Literature, A in Graphics

SAT - 710 Math, 730 Reading/Writing - 1440

School does not compute class rank, “due to students’ high level of academic success”, according to School Official Profile

Sports:

Freshman year - Freshman basketball

Sophomore year - JV Basketball, Varsity Track
Junior year - Varsity Surf, Varsity Basketball, Varsity Track
Senior year - Varsity Surf, Varsity Basketball, Varsity Track

French Honor Society
National Honor Society

Extra-Curriculars:

Freshman - Very accomplished writer for school newspaper, (our newspaper was a big deal at school, had multiple cover page articles as a freshman), JV debate team

Sophomore - Model UN, Habitat for Humanity (volunteer work)
Junior year - Habitat for Humanity, FBLA, Political Action Club (founded)
Senior year - Habitat for Humanity, FBLA, Political Action Club (founded)

Volunteer Work:

Habitat for Humanity builds
Volunteered in a classroom for children with disabilities at my high school (3 years)
Did campaign volunteer work for Political Action Club (1 year)
Took a volunteer trip to build homes/teach children English in Tanzania (summer going into senior year)

Leadership:
Treasurer of Habitat for Humanity (senior year)
Founder and President of Political Action Club (formed junior year)

Work Experience:
Worked job at a beach club summer going into senior year

7

Are you retesting? Your SAT is a bit low for some schools.

Have your parents run the NPCs or said how much they’ll pay each year?

8

@mom2collegekids tuition is covered. SAT I may retest, can probably get to a 1450-1470 range