chances at wash. u?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>Rising Senior
White, Male.
Wealthy Income Bracket, Both parents went to U of Wisconsin-Madison
From East Lansing, Michigan; Moved here during summer 2010, lived in Newtown, Connecticut for ten years before that
Newtown High School-CT(pretty highly rated public high school) 9th-10th Grades
Lansing Catholic High School-MI (one of the best schools in the Mid-Michigan area, but not as rigorous as my old high school)- 11th-12th Grades
ACT: 34 (35-science, 34-math, 34-reading, 31-english, 8-writing(idk how this happened) I only have taken the ACT once, I might retake in the fall, although I don't think I could raise the composite, I could probably raise math, english, and the writing score at least a little)</p>

<p>i took the SAT subject tests in Biology and Math 1 and im awaiting my results, Math 1 im expecting low to mid 700s and bio im expecting high 700s, but i could be completely wrong haha just estimates.)
GPA-4.0 (on a 4.0 scale) My school doesnt give A+'s, every single class I received an A
Class Rank-1st out of about 120. (at my old high school i was about 4th out of 400)</p>

<p>Here are my classes/grades:
Note: My school doesn't give A+'s, but my average percentile score in all classes for the past three years is about a 97%</p>

<p>Freshman Year
Honors Western Studies 1&2 (A)
Honors Geometry (A)(I took Algebra 1 in 8th grade and also got an A)
Honors French 2 (A)(took french 1 in middle school and also got an A)
Honors Biology (A)
Business Education 1&2 (A)
PE/Health 9th (A)
Honors English 1 (A)
Honors Asian Studies (A)</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Honors Algebra 2 (A)
Honors English 2 (A)
Honors Chemistry (A)
Honors Physics (A)
PE/Health 10th (A)
Weight Training (A)
Honors French 3 (A)
Honors Sociology (A)</p>

<p>Then I switched schools and there were alot of complications. My old school had about 20 AP's, i was going to take around 11 over junior and senior year(there were no sophomore AP's), but my new school only has 6 AP's total. and only 1 is offered to juniors. Also they don't have honors world language courses at my new school and now I have to take theology as well.</p>

<p>Junior Year
AP Biology-(A, still awaiting test results, I am fairly confident I got a 4/5)
French 3(A-I was forced to retake this because the new school doesnt have french 5 or AP french, and I wanted to take french every year in high school)
Church History(A)
Christian Justice (A)
Honors US History(A)
Speech (A-a required freshman level course I had to take)
Honors British Literature (A)
Honors Trigonometry/Precalculus(A)</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
AP Calc (AB, all that's offered)
AP Gov
AP English Lit
Honors Philosophy and Theology
French 4
Intro to Art and Digital Photography(I had to take an art credit)</p>

<p>So class rigor wise, at my 9th-10th grade school I took every single honors class possible(there were no soph. AP's offered) and I even took senior level Honors Physics and doubled up in science. At my new school, in junior year I took every honors class and the only AP offered to juniors. Senior Year I will be taking 3 out of 4 possible AP's (another one is Spanish, but I take french), the other is Environmental which, at least at my school, is regarded as a joke class and the easiest AP. However, absolutely noone in my class is taking 4 AP's next year and I'm pretty sure only 2 other people are taking 3 AP's like I am. Overall, I would consider myself as taking the hardest possible, or close to that, schedule possible. </p>

<p>EC's:
Volunteerism: 106 total volunteer hours during high school(so far), including helping at nursing homes, food drives, Relay for Life fundraising, and helping at school-sponsored events such as freshman orientation and at the school store.</p>

<p>Jobs: Paid tutoring, Server at a Restaurant, Unpaid Internship at the Michigan House of Representatives(this summer)</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities List:
• Freshman Class Vice President
• Freshman Boys Soccer Team
• Indoor Track Team (9th-10th Grades)
• High School Tennis Team (9th Grade)
• USTA tennis team and private tennis lessons (9th-10th Grades)
• School Store Employee at Newtown High School (10th Grade)
• Cross Country Team (11th-12th Grades)
• Winter Running Club (11th-12th Grades)
• Outdoor Track Team (11th-12th Grades)
• French Club (11th-12th Grades)
• Relay For Life Committee and Team Member (9th-12th Grades)
• Summer Running (9th-12th Grades)
• Babysitting (9th-12th Grades)
Student Senate President (12th Grade)
Special Awards:
Highest Grade in AP Biology, Theology, and Honors Precalc(all during 11th grade)
A bunch of academic all conference awards for track, xc, and tennis</p>

<p>I know my EC's are average at best, they are scattered, but one of the reasons for this, which I can talk about in my essay, is moving halfway through high school and I was wondering if my strong academic background will make up for it.</p>

<p>Also, should I retake the ACT? I think I only have a very small chance at raising the composite, but the writing score is very low and could most likely be raised. I think science and reading are as high as they can get and I could probably raise math to a 35/36, english to a 32/33 and writing to a 10.</p>

2

<p>You seem like an excellent student! I don’t think you need to retake the ACT. Also you should consider self-studying for some AP exams, if your school doesn’t offer them. One piece of advice though, is I would leave out working as a server at a restaurant ( that is a negative). Overall I think you have a pretty high chance of getting the Wash.U GOOD LUCK!</p>

3

<p>What the hell are you talking about? How is working as a server at a restaurant a negative???</p>

4

<p>no need to retake the ACT
your EC is very sport oriented i noticed</p>

<p>to answer ur actual question, it is really difficult to chance you since WUSTL’s admission is very very unpredictable and selective</p>

5

<p>It doesn’t sound like you need financial aid, how about applying ED?</p>

6

<p>“What the hell are you talking about? How is working as a server at a restaurant a negative???”</p>

<p>Seconded. Work experience is good regardless.</p>

<p>Your ACT is good enough (better than mine was). I think you’d be a strong candidate for WashU, though fairly typical of stronger applicants. IMO, essays about academics are generic to boring at best 2) I don’t think you need to explain your moving situation since your transcripts from both schools will attest to it 3) unless your essay really can be unique (the essay is where you’ll have to distinguish yourself from other applicants with your same stats and recs).</p>

7

<p>I was thinking about writing about how moving changed me for the better and made me more self aware even though it was difficult at first. I came from a VERY large public school to a very small catholic school. In the public school I was a conservative catholic, which was a minority, and I was going to write about how when I went to a school where conservative catholics dominated, it was the first time I felt out of place and how it opened my mind and stuff. Do you think this is an okay topic or is it bad?</p>

8

<p>Sounds quite generic.</p>

9

<p>Also, this is kind of related to moving, not really but it happened during the same time period, I had been a tennis player my whole life, both my parents were, they loved it. But spring of soph year, at my really competitive public school(huge school, REALLY good tennis team) I got cut even though I was on the team freshman year. It really made me depressed and the fact that I was about to leave all my friends made it ten times worse. Then I just figured I’d start running instead and I absolutely LOVE it and have made so many friends through it and have found a hobby for life. I was thinking about writing about how I did tennis because I started very young and both my parents loved it and I felt very obligated to it, but it always stressed me out, but now that I chose my own sport I absolutely love it and have no regrets.</p>

10

<p>I was thinking focusing on one of these two prompts and then making the other one a minor theme. I havn’t decided which yet.</p>

11

<p>IMO the essay was the hardest part of the common app. And although you have a good start (it seems) on it, remember that getting cut from a sports team and finding a different activity that you then love is a pretty generic topic. I know it’s hard for us cookie-cutter white males to think of something creative to write about but if I were you I would try to concentrate on a smaller, formative experience; that worked for me. Also since spending a bit more seems to not be much of a problem for you, I would retake the ACT. Wash U superscores so if you think you can get a 35 or 36 in english then I would retake, that would give you a superscored 35. If that isn’t going to happen then you’ve already got a great score. </p>

<p>someone else mentioned applying early decision. I did ED last year and got in with slightly worse application than you. If you have visited the school and feel it is right for you then i would highly recommend it. Regular action is, of course, a slaughterhouse (15% acceptance this year overall) so putting all of your eggs in one basket, whether at Wash U or otherwise, seems to be a wise idea these days.</p>

<p>Congrats on your stellar GPA too.</p>

12

<p>If you don’t need financial aid, I would suggest not applying for it. WashU is not need-blind and everyone who got in from my area (I guess because it’s a pretty wealthy area and there was a lot to choose from) didn’t apply. I think you’re very qualified though :).</p>

<p>I’m talking about regular decision by the way. No one from my school district applied ED.</p>

13

<p>You’re at the point where you rank highly in the applicant pool. Whether or not you get in is another story all together, but a solid essay and displayed interest will give you a good shot. As for essay topics, I wrote my common app essay on the tv show Chuck, so don’t just limit yourself to the “this is a formative experience” essay.</p>

14

<p>Thank you for all your input so far! I won’t apply for financial aid at UWSTL, can that actually significantly help? Also, would you recommend scheduling an interview?</p>

15

<p>I didn’t have an interview but I’m sure it would only help. I know someone will be going up there from my school (in NY) in a couple of weeks so it’s definitely doable.</p>

<p>I’m pretty sure not applying for FA does help, but only do it if you’re sure you’re going to get very little to nothing. I’m pretty far above the financial aid cutoff from what I’ve read (although idk for sure since I never filled anything out :P).</p>

16

<p>If you do ED you should get in. RD is probably a high match.</p>

17

<p>Ok thanks! Anymore thoughts? Is it easy to transfer into the business school after freshman year? Or get a double business/science major?</p>

18

<p>stewta4, transferring is super easy. I know someone who transferred from ArtSci to Engineering the summer before freshman year then back to ArtSci 2nd semester. I think all you have to do is get a paper signed essentially.</p>

19

<p>So, I got my subject test results:
Biology M-790
Math Level 1-730
Since I’m sending the ACT w/ writing, I don’t think I’m required to send these at most schools, so at WUSTL, would these scores enhance my application or weaken it do you think?</p>

<p>I didn’t study at all for Math and Ik I could do better (750+) so I’m thinking of taking Math Level 1 and Level 2 (for the first time) in the fall. Would WUSTL care that I retook a subject test?</p>

20

<p>Don’t take math level 1 again. You should take level 2 and don’t submit your score unless you get over a 750. A math level 1 score of 730 is not all that good. Lots of students at Wash U got an 800 on level 2.</p>