Chances for Admission (and then some)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Connecticut
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<p>Heya, I'm a junior in a relatively high-ranking high private school in NYC. I'm asian/male, if that'll help with the admission chances calculation. Normally I'd be pretty confident, but I'm hearing that UConn is getting harder, and I just want to make sure from people who really know. I plan to be going after something nature-oriented, like environmental science or agriculture and enviro-resources.</p>

<p>GPA: Around a 3.7, but on my school's scale. I don't know what scale others schools/colleges may use. Here, a 93+ is a 4.0. On the 100-point scale, my unweighted average is a 92.7.</p>

<p>SATs: Well... I haven't taken them yet, actually. On the PSATs, I got a 2010, with 620 math, 670 reading, and 720 writing. I hear that the SATs are harder than PSATs, so let's say I get a 50 point decrease in everything, just as a conservative estimate.</p>

<p>Course Load: All the AP and honors classes I can take. :p Currently I've got 3 APs. I got 1 AP in sophomore year, and next year I plan on taking 4.</p>

<p>ECs: Here's one of the iffy parts. I don't have any leadership positions, but I've been in 3 clubs/organizations for 3 years, which are cartoon+illustration, asian american, and medical science. I also have my own garden right in my bedroom, if that counts as extra-curricular... And last summer I went to a summer program at Stanford for 3 weeks.</p>

<p>On somewhat of a sidenote, I'm getting really conflicting reports of UConn. Many people I ask in person say it's a bad school and that I should apply to something more Ivy-Leaguish. Websites, primarily informational/college-oriented, say that UConn is one of the best. What are the possible drawbacks of UConn, aside from the...relatively large student body? I chose UConn because I'm one of those drifting, fickle guys who doesn't really know what he's going to do for college. The huge list of majors attracted me, but again, I'm leaning to the environmental-related sciences. I saw somewhere that "wildlife management" was a possible course to take, but it wasn't listed as a major. How do I get to something like that? </p>

<p>Thanks a LOT for having the patience to read this, and thanks even more for answering.</p>

2

<p>Uconn is a really good school, my best friend goes there he had a 4.0 in high school and got 1200 on the SATs and took a lot of APs, he had no problem getting in so you should definently be in, all the extra-circular stuff will help. He loves it there and has convinced me to go too, i got in for this fall. But from what he tells me, he has become quite the partier there, a lot of students party everynight of the week just like him. Youll def. get in no problem.</p>

3

<p>What do they think about SATIIs? I know they're not required, but I think that all SATII scores get sent to all colleges. If I do average on them, like just say 600, what would UConn think of that? Would they not care about SATIIs at all, or believe that it's a bad mark?</p>

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<p>I dont think they will consider the SAT II scores because they dont require them. But scores in the 600s definitely wont hurt you at all. You are definitely going to get in.</p>

5

<p>Booyah! Thanks a bunch. :D</p>

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<p>Oh waaait. I have another question. Are there any places to get a job at UConn and actually get paid? (as opposed to working for tuition). My family is relatively "poor" and while its true that working for tuition and getting money from my mother would be the same thing as working for myself and having my mother pay for tuition, she doesn't quite acknowledge the logic in that. I don't think there's going to be any pocket money sent from home, so it'd be nice if I could find some other way to get some.</p>

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<p>If you are able to bring up your sat score up to the 700's in each section, then you may qulaify for their schols. Their full tuition schol. would leave you with only 8000 to pay. You may also look at some outside schols. Uconn has okay fin. aid. However their offer for me was better than any private school offer. Uconn has a work-study program, and they have a job website. Try this: <a href="http://www.studentjobs.uconn.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentjobs.uconn.edu/&lt;/a>
You can also contact under grad. office. Try fastweb.com for scholarships also. You have a great shot at uconn. I had the same stats as you. On cc especially there is a negative connotation to attending state univs. State univs. are large, and they offer little prestige in the work place. By this I mean, people wont gasp when they look at your diploma. You have to convince them by your record. However there are more opps. at ivy league schools. For examp. with the small student body, you get great access to research. It is much easier to work with a proff. than at uconn. Also realize there better internship opps. available at top univ. This is so since many of the top colleges recruit at these places. The small class size, and the great opps. are some the major draws for many people. For uconn, you have to go apply for these opps. Also the profs at the top univ are top notch. However you will be taught the same material. However the hons. college erases all these diff. You are in an intimate environment, and professors seek you out for research and internships. Also you are forced to think of the material. Then the only diff. is the prestige factor. For the hons. program, remember to write good essays. However the admiss. is solely based on stat. I recommend bringing up the sats up a bit. Good luck, and you can always transfer into the program. :):)</p>

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<p>Honors is a joke, im sorry. Almost everyone in it is cocky, and has nothing to back it up. Almost all of them that I know ended up having lower grades in the same class as I was in. No matter what program you are in at UCONN you have great research opps. Just ask a prof and odds are they will let you work with them. These are all very good professors who are highly regarded in their fields, so its just like ivy.
Also coming out of UCONN with a degree doesn't mean companies look down on you, they used to be not anymore. They know it is getting harder to get in, and that the level of education is great.
As far as having honors on your diploma, once again that makes very little to no differences, grades do, honors doesn't.
Its also a crock that honors has smaller class sizes, most classes outside of intro classes are small, for everyone no matter honors or not. The professors are also the same, and teach the class the same way.</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
State univs. are large, and they offer little prestige in the work place. By this I mean, people wont gasp when they look at your diploma. You have to convince them by your record.

[/quote]

I never said the companies looked down on you, it is just that it is harder to find the prestigous companies knocking on your door. Universities like Yale are self-selective, and thus higher ranked companies go recruit there. It just will be harder for you, but you can still convince them with your record. Are not the honors courses harder than the reg. ones?</p>

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<p>I also thought the program gave you more research opps. I did not want to seem condescending, and I am sorry if I came across as arrogant. I am not in favor of large, impersonal lectures. I would rather be involved in more intimate,engaging lectures. If this is one of the small diff. the honors program affords, I am still for it. THe honors degree will mean more for medical school, than it will for an employer.</p>

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<p>Honors kids are in normal large lecture courses for the core subjects of Biology, Orgo, and Chemistry. Thats the way it is, for these class you are in there with over 150 people honors program or no. They may say it gives you more research opportunities, but everyone has those same opps whether or they are in honors. </p>

<p>Once again I will say, honors classes are no smaller and more engaging then normal classes. As a matter of fact in my engineering class the honors kids where within our class, did the same work, but their only difference was they had to write an essay about an emerging field in engineering. The rest of the class had the opp to do that for extra credit. For other classes once they are more advanced UCONN avgs around 15-30 people per class, doesnt matter if you are honors or not. In these classes you obviously can interact with the professor, and you don't have to be in the honors class.
The honors program will mean very little for med school unless you have the same grades as someone else fromm UCONN applying to the same school. Even then the interview will still matter more. If you were 100% identical right down to interview, then it MIGHT help.</p>

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<p>I am beginning to see that the only difference is large dorms and a different residence hall.</p>

13

<p>well, i basically accepted to uconn because i got into the honors program and it seemed like a great oppurtunity; this is the first i've heard to the contrary, i'd be bummed if it were true</p>

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<p>Trust me its worth is for the better housing. Just don't go around campus bragging about being in the honors program and trying to act like you are better than everyone else for this. Normal students have a ball laughing at those type of people. You will probably have little things better here and there, and you will have a better time meeting people since you are all in the same dorm. Don't be bummed, UCONN is great.</p>

15

<p>bigndude, how often do you have to have lectures? What's the difference be/ lectures and classes? What do you learn in lectures? And do you need to pay attention to the lectures (like will you get tests on the material in there, etc...)?</p>

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<p>Lectures are what "classes" are called and it depends on the class ("subject"). Chem meets twice a week for most sections for lecture, once a week for dicussion, and once a week for lab. Other classes meet different amounts of time for lecture, like math is usually three lectures per week. You don't have to go to most lectures if you don't want to since almost no one takes attendance. This isn't high school, they don't care if you are there. If you aren't you don't learn the material and don't pass simple as that. Lectures are when you learn everything for that subject pretty much. Whether or not you need to pay attention is debatable, in some classes yes in others no. In some classes you can get away with just doing the homework and learning the mater that way. In other classes you actually have to pay attention in order to do well.</p>

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<p>Are lectures impersonal? Will it be harder to learn a science if you're in a big lecture hall?</p>

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<p>Yes lectures are impersonal but everyone has to take them. Thats why in bio and chem you have lab/discussion where it is more personal. You don't learn per say in the lecture hall. The kind of go over info, show some stuff. You do most "learning" by yourself on your own time by doing homework.</p>

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<p>Thanks. (10 char)</p>

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<p>bigndude, I just took a bunch of AP courses and I think I might be able to place out of Biology and Calculus. Is it worthwhile to do so? (I think I have a very solid grasp on the material)
-The only thing is that my current major is in biological sciences and I don't know if they want me to skip out of intro to bio or calculus</p>