Chances for Finalized List of Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Northwestern, UMichigan, Tulane, UMaryland, Wake Forest, Boston College, UPenn (Huntsman/Wharton), USC (SoCal), Temple, UMiami, UVa, Rutgers. Chances for these schools would be appreciated + if merit scholarships likely. Please reply if you can give some type of input, anything is welcome. Thanks in advance for responses. I’ve posted frequently in here but this is the last one I promise.

White male
Come from a very prestigious public school in New Jersey, approximately 80 in the nation according to Newsweek
I transferred to the school my freshman year as a tuition student, so I was completely new to the area and my classes I had taken in middle school were far less advanced than the courses the typical student was taking at my age, so I needed to do a lot of catching up. (Which is why my course load my freshman year is completely different than that of my Junior year)
Intended Major: Double Major of Finance and Spanish (might go for Pre-Law as well).

GPA: 98.89 – weighted, translates to roughly a 4.4 on 5.0 scale
SAT: 2090 (CR: 720 W: 690 M: 680) – not sending
ACT: 33 (single sitting, 32 E, 32 M, 33 S, 33 W) – this was the second time, my first time I received a 32 but with 34s in E and W
SATII: US - 720, Chem - 670, Lit - 690
AP Test Scores:
AP US History - 5
AP Chemistry - 3
(senior year APs obviously not included)

Classes:
*Freshman - Advanced Alg 2 (A), CP Global Issues (A), Spanish I (A+), Honors English 9 (B+), CP Biology (A)
Sophomore - Honors English 10 (A+), Honors Chemistry (A-), Spanish II (A+), CP U.S. History I (A+), Advanced Probability, Statistics, and Trigonometry (A+), Advanced Geometry (A)
Junior - Honors Precalculus (B), Honors English 11 (A), AP Chemistry (B), AP U.S. History (B), Honors Spanish 4 (A)
Senior (Intended) - Honors Physics, AP Literature and Composition, AP Gov, AP Calc AB, AP Spanish

**My previous school didn’t offer a Spanish program or a higher math program, so I needed to take basic level Spanish and Math that year. Also, I was told that it wasn’t a good idea to take too many honors classes in this school upon arrival, so I took classes that were too easy. Note the gradual moving up in each class
*Took Spanish III over the summer

Extracurriculars:
National Honor Society
Spanish Honor Society
Varsity Soccer - 10,11,12
Freshman Soccer - 9
JV Winter + Spring Track/Field, 9
Stand with Camden (volunteer service club centered around paying the tuition of a particular student in a charter school, and also is involved with other service opportunities in the city of Camden) - 9,10,11,12 — LEADER 12
Leo Club (also volunteer service but centered around the immediate community around the school) - 9,10,11,12
Interact Club - 9,10,11,12
Lifeguarding at a local Swim Club – 10,11,12
Junior Urban Medical Program (JUMP) @ local medical university – 10
Club Soccer - 9,10,11,12 (Captain 10,11)
etc.

Community Service:
Peer Tutoring in Spanish and History - 11; not sure how many hours
Volunteer @ Hospital of University of Pennsylvania - 9,10 (Team leader - 10); 96 hours total
Miscellaneous service activities in the community; approx. 150 hours so far (won’t get into details but many of these are through involvement in the service clubs previously listed.

2

I will also take the Math II subject test this year after preparation and send that instead of Chemistry.

3

I would guess you will be accepted at 4-5 of those schools so you will have excellent choices.

4

@ClarinetDad16 Could you please elaborate? I honestly thought I would have had a pretty solid chance at every one except for Northwestern and UPenn.

5

Aren’t 4-5 choices enough? You are applying to schools who reject many more than they accept.

If you get in at Rutgers, Temple and two or three more, assuming those are all schools that interest you, then you are in a great position.

6

You should get into Rutgers and Temple, and probably Maryland, Miami. I think you have a shot at Tulane if you show interest. The remaining schools are reaches for you.

@ClarinetDad16 is right. If you are happy with these schools then you are in a great position. I do not usually respond to these posts, but sometimes I feel the need to.

7

@twogirls Did you neglect to look at my 33 ACT? Why is it that I am above average in terms of scores and GPA for Tulane, Wake Forest, BC, and UVa and they are still reaches? I only ask because these are my top schools and I have been told by academic counselors, teachers, and other CC posters that I’m right on par with their standards. Sorry if that came out rude I just want clarification.

8

@twogirls I really only put Rutgers and Temple on there because I’m applying to them. I don’t intend to go to either; they are just safeties.

9

I think you will also get into Maryland and Miami, as well as Tulane if you show interest. Your 33 ACT, although very good, will not stand out many of the schools on your list, and some are reaches just because you are OOS ( UVA, Michigan). I think you have a good shot at WF however it is not a safety.

@ClarinetDad16 is right. If you are happy with 4-5 of your choices then you are fine.

10

@twogirls Yeah, I definitely understand that for UVa. Thanks for the clarification.

11

Good luck! If you are not happy with the schools that you will likely get into, you may want to add 1-2 others. Many students in your geographic area who are at the top of their class get rejected or wait listed to several of the schools on your list. That is what prompted me to respond.

12

How much merit money are you looking for? What will/can your parents spend?

13

as others have said i think you stand a good chance at many of your choices.

14

Merit aid would only be likely at Rutgers, Temple and Miami.

15

I don’t think you should have safeties on your list that you wouldn’t actually attend, because there is a chance you will have to go there. Safeties are not schools that you hate- they’re schools you would go to who are less selective. Trust me, don’t be the kid who has nowhere that they want to go in the fall.

16

I agree with @TomSrOfBoston. I see three schools on your list that will accept you with some merit. You already stated that you have no intention of attending Rutgers or Temple. If I were you I would find a few more schools that you like, will get into, and can afford. You have too many reaches, both academic and possibly financial.

17

Penn gives no merit aid and BC only gives 15 full tuition merit awards, everything else is need based aid.
Consider Boston University and Northeastern.

18

You might get into a school on your list you thought was unlikely and not get in somewhere you thought was a given.

Remember you can only attend one school. So if you have three acceptances or seven, you still can only pick one.

I know NMF finalists with significant academic performance and standardized test scores that were rejected at schools on your list beyond Penn and
Northwestern. And remember if you are counting on merit to make it work now you need to add more schools with a higher probability you are awarded merit aid.

19

@yonceonhismouth Rutgers is my in-state safety. I liked Temple. It’s just at the bottom of my list.

20

@TomSrOfBoston Are you familiar with Tulane? They are very generous in merit aid and I have displayed interest.