Chances for In-State Son

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
1

<p>OK, I've refrained from doing this so far, but what the heck, here goes:</p>

<p>Chances for DS (in-state)?</p>

<p>*** Home-schooled; we live in very small town in rural NC, just north of Winston-Salem
*** National Merit Semifinalist (score: 224)
*** SAT I: 2100 (1390 CR & M)
*** SAT IIs: Math II - 790; Physics - 700; Latin - 800
*** Rigorous classical curriculum, including Latin, Greek, Calculus, Physics, college-level History; tons of primary sources (e.g., Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid)
*** Strong essays, esp. longer one
*** KILLER teacher recommendation from Expository Writing teacher at local CC
*** BUT...and here's the huge fly in the ointment: relatively few ECs. Just Life Teen (youth group), two Life Teen conferences in Atlanta, hiking, playing keyboard, composing music on keyboard, occasionally helping me deliver Meals on Wheels. Home-schoolers have fewer EC opportunities than public / private schoolers do...but, even given this, DS does not have many. No super-impressive leadership stuff, no "service hours" racked up in the hundreds, etc. Frankly, he didn't have time!</p>

<p>Hope the relative lack of ECs won't hurt him. We are hoping for merit aid, not just admission, because without merit aid, we just can't afford it, even with in-state tuition. (Other UNC-system schools have already admitted him; several publics and privates have already offered merit aid. We are tempted to sell him to the highest bidder. :))</p>

2

<p>I think he is a shoo-in for admission. My instate son had very similar stats and was admitted last year. He was also admitted into the honors program and offered the Carolina Scholars Scholarship which is the largest one a student can receive after being invited to Scholarship Day. My son did, however, have more ECs: marching band for four years, martial arts for years, leadership in several school organizations and some long-term community service. I have no idea what the tipping point was for him. He attended a large public school that sent 35 kids to UNC last year. Only he and two other boys were offered honors and scholarships. They were also the three kids with the highest SATs. The other two were URMs. (Son is not.) Merit aid is really a crap shoot at a selective school. Hope this helps.</p>

3

<p>Thanks!!! And congrats to your DS. Yes, the EC thing is a tad worrisome. And you are right about that crap shoot, LOL.</p>

4

<p>Oops, National Merit score was 223, not 224. I accidentally gilded the lily by one point…didn’t do it on purpose, honest!!</p>