Chances: Villanova, UW, PSU, + Some Top Tiers

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Hi all! I’d like to say thanks in advance for taking the time to look at my app.

I am from WA state and will be a senior this year.

GPA (Unweighted): 4.0
Class Rigor: 13 AP’s, Calc 3, 5/6 Honors
SAT: 1470 (Math: 740 – R&W: 730) // No subject tests but will retake the SAT this fall
Demographic: White male, middle/upper class military family
Class Info: Class Size: ~500 // Class Rank: 1

AP Scores: Gov: 3 / Lit: 3 / APES: 4 / Bio: 4 / World: 4 / US Hist: 4 / Calc BC: 4 / Lang: 4 / Comp Sci A: 5 / Stats: 5 / Calc AB: 5 + Physics C and Psych this year

EC’s: 4 year varsity swimmer (3 years state / team captain senior year), 2 year team manager for girls hs team, 2 years as a unified partner for local special Olympics swim team, 6 years on a year round club swim team, 8 years of piano (5 years going to state adjudicator), will be founder of schools poetry club, NHS senior year.

Schools I’ll be applying to (In order of preference): Villanova (Business School), UPenn (Busniess), Penn St (Schreyer’s Honor College), UW (Direct to College bio engineering), UChicago, Stanford, WSU ---- I’ll most likely be going ED for Villanova

Extra Info: Have attended 6 schools throughout K-12 (2 HS), lived in 4 different areas because of military // My siblings were triplets, one died while the other two were left with permanent brain injuries. We lived in and out of hospitals for about 5 years. // My dad was deployed for about 6 years total from when I was born until I was 12. // Dad graduated from Penn St.

I’m honestly extremely worried that my EC’s / honors don’t stack up compared to other applicants. I don’t know how much colleges will take into account my personal life when looking at the EC’s/honors. Any input on how my app looks, where I could improve, or how you feel my chances will be at the listed schools would be greatly appreciated. If I didn’t explain a bullet enough or there’s something I miss, please let me know and I’ll try to respond ASAP.

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  • Villanova ED business is a match. Better than 60% odds I'd say thanks to the ED boost. Des the NPC indicate it'll be affordable?
  • For Schreyer, rigor, essays, and recommendations matter a lot. Remember professors read your essays and basically ask themselves 'do I want this kid in my seminar next year?' Apply now and you should hear back quickly for general Admissions (it's a safety for you) but you'll have to wait till February for Schreyer decision. One caveat: can your family pay? (Don't expect financial aid).
  • you already know your other schools are "reach for everyone".
  • UW: great profile and you're instate. It's a good match.
  • WSU, WWU would be safeties. You might want to apply to UOregon (honors) or, across the border, to UBC Sauder or Simon Fraser.
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Curious why Bio Engineering for UW and Business for the others. I agree with @MYOS1634 that you stand a chance at ED Villanova. I believe their ED acceptance rate last year was 28%. Many schools fill close to 50% of their class via ED. So go for it and be sure you can articulate why it’s your first chance. You should get into PSU and WU. Question is whether both are affordable. Have that conversation now with your parents. It sounds like you’ve got a unique story/background. Make sure it comes out in your essays. You’ve most likely developed a lot of positive character traits as a result of having to deal with frequent moves (I went to 3 high schools in 3 states & know it can be tough) and the heartbreaking situation with your triplet siblings.

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@MYOS1634 Thanks for the advice and the other recommendations, I’ll definitely look into them.

@4Gulls Thanks for the response. Bio Engineering and business have been my two biggest interests throughout my high school career. I’d be happy to major in either of the two, but I would prefer to attend Villanova over UW. Nova is, from what I’ve seen, an amazing business school while UW has fantastic engineering programs compared to their business. Their differences in how good each program influenced which of the two majors I’d pick at the college.