I’m from Pennsylvania and am applying to these five schools this summer. I’ve posted before about UF but have recently seen they are brutal on OOS applicants and now I’m nervous. I’m planning on majoring in bio or animal science.
Gpa: 102%, not sure about UF GPA. Take all honors/AP and have never averaged less than a 96% in a class. I have taken the highest level of every course offered in my school. Unweighted GPA is 4.0, around a 98%.
SAT: 700R, 720W, 660M, 2080
Rank: 1/236
AP exams: 5 on bio and APUSH
Senior year classes: AP chem, macro, gov, lit and comp, calc, accel physics (no AP offered), Spanish 5
ECs:
FBLA national qualifier and leader of community service project
Mock Trial president, county champ and regional semifinalist
Science Olympiad state medalist
Varsity tennis
Indoor soccer
Student council, mini thon committee chair
Academic challenge
Junior achievement (elementary mentoring)
NHS
Band: 1st chair oboe in wind ensemble, 1st alto sax in marching band
Math tutor
Awards:
Science, English, math, history, foreign language dept. Award (highest achievement for one student in each subject)
Probable recognition for high achievement on PSAT according to guidance department.
Thank you so much for your input.
I think you have a good shot to get into UF with these stats. Probably a 50/50 chance. UNC is a long shot… Maybe a 10-15% chance. UMD seems like a match, although I’m not as knowledgeable on it as the first two. I have very little knowledge of Nova, so I’ll stay away from that one completely.
@tigerrocks13 thanks for your input, I’m not very interested in UNC but I was curious regardless. How would you recommend upping my chances at Florida, if I only have a 50/50 shot? I’m in the 75th percentile of applicants based on stats and I feel I’ve done a decent job distinguishing myself with extracurriculars. I’m very interested in attending UF, which is why I ask.
Input from other posters about all schools listed would be great.
If you look at every applicant on CC that gets a match to schools like UF and UNC, there’s a common trait. Most of their EC’s point to one passion or interest. This could be computer science, politics, music, etc. Yes, your stats are near the 75th percentile for UF, but OOS applicants have to distinguish themselves with their EC’s. I know this surprises you, but your EC’s are kind of a melting pot. No true passion distinguishes itself. Hope I could be of help.
@tigerrocks13 my school doesn’t offer very many science extracurriculars past science Olympiad so I’m unable to be completely science driven. So Florida won’t like my ECs regardless of the fact I’ve achieved at national/state level in almost all of them? My interests are varied and I’ve worked hard to make sure I accelerate in everything I participate in. Was it wasted effort?
You have a good chance at Clemson , would qualify for good merit and would probably be eligible for honors
It’s not wasted effort. I’m not saying the EC’s are bad… but they are a bit too scattered. You aren’t limited to just school EC’s. If your interest is science, send articles in to a science magazine in hopes of getting published, work at a lab doing research, etc. There are many areas outside of school that you can do EC’s in.
Your chances are fairly good at UF, don’t worry about the OOS stuff, it doesn’t play as big a role in admissions as you would think.
Based on 2014 data…
For Florida Residents
Applicantions: 21,298
Acceptances: 10.369
Acceptances rate: 48.7%
For OOS students:
Applicantions: 5,486
Acceptances: 2,332
Acceptances rate: 42.5%
It’s hard to tell about your EC’s, as you need to flesh them out in your app. Like tigerrocks13 said, UF would rather see a lot of passion in a few ECs, than being in 12 clubs, and spending very little time in each…If your EC’s show this passion (for example, you’ve been in Band for 3 or 4 years and not 1), you’re going to do great.
It’s a bit easier to be accepted to UF if you apply for Summer B, but only do that if it’s what you want to do. Otherwise apply to Fall, as normal.
Good Luck!
http://admissions.ufl.edu/flipbooks/2014_Admissions_Report/#?page=8
@Gator88NE with the exception of FBLA, which I joined this year to gain business experience in hopes of a business minor, and student council, my extracurriculars are all 3 or 4 years of experience. In FBLA, I was a state and national qualifier (about 5% of the 200,000 worldwide FBLA members qualify), a state and regional medalist in science olympiad, and a county champion and regional semifinalist for mock trial (in addition to being senior president). Although I am involved in a lot, I don’t join clubs to add it to a resume. I have worked extremely hard to gain awards and distinguish myself in everything I do. Is that what UF is looking for, or am I confused? Thanks again for the advice!
@Gator88NE would you recommend, based on my stats, I apply for summer B? Or are my stats good enough for fall?
I think your stats are good enough for the Fall, and your EC’s look fine. UF holistic admissions can seem a bit random at times, but you should be fine.
If you can (and I know it’s something of a trip), go and do a tour of UF. UF does consider “interest”, and if you are considering pay OOS tuition rates for UF, you really should visit Gainesville and see the campus in person.
You may also qualify for the honor’s program, which also have regularly schedule tours/info sessions.
Good Luck!
@Gator88NE I actually did tour the campus over spring break! I fell in love with it. I’m in the process of contacting the bio department head as well to ask questions about the program. I qualify for honors, but obviously that depends on my application.
Again, it’s not that your EC’s were a “waste” or “not good.” Attempting to work hard for awards in your EC’s are a good thing. I’m not downplaying your EC’s… they’re good. All that we’re saying is that your EC’s don’t unite towards a common passion. You only have one science EC, one business EC, one music EC, etc. To have “great EC’s” they must come together towards a common passion.
We could argue for days over what is "great EC’s vs “good EC’s”, but with the op being in the top 25% for GPA/Test scores, “good EC’s” should be fine. We’re talking about UF, not Yale. 
At this point the OP should be more concerned with the application essay…it matters at UF…start working on it!
It is not that hard getting into UF, I know a lot of people with a MUCH less impressive application that got in. You will definitely get in with those scores, no doubt.
Can I get input on University of Maryland? Thanks.