I know I have posted a few other little components to this, but I just wanted to ask one final time before I start submitting. Can I get some feedback on whether or not this is a good list (not in terms of whether or not I like it, but if it is a good mix of reach, target, and safety schools). I’ve done research on all of these schools, so I know I like all of them. And cost won’t be a factor as I have talked about it with my parents. I will provide all of my stats and almost everything you’ll need to know:
Notre Dame
UVA (out of state)
UMichigan (out of state)
Northeastern
URichmond
Pepperdine
UMiami
Ohio State (out of state)
Baylor
Texas A&M (out of state)
TCU
University of Dayton
James Madison (out of state)
Application Components:
White, male, from Connecticut, income in the top 1% in the nation (so no need-based aid)
GPA: 4.07 weighted (no unweighted GPA calculated), no rank, but I’m fairly confident I am in the top 10%
SAT: 1310 → I did significantly worse than I wanted to. I was only going to submit it to Texas A&M and under on my list (maybe Baylor)
Extracurriculars:
Track & Field Captain
Manager of the Cross Country team
Head Commissioner of our high school rec basketball league (organize everything for the league)
Student Body co-secretary
Lead mentor in a mentoring group that has won national awards
Big part of our school’s theater production
Voices (a select a cappella group that is one of the best in our state)
Lead Peer Minister (teach multiple religion classes, lead retreats, etc)
Altar Server (been one since 2nd grade)
Awards:
AP Scholar
National Honor Society
Spanish Honors Society
Student Athlete Award (one of only 10 kids in my grade)
Student Excellence Award (school award; I was one of the recipients every year of high school)
Letters of Recommendations:
I waived my rights, but I would assume they are pretty good. Especially my counselor recommendation. That one is going to be amazing.
Essays:
I would say my general common app essay is very good (I had it reviewed by some people who review college essays. I think my supplemental essays are pretty good, but it’s hard to tell.
I can’t think of anything else to include, but let me know if I left anything out. Also, I am applying to every one of them EA (except A&M because they don’t have EA).
So I guess my final question is, is this a good list in terms of difficulty to get into? Are there some reaches, targets, and safeties? Is it a good list in general for an applicant like me?
Also, my SAT is better for some and worse for others in terms of kids who get into these schools from my school. But for GPA, my GPA is higher than the average applicant who gets in from my school besides Notre Dame and UVA (it is about the same as UMichigan). Every other school my GPA is higher than the average person who gets in from my school.
Most likely yes, but not “guaranteed” safety. I think you have a nice list and good chances at most of those schools with the exception of UVA which is VERY difficult out of state.
@eb23282 I agree. I’m certainly not expecting to get into UVA, Notre Dame, or UMichigan, but I love everything about these schools and I might as well have them as my huge reaches. I know that those schools are not guaranteed safeties, but even my SAT (my worst part of my application imo), is at their 75th percentiles. And even the texas schools could almost be considered safeties (with the exception of Baylor). All of these are EA, so if for some reason I were to be rejected from all of them, I will apply to my state school RD, but I really do not want to do that as I VERY much want to leave my state for college. But if it comes to it, I will.
@momofsenior1 our school doesn’t calculate UW GPA, and it is no where included on my transcript or anywhere. But I calculated it myself and it is about a 3.72. Also their acceptance rates are both above 70%
You may have a chance of getting accepted; but as an OOS student with your stats, I would be VERY hesitant to consider Texas A&M a “safety”. Even for an in-state student who is outside of the top 10% and who has a SAT score of 1310, A&M is not a “safety”.
@ncelotto …I do not want to lead you astray because I just do not know what “test optional” admission stats are going to look like this year, especially for an OOS student. There is a lot of A&M chatter on College Confidential. I would suggest going to the “Texas A&M Class of 2025” forum and getting advice there, specifically.
I hope you get in and decide to go! A&M is a great school and a good value. It has a very strong and loyal alumni base. A degree from there will serve you well.