<p>My GPA is 3.2 unweighted and 3.3 weighted. I'm a white male from Connecticut. I've taken one honors class and one AP class, and I am taking two AP classes next year. Superscored (two tests), my SAT is 1370/2030. My best SAT in one sitting was 1330/1990. My class rank is going to be somewhere from 25%-35% when I graduate. I play drums in a band that plays at places in my town (we recently played at our town's fireworks), I started the political science club at my school, and I volunteered to help coach my sister's softball team and logged 24 hours. I've played intramural basketball all three years and intramural volleyball my junior year. I've also done a few other things (playing with my band at Relay for Life, etc.). My family's estimated EFC is 37,000. Please help me out. </p>
<p>Some places I'm interested in (that I think are reaches) are University of Miami, Penn State, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, and Villanova. Do you think I have a chance at any of these? Also, do you think I would receive any scholarship money?</p>
<p>Thanks very much in advance.</p>
<p>It really looks like you are on the edge for each one. Your scores are very good (around 75%ile) but your grades are very low in relation to what’s been accepted before. Those are in the bottom 10-20%. You have a chance since none of their acceptance rates is tremendously low. Your chances of scholarship $ are also low based on your grades.</p>
<p>Did you take the hardest course load you could handle, or did you choose easier courses? If your school just doesn’t offer that many APs and you’re in all that you’re eligible for, they’ll probably be more likely to overlook your GPA.</p>
<p>First year: No AP’s were offered; but I did take an “Accelerated Class”. I took Level 1 classes (Difficult at our school goes like this AP, Honors, Accelerated, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3…Some classes only offer Levels 1, 2, and 3.)
Second Year: All level 1’s, and an honors class. No AP’s were available to me, but some honors were.
Third year: All level 1’s and AP Bio (3 on test). I could have taken AP US History and Honors Pre Calc (I’m a year ahead in math vs. the rest of the school; most people took Algebra II junior year.
Fourth Year (upcoming): All level 1’s and two AP’s. I could have taken 4 AP’s.</p>
<p>No one can ever say that anyone will be able to get into a college for sure. Some students get into colleges that they dont deserve to. So it really just depends how the admissions officer is feeling that day. </p>
<p>I am not going to say you have no shot to get into the University of Miami, but you could definitely improve your chances with just a few things. </p>
<p>a) increase your community service. Volunteering is something that can help boost an extra-curricular list that isn’t stellar. If you dont have the time to do maybe two or three days a week, try to get into something where you can volunteer numerous hours at a time (say you help out with all of the church services every Sunday or you spend your Saturday mornings at the library every week). </p>
<p>b) try to boost your SAT scores even more… there are books, courses, tutors, etc. While yours definitely are probably above average, there is still room for improvement. If you can increase these, it will help with your gpa. </p>
<p>c) if possible, you might want to consider taking a SAT 2 subject test or two in something you are stronger in. If you dont do well, you can always have them withheld from the college. If you do well, it might help to make up for a lack of AP classes. </p>
<p>I doubt that you will receive merit-based scholarship here with your lack of AP classes but it is possible. And I’m really not sure if you will get any need (I didn’t even bother to apply, so not sure what the criteria are.) </p>
<p>Goodluck!</p>
<p>c)</p>