This was posted on the “Chance Me” forum but didn’t get much feedback. After getting a bit in the mail from WUSTL, I would like to look at my chances to get into WUSTL;
Rank: 19/475 (Top 4%)
GPA: 3.6025 (Taken almost every AP/Honors classes available at my school)
ACT: 32 (Without a lot of studying, willing to take again)
EC’s: Band/Drumline for 3 years (numerous awards at the district level, 2x Area Qualifier and 2x All-State Alternate for Percussion. Drumline was best in the state for those 3 years and won almost every competition, 26/28 or around that amount), Business Professionals of America for 2 years (2x Regional Qualifier/Winner, 2x State Qualifier/Finalist and 1x National Finalist and President of the school chapter), Opinion Editor for school newspaper, Staff Member for school yearbook, NHS, Peer Tutor (3 months and continuing until the end of the school year), Peer Mentor (2 months and continuing until the end of the school year), Full Orchestra Member (This was for Percussion so I am not sure if this one really counts)
Employment: Cashier for 9 months (October 2014-July 2015. Quit to spend time with my grandma from India), Planning to work in the Bakery at my local grocery store starting this weekend and until the end of the school year, I am a Content Writer for an eSports (electronic sports blog, eSports.GO, 2 months now) site and currently in the running to move to the biggest eSports media outlet (eSportsNation), which will be decided this weekend.
Others: I am half African-American and Indian. I am also a first-generation college student and my parents make between 95-105k annually but my dad has back degeneration, which can limit expenditures.
Essays/Rec Letters: Good to strong essays and strong rec letters from teachers I have had for multiple years.
I apologize for the long post and I want to thank you again for reading and (hopefully) chancing me!
What kind of mail is it? A kiddo we know got sent some mail, then a questionnaire and the next thing WUSTL sent them was an invite to their Discovery open house- a free fly in.
Did you get the invite?
I really don’t do chance threads, but I think that you should show them lots of interest. You are a demographic I think they would be interested in.
What other colleges are on your list?
Are you National Acheivement Scholar?
@goingnutsmom I got a couple magazines for their Business School (Olin?) and then a University magazine. I am not a National Achievement Scholar (I probably just missed the cutoff with a 189 PSAT, did horribly on the Writing section), but I heard that the National Achievement was being cut off and no longer a thing.
On my list so far are: Texas A&M, University of Texas at Dallas and (Super Safety) University of North Texas. I am looking at every option now because I don’t want to make the wrong college decision.
Yes, I had also heard that there would be changes to National Achievement Scholar but unsure what they had determined. Do you know the exact changes?
I wonder if they are done recruiting for the free fly in. It may not be too late to reach out to them, letting them know your interest and your stats and ask if they have a travel grant.
Go google free flyins and start applying. There are still some out there with Sept deadlines. Emory has one called CORE.
Can you take the ACT and study like h**l?
Of you got a 32 ACT without studying then do it again. Forget the SAT.
Are you AA in your demographics in your school paperwork?
You have a lot of safeties- you need more matches, reaches. It’s not often CC’ers tell kids this. Usually, we tell them they have too many reaches.
Is your GPA weighted or unweighted?
@goingnutsmom I heard that it was going to be for returning undergrads, rather than HS seniors and I believe that is true based on what I looked up. I will research the fly-ins now as well.
I can take the ACT again and study, that’s not a problem at all for me this year.
On my transcript is says, “African-American, Asian” so, yes.
That’s reassuring, what other colleges do you recommend I look into? I have looked at Niche, BigFuture and some of the like but they are far too generic and open-ended, especially for someone who doesn’t have many preferences.
Thank you for your help though, I truly appreciate it!
What’s for returning undergrads?
Oh, sorry. You are talking about National Acheivement.
You are auto admit for UT Austin.
What are your interests? Possible major?
You need to get on some colleges radar, quick.
As you complete standardized test applications and college applications it would be in your best interests to be of African American heritage vs. Indian + African American. Demographics play a pretty big role in college admissions at many private colleges. I think you’d be a borderline applicant at Wash U. they do a ton of outreach to get more students to apply. Your GPA is low regardless of whether it’s weighted or unweighted but your class rank is pretty high. Your chances would be much better with a 33 or a 34 than with a 32 ACT and you seem to think you can do better. Why wouldn’t you - it may mean thousands of dollars in merit aid and would make you a stronger applicant for a broader range of colleges. Have you considered SMU or TCU? With your family income you will qualify for significant financial aid at most well endowed private universities but out of state public schools may end up being pretty expensive.
@goingnutsmom I heard UT Austin is not good with financial aid so I never looked into it too deeply. I am looking at Environmental Studies but am open to pretty much any major except Mathematics or Physics lol. My school doesn’t necessarily put too many people anywhere. We have one or two that go to TCU/SMU, one in the past few years has gone to Stanford and her older sister to Brown. Other than a few each year to TAMU/UT, there isnt much. I will take the ACT again and aim for a higher score (with more studying). I should not indicate that I am African American and Indian, just solely African American?
That’s your call, OP about how to identify yourself. I think that the previous post was definitely indicating that you would possibly be given a bigger bump in admissions as a AA male than a mixed race male. IDK for sure. I think it may depend in the school and how they report stats.
Do your parents own a business? Only asking because this factors into financial aid sometimes.
@goingnutsmom Ahhh, makes sense. I will consider that from now on. My parents do not own a business, land or any stocks.
I think you have a better chance than the previous post. As a AA male, you offer a demographic that colleges want.
Have you considered LAC’s?
What kind of school has a 3.6 GPA with a 4% rank? Is this cumulative GPA or core GPA?
I’m not getting a clear picture of your focus. Try to get a better handle on this. Not necessarily a major, but what your serious about. It looks very non committal right now.
The sports thing looks interesting. Different.
@goingnutsmom I haven’t looked into LAC’s (I assume that means Liberal Arts Colleges). That’s my cumulative GPA, by the way. I am interested in Renewable Energy and Technology. Accounting and CompSci are two things I like as well. Writing and playing music are two hobbies I have as well as eSports.
IDK enough about Renewable Energy and Technology to make any recommendations on colleges. Would this major focus on the engineering aspects or the policy/management aspect ? I’m thinking that this major might be more possible at a research university than an LAC.
If you see OK with majoring in Environmental Science, then an LAC would be a good option. I can recommend Hendrix and Oberlin. Go look up the schools Common Data Set and see how you compare. For merit aid you want to aim in the 75th range of test scores. The CDS will also give you stats on GPA, rank, racial make up and what factors are very important to them- class rigor, interest…
I think I read that Texas Tech had a wind power renewable energy track in their engineering dept. but I see you don’t like math. Hmm…
Get the Fiske and Princeton guides.
What colleges are visiting your school?