Hey! I’m a junior/rising senior debating over the list of colleges I should be aiming for this fall during app season. I’m not quite sure where I stand, so please let me know and chance my stats 
Where are your stats? I’m new to this
Bueller? Bueller?
ACT Score: 35 composite
SAT IIs: Biology (750), Math II (750) (://)
Unweighted GPA: 3.8… (my incredibly low GPA is really whats making me nervous for apps haha)
Weighted: 5.33, Top 1%, Rank 4 out of 617
Classes: By senior year’s end, I will have taken a total of 16 AP classes. However, some of my AP scores were 3s from sophomore year…://
State: NC
Asian, Female
Major Achievements:
-NASA DIVER national finalist (I’m not sure if this is very meaningful)
-State JSHS semi-finalist
-Conrad Innovation Challenge International Semi-finalist
-AFAF Romantic Era 1st place winner; won 2 other international piano competitions and many local
-Worked with Museum of Natural Science staff to co-develop and lead Teen Science Journal Program, and wrote and published an article in their annual magazine, Naturalist.
Extracurriculars:
-Leadership: President of Biology Club (organized school’s USABO and conducted labs), President of NC branch of Instruments for Change (a national organization), and Regional director of Student Environmental Education Coalition ( a non-profit that organizes free environmental summer camps at colleges)
- Other: Envirothon Team member (5th in state 2016; 7th in state 2017); Future Chemists Association chemistry tutor @school; NHS and Key Club; School Orchestra for 3 yrs and State Honors Orchestra placer; MYCO UNC Professional Chamber Group pianist.
- Last summer, I served as a consular for KidzNotes, a summer camp program that teaches underprivileged students classical music. I also interned at UPenn's Bi Lab of Developmental Biology, where I conducted research.
-This summer, I will be teaching and creating lesson plans for Red Apple Learning School, where I will teach classical music, Algebra I, and ESL. I will also return to UPenn’s Bi Lab for more research and interning. The professor and leader of the lab is planning to write my supplemental recommendation.
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My dream school is really UPenn, but John Hopkins and Duke are close seconds. I’m also considering applying to Georgetown, UC Berkeley, and Swarthmore. But with my weak GPA, do you think I will have the chances to make it in such competitive admissions? Should I try Penn ED, or will my GPA turn down that option.
@aileewoud:
What is your unweighted GPA? Test scores? EC’s? HS course rigor?
List of colleges you are interested in applying?
Home State?
Budget? $$$/year?
Hey! I’m sorry, I’m new and I was just posting all my stats. I forgot to include my home state: NC native
@Gumbymom Hey! I’m sorry, I’m new and I was just posting all my stats. I forgot to include my home state: NC native
FYI: Unless your parents are wiling to pay $60K/year for you to attend UC Berkeley, you might want to cross if off your list. Out of state students get little to no financial aid at the California UC’s but you do like a well qualified applicant if you can handle the price tag.
You need to put as much effort or more into match schools and safety schools, as you do on reach schools.
Also, you should run the NPC on schools that you are seriously interested in, and have a serious chat with your parents regarding what you can afford.
@DadTwoGirls
My parents are willing to pay up to 70K per year, as long as the school is in the top 10. I do agree that I should have added in my match/safety, and since I’m new, I’ll just add them here: UNC-CH, NCSU, University of Washington.
Don’t worry about your UW GPA because your weighted GPA makes up for it. You’re rank 4 out of 617. You’re really good for your school and that’s what admissions officers see. You have a lot of AP classes and your scores are really good! Overall, you have a really strong application. However, it’s important to remember that most of the other applicants to these top schools also have really strong applications. You will definitely get into a top school but it might not be the top school you want most. If you’re 100% sure you want to go to Penn and your family can afford it, apply ED, it will help you a lot. Penn’s ED rate is 22%. You should apply to Georgetown, UC Berkley, and Swarthmore as well, (they’re all amazing schools) but make sure you have a few more target/safety schools. You may be a strong applicant but these schools are reaches for anyone. Good luck
You have a wonderful chance!
@justdreaming thanks so much I tried to edit my post and add in my safety schools, but for some reason it won’t let me…
I kinda made this post to decide where my chances were best for ED, so I get where you’re coming from.
Safety/Match: UNC -Chapel Hill, NC State, University of Washington. Maybe…Emory?
It is more the class rank rather than the wGPA that makes up the “low” uwGPA. If you are the top 4 out of 617, it just show how tough your school is. Together with ACT 35, your academic stat is fine for any school. Do add some match schools and at least one safety though.
@billcsho thanks so much for the honest reply
Those are all good options. Don’t know much about NC State but Emory, UW and UNC are all really great schools. (I’m applying to UW and Emory too). Have you considered Rice, U Chicago or Pitt?
@justdreaming I think UChicago is pretty reach for me lol, and I haven’t really considered Pitt or Rice yet. I think Emory is more on the reach? side for me too. Good luck w UW!!!