<p>I have a couple of schools that are high on my list of choices and one of them is UVM. Since their early action application is non-binding is there a reason I wouldn't want to apply early? Is there a benefit? Or a downside to applying early? </p>
<p>My stats-</p>
<p>GPA 3.51 unweighted out of 4.0, weighted 4.06
Class Rank 10 out of 180
SAT 1 2160- CR 800, Math 700, writing 660, plan on taking again to increase writing.
SAT 2 US History 760, plan to major in Poli Sci. Also plan to take SAT 2 in English Lit and Math 1 in October.
My school doesn't have many AP classes as a Junior I took AP English Lang and got a 5 and AP US History and got a 4. Sr year taking AP English Lit and AP US Gov, </p>
<p>Marching Band, Mock Trial lead attorney, Stage crew lighting director for both musical and play all 4 years, Academic Team, Science League, National Honor Society, Teen Council, TSA. </p>
<p>The benefit is mainly that with your stats you are a slam-dunk for admission (and likely some (modest) merit aid), so you will know very early in the year that you have a place to go in the fall, and can consider your other applications in that light.</p>
<p>Another benefit is that the early applicants tend to get the merit aid. My son received the presidential scholarship and is not a top student, but a solid one with 1850 SATs. His friend who had a higher GPA at his school and slightly higher SATS applied much later and did not receive merit. The earlier the better I say. My so applied first week in November.</p>
<p>With my stats above what is my shot at getting into the honors program? I am taking the SATs for a second time so hopefully I will improve. My classes were all honors or AP except for math my Jr and Sr year.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman in the Honors College. The invitation for admission to the Honors College does not come until after the regular admission notification, but you should get in without any problem. While she had both a higher GPA and her SAT scores were slightly higher than yours, I know some of her friends in the program had lower stats than yours. You should also get some merit aid, which is helpful given UVM’s above average cost for a state university.</p>
<p>The only downside of applying too early is if you are waiting on 1Q or 1st semester grades, or if you are waiting on SAT or ACT 2nd or 3rd results. I don’t know how UVM looks at GPA and weighted/unweighted. If they know your HS then they know how to look at that, your HS rank is very good.</p>
<p>Watch the deadlines and get in before them and you should have a great chance at being considered for Honors and Merit aid. (Caution … in state merit is not too impressive, so don’t get your hopes up too high.)</p>
<p>Honors is interesting at UVM … one of our local HS students who was top 10 in strong HS did not get into Honors there, so you are competitive, but I wouldn’t say you are a slam dunk, mostly because you don’t know who from your HS is applying and who the competition is. Your GPA is very good and your SAT score is great, so I would bet you have a better chance than many other students. If you are out of state or a minority (Native American, African American) then your chances increase a lot more.</p>
<p>The exception to “not too impressive” merit aid is the Vermont Merit Scholarship for in-state students who are National Merit finalists and designate UVM as their first choice school. These students are offered four years of full tuition. Students who aren’t sure of their first choice school can stay “undecided” until they make a decision.</p>