GA Resident Applying - Unsure about ED [3.79UW (please ignore typo in the post), 4.12W, 1420, 32]

Chance Me / Match Me!
, , , , , , ,
1

Demographics

  • US citizen
  • State of residency: Georgia
  • Public high school
  • Female Asian

Intended Major(s)

  • Dependent on the school because I am unsure

  • Interested in pre law but my ECs and high school coursework say otherwise

  • Main interests - Kinesiology/Sports Medicine, Speech and Hearing Sciences, Linguistics, Neuroscience, Psychology

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.97
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.12 (4.0 scale, +1 for APs/DE, no weight for honors)
  • Class Rank: 270/745
  • ACT/SAT Scores:
    SAT 1420 (750 EBRW, 670 Math)
    ACT 32 (Superscore 28 Math, 28 Science, 35 Writing, 36 English)

Coursework

  • 9th grade:
    AP Human Geography (A)
    Honors 9th Lit (A)
    Honors Geometry (B)
    Honors Biology (A)
    Spanish II (A)
    Introduction to Healthcare (A)
    Food Nutrition/Wellness (A)

  • 10th grade:
    AP Psychology (A)
    AP World History (A, 4 on exam)
    Honors 10th Lit (A)
    Honors Algebra II (A)
    Honors Chemistry (B)
    Spanish III (A)
    Essentials of Healthcare (A)

  • 11th grade:
    AP US History (B)
    AP English Lang (A, 4 on exam)
    AP Environmental Science (A, 3 on exam)
    AP European History (A 1st semester, B 2nd semester)
    Accelerated Precalculus (B)
    Sports Medicine (A)

  • 12th grade (in progress):
    AP English Lit
    AP US Gov
    AP Macroeconomics
    AP Calculus AB
    AP Statistics

  • Rigor courses by the end of senior year:
    12 APs - 3 AP exams
    7 Honors

  • Extra:
    No honors level for spanish or elective courses are offered
    Highest level of math after senior year - AP Calculus AB
    Healthcare elective pathway completed and passed end of pathway exam

Awards

  • National Honors Society, National Honors Technical Society, AP Scholar, National Beta Club
  • Overall, Title, and Judge’s Choice Awards at National and Regional Levels (Dance Competitions)

Extracurriculars

  • Elite Competitive Dance (Since 7th grade)
  • Internship at Pediatric office (PT, OT, Speech therapy)
  • HOSA member and part of Autism mentoring subcommittee
  • Sending Sunshine Chapter Leader
  • Assistant Instructor at dance studio for younger students

Cost Constraints / Budget
No specific budget, parents are willing to pay for private/out of state

Schools

  • Haven’t decided ED and will most likely take some reaches off list

  • Found it very hard to find match schools for my slightly above average stats

  • I think i have a higher chance at schools that take art portfiolios because of my dance experience (e.g. Davidson, CWRU, etc)

  • Safety:
    Auburn University (EA)
    Clemson University (EA/Honors)
    Elon University (EA)
    Georgia State University (EA/Honors)

  • Match:
    Colorado College (EA)
    Syracuse University (EA)
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (EA)
    University of Washington (RD)

  • Reach:
    Boston University (ED Option)
    Case Western Reserve University (EA)
    Davidson College (ED Option)
    Georgia Institute of Technology (EA)
    Northeastern Unvierstiy (EA)
    University of Georgia (EA)
    University of Florida (RD)
    University of Miami (EA)*
    UNC Chapel Hill (EA)*
    Wake Forest University (RD)*
    *-Not sure if going to apply because low chances
2

Forgot to mention - considering Northeastern for ED as well. But mainly leaning towards Davidson

3

Interested in pre law but my ECs and high school coursework say otherwise

I’ll comment on this first. Your ECs are fine. There is no list of ECs unique to law school applicants. Many many students have ECs that don’t necessarily align with their intended college majors/careers (which could change anyway).

You have good sure thing colleges, in my opinion.

I agree, you need to reduce your list because you want to be able to really do a good job on each college application (many will require a supplemental essay for their school).

If you want more information about speech and hearing sciences…I did an AMA on that in winter that might be helpful. I’m a speech language pathologist and would be happy to answer further questions via message.

2 Likes
4

I would not ED. The reason is - you are unsure.

For ED, you need to choose the school you absolutely love - and that you can afford.

Nothing says - I’m not sure - like having Davidson and NEU as your top two choices. Can there be any two schools more polar opposite. OK - there can - but not many :slight_smile: Plus, your rank (if true, I’d double check that), will be a turn off to many schools. It’s low - but unless your school heavily grade inflates, it can’t be that low.

Your major and ECs say nothing about pre-law. In fact, ECs don’t need to say anything about an intended major. If you major in kinesiology, great, you can go to law school. Linguistics, Neuroscience - great - law school.

I would ensure the school you apply to can cover your interests. So check the majors/curriculums - because you don’t need to decide today. Yes, tons go in undecided. At the same time, you don’t want to love something and want to try it and find out you can’t.

So why only AP exams? I’m less concerned with senior year because you’ll be admitted before then. But not sure why you wouldn’t have taken every class - because while I don’t think it matters, many come on here - panicked that it’ll look bad if they submit less than classes taken.

Auburn is no longer a safety. Let’s call it likely. They admit in the low 40%. Yes, ACT submit.

Clemson - a low target. Like Auburn, low admission rate but solid ACT - so yes submit.

Elon - safety - but show interest. Visit or go on on line sessions, etc. You should really visit many - they are vastly different your schools. Yes to ACT

Ga State - Safety

Colorado College - I’ll say low reach based on very low admission rate. That said, being from Georgia helps. Demonstrate interest. You know they do block scheduling - you take one class at a time. Yes to ACT.

Syracuse - yes, if you demonstrate interest. Yes to ACT.

UIUC and UW are both likely - if you don’t choose a STEM. UW admits 51% OOS (test blind) so odds are better there. UIUC - outside of business and engineering, is in the 40s. Choose any of those and you are better with a Kansas, Indiana, or Michigan State - which would be safeties. UIUC and others I suggested if you look at - yes to ACT.

BU and NEU are high reaches, short of EDing. In fact, I’d save my money - and you have SU and I’d find others like American or Denver as better bets. But if you go BU, I’d recommend no ACT. Same with NEU - no ACT. Nothing wrong with applying somewhere and getting rejected. I think it’s actually good because it shows you went high enough - but these are heavy reaches.

CWRU is a reach as well unless you ED - if you like the size and it’s not the same urban, but W&M, still a reach, might be a better bet. Or a Butler or Miami of Ohio.

I agree with the rest - and you should check each school’s ACT to see if you can go TO - obviously at UF and UGA/GA Tech you need to submit. I think Miami Florida you have a chance - but there are many similar schools - like DU (U Denver) which would be a safety back up and gives good merit. Agree on UNC - a U of SC might be a nice substitute…College of Charleston would be a nice sub for BU - smaller and less urban but. Pitt would also fit your list nicely - and if you apply before say Oct 15, would be a safety.

Sorry to throw more in - but there are like schools that are reasonable.

So what concerns me most is your rank as noted up top. With a 3.97 UW and all the APs, I’m not sure how you are in the 36th percentile. At NUE, for example, 76% are in the top 10%. For Davidson, it’s 69% and 94% in the top quarter (and don’t forget, that includes athletes) so I don’t see a path in. That’s me - I could be wrong - but a Furman would be a great sub and you would get in.

So I think you have acceptances but I think you have a lot more rejections. I have to think your rank is higher - or if it’s not, your school has serious grade inflation.

Either way, you’re a great student and I wish you luck.

One last thought - your parents are willing to pay - but at some schools you’d cash in. Since you have UF and UGA, at Bama, your tuition would be $5K if your SAT was one sitting. Sounds like your ACT wasn’t - but let’s say it was 30 single time, you’d get at $9k or so tuition.

At Arizona, you’d be at $10K tuition…Miami Ohio, U of SC, SUNY Binghamton, Delaware and so many more - would be given nice merit - and FSU is just dirt cheap full pay and you might get a waiver for OOS tuition - but it’s nicely priced even full pay - and while you have a shot at UF (your UF GPA would be much higher than your stated GPA as they give a +.5 for Honors), FSU would be a lock.

Sorry for so much info - but wanted to chance your list and provide alternatives that might work too.

4 Likes
5

I was set on ED to Davidson for a long time after I toured, but I also loved Northeastern and had trouble deciding after looking at the majors offered. Northeastern seems to have a much wider range of options than Davidson. I would be really happy going to either school so I want to apply ED where I have a higher chance. I know I wouldn’t get into either without the increased chances of ED, that is why I am unsure of my decision. Do you still think I shouldn’t?

My rank is true, it is the exact number on my transcript. My school uses weighted GPA to curate our class ranks and students take a lot of extra APs online for this reason.
Davidson’s Common Data Set marks class rank as only considered - that is another reason I thought my chances would be slightly higher, since they don’t look at it as much as rigor.

I thought my ECs mattered for schools like UIUC where I have to write on my experiences for my selected major. And thought some private schools look at your ECs and coursework and see if they have correlation to the major you indicate on Common App.

6

Also thank you very much for the information.

1 Like
7

Thank you for the reply! I will definitely reach out if I have questions.

8

I also forgot to mention that I listed Auburn and Clemson as safeties because of what I’ve seen in my area. I’ve had lots of older friends that recently got in to both with lower or similar stats and the same ECs as me. I know every applicant is different, but that fact has made me more confident in those particular schools.

2 Likes
9

I don’t see you getting into NEU ED - perhaps another campus (like Oakland). It doesn’t mean I’m right. I’m not an admissions counselor. It doesn’t mean you can’t try. The worst they can say is - no. Too many think an ED must get you accepted. It doesn’t have to - if you get turned down, then so be it - it wasn’t meant to be. If you feel that strongly…also, know as a co op school, their model is different. Drexel and to some extent U Cincinnati also work on a co op model.

A school like PItt is just as strong reputationally and would be an easier admit. So I’d add it if you like NEU - I see some similarity.

I think you have rigor - tons of APs. I see you added your ACT sub scores or maybe I just missed. Your math/science is also a deal breaker to some - but you wouldn’t submit to those anyway.

I do agree Davidson gives you better odds - but it’s tiny but I don’t see you getting in but again, if you don’t try, you’ll never know. It’s why I mentioned Furman - which would be a suitable sub if you want an LAC.

One can’t possibly be truly excited about both those…I guess they can but I can’t get my arms around it.

PS - I think you’re a wonderful student - and as noted above, I could see UIUC happening. I also wonder if with your competitive dance if you can/should submit an arts supplement to some schools that allow it. I think you’ll have great opportunities but perhaps some additions and or substitutions to your list could help you because I’m assuming Ga State isn’t high on your list.

Best of luck.

1 Like
10

I am still waiting for a score back on the last August SAT and i have the September ACT coming up - hopefully can get math scores up.
I also have an arts supplement video in the works.

Do you think I would have to ED to Furman to have a chance of getting in? I am not sure if I want to ED to a school I haven’t toured.

Do you have any thoughts on my chances at UGA? I would also be really happy going there since I already know some people and i’ve visited Athens a lot throughout my childhood.

11

Fair point - I’m just looking at the CDS #s. I tend to shy away from safety when admit rates trend down to 40 - and Clemson is especially moving (downward) in acceptance rate. The football success of the recent years does that.

I admit - I’m a bama and arizona fan - both fine schools and buy kids like you in. What I like is - you have an acceptance within weeks - and it takes the pressure off the rest where you have to wait.

If you like Auburn, you’d likely also like Miss State - except it’s not as close to home.

I just love the slam dunk apps - to get you off to a good start - a just in case - but they can happen later (up to May) although some have extra scholarships (like Bama) that require an earlier app for those.

Also, I know you are Asian and not all of the schools are ethnically diverse and I’m not sure if that’s a concern.

Great student - and you’ll do well.

Best of luck.

2 Likes
12

A few people have asked me about the ethnic diversity so I’ve given it some thought, but its not really a problem to me. To be honest most of my friends are white and I am not really the most attached to my culture.

Bama has sort of turned me off because of the stereotypes, but I have considered it because of the scholarships. Just not sure if I’d rather go to Ga state and try to transfer into UGA. I know lots of students from my area who go that route. I’ve also gone to the state of AL several times for dance competition and its not my favorite… I guess it doesn’t hurt to apply and I don’t think there is a supplemental essay (correct me if im wrong).

13

Which stereotypes - UGA, Auburn - they’re all large party schools, etc. They’ve all got greek presence. They all have partiers, etc.

yes, Easy app. Great honors dorm - you get your own room and share a bathroom with just one. Arizona Honors Dorm is unreal too btw. Lots of diversity - but more hispanic.

Don’t apply where you’re not interested. Take a day and go visit. My kid was going to Purdue and wouldn’t apply until he went with friends for job shadow/visit a school day and came home and applied.

As you have schools all over the country, Arizona would be equal in merit (or almost in cost) - or you have others on your list.

Personally I’m not a fan of the transfer. I’d want to be somewhere four years and have that collegiate experience. But to each their own…

Have you looked at FSU, U of SC, Charleston, etc.? Pitt seems especially suited if you like NEU.
I suspect you’ll get an Auburn or Clemson or both but just not 100% convinced.

Good luck.

14

I guess it could just be stereotypes in my area and school - that Bama is a bigger “party school” than the rest. I haven’t looked into those others but I’ll be sure to. I guess my goal is to find higher matches than safeties since I think Elon could be a good fit.
UGA would be my top public school choice, would go there if I got in. (esp with in state tuition)

2 Likes
15

Don’t believe the hype about any school. Go see for yourself.

There’s kids that hate the Ivies, as an example. They may want to go for reputation but don’t like the environment.

Both my kids chose safeties over reaches they got into.

Do the best you can to see the schools of interest. Have you been to Elon? It’s beautiful but a bit isolated - not much within walking distance and 10 mins to a town and then within an hour but a ways away from the city (both Greensboro and the Durham/Chapel Hill area).

So it’s different than an NEU, Ga State and even UGA which is surrounded by life. If you’re ok with that, then yes, it’s a great school. My daughter had it on the list but removed it after the tour - she wanted that urban/suburban so - you just have to decide and it’s best to see it (at least b4 you enroll). Each kid has a different set of what will fit them - and that’s why it’s so important to visit if possible - and many of these schools are within driving distance for a quick overnight or even day trip.

Good luck.

1 Like
16

Maybe I’m missing something…but all of the schools on your list are within walking distance of at least a little downtown area. Furman isn’t within walking distance if anything…except the college. I would not ED there without a visit…so you can see if the location suits you.

1 Like
17

I missed this - no, I just threw out a school as a sub to Davidson. I could have thrown out a lot of schools.

  1. You don’t need to ED anywhere - that’s a choice few take - but if you do, you can’t compare offers or take time to think what you really want. For some though, this is better - nothing to think about if they get in.

  2. You should go see every school you get into and will consider, especially because you have the means to do so.

You have small and rural-ish or small town, large and rural ish or small town and large and either in city or adjacent to a down town.

You will have lots of opportunity - even with your original list.

Not to worry - I was just trying to give you a bit more as you do have many reaches.

But you were fine as is given you have no budget concerns.

18

Haven’t been to Elon. I don’t have much free time because of dance so I’ve been trying to focus on applications. Planning to tour schools I get into before Decision Day.
Do you have an opinion on my chances at UGA?

1 Like
19

My opinion doesn’t matter.

It’s worth the app - you’re in range. I’m guessing a deferral to RD - but who knows. You’re a very strong student - I do worry about your math ACT.

In the end, you can only attend one. So you will reject as many or more as reject you.

Let me ask you this - if you got into NEU, Davidson, and UGA, where would you go?

If it were UGA based on cost, then don’t ED because the others wouldn’t be your top.

To me, UGA subs (environment) are Va Tech, Alabama, Penn State…to a much lesser extent Clemson. Va Tech has a neuro college.

I do think you might look at a U of SC, FSU, etc. but you are ok as is.

That you liked Davison could bode well for Elon, Furman and more. If you like urban, a Rhodes might fit for you or Macalester.

Honestly, I could throw out names galore. Your initial list was fine…and apologies for confusing you.

Good luck.

1 Like
20

I will look into Va Tech as well. Thank you for all of the advice and for answering my questions, I really appreciate it.