Low GPA but high test score

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys! If anyone could chance me for the following schools, I would be super grateful!
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Tulane

Here’s my info:
White, female, from MD

I go to an extremely rigorous, competetive high school. My GPA wasn’t s great freshman and sophomore year since I transferred from a much less academically challenging middle school and didnt develop good study habits. My GPA has been on a large upward trend since the end of sophomore year.

WGPA: 3.98
UW: 3.48

ACT:
C: 33
E: 33
M: 30
R: 35
S: 32
Writing: not released yet

APs:
AP NSL- sophomore. B in class both semesters. 3 on exam
AP Psych- junior. B in class both semesters. 4 on exam
AP Environmental Science- junior. A in class both semesters. 4 on exam
AP Lang- junior. A in class both semester. 4 on exam
AP Comp Gov- senior, haven’t gotten grades or taken exam yet
AP Lit- senior, haven’t gotten grades or taken exam yet
AP AB Calc- senior, haven’t gotten grades or taken exam yet

Work and Volunteer Experience:
Puree Artisan Juice Bar, 15 hours/week, Purista (11 and 12)

St. Bernard Project, 40 hours/week, participant (2014) and co-planner (2015)
A group of MD students travelled to New Orleans for a week over the summer to assist in rebuilding homes still damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Extracurriculars:

School newspaper, Layout Editor (12), Web editor (11), and staff writer (10)
Schools newspaper and online resource. Currently work with staff writers to create interesting layouts for their pages.

Operation Stars and Stripes (11 and 12)
We set up a military inspired obstacle course for students to complete, all funds raised go to Walter Reed Medical Center for injured veterans/family.

Dreamcatchers, (11)
DreamCatchers is a non-profit foundation that strives to grant the final Dreams of hospice patients (terminally ill with 6 months or less to live).

Rock Climbing Club, Treasurer (11 and 12)
I was in charge of collecting membership dues for the climbing gym- attended twice a week- and keeping funds organized for off-campus trips.

Dance for a Cause, Head of Advertising Committee (11)
We planned the winter dance for the school, all proceeds went to Children’s National Hospital.

Theater Guild, Light crew (10)
With the other member of the light crew, we put together the lighting design and program for the fall and spring shows.

Summer Program:

University of Maryland Young Scholars Program, 3 weeks, student (2015)
Completed an environmental biology class for credit, earned an A

2

As an OOS applicant with a 3.48 GPA, your odds aren’t great at any of these schools. GPA is usually the first hurdle to clear for a college applicant, and a 3.48 UW is below the applicant pool average - most people admitted to Michigan, for instance, will have a 3.8+ or even 3.9+.

Definitely apply if you feel like you’ll regret not doing so, but look for some more realistic schools as well.

3

I think you’re good for Tulane, considering your 3.48 is at a very rigorous HS.
UMichigan is iffy because they have so many applications that they can’t afford to spend as much time on each application as private universities do. Another issue is whether you can afford to go - if you’re lowerish income (probably up to 45-60K) they’ll have some financial aid, otherwise, your parents will have to pay full costs: do you have a college fund? Can they afford to lose 55K from income, each year?
Same thing at UWisconsin even though odds of admission are higher.
Have you applied to UMD-CP and either UMD-BC or UMD- St Mary’s Honors College?