matches/reaches

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>GPA: 3.875 UW, take out non-academic classes or freshman year I have a 4.0(I made some B's freshman year)
Rank: Top 5%
ACT: 28 (will retake)
SAT II: 710/740 (planning on taking a third, maybe lit)
SAT I: haven't taken, should I?
Resident of TN</p>

<p>Taken most rigorous courses but my school only offer 2 AP's, will this hurt me?</p>

<p>EC's
planned a volunteer trip to Belize with my church group for 2 weeks during the summer
Volunteer at Boy's and Girl's Club, Habitat for Humanity (approx. 1000 hours accumulative)
FBLA, organized a fundraiser
School Government, participated in Model UN conference in Chattanooga
worked a job as an office assistant for 2 years, then my senior I got a job at TVA as a drafter
played golf for about 2 years, nothing serious</p>

<p>My top choices are Duke and Vanderbilt(probably Duke ED). Others are Brown, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, NYU, UVA, and W&M. I have safeties that I'll apply to also and I know all these are probably big reaches, how obtainable do you think they are for me?</p>

2

<p>oh yeah, I'm a white, non-legacy, first generation applicant</p>

3

<p>bump//////</p>

4

<p>You should definatly take the SAT I. Most of the top schools you listed are somewhat reaches.</p>

5

<p>Everywhere you listed is a slight reach or a reach. I.E. Duke is a solid reach while W&M is not as much. Include some safeties.</p>

6

<p>So, provided I get my test scores up, I should be able to get into a couple of those schools if I apply to all of them?(I already have some safeties lined up)</p>

7

<p>A 33 is about where you begin to have a chance at Duke, Brown and UVA. You would also need to strengthen ECs. Maybe a 32 for the others? Love your safeties at this point!</p>

8

<p>25% of Duke's enrolled students scored below a 29, would one just have to assume that they are all URM/athletes?</p>

9

<p>One would have to assume that about 50% of Duke's class is comprised of athletes, URMs, legacies and development candidates who are those in general bringing the average to where it is, which is more than 29.</p>

<p>18% or more are URMs. 15-20% are recruited athletes. Up to 12% are legacies. No one publishes development numbers, but figure at least 5% as schools are admitting they really need the rich. There is some overlap in these numbers, but they total 50% at the top schools. That means the average non hooked candidate has scores at the 75%.</p>

10

<p>Test Scores!</p>

11

<p>Duke- reach
Vanderbilt- reach
Brown- reach
Georgetown- less of a reach
Georgia Tech- you'd be fine
NYU- could go either way; match/slight reach
UVA- reach (because you're out of state)
W&M- same as UVA, but less of a reach</p>

<p>Good Luck- take SATs, retake ACTs- provided you do the same/better, you'll be fine for about half of those, and as you said- they're your reaches.</p>