Hey folks, I’ve got a question. Last spring, my teacher referred me to the Morehead-Cain scholarship, which is a full-ride scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill. I’ve been really excited about it for a while, but tonight I looked at their admissions and they only accept 57 students per year. I’m wondering, is it even worth applying? I mean, here’s my profile:
Senior
GPA (unweighted): 3.89
IB Coursework + AP US History & AP Calc AB
IB SL Scores: Mathematics (Calc): 6, Business Management: 6
AP Scores: APUSH: 5, Calc AB: 5
Will write an Extended Essay on the effect of the Pure Food and Drug Act on further American public health campaigns; I don’t know if that’s useful or not
National Merit Semifinalist (probably-- my PSAT score was a 234 and SAT 2150 in Kansas so I’m fairly safe there)
33 ACT-- Will retake in September to try to get a 34 or above
4 years of Cross Country (Junior year I ran varsity)
4 years of Track
Student council representative sophomore and junior years; VP senior year
Drum Major of the Marching Band, junior and senior year (Band all four years)
Private Instrument lessons, freshman through senior year
Drama Club Freshman, Sophomore, Senior years
NHS Junior and Senior Year
Participation in School Musicals for four years
Thespian
Eagle Scout
Attended Boys’ State, KState Marching Leadership Camps this summer
Service work at local hospital over the summer junior year (medicine is my passion)
Roughly 220 hours of volunteer work
Worked two jobs in the summer of junior year
Worked one job this summer, served as an assistant manager (well, the equivalent, but that’s another story)
Good writing skills so the essay shouldn’t be too horrendous.
Active participation at my church’s youth group since 6th grade
I mean, I think I’m OK, but I’m not great. I don’t know if I even have a prayer of getting it. Is it worth the trouble I’ll put my teachers through?
I am wondering the same thing, although I am not quite sure what your chances are. I am not sure if I should even apply either. A girl from my school got in one year but I don’t know her credentials.
I can’t speak directly about this scholarship, but I can tell you about my observations and experiences. My daughter is an out of state freshman at UNC. Her guidance counselor did not know if she would get in- out of state acceptance is very difficult.
She was #1 in a class of 400. All AP classes, all A+'s, all 5’s
Her test scores ( one attempt early junior year) were 34, 2250, subject tests 750+
Major major leadership roles in her school
Major leadership role in the community where she was in charge of a group that raised over $30,000
Outstanding letters of rec
Won an award covering 3 local counties - a student athlete award that is given to 10 students. She was the only student in our county to win one.
She did not get merit money and did not get into honors. I know another boy who recently graduated UNC from out of state. He was #3 in his HS class, received a 35 on his ACT, had all subject tests of 800, major leadership, and did not receive merit money or acceptance into honors. I know 2 students who received some type of full ride to UNC- one is in state and the other is out of state. The first one had his own company and made a tremendous amount of money that he donated, and the other wrote a math book that is being used in school districts throughout the country.
I think you should go for it, but you also have to be realistic. Gaining acceptance as an out of state student is hard enough. Getting merit is even harder and from what I can see, requires something very much " out of the box." Good luck to you!
@twogirls oh yeah I didn’t take that as a reason not to apply, just as a grain of salt to take the application with. I’ve come to figure that there’s always a point in applying to anything because the only way you truly have no shot is if you don’t apply.
Hey @4prezi I just got my finalist notification so I just want you to know that it is very possible for relatively ordinary people to have success in this process! Good luck again, I think you’ve got it.
Also, just as a general point: Never question whether you should do something that can benefit you. Do it. I’m so glad I didn’t just toss this off and call it out of reach. Whatever the outcome of the final round, I’m so grateful for this.