My Chances at Top Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi everyone,

I just finished junior year and would appreciate being chanced for UPenn, Chicago, Northwestern, UNC, and Michigan.

Race and Family Income: Asian, around 100k
UWGPA: 3.71
WGPA: 4.68 (the weighing is a little different for our state)
Class Rank: 15/479
SAT: 2270, 2nd sitting… not sure if I will retake.

SATII: 800 Math Level 2, will probably also take chemistry next year
AP: 4 Human Geography, 3 World History… I feel fairly good about my scores for this year

I want to point out that I had a lot of Bs in 9th grade and some in 10th grade, but I made all As in 11th grade. My 9th grade year was especially bad on the grand scale of things. I do want to stress this point, as I got really serious about learning after my 10th grader (when I visited the city of Chicago, and I went, wow, I want to be here…)

11th grade schedule:
AP Lang (Lit next year)
AP Physics 1
AP US History
AP Calculus AB (BC senior year)
Honors Chemistry (AP chem senior year)
Computer class… requirement
Band

EC: Band… All state trumpet player, trumpet section leader last year. I was picked to be drum major for my senior year! Also clubs such as National Honor Society and Key Club (nothing much really, it’s mostly band which takes up a lot of time). I also tutor as part of those honor societies.

Thanks!

2

i think that top schools want at least 3.8 +. Ivies and UCs want 3.9ish. U of Chicago definitely wants at least a 3.9 if that’s what you’re aiming for. unless you have a really good reason for getting those B’s and you write that in your essay then maybe.

3

wait… wait. you said you just finished junior year, but you just listed a junior year schedule with no grades, and no 12th grade course load (unless you just mislabeled stuff). are you hs class of 2016 or 2017?

4

I am a class of 2016. I got all As my junior year( just posted the schedule). Senior year, I am taking AP Chem, AP Lit, AP Calc BC, AP Stats, and AP Government (with band and another graduating req class)

5

@Cage622 ^^^^^^^^^^^^

6

@marie122 @michelle426 posted

7

when are you applying @Cage622 ? that would influence which grades you send in and if your senior year GPA would increase your overall GPA.

8

I think despite your gpa you have a good shot at Chicago. They are all reaches still except for Michigan, so just try to make yourself stand out in whatever way you can. Good luck!
Chance me back please:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1782833-chance-a-rising-senior-for-uchicago-georgetown-ivies-etc-will-chance-back.html#latest

9

UNC and Michigan you look solid-- your GPA is going to hurt you with the remaining schools.

10

@marie122 I would apply EA to Chicago, UNC, and Michigan!

11

@boolaHI could the upward trend in GPA (mostly Bs freshman year but all As the past year with a relatively hard schedule) and solid application essays potentially save me?

12

Great that your going to be a drum major! That is a lot of work! Your GPA is a little low but otherwise you are strong. You will need to write stellar essays.

You should think about cost and your family’s EFC. Make sure your parents can actually afford the EFC. You are in a position to recieve large merit awards from schools a bit down the rankings order. Theses would be good safeties for you.

Are you instate for UNC or U Michigan? Both are expensive OOS. Run the NPCs for these schools before you apply.

Your family’s income level might work well for schools that meet full need but aid policies vary from school to school. Run the NPC for UPenn and UChicago.

13

An upward trend is always duly noted by admission folks. That said, the threshold you need to cross, in order to be a serious candidate is probably past 3.82/3.83 unweighted. Best–

14

I’m not sure if our school reports grades or letters, but I kind of want to note in 9th and 10th grade, 3 of my Bs were a 92 (93 is an A), with 2 as 91.

This past year, I just kinda found another gear and made all As and put in the extra work. My SAT score was good too.

15

UNC is no safety unless you are a NC resident. You have a chance, but they have a statutory requirement to admit at least 82% of each freshman class from in-state. Most of your colleges are reaches. None of them are impossible, unless you were considering Wharton at Penn, but none are sure things either.

16

Your GPA seems fine considering your class rank. You have a decent shot at all of these schools, just make sure to write good essays.

17

Thanks for the responses so far. I should also mention school profile! It is a big public school, but from this year (class of 2015) alone, there are kids going to some great schools. Stanford, Yale, Columbia, Duke, and Cal Tech for example.

18

@Cage622 I don’t think your senior first semester would affect decisions. I think you send in your first quarter grades though; im not too sure. im in the same boat as you lol.

19

Your EC’s are good, but overalls lacking for the top schools. The ones you currently have will not separate you from the pack at the top schools. A lot of B’s is not good, but make sure to have an amazing essay to help differentiate you from the masses.

20

What is your intended major and where is your home state?
For UMich, your GPA is significantly below admission average while your SAT is near 75th percentile. Nevertheless, UMich put more value on GPA. If you are from in state and apply to LSA, it may be a very high match. I know an in state student with better GPA and ACT33 got rejected from CoE this year.