NCSSM Class of 2018 - Future Applicants

I got in guys! If anyone from Charlotte got in let me know, maybe we could meet sometime!

Along with @dancingdisaster I didn’t have a stellar SAT score at all nor did I have a plethora of extracurricular clubs/activities yet still managed to pull through as a CD 9 applicant Really depends on your essays and your meaningful involvement in the few (or many) extracurricular activities at the end of the day.

@AJM777 I know many top ranking w/ top rewards in science competitions CD2 kids at different schools are non-finalists, but their lower ranking peers w/ or w/t rewards got in this year. Last year is a total different story. Are you aware of it? I heard Enloe lost many its top science competition winners last year so that it gets lower ranking.

@20188012 Do you think going to a private school put me at a disadvantage? And what ranking are you talking about? And do you mean awards instead of rewards?

@AJM777 I got in from Charlotte (CD 9)! I really hope the appeal comes through. I think it was my leadership and ECs that set me apart, and I had pretty good essays. I know quite a few VERY WORTHY applicants who were rejected from my area though. I hope your appeal is successful!

@AJM777 I’m talking abut class rank and I mean awards. I’m sorry I have no idea about private schools.
@dancingdisaster Do you know the reason why a few VERY WORTHY applicants who were rejected from your area? Did it happen last year? In Triangle area, top class rank students and/or most varsity team members of science competitions at different HS got in last year.

Hello guys! I also recently got admitted into the residential program. I was wondering how our transcript will be like after we graduate from NCSSM. One of my classes was a 94 but it had a gpa of 3.85 due to it being a summer class. I was wondering if going to NCSSM would change that to a 4.00 gpa as NCSSM is not affiliated with my base school/my current school district/county.

You will have a pre-NCSSM GPA and a NCSSM GPA on your transcript. They don’t blend them.

Does anyone know how important welcome day testing is?

@Abracadabra16 welcome day testing determines your placement in Chemistry, Math, and Physics. Although it is somewhat important I wouldn’t stress too much about it. There are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to change your placement if you feel as though a class is too hard/too easy.

4/5 of my friends who applied were accepted or waitlisted! This is so exiting I hope they all get in eventually so we can go in together :). When do they start taking people off of the list?

waitlisted! Now comes the real wait. Hmm… seems i must miss school on 4/21 to attend welcome day 2.

Hey guys. Congratulations to all of the admitted applicants. I am part of the class 2019 and wanted to ask you guys that were accepted how your application was and what do you think I need to focus on.

@oralsurgery01 i know I haven’t been really admitted yet but i would try to keep a balance between academics and extracurriculars. It is okay to have one section of the application that is weaker if your other sections are strong. I would recommend trying to stand out on the essays because they know that you are a strong student and want to know what you have to offer.

The waitlist looks like even more stress b/c you can be called/e-mailed any day and your whole life changed. Apparently only 20 % or so people got in from the waitlist last year but it was around 85% two years ago.

@oralsurgery01 Honestly I’m not sure how I got in so this advice may seem v generic but I would try and mess with your schedule as much as possible and try to take high level Science & Math related courses. Also, I would work really hard on making really good bonds with your teachers as they will be the ones writing your recommendations! Any extracurriculars in STEM fields really help too - I volunteered at a nature museum and a hospital and did research at UNCC. They put special weight on extracurriculars wherein you have a leadership position, are STEM related, and incorporate some aspect of community service. Also it helps to have killer essays so try to find a couple of things you are super passionate about!

Also this may not the best idea but I didn’t do any sports this year so I could volunteer more and seek other opportunities for extracurriculars so prioritizing what you really love is important! Plus the essays take a really long time to write and you will be really stressed out so save time for that!

Ok that sounds good. I am currently president of my grades student council, co captain of the dive team, president of the high school health careers club, and I am on a teen advisory board. In school I am taking ap calc, ap world, and ap earth, along with honors spanish 3, honors chem, honors english and honors band next year. I also volunteer at my local oral surgeon pretty frequently and trying to start a non profit to provide oral health to my village in Haiti. This summer I got the opportunity to study abroad in Morocco for Arabic language learning. Do you think this is good enough

I also participated in the Step up to stem program at NCSSM last summer and next week I am going on research day to present my findings in my year long mentorship.

@oralsurgery01 I think you should be fine haha! What dc are you in?

I used to be in district 9 but since they changed it idk. I’m in iredell county. I glad they changed it though because my individual county had about 9 people get in but mecklenburg who used to be in my district had about 94 get in.