I posted my college list to CC a few months ago at the beginning of the college search process. Now, in the middle of application season, I’d like to post a revised version to see if any improvements can still be made.
Reach:
Dartmouth College (ED)
Brown University
Tufts University
Lehigh University
Match:
Case Western Reserve University
Kenyon College
UNC-Chapel Hill
Safety:
Colorado State
IUPUI
Purdue University
I am a female Chinese citizen who has lived in three continents. My intended major is public health with a possible second major in music (piano performance).
Stats:
GPA (unweighted): 3.85-3.9 (not completely sure)
GPA (weighted): 4.1
Total of 8 APs taken in high school (4 in both junior and senior year)
ACT: 33 (not superscored)
SAT: 1450 (I have just taken it again today, hopefully a significant improvement will be in order)
TOEFL: 110/120
IELTS: 8.5/9
My school does not rank, but I am in the top 10%.
ECs:
Chinese harp since the age of 3 (no formal qualifications)
Piano for 5 years (Grade 8/8 ABRSM, diploma or professional-level exam coming up in Nov.)
Violin for 2 years (Grade 6/8 ABRSM)
Self-taught guitar for 2 years (no formal qualifications)
Concert piano accompanist (11, 12)
Concertmaster of school string ensemble (11, 12)
Art (commissioned and as gifts for peers) (9-12)
Volunteer at school nurse’s office (12)
Member of the Nairobi Orchestra- Kenya’s national orchestra (12)
Chinese teacher at Egyptian international school (10)
Co-leader of CurvyGirls Support Group Kenya branch- awareness-raising and support for young women diagnosed with scoliosis (11, 12)
I’m also wondering whether my skipping of eighth grade and therefore age difference will matter at all to colleges. I’m guessing it won’t.
Without knowing if you have run the financials on your current list to determine affordability (as I hope you have), I would also add Ohio State to the list.
This looks like a good list but since you are not an NC resident the out-of-state acceptance for UNC is something like 14% so I’d consider it a reach (it is for pretty much anyone who lives out of state unless they are a legacy)
You are an interesting candidate with a lot to offer – good luck!
OK, that’s about what I thought, but figured you could confirm. I’d wanted to see what major you would choose as an alternative in those cases. And Lehigh, don’t they offer a PH minor only?
Based on what I can glean, CWRU and Kenyon are two from your group that I’d definitely recommend you keep. I think you would like the music program in particular at either of these schools.
With respect to possible additions that would be excellent for a combination of sociology and music, consider Wesleyan, Hamilton, Skidmore, Smith and Mt. Holyoke.
If international applicants from your current secondary school who have grades and test scores like yours have not been rejected in recent years by Colorado State, IUPUI, and Purdue University, then you can consider those institutions to be reasonably safe. However there is a big difference between reasonably safe and truly safe - especially for international applicants.
Check the threads on automatic admissions that are at the top of the Parents Forum and the Financial Aid Forum, and see if any of those places could be truly safe options for you.
I would classify Lehigh a reach, as you do. You also need to demonstrate interest there (as well as at Tufts, Case and Kenyon). Lehigh’s new College of Health will open in Fall of 2020, which looks impressive and may be of interest to you. https://www1.lehigh.edu/news/lehighs-own-start-up-the-college-of-health