You said you assume your GPA is a 3.8 even with your B’s… do you mean UW or W? I have a 3.8 wish/4.0 UW and I have never gotten under a 91% in my high school career. I’d double check the GPA.
Good luck!
UNC-Asheville and UNC-Wilmington are both great public universities! I would not take a gap year (or delay high school graduation!) if those were my options.
You can still attend a top law school with a BA from either of those schools.
Well, think about it this way. Unless you are accepted off the wait list at some of your other schools, you will probably be headed to UNC-A or UNCW…right? And you love academics? There are lots of reasons why a student might attend a small public regional university. Two of the most intellectual people I know attended a small regional SUNY (New Paltz, if you’re wondering), and through chatting with them they revealed a thriving intellectually, socially active culture at the college that was largely student-driven and embraced forums, discussions, lectures, etc. Conversely, I know a lot of extremely pre-professional people with not much interest in academics for their own sake who went to top colleges.
UNCW admits above-average students. A lot of students mistakenly correlate acceptance rate with the competitiveness of the student body. But UNCW’s students scored on average between 1190 and 1320 on the new SAT, and nearly two-thirds were in the top quarter of their high school graduating class. 83% had a 3.75 or higher in high school. No, they’re not the astronomically high values of an elite LAC or Ivy League, but the thing is the ridiculous stats at those schools give students a skewed vision of what “great” truly is. Between 1190 and 1320 means these students are in the 80th to the 93rd percentile. These are the students who scored in the top 20% of all SAT test-takers across the nation and have top grades and class rank to boot. At UNCA on average students scored between an 1100 and a 1300 on their SAT, which puts students in the 67th to the 90th percentile. Also students who are above-average in the large scheme of things.
Yes, contact the schools at which you are wait listed, reiterate your interest, and see what happens. But you have two excellent choices already on the table.
For an artsy student I think UNC Asheville would be an excellent choice. Because it’s located in an artist town (with a revitalized downtown used an example for urban planners on the US) and the liberal arts colleges tend to attract more ‘intellectual’ students, I think it’s be an excellent choice. It’s also known as NC 's public LAC. A 3.8 + high LSAT would not hinder any goal of yours.
Unc Wilmington is more of a traditional college experience, with a greater variety of majors, especially business and education which are really good, but more preprofessional.
Did you get into the honors college at either one? If not, contact the people in charge and see if you can apply. Love if learning is much appreciated at honors college, especially live if reading, and ballet shows you know time management + commitment.
I would also recommend UNC Asheville for someone that has dedicated so much time to ballet. Asheville is a great town for artists. You should visit both schools to get a feel for where you will feel most comfortable.
It’s important to keep in mind that colleges do consider a student’s ECs when making admissions decisions.Most of the schools on the list take a more holistic approach so spending 25 hours a week on ballet should not be considered a negative. It’s just a combination of different things that colleges are looking for, which can change year to year, and it just wasn’t meant to be. Follow up on the school’s you are wait listed at if they will make sense financially. Some schools that are need-blind, will admit to being need-aware for students on the wait list because they have already allocated a good portion of their financial aid to students that were accepted. If you enjoy ballet, keep dancing! Just be you and don’t try to fit into what you think any of the colleges you were wait listed at want you to be. You have two really good options that want you so try to embrace these schools.
Go with the financial safety so you can enter law school with as little debt as possible. Good luck!
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Make sure you send a note to your wait-listed schools right away to show continued interest.
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Love the school that loves you! EMBRACE UNC!
Thanks for all the help! Sorry for the late response, I was trying to digest everything. I’m writing a letter to the waitlist schools and will be attending Asheville. However, would it be worth it to retake ACT/ take SAT this May if I did try and transfer next year? I know I shouldn’t go into college just trying to transfer, but I would like to have a fighting chance if end up not being able to enjoy Asheville. Or, would colleges most likely not weight a score taken so late in the game very heavily? Thanks again so much for the help 
If you’re worried and it’ll bring you peace of mind “just in case I need to transfer”, go ahead and take the ACT/SAT in May. If you don’t need it, no harm no foul. Colleges will take any test taken during senior year, many will expect it from a 1st year transfer. Just make sure to prep thoroughly before you take it.
Asheville is a great college town and the college is very strong academically. But if you don’t like it, you will be able to apply to any other Carolina Public provided you get good grades and are involved in something on campus (ie., show you’re capable academically and a good addition for their campus, not someone who is in their room 24/7.)