<p>Caucasian Male, public high school in Exeter, New Hampshire.
SATs: 740 CR, 620 M, 750 W (2110, never studied).
UW GPA: 3.62
W GPA: 4.76
AP Exams: 4 on Lang and Comp last year, I'm taking AP Psych, Spanish, and Stats this year.
National Honor Society, Link Crew Leader, writer for student Newsmagazine for a few years (we won a Gold Crown Award from Columbia University!), plus a few other ECs.
I've been an Indoor and Outdoor USSF-Certified Soccer Referee since 8th grade, plus I was a landscaper for a company this past summer (it sucked, paid so little!).
UWisconsin-Madison is my second choice school (behind Chapel Hill), but I can only go if I get a 5k scholarship plus acceptance (obvs haha).
Chances for acceptance AND scholarship?</p>
<p>Don’t count on any merit money from UW- rare for incoming students. Your stats are okay, maybe will get in, no guarantees.</p>
<p>Sorry to say this, but UNC OOS is really tough. You are on the lower edge of UW. Do you have any other lined up?</p>
<p>I think you have a very good (75%) chance at UW but money could be an issue. More likely to get a loan or work/study.</p>
<p>The lower edge of UW? I thought I had a pretty good chance…I know my math score is kinda low but hey…and yeah I know I was surprised to see how few scholarships UW offered. My parents won’t let me take out a loan, but I guess a work-study isn’t half bad…I have 0 financial need however :(</p>
<p>check out this link.
Your SAT is on the high-end but GPA is low.
<a href=“http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:b0vYaBMXFTUJ:www.education.wisc.edu/cap/UW_FreshmanExpectations.pdf+Admission+Expectations+2009–10&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg0jC-zv8_J1W2fvaE8adMGKLC_w50rTlaZV-Y8FHBcMyer6X5yqisRNgmejEMjZmxwHIpqR2g99aH7xrcj2Plj4JwKvv9hFWv9f-tM-0jbcq8QuBhpAzVN5tiD3RDyFhWQPO0C&sig=AHIEtbQD3b3sYPeMKIX-UbESaEKVFtQTjQ[/url]”>http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:b0vYaBMXFTUJ:www.education.wisc.edu/cap/UW_FreshmanExpectations.pdf+Admission+Expectations+2009–10&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg0jC-zv8_J1W2fvaE8adMGKLC_w50rTlaZV-Y8FHBcMyer6X5yqisRNgmejEMjZmxwHIpqR2g99aH7xrcj2Plj4JwKvv9hFWv9f-tM-0jbcq8QuBhpAzVN5tiD3RDyFhWQPO0C&sig=AHIEtbQD3b3sYPeMKIX-UbESaEKVFtQTjQ</a></p>
<p>Well not to sound snobby, but New England is one of the hardest areas for public high schools. It is hard to get good grades here at Exeter High, and I think the admissions officers will understand that. They do have officers designated for specific high schools, I believe. and thanks for the link kxc</p>
<p>Agreed. GPA inflation is an issue being discussed at college level as well. Two papers on that topic for your reading pleasure.</p>
<p>[The</a> Truth About Harvard - Magazine - The Atlantic](<a href=“http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-truth-about-harvard/3726/]The”>The Truth About Harvard - The Atlantic)
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/education/26grades.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/education/26grades.html</a></p>
<p>UW GPA of 3.62 is hardly low as 3.69 is the average. On the chart it puts you in the second highest grouping. The avg SAT of 703 also puts you in the highest group for tests. Overall the chart says 90% chance. As both data points were on the lower end of the range I’d go with 80%-90% chance range. Pretty good odds–especially from a tougher HS.</p>
<p>Your essays will count- an OOS student last year with better stats said he didn’t get in and had basically blown off the essays.</p>
<p>Honestly, what do you think my daughter’s chances are. She’s been postponed.
UW GPA 4.0 W GPA 4.3 ACT 28 Many honor classes, 2 AP’s this semester,
lots of leadership, community service awards. 3 letters of Rec Varsity sports 4 years</p>
<p>This is very surprising! 4.0 UW GPA and 28 ACT…She should have been in with no problems. May be essay is bad? Or teacher’s rec is not good?</p>
<p>I’m sure the teachers recs were all good. I thought her essays were quite good. Maybe not outstanding but good. Very sincere</p>
<p>That’s weird, I only needed one teacher rec and one counselor rec. I can’t believe I have to wait til March for my decision! Too much time. And it would suck to get in but not get a scholarship, I need to get tuition and stuff down to 25k a year :/</p>
<p>@Bdangle, There are some other schools do give significant merit aid to a large number of top candidates. Tulane, OSU, Case Western came to my mind. If financial need is the only show-stopper, then focus on that. However, I do not know application deadlines for these schools.</p>
<p>If school strength and program strength is top priority then UW is a very good choice.</p>
<p>Tulane deadline is January 15. With his stats, he has a good shot at $20-22,000 merit scholarship, I think. That would still leave $30-32,000 in costs, though. Of course he could get some of that reduced through a FA package, depending on his family’s financials.</p>
<p>Yeah, I have no financial need and my dad won’t let me take out a loan. I got into UNH with a 4k a year scholarship so my dad is really pushing for that but I want to go to UW sooo bad. I just need a 5k scholarship a year! :/</p>
<p>Then the issue here is NOT financial but one of ROI (Return On Investment). You need to make a case to your dad that your selection makes financial sense.
If, for example, you are interested in Business. And if you get a job on the Wall Street after graduation. The case can be made. On the other hand, if you just want to have fun and get an English degree without the plan for going further into graduate school, medical school or a promise of a job after graduation, then it would be hard to make that case.
You need this type of skills developed for your future. Why not use this as a test case?</p>
<p>kxc1961 has an excellent point. What are you intending to study?</p>
<p>Ahh, but here lies the problem: I am undecided. Which is why my dad has a very strong case for me going to UNH</p>