So, I’ve posted several times on CC, and the only thing that has changed in this time is my ACT score. I went from a 30 to a 31. Does this improve my chances at top schools? Here are the rest of my stats:
Unweighted GPA: 3.79
Weighted GPA: 4.27
ACT Score: 31 (Up 1 point from a 30)
Class Rank: Top 10%-- 72/732, subject to change though
Current Course Load:
Honors Physics, AP Biology, AP Language and Composition, Honors Pre-Calculus, Government, Latin III
Senior Course Load: AP Econ, AP Literature and Comp, AB Calc, AP Latin, AP Computer Science Principles, Art (this is a required class)
Extracurriculars:
Varsity Football
Varsity Track
Communications Officer in School Cultural Club,
Tutor at local elementary school
I also tutor struggling high school students
Work around 15 hours a week at Old Navy
Member of Model UN
NHS
Personal Hook:
I am a quadruplet and they’re all just as “smart”, if not smarter than me. We are African-American (so URM status I guess?), and, although we are well above average fiscally (my parents’ combined income is upwards 200K) , paying for college is gonna be tough for obvious reasons.
Hook EC:
National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship recipient. I will go to Morocco on a State Department scholarship to learn Arabic this summer and will return proficient in the language as a result (it is highly selective and very intensive (like 4,500 apply yearly to various and only 600 get it total, and around 100 for the Arabic program)
Views but no replies? I need feedback y’all.
Bumpppp
Darn, no replies?
I’ll try once more.
BUMP
GPA and ACT scores are too low
Really? You think so @Jubilantlearner? I have absolutely no chance?
While Penn and Chicago remain reaches, I don’t think Georgetown is completely out there. I had a friend with slightly better stats than you (UW 4.0, 33 ACT) but little to no ECs that got into Georgetown.
Just don’t give up on your grades, continue with your ECs, and write amazing supplements Good luck wherever you go!
Okay thanks for the feed back @bruins9816
You need interest from a coach. Are you all-conference?
I dunno, I’m fairly good @Burgermeister
Nikku I think your story is very interesting and your extracurriculars could lead to great essays. Since you have one more year left you can definitely increase your ACT score to 33-34 and maybe your GPA. However I think it is amazing that you are going to Morocco to study Arabic (I am an Arabic speaker myself), and it will look good on your application. If you work hard your last year of high school, you definitely have a great chance at getting into all those schools. (I have a friend who had a 30 ACT who got into UChicago, you shouldn’t be worried.)
high standardized testing and high gpa are a given for the top tier schools (for you, upenn/uchicago). everything else is used for evaluation after that. keep taking the act until you get at least a 34 because the lower 25% of admitted applicants average a 34 at chicago
Is it hopeless if I can’t retake? I’ll be gone all summer for that Morocco scholarship with the State Dept, and I’m planning to do early action for most of my schools. Should I not bother applying for Georgetown, Ivies, and the like and save 80 bucks?
I had a friend who current goes to chicago, she got a 31 too, work on them u being a urm will probably help u.
Okay. Well, I’ll just try to score highly on my subject tests
I think that you have a good chance at Georgetown, especially being an URM. You have unique extracurriculars as well. For UPenn and UChicago, your score is a little low. I would try and take the tests one more time and aim for a 33, which will give you a good shot. If you don’t want to retake, look into maybe Lehigh, I think you’d do well with a 31 there.
I don’t think I can retake the the test. I’ll be in Morocco. Are my chances at Chicago and UPenn (or any Ivy, particularly Princeton) pretty bleak with a 31, even as a URM, then?
@inspiritize Where did you get that statistic? I’ve never heard of a lower 25% averaging a 34. My source says the 25% for u of Chicago is a 32.
The low average ACT for UPenn is 31 and the low average for UChiacgo is a 32, so you have a shot at both and being an URM will give you a big boost. Focus on writing strong essays and your shot will increase. You also have really unique ECs which increase your shot.
Okay thanks. I really hope I can get in.
homie you got this. I’m asian with 31 ACT and got into & will attend PU. Just know that admissions people are real people. They’re not gonna kick you out just for scores. Flaunt your personality and let them beg for you