GPA, and Test Scores
SAT: 1470 1st try(Should I retake? Also didn’t study at all, and was extremely tired, prob 1500 ish retake)
GPA: 3.55 UW(yikes) 4.1 W(10 APs so far, 12 total)
Didn’t take AP tests for a majority of them cause didn’t see the point, but 4s on Comp Sci Principles + A and Calc BC, 3 on Chem
no class rank
Awards
Only AP Scholar with honors…
Extracurriculars
Portfolio Management (Pattern Day Trader holding positions for 30 minutes or less, 6:30-7:30 trading every day for nearly 4 years, managed long term portfolio for my parents)
Market/indicator research, algorithmic/manual backtesting (Supplementing the previous one, Backtesting indicators, researching sectors, learning through videos and articles, code indicators in pine and python)
Chess (Top 18% tournament rating, top 10% online, playing since 8, in school club since Sophomore year, president in senior year, stopped in person playing tournaments after Covid)
FTC Robotics (Joined in Sophomore year, lead for building and strategy, made regionals)
Investment Club + Blog (Started a stock trading club in Sophomore year, taught students how to trade and evaluate sectors, multiple students opened up investing accounts, also write for the school investment blog)
CFO of failed marketing consulting business (was responsible for legal forms, filled in other small tasks, assisted CMO with developing strategies for businesses)
Learning Courses (Started during Covid, continued through senior year)
Basic Python Courses
4 Course Fintech/Cryptocurrency pathway on Coursera by Wharton
Philosophy 101 Online, not accredited, but accepted by some colleges
Clean Meat Course on ethics of eating meat, environmental impacts of mass farming
Financial Valuation Course, typically taken by undergrad students/professionals looking for a career boost in investment banking/equity research, certificate received
Entrepreneurship Summer Camp, 2 week explaining the basics and had guest speakers
Provisional Patent/Company (Background from 6th grade research project, came back to it in 11th grade to develop multiple designs, patent pending, networked/conversed with local oceanographer and a renewable venture capital firm, working with researcher on feasibility, programmed python wave energy converter simulations to gauge effectiveness, filing for S-Corp soon to raise investor funds, applying this to various entrepreneur programs as venturewell, MIT Think, MIT Solve)
Writer on Medium (Blog about ethics and systems of thinking, value philosophy as well)
School Club (Led a fundraiser to purchase excess district computers to donate to countries)
Marketing Internship (Worked for a housing rental network startup and helped expand to new customers by sourcing/contacting European housing departments and college influencers)
Essays/LORs/Other
I messed up my app so I only have 1 LOR currently. An additional one would be 4 - 6/10.
7/10 Econ Teacher
10/10 indirect mentor(Going to submit for UMich instead of teacher)
Essays should be decent to great depending on effort.
Schools
Earlies: None cause slacked off on apps
Regular: U Mich, Tufts(Should I ED2?), Northwestern, USC, Northeastern, UCs
I seriously have no idea what I’m doing for apps, so please match me! Am also planning to defer admission to work on my project, and just want good networking for a college. U Mich is my current obsession, but if I can get into something with better networking, then I’m sold.
You have nice EC’s and it looks like those activities interest you much more than the academic courses. Nonetheless, the high school transcript and course rigor and grades are the most important consideration for university admission, especially at the universities that you have listed.
If you didn’t feel motivated enough to apply EA, and barely motivated to apply RD, why not just take a gap year, work on your projects and apply next year? Another option would be to attend a less competitive university in F22, such as ASU, and keep working on your side projects. You already seem to have a pretty good network.
All of the schools on your list, excluding the UCs, are reaches. Michigan and NU far reaches. Once you tell us your UC GPAs, posters can help categorize those schools. Are you applying to any CSUs?
Can’t speak for the UCs but the non-UCs - far reaches - meaning Michigan, Tufts, Northwester, USC, Northeastern.
Someone mentioned IU. Your majors are all over the place - I wonder if you need a smaller school - more attention.
Otherwise, U of Denver would be a nice mid-size for you - and large schools U of AZ or any 2nd/3rd tier public.
Two worries:
You messed up your LOR so you have one - what if you can’t get a 2nd - many schools require two.
You are looking to defer…so why not just not apply? Then come back next year when you are more settled and accomplished - and start over. Maybe you’ll be a stronger candidate.
Even if instate, I doubt you get looked at. Most get deferred at first but that might just put off the inevitable. Not sure who is advising you but you need realistic college to apply to or your going to be very unhappy on decision day.
Please be aware that schools like Michigan and the rest of your list are very difficult for the best students. Your GPA is great. Don’t let anyone tell you any different but you need to align yourself with schools that you first off can get into and secondly will be successful at once there. Have a few reaches for sure, but you need a more tailored school list…
Is it worth noting that I had an uptrending GPA? Sophomore(3.0 UW, 3.67 W), Junior(3.78 UW, 4.29 W). I’m not going to write this for an essay prompt, but I went through an existential depression that got worsened through Covid, but recovered over that summer.
One of my friends mentioned that gap years are risky since the applications get more competitive every year, so I was thinking about going to a worse school, getting high grades and transferring second year. Grades would be easy at a less competitive campus, and it would allow me to work on my side projects.
In case my patent idea somehow fails, I want to have some backup in finance/business, which requires a different type of network. I’m not not motivated, I just forgot about it and focused on my ECs, and now I’m prioritizing it too late.
Yeah, I’m considering Oregon, especially since they have a wave lab. I got a 1470 on the SAT, and paired with narrative(3.0 Sophomore year, 3.78 Junior year) does that improve my chances?
Upward trends are great and they will see your transcripts. Have your school counselor write something up but it’s still not strong enough. If your upward trend included sophomore year then they would notice that. Try to A out this year. They will ask for mid semester grades.
Keep in mind also that everyone else also went through covid and home studies, remote etc. You don’t want to sound like it’s an excuse. Trust me, many will use that. Separate yourself. Your Ecs are very cool. Every school you mentioned has strong networking. Once accepted find a professor with your interests and go from there.
This is the famous alum list from Grand Valley State. Lots of politicians and athletes but not one CEO. Was there someone specific you were referencing?
Steven Rinella - American outdoorsman, conservationist, writer, and television personality known for translating the huntingand fishing lifestyle to a wide variety of audiences.
OP fingers crossed your ECs can carry the day. They and you are impressive!!
Please remember very few if any posters on CC possess the insight or awareness of the entirety of your application to accurately chance you. Good luck!!
Don’t take things so literally - i was saying great people come from any school. The dude who runs Palau came from Grand Valley State if you want to be literal.
But if you must really know someone from there - there are plenty…
OP - don’t worry about where you go. Worry about making a contribution, growing yourself, and all will be fine.
Phil Koning : Professional Achievement Award. CEO Macatawa Bank
Victor Shepherd, Jr. : Outstanding Entrepreneur Award . Chairman and CEO of the Iserv Company in Grand Rapids.
Robert Bockheim : Professional Achievement Award . President and CEO of Nucraft Furniture
Laurie Beard : Professional Achievement Award . President and CEO of Founders Trust Personal Bank
Maybe check out Drexel as a match. They’re good for finance and business. Also U of De. Wilmington has a lot of financial industry based there. You didn’t mention your budget. Make certain you have talked with your parents about paying for college and ran some net price calculators at both public and private schools. Some privates are need only and don’t offer merit while others might. Good luck!
I mean it’s a process that most people go through in their lives, typically later though. How should I separate myself on applications? I’m thinking of including this at the bottom of the common app in the supplemental information, not sure how to state this since it doesn’t seem like a good essay topic.
