Should I apply Early Action or Regular Decision?

Applying to College
1

<p>I have low test scores and by the time I retake the SAT and ACT, I will not be able to receive my scores in time in order to apply for early action, so what would be my best bet.</p>

<p>I live in North Carolina and I am an African-American. I go to a school based on engineering and biotechnology and have taken four engineering classes (Digital Electronics, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Principles of Engineering) and they are all AP weighted and I got B's in all of them if this means anything. I am interested in majoring in Business Administration and getting a JD in graduate school.</p>

<p>I am not interested in engineering after taking the classes at my school, but with the rise of engineering and technology firms in the United States, I should have a chance of getting some job in business after college.</p>

<p>Currently a Junior
Played 2 years of Varsity football
Member of the key club (Community Service Club)
Taking dual enrollment (community college) courses in high school (Junior & Senior Year) and I have gotten only A's and B's in the classes from Forsyth Tech
I will be the SGA Senior Class President
Taken 2 AP classes, but I plan to take 4 more my senior year
List of AP's I have taken or will be taking - Psychology, US History, Statistics, Environmental Science, US Goverment & Politics, and Comparative Government & Politics, plus my engineering classes are AP weighted
I have an internship at Wake Forest Baptist Health this summer.
Have over 200 hours in Community Service</p>

<p>SAT Scores:
Reading: 480
Math: 560
Writing: 530
Overall: 1570</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.17
Weighted GPA: 3.94</p>

<p>ACT Score: 24</p>

<p>Class rank is in the top 30%</p>

<p>Finally my parents are divorced and I am confused on which one needs to claim me on their taxes for financial aid. My dad is a Superior Court Judge with a 100k+ salary and my mother is a nurse with a less than 75k salary. Which one would be more beneficial for college.</p>

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<p>For federal aid (FAFSA form, Pell grants, federal direct loans), the parent you live with is the one who is relevant.</p>

<p>For college that use additional forms like CSS/Profile (which is most of those which offer need-based financial aid beyond federal aid), both parents and their income and wealth are considered.</p>

3

<p>Thanks and with that said, should I apply Early Action or Regular Decision. Do I have any chance? </p>

4

<p>The next SAT is in October. I suppose you can apply Early for most colleges, and they’ll still consider the October SAT scores. Your SAT scores are kind of low. Most colleges that have an ‘Early’ application plan start giving out decisions by late November. So, with most colleges, you should be okay applying early and being sure that your October SAT scores will be considered. </p>

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<p>Shouldn’t October 2014 SAT test results be available (though just by a whisker) in time for early action? They better be, my kid is counting on it, has to retake at least one subject test… Have you actually looked into when the results become available and when the early decision deadline is for the school(s) you’ll be applying to? According to the College Board, the anticipated date for the next SAT tests is Oct 11th, with results available online on Oct 30th.</p>

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<p>Early Action or Regular Decision?</p>

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<p>If you won’t be taking the tests again before the RD deadline and the scores arrive in time for EA, there’s no reason not to do EA. Getting answers before the RD deadline may help you decide to apply to some additional schools if the EA decisions don’t break your way. And if they do and you’re happy with the schools, you’re done.</p>

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<p>October is fine for EA</p>

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<p>Which schools are you looking at?</p>

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<p>UNC Chapel Hill
UT Austin
UW Seattle
East Carolina
Appalachian State</p>

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<p>Run the Net Price Calculators for the schools. You would be full pay at UW and UT. Are E Carolina and App State your safeties? Would you be happy to attend them?</p>

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<p>Yes they are my safeties and I would not mind attending them</p>

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<p>As a general rule, avoid applying ED (binding) to schools that are less than dream schools that you would attend at any price. The benefit of EA (nonbinding) over RD is not so much an improvement in admission chances but only the peace of mind of knowing earlier, because the EA applicants tend to be much stronger than the RD applicants. The schools insist that they do not lower their standards at all for EA; more EA applicants are admitted because more EA applicants meet the admissions standard, that’s all.</p>

<p>With regard to your parents, you WILL have the residency of the parent you live with the majority of the time. You CAN also have the residency, in some states (for example, Virginia) of your other parent, if certain criteria are met. This varies by state law, and would basically give you dual residency in both states, for both admission and tuition purposes. If both your parents are in NC, this won’t matter for you.</p>

<p>As a general rule, public schools use FAFSA to consider only the household income of the parent you primarily live with. That means if you live with your mother and she has remarried, your stepfather’s income is considered. Private schools, in contrast, will first calculate your EFC based on your custodial parent’s household income, and then separately use CSS Profile to recalculate your EFC based on your two actual parents’ incomes, and then use the higher EFC of the two. If your parents are otherwise cooperating about paying your college costs, then it’s probably best for FA purposes to live before college with the parent in the lower income household (I cannot tell from what you wrote whether that is your mom or your dad).</p>

<p>Your test scores are low. Your grades are okay, not great but not horrible, either. Your ECs and other factors are good.</p>

<p>If you’re not interested in engineering, don’t major in it. Seriously, a major you don’t care about will not get you good grades or a job offer. But, applying to college as an engineering major should improve your admission chances at most schools, and you can always change majors once you’re in.</p>

<p>I suggest you apply to several more in-state public schools, as they are probably your best option. Other UNC campuses, NC State, etc.</p>

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<p>Thank you this is the answer I have been waiting for</p>

15

<p>EA is fine for you. I agree with FCCDad on all he says. Be aware that though UNC-CH guarantees to meet full need, it uses PROFILE info to determine that need and both parents’ financials will be taken into consideration. None of the other schools on your list guarantee to meet full need. </p>

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<p>Schools say a lot of things that may or may not be true. They also insist that athletes meet the same standards as non-athletes. And that for grad school, all applicants are treated the same, regardless of their undergrad school. They aren’t exactly saying these things under oath, so treat them as the marketing hype they really are - the stats tell you otherwise.</p>

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<p>The ACT has a test date in September. Your SAT score is a bit low given your grades. I would try the ACT and see if you can do better. If you take in September, then you will have your scores before the EA deadline and can decide then. </p>

<p>Some people do better on one than the other, so it’s best to take a swing at each. </p>

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<p>contrary to above, the sat scores of october also come in time (just in the nick of time) for EA/ED. …</p>

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<p>Although I do plan on studying over the summer and retaking the SAT and the ACT what are my chances at Chapel Hill right now and my weighted GPA rose to a 4.1. Will being a minority increase my chances of getting into Chapel Hill.</p>

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See UNC Common Data Set C9 Data: <a href=“http://oira.unc.edu/files/2014/03/cds_2013_2014.pdf”>http://oira.unc.edu/files/2014/03/cds_2013_2014.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Currently both your SAT and ACT scores are way below UNC’s 25th percentile. So, even though you would be considered an in-state URM, your tests scores will be your achilles heel. Unless you can get your scores above the 25th percentile, I think you would be deferred at UNC Chapel Hill if you applied early.</p>

<p>Check the Common Data Set for your other schools, as that might be the case everywhere.</p>