Should I try?

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Virginia
1

<p>I'm a junior white male from Tennessee.</p>

<p>Academics:
-High school: Competitive private
-GPA: 3.7 weighted (I realize this is pathetic, freshman/sophomore years were a waste)
-Class rank: My school doesn't rank; I would put myself in the top 20 of my class of ~100
-Curriculum: planning to take 4 years French/English/Math/Lab Science/Social Studies; Bible is a required elective each year and I've had other electives every year
2 APs junior year, planning to take 4 APs next year (my school is very limited academically, I always take honors and "advanced" when available.)</p>

<p>Scores:
-No ACT or SAT yet; I scored a 214 on the PSAT (highest in my school, right on the average for NMSF qualifying in Tennessee but I don't know yet, would that help?)</p>

<p>Extracurricular/other (can someone help with what to even include?):
-Christian Literature Club (treasurer)
-Chem Club
-Chess Club
-National Honor Society
-15 hours of service/year (required by school)
-annual trip to French Canada in which we do various service projects and run a sports camp for little kids (not included in required service)
-swimming for 8 years, high school swimmer all 3 years, club swimming (year-round and practice every night; takes a good chunk of time) for 2 years
-member of varsity Scholar's Bowl team, 10th and 11th grade
-nationally ranked in the French Grand Concours, 10th grade</p>

<p>SO, let's just imagine for a moment that I get 2100+ on the SAT (probably higher since the PSAT was 214 without studying), my GPA raises up to 4.0W, and I have superb recs/essays. Do I have a chance?</p>

<p>Other colleges I'm considering are UNC, Vanderbilt, Sewanee, Wofford, Tennessee, Alabama, Clemson, and Samford. Of course UNC, UVA, and Vandy are all reach schools, but is it even worth the application fee?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I think you will get in all of them. Don’t worry.</p>

3

<p>yeah dude, reach for the stars like I tried, you might get into Northwestern and Johns Hopkins… I am thinking you have a very good chance at UVA, but like it history shows, this process has a lot of luck in it. Some person gets in, and an identical applicant gets rejected, just matter of who reads your app.</p>

<p>but for now, you can place your bets on “in” for UVA… good luck</p>

4

<p>I think you have a perfect mix of reach and safety schools. Yes, you should apply to all the schools you mention, and it’s smart to be getting organized now. Best of luck.</p>

5

<p>Not at all a sure bet. In fact I think UVA is a reach for you.</p>

6

<p>def worth the application fee. try it, and if you fail, you have plenty of other great schools to fall back on.</p>

7

<p>You still have time to get your GPA higher and I would work really hard this semester to do so. You have an okay number of AP classes and as long as your are taking the most rigorous classes at your school that is what colleges will look at.
If you become a NMSF that will definitely help you to get into Vandy.
Alabama will most definitely “woo” you if you become NMSF AND keep your GPA up. If you become a finalist, it is a total free ride there in the Honors College.
UNC is probably harder than UVA for anybody OOS due to stricter state mandates on limiting OOS students. I would say to not waste your money on UNC on the app.
Good luck. You still have lots of time to improve!</p>

8

<p>Thanks a lot for the responses everyone, sorry for not responding earlier.
Thanks for the advice/encouragement as well as some not-so-encouraging but probably true statements. Guillaume, if you’ll notice, I had UVA listed as a reach school.</p>