Slighty Above Average URM, Chances and where to Apply?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My first post on College Confidential !!
I am a rising senior and as the big admissions process nears I was wondering which schools I should apply to and the chances at schools below)</p>

<p>Academic Profile
GPA- 3.65
School does not rank, Highly Competitive , Nationally ranked school
SAT- 1940 (640 CR 660 M 660 W)
ACT: (Will take in Sept expecting ~32)
Subject Tests: (US History- 710, Biology- Will Take, Math II- Will Take) </p>

<p>Courseload: All Honors and AP courses ( Biology (3), Microeconomics(pending), Macroeconomics (pending), English Language (pending) Senior APs: Statistics, US Gov't, European History, Environmental Science, English Lit (maybe))</p>

<p>Demographic
Race: Black, First Generation American born of African Immigrants
Parents went to College (BAs each)
Location:Mid- Atlantic, low population area
Income: Single Parent (Mother makes ~60k/year ) </p>

<p>ECs
Basketball
Track
Key Club- Vice Pres.
H4H Club- Vice Pres.
Medical Club- Vice Pres.
Mentoring program for urban elementary students
Youth Ambassador for politically recognized, local non profit organization
Launching online website Fall 2014
Job at local Retail Store (Summer- Fall)</p>

<p>Award/Achievements
Scholarship Program for Outstanding Black Males
HOBY Leadership Award </p>

<p>Looking for in a School- Academic and Social Balance, Great School Spirit</p>

<p>College Lists- Chances? (What should I improve, any other schools I should apply to?)
Duke University
Vanderbilt University
University of Southern California
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
UCLA
University of Miami (FL)
University of Pittsburgh
Seton Hall University
University of Delaware
Howard University</p>

2

<p>Duke is a massive reach. Vanderbilt is also a reach. Apply ED to Duke to boost your chances (they will still be rather bleak unfortunately).</p>

3

<p>Are you in state for UNC? If not, it is also a reach.</p>

4

<p>The top 5 on your list are definitely reaches. Not sure about Miami, but the others seem to be matches</p>

5

<p>@shawnspencer Thanks man, what can I do to make USC possible? </p>

6

<p>@collegebound124 Sadly out of state, Thank you! Might still give it a shot!</p>

7

<p>@MarsBlackmon‌ </p>

<p>YOU NEED to get that 32. But i think you have a good chance. i got a 1700~ on the SAT and a 31 on the ACT so some people are just better at the ACT</p>

8

<p>@marilo12 Thanks dude I will definitely study all out. Will that 32 give a decent shot at UNC and USC? </p>

9

<p>@Misanthrope1 Yea I understand those schools are very selective, with Duke’s decision program, will giving myself a senior semester of strong grades (confident,feeling straight As) in all Honors and APs and competitive scores for the regular decision be wiser even since I am currently not at the level of most top-notch applicants? </p>

10

<p>@MarsBlackmon‌ a 32 gives you a shot at any school if everything else is right honestly but for UNC and USC i’d say yes, a 32 makes both of them high matches</p>

<p>Maybe try UMich as a match and Syracuse as a safety</p>

11

<p>which one is your top choice? btw? if you get a 32 and apply ED to Duke or Vandy i’d say you have a good shot as well although your GPA isn’t as high as they’d like it to be </p>

12

<p>@marilo12 Top choices are between Duke (super long shot for everyone, not sure I would attend since I would be a “lower” student stats wise, may struggle) and USC . I have not visited either schools but both really fit what I look for in school and have attractive locations. Sorry I am learning about all the college process on my own so some questions seem dumb, but should I apply RD to Duke instead and work on getting my GPA higher? </p>

13

<p>I used to follow urm admissions to Duke (daughter went there), and don’t recall seeing any with a 3.65 unweighted GPA, and very few with math and reading Sat’s under 650. But I haven’t followed for a few years, and it can’t hurt to try there. I don’t think UCLA is in the works, but I will link their freshman profile. UNC sounds amazing! Howard is very likely (I went there) Good luck!</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof14.htm”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof14.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>PS Cool username!</p>

14

<p>@shrinkrap Thanks so much, the odds are slim but I’m willing to crapshoot! Two questions: how is UCLA financial aid (60k income OOS) ? and how were you able to see the information about Duke?</p>

15

<p>UCLA financial aid is nice for lower and middle income students in state, but almost nonexistant OOS. There is the regents. . FWIW, my daughter got into every school she applied to EXCEPT UCLA.</p>

<p>I was following admitted AA students here on CC, and going by what they reported. </p>

16

<p>@Shrinkrap Wow, she sounds like quite the outstanding student! I think with the lower chances and high price tag, I may have to scratch off UCLA. For Duke I’ll try and study this summer for the SAT and ACT and see if it could get it high to make up for the GPA. I appreciate your info and will try to work on these tests!</p>

17

<p>i actually think your GPA is okay honestly if you’ve taken the most rigorous course load possible. i would probably apply ED. duke’s ED acceptance rate is 30% which is a HUGE difference from their RD. Almost double. </p>

18

<p>Duke’s ED acceptance rate is 25%.</p>

19

<p>Current OOS UC financial aid info</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1664991-uc-s-and-their-out-of-state-financial-aid.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1664991-uc-s-and-their-out-of-state-financial-aid.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;