I’m looking for some perspective on how important the Subject Tests are when applying to UNC CH.
D is a rising Sr. OOS. High achieving private school. 1500 SAT (750/750). Mostly all A’s (out of 36 classes in her 6 years of high school, has 32 As and 4 Bs). Well balanced on ECs. Leader on Robotics Team. Anticipate recs will be very strong. School does not rank. AP’s at school mainly for Jr and Sr year only. She will have 7 APs total (3 Jr, 4 Sr). School has decent track record at UNC CH, about 15-18 acceptances per year. Naviance Scattergram shows D in a decent place…close to a lot of acceptances but also close to some denials and waitlists.
Interested in the Business School at UNC.
Her weak spot is the Subject Tests. Didn’t do so well in past on Physics, Math I or Chemistry. Not even a close call about whether to use them or not when she applies.
Got results today for Bio, Math II and Lit. Math II not good. The others are decent - 720 Bio (80th percentile) and 730 Literature (84th percentile).
So we have 2 scores that maybe we might use in an application.
My question is…for an OOS student aiming for Chapel Hill, would those two results help or hurt her if she submitted them. Is that better or worse than not submitting any Subject Test scores at all??
Any and all input welcome. Thanks everyone.
I wouldn’t worry about sending in subject matter tests for UNC-CH; I don’t think that my OOS daughter did when she applied a couple of years ago, and it didn’t seem to have an impact on her admission decision.
If you look at the UNC-CH Common Data Set, here, https://oira.unc.edu/files/2017/07/cds_2016_2017_20170411.pdf, under Part C7 it states that standardized test scores, application essay(s), letter(s) of recommendation, and the rigor of your high school record are “very important” academic factors considered for freshman admission, whereas GPA and class rank are “important” academic factors considered for freshman admission. Extracurricular activities, talent, and character/personal qualities are considered as “very important” non-academic factors.
Your daughter should probably focus on those things that UNC-CH considers to be “very important” admissions factors and which are still within your control at this point – standardized test scores (although your daughter is probably in a decent spot in that regard), LORs, and essays.
Since your daughter’s high school has a track record of getting students admitted to UNC-CH, I would try to meet with a guidance counselor at your school early in the Fall semester of your senior year to discuss application strategies for UNC-CH. (Actually, if you can still meet with the guidance counselor now, or even over the summer, I would make an effort to do so.) Since there is a large population of former students from your daughter’s high school who have been admitted to UNC-CH recently, I imagine that the guidance counselor should be able to give some insight into how and why such student(s) were successful.
Feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific questions, and I’ll do my best to give meaningful answers.
Thanks for your input and thoughtful feedback. Much appreciated.
Good advice on the counselor and getting going on that early. My daughter has scheduled a meeting with her counselor for tomorrow and feedback/advice on UNC CH is part of the agenda.
Oh, maybe you figured this out already, but D has not been in high school for 6 years!!! Meant to say 6 semesters in my original post. Thinking she wouldn’t be a very attractive candidate if it took her 6 years to get through high school!!
@Boss an: Depending on what your daughter was doing for those 6 semesters, there might be some good subject matter for essays. Something to discuss with your guidance counselor, perhaps; or, if your school or one of your teachers offers a class or tutorial over the summer on college essay writing, that could be something to look into as well.
Good luck.
I had similar stats to your student in high school, with a slightly lower SAT score and fewer extracurriculars. I got into UNC Chapel Hill with no SAT Subject tests. However, I took 8 AP classes and did well on all the exams so that may have been a factor. Still, I don’t think getting into Chapel Hill is as hard as some make it out to be, although entering as an out of state student is more difficult. That being said, SAT subject tests really don’t matter. Yes, if your daughter does exceptionally well on a subject test, it couldn’t hurt to send it in, but general SAT and ACT scores are more greatly emphasized during the admissions process. It looks to me as if your student has a solid chance of getting into the school. Just make sure her application essays are sincere and well thought out. I’m loving the school so far, so I really do hope she gets in. Good luck!