@BRANDONWM That is awesome!
Excel@Carolina (which includes Honors Carolina) will be released in about a week or so.
In an attempt to learn for next time - can those who got in with lower scores maybe elaborate on their essays or what they think the admissions office was looking for? S has 17 AP courses, varsity tennis captain, very good amount of volunteering in the community, 34 act and 4.3 gpa. Happy for all that got in but now just trying to crack the code for my next two coming down the road.
Accepted out of state, 35 ACT, 4.0 unw/4.8 w, average EC, very strong essay, currently ranked 4 of 457 - Plan: Biology (BS)
I’m still in shock. Accepted OOS 28 ACT 3.8unw/4.6 w but pretty unique EC an strong essays. Future applicants: be passionate and be involved in activities that make a difference in the world and colleges will notice.
Daughter OOS accepted. ACT 36, new SAT 1560, 800’s on 3 SAT subject tests, all 5’s on AP tests, 4.0 UWGPA, 4.66 WGPA, NMSF, lots of ECs, summer research job/academic paper, chemistry/spanish major. Now waiting on financial aid…need to finish the ^*#%?! CSS!
@bulldog25 My ECs are pretty rare. I started a non profit then serve as a director at a very large student-led non profit. I also served as the national youth director for a presidential campaign. My essays showed my passion for education equity.
deferred OOS 
4.0 unweighted, 4.83 weighted, top 6% of class, 1490 sat, and some really creative EC’s. Oh well, congrats to those accepted!
@bulldog25, I think the key is having something you’re really passionate about, like indigoraccoon4 said. For me, it was my music, and my drive took me to all county/region/state then beyond to National Youth Orchestra. Even though I do not plan to major in music, just play in University Orchestra, I think that passion I displayed helped tremendously. (Accepted OOS - 31 ACT)
@bulldog25 Yes, I can help you out. For one, I am in-state, so that probably helped me. Next, my ACT scores was 23 and my SAT was 1080/1600, so on the low end of things. Then, I did my essays on things that were unique to me and I was authentic with my essays. I talked about being Haliwa-Saponi and what it means to me, and I also talked about the renewable energy with Costa Rica and how United States can learn from that and I tied in Computer Science with it since I want to major in Computer Science.
For the personal essay on Common App, I talked about my math grades in Freshmen and Sophomore year with Algebra II and Precalc and how that crushed me because my teacher was not good and few people were able to get the material. I then was honest about my journey with that and how I was passionate about going on Khan Academy and re-learning the material–kinda like I was being resurrected with math. I then talked about how I took a hiatus in the eleventh grade year in math and how I took that risk since I got bad grades in math the previous high school years (“C” and “D”) but I used the time to rebuild on my math skills and go back to basics.
I then followed that up with how I did a math class in college (dual enroll) for Precalc Alg but I had to withdraw due to personal conflicts (I was in a mental hospital) and I was not determined to give up. I then enrolled in a math class first semester of senior year for the same topic (Precalc Algebra in college) and was close to an “A” this time.
I think what also helped what that I showed improvement and maturity in my high school grades in my transcript and even though my UW GPA is a 3.58, I still managed to get a 4.46 for W GPA and how I am Top Five in class rank now.
I also did activities that suit me and decided to be the leader in some, such as Head Alto with singing, I started a club with six other people of color at the school I used to go to and was a surveyor (basically the leader), and head dancer with middle school kids in my school since I went to a school where middle school and high school were combined. I also tutored middle school kids and high school kids and mentored middle school kids and described about that for my Activities for UNC.
But my point is this: you can have the AP, the IB, the extracurriculars and all of that but what makes you unique? Were your activities in areas you gravitate towards and not over the place? How is your personality? I also think recommendations are a big part too–waive your recommendations, meaning you waive your right to see what your recommenders wrote about you and also, choose recommenders you know very well and you have a solid relationship. The standardized test scores being high is great, but what is unique about you, your actions, and how you view the world around you?
(Also, did you take risks? They want to see what you are passionate about and your personality, which is why it is holistic. They want to see you at your happiest but also, in your darkest moments. They want to see how you exemplify what it means to be human.)
I hope this helps.
OOS accepted with 32 ACT, strong GPA, essays, leadership and recs. Tied in my passions as “Heel Prints” on the vague supplement section on the common app.
@sunshinemiracle I am also majoring in computer science.
Accepted OOS! Legacy, 32 ACT, 4.9 W GPA and 3.9 UW. Some EC’s, top 8% of class.
great insights - thank you!
Accepted in-state! (I found out around 7pm) I’m super excited. 28 ACT, 1380 SAT, 5.0 weighted 3.96 unweighted, NCSSM online student, Rank 1/300.
S accepted IS. Morehead semi finalist. 31 ACT 1 sitting, 1440 new SAT 1 sitting. Capitan varsity soccer, president of several organizations, 7 APs , the rest honors. Many leadership positions . Good luck to everyone!
Did anyone OOS receive scholarship invitations?
Rejected
4.4 GPA, 2000 SAT, 8 AP credits, out of state (ohio)
S accepted. In state 1300SAT. 4.65 weighted 3.8 unweighted, rank 7/170 rigorous STEM high school. EC are baseball, SGA VP, captain on quiz bowl.
To everyone who didn’t receive the decision they were hoping for-- I hope these articles from MIT admissions officers can begin to give you some peace of mind. Good luck in everything you do, being denied doesn’t mean being unqualified… at all.