<hr>
I am a TN resident and am strongly considering Vandy, but the cost seems very prohibitive. The net price calculator reports that my family's contribution will be in the league of $25,000 per year, which, when compared to the University of Tennessee where I could do a five year master's for about $20,000 total, is pretty outlandish.
I would like to preface by saying that I expect to be a National Merit Finalist in Tennessee where the cutoff is fairly low, which would bring yearly cost to about $20,000/yr.
I also am looking at UPenn because they claimed to have a great financial aid program, but the calculator estimated $30,000 so who knows until the actual offers come out.
<hr>
As far as the academics go:
I am entirely dedicated to a math major
4.5 W GPA, 4.0 UW, hopefully top 25 of my class of 450 (public school).
34 ACT (36M,35E,32R,34S)
222 PSAT (80M, 77CR, 65W)
No SAT (yet)
SAT Subject tests: took June test. haven't gotten scores back but expecting 800 Math II and 770+ Physics
National honors society member
SkillsUSA - Chapter Parliamentarian, Vice President, and probably President. worked on a major service project for veterans. Got 1st in state computer programming.
Cyber defense competition-1st place state (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior)
Attended Boys State and held a very high leadership position, passed a legitimate and important bill, and gained a lot of experience
Went to Governor's School (rising Junior)
Math/Mu Alpha Theta deserve their own section:
<em>Chapter Vice President (Junior)
--Organizer of school-wide student tutoring with 50+ service hours in tutoring (I like teaching math)
*Chapter President (Senior)
*State Treasurer (Junior)
--experience organizing and budgeting the state convention
*State President (Senior)
--Public speaking experience (elected by a body of 100+ people), special events and fundraising experience, and I love math
*National Voting delegate Junior&Senior
--Plan to run for national office this year, we'll see how that goes...
*</em>*****National competitor
--6th place in one competition, 10th in another
*AIME 2015 qualifier
*Fermat I (major Tennessee math competition) top 50
*TMTA (major Tennessee math competition) 2nd place in testing center
*Math Departmental award for excellence (one of two given each year, all students are eligible)
*I ran out of math classes at my school. I will be taking Calc III regular Dual Enrollment and Differential equations as a night class at a community college in addition to my regular hard schedule.
*2nd Place State in a presentation competition
One <em>AMAZING</em> math teacher recommendation, and one solid humanities one.
Basically, if you haven't noticed already, I love math. I'm not the best at it (I get a lot of second place things), but it's my passion and I think that will really shine through. I know how to work hard and I do it because I love it, for the sake of learning. As someone said to me recently, "I hope I can one day love something as much as you love math."
<hr>
Given all of this, what do you think are:
my chances for admission into the school of Arts & Sciences at Vandy,
my chances for a full merit scholarship to Vandy, my chances to get into UPenn as a math major (I'm going on a visit soon)?Bump