What am I missing?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I really would love to go to the University of Chicago, but I'm worried that I don't have a very good chance. Other schools I'm interested in include the following:
Georgia Tech
Dartmouth
UPenn
Brown
Rice
WashU</p>

<p>Here's a little bit about my high school performance:</p>

<p>Test Scores:
ACT Superscore: 33
Composite: 31
English: 34
Math: 32
Reading: 33
Science: 31
Essay: 10
Combined English/Writing: 33</p>

<p>PSAT: 209
Math: 76
Verbal: 70
Writing: 63</p>

<p>(I will be taking the SAT and have already taken subject tests)</p>

<p>AP Statistics: 5
AP Human Geography: 4
AP European History: 4
AP World History: 3</p>

<p>Class Ranking: 1 out of 545
Cumulative GPA: 3.75 (Not counting last semester of Junior year)
Academic Core GPA: 4.1389 (Not counting last semester of Junior year)
Weighted Cumul. GPA: 5.1806 (Not counting last semester of Junior year)</p>

<p>Pre-Freshman:
Algebra I Honors (B+/B+)
Geometry Honots (A/A)
Spanish I Honors (B/B+)
Spanish II Honors (B+/B+)</p>

<p>I know my early grades are pretty rough, but on top of a strong
upward trend, I also am counting on the fact the colleges will
understand that that was in middle school, and possibly even
forgive it when the calculate my GPA.</p>

<p>Freshman:
AP Human Geography (A/A)
English I Honors (B/A)
Algebra II Honors (B+/A)
Spanish III Honors (A/A)
Biology Honors (A/A)
Physical Education (A/A)
Communications Technology (A/A)
Sophomore:
AP Statistics (A/A)
AP European History (A/A)
AP World History (B+/A)
English Honors II (A/A)
Chemistry Honors (A/A)
Precalculs Honors (A/B+)
Debate I Honors (A/A)
Junior:
AP English Language (A/A)
AP Calculus AB (B/B) (Grades will be (A/A) after the exam,
teacher overprepares students and then changes grades when they pass)
AP US History (A/A)
Intro To Religion/World Religion (A/A) (Through a local college)
AP Biology (A/A)
Spanish IV Honors (A/A)
Debate II Honors (A/A)
AP Computer Science A (A/A) (Online)
Senior:
AP Economics (Micro and Macro)
AP English Literature
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
AP Calculus BC
AP Spanish Language
Debate III Honors
Anthropology (At a local college)
Sociology (At a local college)</p>

<p>Leadership:
President of Debate Senior Year
Captain of Brain Brawl Team Junior-Senior Year
Vice President of the National English Honor Society Senior Year</p>

<p>Club involvement:
National Honor Society: Member Sophomore-Senior years; Tutor; Helped run induction
Spanish Honor Society: Member Junior-Senior years; Competed in a Spanish Competition
Debate: Member Sophomore-Senior years; Lincoln-Douglas Debater; Rank of Excellence in the National Forensics League
Academic Games: Member Sophomore-Senior years; Compete in various interscholastic academic events;</p>

<p>Community Service:
Volunteer Tour Guide at a Science Museum (240 Hours)
Play Bass for services at a local church (100 Hours)</p>

<p>Awards:
World Language Competition 2nd Place in Spanish Impromptu (Regional)
World Language Competition 2nd Place in Spanish Declaration (Regional)
Outstanding Achievement in AP Human Geography, English Honors II,
Precalculus Honors, and Advanced Placement English Language (School)</p>

<p>What am I missing to make me a competitive candidate for the school(s) of my dreams?</p>

2

<p>bump10char?</p>

3

<p>You aren’t missing anything objectively. Focus now on getting spectacular recommendations from teachers and thinking of topics for the “favorite things” and “Why UChicago” essays. Also, it’s helpful to know that those who are on the mailing list for the school get the Uncommon Essay prompts early, so sign up if you haven’t already.</p>

4

<p>Also, colleges do not see your middle school grades, nor do they care. I was a straight C+ student in middle school.</p>

5

<p>Can you clarify what a weighted cumulative GPA is? I’ve never heard of it before.</p>

6

<p>Can you tell me what steps I should take, in order to try to get in a Medical University such as UT Southwestern?</p>

7

<p>thinkingtoohard, weighted cumulative GPA is my GPA since middle school, calculated as follows:</p>

<p>Regular classes are worth 4 points
Honors are worth 5
AP classes are worth 6 points.</p>

8

<p>Oh I see! I agree with luminalcoin8, colleges do not really care about Middle School grades.</p>

9

<p>Even if they’re high school classes?</p>

10

<p>I see 3.75 as your uw GPA which is slightly below average for most of these top schools. Also, you may want to find out if these schools superscore ACT. Most schools don’t and would only count your composite score at 31. If that is the case, your chance would be lowered.
Check out the list below:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.ellenrichardseducationalservices.com/2012/12/colleges-that-superscore-act/[/url]”>http://www.ellenrichardseducationalservices.com/2012/12/colleges-that-superscore-act/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.freetestprep.com/blog/resources/list-of-colleges-and-universities-that-superscore-the-act-test/[/url]”>http://www.freetestprep.com/blog/resources/list-of-colleges-and-universities-that-superscore-the-act-test/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>I think if they are High School classes. Colleges have so many applicants that they do not even want to see the Middle School grades as they are just fluff.</p>