what are my chances at mid to top tier colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m just curious to see my chances at my top schools. The more competitive ones include Northwestern & Michigan (maybe Duke) while the “easier” ones include University of Washington in Seattle and other Big 10 schools.

1440 SAT (First time, retaking again in June and October)

780 on Math
660 on EBRW (working on bringing this up)

4.3 GPA WEIGHTED, around 3.8 GPA unweighted. I got quite a few Bs my freshman year, but only 1 B per semester my sophomore year & first semester junior year (my second semester is not over yet but I have a great shot at getting no Bs)

Junior Year Course Load:

AP Chemistry
Physics Honors
Spanish 3 HONORS
Pre-Calculus HONORS
AP English Language
AP US Government 1ST SEMESTER
AP Psychology 2ND SEMESTER

Senior year course load for next year:

AP Calculus BC
AP Biology
AP European History
AP Spanish Language
AP Physics C: Mechanics
Regular English course

I also took AP US History my sophomore year (As both semesters) and honors math, english, chemistry.

EXTRACURRICULARS:

Spanish tutor and math tutor

NHS

Peer leading through school program dedicated to working with students to keep a safe school

Peer freshman leader for freshmen orientation and their first day of school (junior and now senior year)

Research Club- researching lime peels ability to remove Lead (II) ions from solution.

VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH CLUB FOR NEXT YEAR

Summer lifeguard job

Although I got a mix of As and Bs freshman year, since I had an upward trend with my grades in increasingly harder classes, will this help my case? (Also, I have taken the hardest rigor I possibly could). When taking everything into account, where do I stand at chances of being admitted, and will my senior year grades help me as well? Thank you!

2

It might not matter in terms of your chances, but do you know what you’d like to study?

3

chemistry. maybe premed, maybe a lab job. maybe science business. i’m not entirely sure what my end goal is just yet, but I know for sure i want to do my undergrad in chemistry.

4

In terms of your college search, you can regard it as a good thing that quite a few colleges offer strong programs in chemistry.

As an opinion on your chances, schools with sub-25% acceptance rates would seem to be reaches or, possibly, high matches for you, but you shouldn’t rule them out for this reason.

In terms of an additional resource on college options, you can search “15 Best Value Small Colleges for a Chemistry Degree 2019.” You might also want to consider schools from this group: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/undergrad-research-programs.

Union might be an example of a match school for you. You could explore further schools in its selectivity range as you broaden your list: https://amp.businessinsider.com/the-610-smartest-colleges-in-america-2015-9. For potential reaches, add a school or two between UM and Duke.

5

Of course, you are in the running for these schools. But be aware that the most selective schools turn down a lot of students with top resumes. The first schools on your list should be the sure things. The hard part is finding a great school that can give you the academics you want that you can afford. That should be the foundation of your college search.

Have you talked to your parents as to what you as a family can afford for college and how it’s going to be paid? Run some NPCs on those schools you have listed and see what they expect your family to pay. Do you have a non custodial parent, a family business in the mix? Those can make it complicated. You need to know if financial aid and/or merit money is going to be needed.

UMichigan has waitlisted a number of near perfect stat kids I know over the past 5 years. Knocked them for a loop as it was supposed to be their safety paired with an early action first choice school that also turned them down or wait listed them, it made for a stressful 4 months of a critical senior year.