What are my chances at Notre Dame/Tulane/BC/URoch/Emory?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

My stuff is quite lacking but here goes:

-Current Junior in HS
-Intended Major: Biology or Chemistry (pre-med)
-Female, Asian, moved to a town of 3,500 in South Dakota from the Philippines four years ago
-not a legacy or first generation college student
-mom works two jobs, dad can’t work

ACT: 31 (will be taking it again in April)
English: 34
Math:28
Reading:34
Science:26

GPA: 4.0 (UW) 4.182 (W)
Honor Roll, first of my class since 8th grade (60 ish students)

I took three college dual enrollment classes through USD each semsester (total of 6).
-College Algebra
-US History I
-US History II
-Intro to Psychology
-Intro to Speech
-Intro to Sociology

Will take four more this summer
-Art Appreciation
-American Government
-Introductory French I
-Introductory French II

and 6 more next school year
-Calc I
-Calc II
-Comp I
-Intro to Lit
-Intermediate French I
-Intermediate French II

School does not offer IB programs. The only non-online AP class is Chemistry. I will be taking that along with an Anatomy/Phys class. I am also in an Advanced Art class for 3 years.

Job: Interpreter/Cashier at a local non-profit museum with in-situ research and excavation, 3 years and going

Secretary for Key Club (1st year)
Student Council President (1st year)
Prom Committee President

Knowledge Bowl participant (1st year, we didn’t win)
West River Math Contest (5th place soph., 10th place junior)

100 hrs activities volunteer at a local veteran’s home
Attended a Scrubs Camp at local hospital
Will be part of NHS next S.Y.
Will be attending Girls State

Ask me questions if it will help please! Thanks in advance

2

@buckybarnesx Your class standing and gpa, extracurricular, work experience and volunteering look good and put you in the ballpark range for each of these schools. But these are all reach schools. Percent of students who get admitted to these schools is under 30% and under 20%. You need some match schools and safety schools. Your Philippine background and being from South Dakota may give you a boost for geographic diversity, assuming these schools don’t have a lot of students from your geographic area and your background. Since you want to be premed, try and do better on your science sub-score by at least 3 points if you can. Based on just standardized test scorses, you have a better chance at Boston College and Rochester because their ACT mid range 25/75 percentile is 28-34. You current ACT composite score falls smack in the middle. Tulane and Emory have 25/75 percentile in the 30-33 range, so it will be a little more difficult for you with your current score. Notre Dame’s 25/75 range is 32-34, so your score puts you in the bottom quarter and likely out of serious contention, even considering your 4.0 gpa and 1st of class standing. Applying Early Decision for any of these schools will give you an admissions boost. (Notre Dame only has Restrictive Early Action). Google the Common Data Set or the Fact Book for each of these schools to see the weight they place on the various academic and non-academic admissions criteria, such as gpa, rigor of curriculum, standardized test score, demonstrated interest, work experience, and extracurricular activities, for emails. I’m going to provide you a link for Emory—see page 8 where they list the admissions criteria as either Very importamt, Important, Considered, or Not Considered. This should provide a good idea of the importance of all factors for admission. http://opb.emory.edu/documents/data/Emory-Common-Data-Set-2018-2019.pdf
Make sure your essays are well written and thoughtful. Tell why the school will be a good fit for you and your interests of study. And what you plan to do their academically and non-academically (clubs, volunteering, research, etc,.) Also make sure you select teachers who can provide you with excellent letters of recommendation.

3

@trackmbe3
Emory’s range is 31-34, it says it in the link you posted. BC also has a range of 31-33
@buckybarnesx
If you show interest in Tulane and apply early you’ll have a great shot.

4

While trackmbe3 is correct that these are all “reach schools,” you are qualified for all of them. That being said, when these ultra-competitive schools say "we could literally accept the next [5,000] students in lieu of the first 5,000 and have basically the same quality of student body [which they all say], they mean it! The fact that you are from a foreign background and come from a greatly under-represented state will be of great help to you as they pick from the many qualified students. It is also true that you need to show interest in Tulane in order to be part of the 13% or so students they accept (based on this year’s numbers). Aside from the obvious advice to meet with local recruiters and visit, the admissions committee likes to see an enthusiasm for community service (a requirement for graduation), an openness to an interdisciplinary focus to one’s curriculum, a familiarity with other cultures (You have that box checked!), and a thirst for undergraduate research. The more specific you can be in terms of a department, a subject or even a professor, the better. Yes, these are all tough schools, but you are a strong candidate. While you might add an easier one or two, don’t sell yourself short. Best of luck to you!