What are my chances? (Low sat/act)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Bio:
-Citizenship: US (born CA, live in NC)
-Class: upper middle
-Race: white Sephardic Jew
-Gender: female

School:
-Type (Public/private & size): private, < 200ppl
-Graduates (How many go to Ivy’s/top 20): depends on the year, usually a lot to top 20 but not many to ivys
-AP’s Offered: 2

Academic Profile:
-Unweighted GPA: N/A (Quaker school with written narratives instead of grades)
-Weighted GPA: N/A
-AP’s: 2/2
-ACT: 31
-SAT: 1430
-Rank: top 5
-Course Rigor: extremely hard, hardest of anyone in my school

EC (In order of importance/commitment):

  • Varisty tennis (captain)
  • research assistant at Duke
  • leader of Madagascar club
  • student government
  • veterinary volunteer work
  • varsity basketball
  • student ambassador
  • admissions committee
  • head of school interview committee
  • investment club
  • Women’s group

Other Notables (College courses you’ve taken, papers published, created own website, TAing a class, ect):

  • designed neuroscience independent study
    -TAed for dean of students
    -took neuroscience course at Duke over the summer
    -set up school blood drive
  • mentor to 2 week freshman retreat (one of 6 leaders picked by teachers)

Honors:

  • Advanced Bio
  • Advanced Physics
  • Advanced Calculus
  • Advanced Spanish

Work:

  • Research Assistant
  • independent animal rescue
  • book buddies at local library
  • habitat for humanity
  • canvassing for Hilary

Schools I’m looking at:

  • College of William and Mary
  • UNC Chapel Hill
  • UC San Diego
  • UC Berkeley
  • Duke
  • UC Los Angeles
  • Vanderbilt
  • George Washington
  • Brown
  • Cornell

***The list is more or less in order of preference

Intended Major: Cognitive neuroscience
Intended Minor: mathematics

Thx @ConcernedRabbit for the template

2

Yay! You used the template!

Your scores are a little low, but that’s nothing you didn’t know. You are also a woman planning on pursuing STEM, so point there!

W&M—Match
UNC Chapel Hill—Match
UC Berkley—High Reach
Duke—Reach
UCLA–Reach
Vanderbilt—Reach
George Washington–High Safety/Low match
Brown–Reach
Cornell–Reach

I think that you’re list is pretty good, and you’ll be able to get into at least two “reach” schools.

If you manage to get your ACT up at least two points, you’ll be in a great spot. And it’s not impossible. I got a 32 the first time I took it, and I retook it after studying like crazy and I got a 36. You can do it too!

Best of luck, I think you’ll be okay.

3

What is your college budget? UC’s give no financial aid for OOS students so expect to be full pay.

UCLA/UCB are tough admits. UCSD is within reach. Bumping up your test scores could help.

4

Wow you consider your SAT score low?? That makes mine feel disgusting. :’(

5

@ConcernedRabbit what about UC San Diego?

6

I would agree with Gumbymom on this one, I think you should be okay (target/match)