What are my chances?

hey!!! so I have a gpa of about 3.5 something, so far i have taken 2 APs in high school i just started senior year and am am currently taking 4… i have a 28 act score but i will take it again this September hopefully and get a 30, im in key club (since 10th) , beta club, mock trial (since 9th and have won many awards here and this year i am president), and treasurer of international club. I go to one of top schools in georgia and i want to major in either journalism, political science, development, or criminal justice (not in that order). And i heard applying ED increased your chances? And also my uncle is doing his post med there currently. My essay so far seems good it’s about how my experience in my home country has molded me into who i am today and how it has pushed me to go into development. Thanks for any help!! I wanna know before i get my hopes up or filling out the app or something
(I’m looking into my chances at other schools too just in case my chances here are low)

AU is getting increasingly competitive. They value demonstrated interest, so to increase your chances of admission, plan to visit the school and make other contacts with admissions staff.

College websites have an incredible amount of information available, if you look for it!

from: http://www.american.edu/alumni/update/AU-Welcomes-Newest-Class-of-Eagles.cfm

What do a pilot, an internationally recognized Irish dancer, a small business owner, and a field biologist have in common? They are all members of American University’s incoming Class of 2019.

Representing 48 states (including DC) and 55 countries, the incoming class of freshmen has achieved academic excellence in their high school careers and are accomplished in their personal and extracurricular pursuits. The Class of 2019 earned an average GPA of 3.76 and had an average SAT score of 1270 (on a 1600 scale).

More than 10 percent of AU’s new class of students are first generation students and 35 percent are minorities. Nearly nine percent of the class identifies as African American, nine percent as Asian, and 15 percent as Hispanic. Additionally, this class will include 52 U.S. Global Nomad freshmen (U.S. citizens living abroad) representing 23 countries of residence.

“I am truly impressed with this year’s incoming class,” said Mary Boylan, assistant director of admissions. “With a 15% increase in applications this year, our staff had some tough decisions to make.”

With the summer drawing to a close, the admissions team at AU is already beginning their recruitment efforts for the Class of 2020. Assisting with this effort are AU’s Alumni Admissions Volunteers – a dedicated group of more than 670 alumni from across the country and abroad who participate in recruitment events and represent AU in their local areas. Alumni Admissions Volunteers represent AU at local and national college fairs, interview prospective students, meet admitted students and their families at spring receptions, welcome incoming students with phone calls, and host and attend Summer Send-Off events.

Although recruitment has begun for our next class, AU is excited to welcome the newest class of Eagles at the end of August when they arrive for Welcome Week. “We are excited to welcome in these students who have earned their spot at our university,” said Boylan. “Based on their prior credentials, we know they will be successful at AU and beyond.”

from: http://www.american.edu/ucm/news/20150826-2019-facts.cfm

Freshman Stats (Class of 2019)

Nearly 33 percent of incoming freshmen were accepted early decision.

AU is increasingly attracting students outside the Northeast. Almost 28 percent of first-year students came from the South and West.

The school continues to build a diverse student body. About 35 percent of freshmen are minorities.

I second showing demonstrated interest. My D was accepted last year (not attending, but really liked it) and she attended a an AU school presentation and visited campus. Her stats were stronger than the averages indicated in the article quoted above - 4.0 UW, several APs, higher SAT - but I think what she did particularly well was drafting her AU essays to reflect AU and what she would bring/gain from AU. She also had stellar recommendations, which were a plus. On the topic of recommendations, a classmate, whose stats were not nearly as high as the article’s averages and who did not expect to get in, was admitted on the strength of a recommendation, which we know because the admissions letter referenced it. So, there’s an array of factors, several within your control, that you should maximize to solidify your chances.