I really, really want to get into UNC Chapel Hill but I am not sure how likely that is. I would love if some other people would give input into what they think my chances are of getting in. I am not an OOS applicant, I live in NC.
PROS (I think): We are on a 6-pt GPA scale. I have a 4.8 GPA weighted and 3.89 unweighted. My class rank is 35/550 as of the end of junior year.
SAT score of 2150 and ACT score of 31.
Taken honors and AP courses all throughout high school. I am in all AP courses this year. I will have taken 13 APs by the time I graduate:
World History (3)
US History (4)
European History
Human Geography
Psychology (5)
English Language and Composition (5)
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science (5)
Statistics (3)
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Physics I
Outside of school, I’ve amassed 60hrs of community service (40hrs at Rex Hospitals and 20hrs at regional library). I am competing in the Science Olympiad this year and am a member of my school’s Environmental Club and GSA. I don’t know how much diversity might play a role but I am mixed race.
CONS: I don’t have that many extracurriculars and leadership activities as I would like. I only took up to Spanish III as my foreign language. I made only a 3 on AP Statistics and a 3 on AP World. I am in the top six percent of my class, not top five
Disclaimer: I am and OOS student so I know the experience is a bit different, but I’ve talked to a bunch of people who were accepted in state and I’m a UNC Admissions Ambassador, so I know a little about the process for instate as well.
First of all, I think Carolina really looks at the difficulty of classes the student takes, so those AP classes are a good idea. Really try your best to do well in the ones you are taking senior year!
With regard to your ECs, its fine that you only have three clubs, but I would recommend getting more involved. Competing in Science Olympiad is really great, but just membership in the other two is really inconsequential. I think volunteer work and leadership could really set you apart in the application, so if you could, try an build an independent service project, maybe organized through the club. It could be an awareness fundraiser/some sort of food drive/recycling campaign/bake sale/anything.
My school had a mandatory senior service project of 100 hours, so if you can devote at least 75 hours to a project you created and headed, it would be really impressive and could make for a great essay. It may seem like a lot but service is really the only thing you can do last minute considering your past APs are done, your standardized tests are done, and your senior schedule is fixed.
Make sure you get really strong recommendations from teachers who know you well. Also, with the recs, maybe politelty ask them to not say the generic stuff like “this student always pays attention/does well/participates” but to tell a personal account “one time this student asked 50 questions in one period/stayed after to better understand, etc.”
With regard to your essays, make them original. Shy away from mission trips/listing AP classes/listing ECs/listing leadership roles unless you can put a new spin on them. Write with your own voice!! Make it humorous or sarcastic or however you feel best conveys you as a unique individual.
Good luck!