Okay hey! I’m currently a incoming junior and I know it’s kinda early to be thinking about college but UF is my dream school and I really want to get in!
Here’s some facts about me…
-I’m a girl,
-I am junior class president, I was sophomore historian, and freshman secretary.
-I’ve been in SGA for 2 years (this year will be my second)
-this will be my first year in NHS
I do graphics for my school newspaper.
I want to major in Computer Science
I have a 3.6 GPA unweighted and 4.0+ Weighted
I’ve take the AP world history managed to get a B in the class but got a 2 on the exam.
I’m planning on taking Apush, Ap Lang, Ap computer science principles this year (junior)
Also major thing i think im a bad test taker.
I haven’t taken the ACT or SAT yet!
I live in florida.
Knowing all this information I have a few questions…
-Do I have a chance at UF?
-What possible score should I aim for for SAT and ACT, also what should I do to study?
Will UF look at me differently since I did not pass my AP exam?
If i think of anymore questions i’ll post it in the comments section but PLEASE GIVE ANY HELPFUL TIPS YA GIRL IS STRESSING !
First, relax. Nothing to be stressing over. You do have some work ahead, since junior year in high school, will be stressful by itself.
You want to shoot for these ranges. I would recommend picking up a ACT and/or SAT study guide and go through the questions and practice test. You can also use Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/sat
You should start studying now (before school begins, and while you have more free time). You should take both the ACT and SAT during your junior year, and perhaps a 2nd or 3rd time by November your senior year. If you don’t do well on it your junior year, you can always study over the summer and take it again. UF will superscore the SAT test (take the highest section score from any SAT test you’ve taken).
During your Junior year, you need to focus on your classes and try to drive up your GPA, while you still can. Your senior year grades will not count toward the GPA UF uses in admissions, so this is the last year you can impact it.
UF does NOT consider your AP test scores in admissions.What UF does care about, is the rigor of courses that you’re taking. They want to see that you’re taking the most rigorous courses available at your high school.
**UF uses holistic admissions/b. About 50% of admissions is based on GPA, class rigor, test scores, class ranking, and the essay (academic factors). Most important is GPA and class rigor (and the essay, it really counts at UF), less important are test scores, and then class ranking.
Last year 73% of enrolled freshman were in the top 10% of their class. 95% where in the top 25%.
The other 50% of admissions is based on nonacademic factors. These include ECs, volunteer work, work experience, “first generation”, and to a lesser extent, alumni relations, state residency and level of interest (take one of the tours, it helps in this category!). For UF, most important is EC’s and volunteer work, and then work experience, etc.
So it’s important you keep up with the school newspaper (EC), stay in student government, continue any volunteer work (or start doing it this year), and look to add to all of these categories. UF especially likes to see EC’s that you’ve stayed in for multiple years. Three years with the newspaper is better than 1 year in 4 different clubs.
In addition to focusing on your grades and test scores, make sure you write a really great essay! If you have a fabulous subect, that’s great. Be sure to make it something that is not a cliche. Stay away from the Dreaded D’s: Divorce, Death, Disease, Depression etc. Remember some girl wrote a phenomenal essay just talking about her THUMB. She compared the uniqueness of her thumb (which for some reason she got comments about her whole life) to the uniqueness of her as a person. Now if you decide to go this way, be sure to pick a different digit! (oh wait, that’s another ‘D’…haha.) I’m only sort of kidding. You DO need a unique and memorable essay if you want it to help your application.