Where to go?

Applying to College
1

<p>I am a sophomore. I go to a prestigious private school in North Carolina. I do well on standardized test. I took the PSAT and received a 180. I have taken the practice ACT but have not yet received my scores. I currently have a 2.76 unweighted GPA. My strongest asset is my extracurricular activities. I am very involved in several organizations including my church. I also have taught several science camps over the summer with my mother for years. I have started a science book club at my local library which meets once a month and does various hands on activities relating to the theme of the book they read over the past month. I know that my GPA is very low. I have slacked over over the past year and a half or so, but now realized what I need to do. I definitely want to go to college somewhere in the South.</p>

<p>What schools can you recommend for me with my grades.</p>

<p>For UNC:
I have always wanted to go to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My father when to graduate school there and taught several classes. Does this help my chances at all? I realize that UNC is quite a stretch right now.</p>

<p>Overview:
2.76 GPA
180 PSAT
25 out of 32 PLAN (pre-ACT)</p>

<ul>
<li>Played golf and soccer Freshman year and got a letter</li>
<li><p>Playing basketball this year (starter)</p></li>
<li><p>Saturday Science Book Club</p></li>
<li><p>HUGS Camp 2012:
HUGS is a camp for mentally disabled peoples.Campers ages range from 12-35 or so. I was a helper camper, meaning that I was partnered with a camper and my job was to make it the best week of his life. I was nominated for the Helper Camper of the Year Award, but did not get it.</p></li>
<li><p>HUGS Camp 2013 “Helper Camper of the Year”
I received the award this year. It is presented to the helper camper who goes above and beyond with his camper.</p></li>
<li><p>Dog sitting business:
I currently have over 10 regular households that employ me to care for their animals and pets while they are on vacation.</p></li>
<li><p>Summer science/crime scene activities:
There are the camps that I had referred to before. I have already received a letter of recommendation about me from the woman in charge of the business there camps are done through.</p></li>
<li><p>NHD:
National History Day is a nation wide contest in which middle and high school aged students must write a paper, create a website, or make a documentary about a topic relating to that years theme. I have made it to state twice, and to nationals once about a documentary that discussed child labor in North Carolina mills.</p></li>
<li><p>Published article:
I published an article in the North Carolina Numismatic Associations journal- one of two published yearly. I was the first minor to ever publish in their journal.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>How can I better my chances? Your answers are very appreciated. Are there any other colleges that you can recommend for me? I hope to raise my GPA to at least a 3.0 by the end of this year.</p>

2

<p>“How can I better my chances?” Here’s the blunt answer and you really need to heed this:</p>

<p>Stop every single EC that takes away from your time, focus and energy from your normal academic work. None of it will matter for the kind of colleges you’ll be hoping to apply to in a few years. Only the most competitive ones care for this.</p>

<p>Look at this, section C:
<a href=“http://oira.unc.edu/files/2014/01/cds_2013_2014.pdf”>http://oira.unc.edu/files/2014/01/cds_2013_2014.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Look at the GPAs of admitted students. That should be your singular focus, bar none</p>

3

<p>Thank you T26E4! I really appreciate that PDF!</p>

4

<p>Generally, those who were admitted from my school back in NC tended to have a 3.7-3.8 unweighted GPA and an 1800+ on the SAT, for what its worth. </p>

<p>because you go to school in NC, you may have a slight advantage of your schools name being recognized as difficult to whoever reads your application. </p>

5

<p>@Matthew: those docs are available for practically any US college. Just google “common data set” and the school’s name. It helps in your planning and assembling a list of target colleges. Good luck.</p>