I’m a senior girl, and applied to a lot of colleges. My first choice major is Cell and Molecular Biology but not all schools have it. My Top 3 are Northeastern, Uconn and Umass Amherst. I got into Umass Amherst, but they only have biochemistry/molecular bio, and was deferred from Northeastern. I want to go into some kind of research as a molecular biologist, although I do not know much more than that regarding a career. I really wanted to stay away from biochemistry because the curriculum is too chemistry-based, and I did not take AP chem. I took AP bio which is where the molecular bio obviously comes from. Also, I was hoping to go to a school a little more exclusive than umass. I am a little confused as to why I was waitlisted. I have a cumulative gpa of 4.2488 which includes my first semester of senior year. This is a breakdown of my GPA over the past four years:
freshman: 4.0231
sophomore: 4.2917
junior: 4.3583
senior first semester: 4.4333
over the course of high school I have taken 5 AP classes (Lang, Bio, Calc, Spanish, Lit), have played volleyball, ran track and field for two years, been in two clubs, and am in National Honor Society. I also wrote a strong college essay. I also looked at a scatter gram on Naviance to compare myself to other students who applied from my school and were accepted in the past, and I was above the average on both the SAT and GPA factor. This said, I can’t seem to figure out why I was waitlisted and am very frustrated, because If I don’t get into Northeastern (clearly unlikely) or Uconn, I really don’t have any options besides Umass Amherst, which doesn’t have the exact major I want. I know someone who got in over me and personally don’t believe it was right. There were 29 people who applied from my class at school and my class this year has very smart and competitive people. Why did I get waitlisted? What can I do, if anything, to increase my chances? I am incredibly stressed because This was really my strongest option overall.
Contact your admissions counselor and let them know that your are still very interested in UCONN. Sorry you were waitlisted.
@vball1999 even if you don’t get in UConn, it is far far from the end of the world.
You may not get intto the major you like, but you can find graduate schools that offers Cell&Mole biology in masters/PhD program later
Don’t focus to much on the name of the major. Check out what classes they offer and the research focus of the faculties. In some schools, the CMB program is cross departments with faculties in Biology, Biochemistry, etc, particularly in colleges that have restrictions or limited resources to form a new academic department. Even in Biochemistry or Biology majors in some schools, they may have a CMB focus option.
Hi, you did not mention your sat or act scores? They weigh heavily on those.
ACT/SAT scores–you did not state?
@vball1999 I’m sorry you were waitlisted and understand your disappointment. I agree with the previous advice to contact your admissions counselor and reiterate your desire to attend UConn and your reasons why. You stated in your post that you wanted to stay away from Biochem. I’m a parent of a current MCB major at UConn. Chem I and II, Orgo I and II and Biochem are all required courses as an MCB major.
My daughter was waitlisted as well and like your scatter graph, she fit well into the criteria. Disappointing for sure. I do feel that the chances are good you will get in based on your numbers.
4 years ago my instate son only got into regional campus. Had applied to engineering. Top 5% of class, great GPA, EC’s etc. SAT a little below average for UCONN. As a mother I am still a little bitter about this. This year my next kid in with scholarship to business. I thought he should have been admitted for sure, but you never know with UCONN. I was shocked at the scholarship though. I can’t figure UCONN out? That being said the one who didn’t get into UCONN will be graduating with honors from URI and has a job already lined up… With merit offer it was no more expensive than UCONN was either. It truly does all work out. It is hard to believe it will, but it does. Hang in there…