WHYYY do I keep making these?!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>College stress is going to kill me before I even get there.
Anywho, I'd love it if you'd chance me for UNC Chapel Hill (OOS), Duke, Emory, and Rice.
I'll try to chance back, but if I'm making this thread, how much do I really know?</p>

<p>Ethnicity/gender: White female
Income Bracket: parents divorced, primary household income <30k
High School: large competitive public school that opened in 2008 (I'll be the first class to go all 4 years)
Intended Major: Neuroscience or Biology</p>

<p>1) GPA:
UW - 3.96
W - 4.26
Because I have no urge to type all of my classes and grades out,
<a href="http://i52.tinypic.com/2941hn8.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://i52.tinypic.com/2941hn8.jpg&lt;/a>
here ya go.</p>

<p>2) Rank: 14/543 </p>

<p>3) **9 AP classes when I graduate - 3 Junior year, 6 Senior year <a href="Junior%20year:%20Lit%20(A)%20-%204%20on%20the%20AP%20test,%20Calculus%20AB%20(B)%20-%204%20on%20the%20AP%20test,%20Calculus%20BC%20(A)%20-%203%20on%20the%20AP%20test,%20%0ASenior%20year:%20Psychology,%20Biology,%20Lang,%20Human%20Geo,%20Euro,%20Stats">/b</a></p>

<p>4) ACT: 32 Comp both times, 33 superscore
first time - Eng:35, Math:31, Sci:28, Reading:32.
second time - Eng:34, Math:29, Sci:32, Reading:34.
Tempted to retake... not sure though.</p>

<p>5) Volunteering
-Mission trip to Bronx '09
-Mission trip to Boston '10
-Salvation Army every week
-Big Sister (Big Brothers/Big Sisters)
-2-4 hours a week helping at an urban garden/farm downtown
-I'm trying to see if I can set up being able to volunteer at a Pet Shelter in August that will last until May. (10+ hours a month)
-Math and biology tutor (tutor math at a tutoring place downtown... sort of like Sylvan?)
<a href="Because%20of%20my%20Bronx%20trip,%20my%20main%20focus%20is%20volunteering%20for%20the%20underpriviledged/homeless">b</a>**</p>

<p>5) EC's and random things:
(Responsible for taking and picking up 3 other kids (1 is a sibling) from school because there's no bus and they have no other way home, so it hinders my chances to do a lot of ECs)
-Two Duke TIP summer studies (one for Art and Architecture, the other for Clinical Psychology)
-Questbridge College Prep Scholar, attended the Yale conference
-TSA (Technology Student Association). I've placed in the top 3 at Regionals, State, and Nationals 16 times, was president as an 8th grader if that matters haha.
-National Honor Society (possible officer senior year)
-Leo Club (possible officer senior year)
-Science Club
-STEM Girls Sorority (too weird to explain lol)
-first ever Student of the Month (HEY, I AM PROUD.)
-Awards for all A's, minus one semester.</p>

2

<p>To give the best shot at getting in, I would apply Early Decision to Duke and Early Action to UNC-Chapel Hill. I think you have a great shot at both of them (I hope I have a shot at UNC as well :P). Rice is probable, maybe a fifty-fifty shot.</p>

3

<p>Questbridge sometimes turns the tides- if that’s your application format. But, you need solid financial aid and you should research how each school handles your “need” (Q or regular.) Rice caused a rumble of disappointment on some CC threads in the past few months.</p>

<p>Your AP grades won’t be as strong as some candidates. On your app, mention what you accomplished in the school clubs- any impact you had or were part of. And, you’ll need great essays- have you seen samples of the Q or Comon App ? Good luck- I believe you will get a solid look. But, be aware there are other schools- some LACs that offer good aid and neuroscience.</p>

4

<p>Oh, believe me. Financial aid stuff is what’s causing all the stress haha. All of the schools I have listed match 100% of demonstrated need if you’re accepted. I would be really wary of applying to a school that didn’t, since it’s so needed.
through Questbridge, if you’re matched, it’s a full scholarship all 4 years. even if not matched, all 30 partner schools have the 100% need match.</p>

<p>Ps - I probably won’t be submitting my AP scores. None of the schools accept less than a 5 on Lit, and I need to retake Calculus anyways.</p>

5

<p>AP scores have no effect on one’s application. School don’t see AP scores until you send them, which is after your acceptance.</p>

6

<p>really? On the Questbridge app there’s a place to put your scores, so I guess that threw me off.</p>

7

<p>(Editing because I just looked at your impressive grades- congrats.)
^AP scores do show up on most kids’ applications. I wouldn’t suggest holding back the scores- it’s always curious when a kid takes APs and omits them. I don’t know how the 3 will affect you- it’s STEM, but you’re not a math major and the Q app is so comprehensive- I rather think your overall record will overcome this blip. Perhaps you can get a great rec from that teacher-? </p>

<p>Under 30k, you should be ok. But, “100% need” is a tricky phrase. Emory, Rice, and Duke also use the CSS Profile, no? It asks for more detail about assets than the Fafsa and the “institutional methodolgy” is a darned mystery. Not to worry you. You seem on the ball about all this. Also, you can often submit the college’s own CA supplement ques along with the Q app- I do think this often helps get a picture of the applicant vis-a-vis other kids answering these. Good luck.</p>

8

<p>Thanks! Yeah my school’s on a “93-100 is an A, 85-92 is a B, etc” scale. Apparently that isn’t normal and it’s usually 90-100? If that was the case, I wouldn’t have a B. hmph. </p>

<p>Haha my common app essay is actually on how I had a longterm love affair with math, but when Calculus made no sense I cheated on math with biology and that’s why I made a B and how I came to realize that I wanted to study neuro. Kind of weird, I know. My BC teacher would write a good recommendation because she knows I worked really hard to try and get a grip on the material second semester. </p>

<p>oh I know. with just my mom, we don’t have much. She’s never made more than $25k a year, even when she was working. She has a couple thousand in savings that she’s living off of right now. My dad’s income on the noncustodial form is going to throw it all off, because his income for the last 2 years has been different from his base salary due to going overseas (danger pay, etc). Problem is, I don’t know HOW it’s going to affect it. Even with the salary spike (that isn’t guaranteed yearly pay by any means), he can only afford to pay maybe $6k a year, he says. I’ve been told to just thoroughly explain that on the CSS.</p>

9

<p>bumped 10char</p>

10

<p>You can post your financial questions on the finaid forum- some wise folks there. Yes, your dad’s addl income can throw things off- depends on how an indiv school looks at NCP. He can say he can only pay 6k, but the college may expect more from him- even though his income spike may be temporary. </p>

<p>The ques is, if a college expects more, what will Mom do (would she take a Plus loan?) or would he make a larger contribution? You’d be wise to have some good safeties that offer good aid, incl possible merit. Also, be careful about the word “cheating” in the essays. Adcoms can be sensitive to the particular image you create. From your posts, you seem mature- truly wish you the best.
ps. many schools rank 93+ as A, but if your transcript shows numbers, it will still look great- your lowest grades, after all, are one 92 and two 93s. (Your GC will include a description of the hs, grade systems, etc.)</p>

11

<p>We’re very much hoping that it won’t affect it too much. If it does, my mom is willing to do loans but not to a great extent… My plans include medical school, so I’d like to not deal with much debt. My moms parents are willing to contribute 10k a year, so if my dad can’t pay more, theres always that.
I definitely will be applying to safeties though!
Haha I never even thought about the cheating thing, thanks for bringing that up. I’ll find a way around making it sound negative!
Even if it only shows As or Bs, at least itll show I worked harder in Calc 2. One B won’t be a nail in my college coffin!
Thanks so much for your advice!</p>