Chance me please :)

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-03-2009, 04:11 PM

I'm an African American male from SoCal living in a single-parent, low income household. I will be a senior in the fall.

I plan on majoring in business (finance preferably; possibly economics).

Stats:
- Cumulative GPA: 3.44 (RL issues freshman and sophomore year; I'll elaborate on my applications. Everyone says I have "a story to tell." Junior year GPA: 3.64) Senior year GPA will hopefully be a 3.8-4.2. School doesn't rank percentage-wise.
- ACT: 30
- 4 honors courses and 1 AP course - all math classes; taking Honors Precalculus and AP Statistics for senior year. I've taken Public Speaking and Spanish III at my local Community College and earned A's in both; taking Introduction to Business this summer.
- I've been a professional actor with an agent since I was 5 1/2 months old. Since then I've established a pretty long resume and been in numerous TV shows, commercials, billboards, print ads, etc. I have an agent and am currently on the IMDB website.
- Starting a non-profit organization for lung cancer patients who don't receive the right treatment due to not having medical insurance (in memory of my favorite aunt).
- I'm in NHS and CSF.
- I've been part of a Church youth group since I was about 3 that goes out to witness to the homeless and people in poverty-stricken communities.
- I've been in a ton of church plays and musicals.
- Will have great essays and recommendations.
- If it helps to create any sort of diversity, I will major in Finance and minor in Acting.

Does geographic location help as well?

And I would love love LOVE to go to McIntire.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-03-2009, 05:50 PM

I will apply Early Decision if it will significantly alter my admission chances for the better.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-03-2009, 07:16 PM

Bump bump bump.

sports_guy_5 · 07-03-2009, 09:59 PM

Applying to UVA as an OOS applicant is extremely difficult from what i've heard/read. I also plan to apply OOS next year. I hope your GPA is unweighted. If it is, then it is still kind of low compared to other people that will be applying. UVA is a damn good school for business, which is going to make it that much harder for you to get in. But ... "I've been a professional actor with an agent since I was 5 1/2 months old. Since then I've established a pretty long resume and been in numerous TV shows, commercials, billboards, print ads, etc. I have an agent and am currently on the IMDB website" ... and ... "Starting a non-profit organization for lung cancer patients who don't receive the right treatment due to not having medical insurance" are two huge hooks that i think an admissions officer would love to see. Think about writing an essay on the Common Application about them because they are unique. Bring up the GPA to ~3.6 UW, and maybe retake the ACT and get ~32, and i think you are a high match for UVA. Good Luck next year!

ThaRussian · 07-03-2009, 10:07 PM

in terms of academics you're not a very strong applicant, especially since you're OOS, however, perhaps all you have going for you outside of academics will make you stand out from other applicants, you never know what UVa may be looking for (academics isn't everything) so you should definitely apply and see what happens

IntangibleGator · 07-03-2009, 10:13 PM

You guys obviously didn't read the first sentence.

"I'm an African American male"

Prestigious universities covet URM applicants, even if their standards may be slightly lower at times.

I would say you are accepted due to your situation.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-03-2009, 10:48 PM

Should I apply ED? Does it make that much of a difference?

powderpuff · 07-03-2009, 11:07 PM

Good grief, there is no ED at UVA anymore.
OK, you might have URM status, but you really need to do your homework before posting the kind of things you have.
I'm not impressed so far with your homework.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-03-2009, 11:25 PM

1) I'm sorry for not knowing everything about every single college and university out there.
2) I wasn't trying to impress you in the first place.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-04-2009, 07:08 AM

Any other thoughts?

powderpuff · 07-04-2009, 03:31 PM

Sorry BaddyCaddy, I was a jerk, please accept my apologies. FWIW, I'm usually not that snippy.

AnyHOO, your URM status and household conditions will definitely be in your favor. Your extensive acting background is an interesting twist that sets you out from others. If you can get your GPA up that will be vital since your long term goal of going to McIntire will be quite competitive. Also if you can take additional AP's and do well in them, that would certainly increase your chances too. Best of luck.

ThaRussian · 07-04-2009, 08:46 PM

@Intangible Gator, one of my friends from my school is African-American, in-state mind you, with a ~3.6 GPA, and he didn't get into UVA.....as a matter of fact he didn't even get into VMI (no, I'm not joking), nor did he get accepted by VTech

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-05-2009, 06:39 AM

Yikes.

Any other opinions?

And also, I know that the UVA business program doesn't start until junior year (I believe). Do you just take general ed courses your freshman and sophomore year?

wahoogrl08 · 07-05-2009, 10:35 AM

You take your general degree requirements and the pre-COMM courses, which include accounting, some basis business stuff. While it's important to get good grades in everything, it's really important to do well in those classes. Don't be fooled by the "high" acceptance rate into McIntire, there's a drop in the number of people who start UVA intending to apply to McIntire to the amount that eventually do.

BaddyCaddy09 · 07-05-2009, 09:44 PM

Thanks for the information, wahoogrl08.

Any other opinions?
From pictures of seem of the UVA campus... I think I'm in love.