Chance Me and/or Match Suggestions

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US citizen
  • Florida
  • competitive private school
  • white female

Intended Major(s)

  • probably polisci or something related on a pre-law track

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • 3.85 uw gpa
  • 4.5 w gpa
  • school doesn’t rank
  • 32 composite on the ACT, 33 superscored

Coursework

  • taken 10 APs, passed all of them with mostly 4s and 5s (a couple of 3s)
  • all honors or AP besides math
  • Capstone Diploma recipient

Awards

  • the usual College Board awards (AP Scholar with Distinction), Honor Roll, AP Capstone Diploma
  • Scholastic Writing runner-up award

Extracurriculars

  • dance for all of high school, president of Model Congress, co-president of community service club that tutors students who need academic help, fellow for presidential campaign, newspaper section editor, ambassadors

Schools

I’m wondering if Georgetown, WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, and schools of a similar difficulty are out of the question. I think that my extracurriculars are strong, but I’m worried about gpa (I got a few Bs in classes that are unrelated to my major sophomore year) and my standardized test score (since it’s mostly in range but on the lower end of the range for these schools). Not sure about ED yet, but wondering if it makes sense to EA to Georgetown even though it doesn’t really provide an advantage in admissions. Anyone chancing me or providing insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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What do you mean by Scholastic writing runner up award? Is that like a regional key or perhaps a medal?

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It was a runner-up award for my region, so just below the lowest key you can receive. I got it for the Southeast Region-at-Large.

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If you are working toward Law School you should be looking at schools that will allow you to maintain a high GPA and cost you the least amount of money. That means likely you want to target schools where you are at least in the top half of the student profile.

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To answer your question, your four top choices are all within range - unlikely, but not impossible - with Emory (in my mind) the best possibility if you are open to its Oxford campus.

You might try schools like Miami, William & Mary, Rochester, Wake, Brandeis - at the next level - and of course UF and FSU and/or UCF. UGA is strong in Intl Politics and you could try for the Honors program. Also, at U of SC which many rank the top.

You’re a reach for the top schools you listed - but it’s not impossible. With WUSTL you need to demonstrate interest.

Good luck.

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This site may offer you ideas for additional schools to research:

If you might like to combine political science with economics and philosophy for an essentially practical understanding of complex governmental systems, consider colleges with an available public policy major:

For an international direction, consider these suggestions:

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I’d give those schools a try if you like them and they’re affordable. I’d also look at schools like Dickinson if LACs appeal.

Run the NPC and talk with your parents about the affordability. Law school is expensive. Be sure they can and are willing to pay for both.

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Dickinson has an accelerated law program partnership and great poly sci major. Worth a look.

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You’re a reach (but not an unreasonable one) for WashU, Vandy and Georgetown. You’re a low match (25-50%) for Emory. For schools a bit higher up the selectivity ladder than the first three (at least 7 of the Ivies, S, M, NU, Duke, UChicago, maybe 1-2 others) you’re likely spinning your wheels, so I think you’ve set your reaches well.

Your UWGPA really isn’t that low and your course work appears to be reasonably rigorous based upon the APs listed and bumping that up to a 4.5 WGPA. What is the weighting method here? 1 pt boost for AP and 0.5 for honors? As far as your Bs, what specifically are they in? As someone interested in political science/international affairs, I’d place your subjects in the following tiers:

Social sciences/history/English
Math
Natural Sciences
FL
Other core (health, gym, music, art).

Your ACT is your biggest weakness. Not a dealbreaker, but a 33-34 would be helpful here.

Thinking strategically: if you view all four of the schools listed on fairly even terms and would be happy to attend any of them, your best bet is applying to Emory Oxford ED1/WashU ED2. Or maybe WashU ED1 and Emory ED2. I mention these two schools because Georgetown lacks ED, Emory is by far your best shot and WashU is a bit less rigid wrt to the quantitative aspects of the app compared to Vandy. If you’re really not sure and are considering other schools (and the recs in this thread are good ones), there is nothing wrong with staying RD.

Fwiw-former pre law track (polisci and econ) graduate of WashU with a good current understanding of the school. Happy to talk about my experience there, but you could have a good experience at any of these schools or others that have been suggested.

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This. If funds for both undergraduate education and law school are limited, then save your money on the front end so that you will have more available to pay for a good law school (or any graduate school) on the back end.

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Frankly, Georgetown, Wash U, Emory, and Vanderbilt are all a reach. Your best shot would be at Emory’s Oxford College.

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