So reading all the other “chance me” posts that everyone else has posted is obviously getting me down. But I feel like I am a unique candidate for reasons other than academic…
Here goes. Please assuage or confirm my fears.
ACT: 34 (Math: 31 Science: 33 English: 36 Reading: 35 Writing: 24)
US History SAT: 760
APs: 5: US History, US Government 4: Statistics, Language and Composition
Taking Calc AB, Literature, and Biology this year. Because of moving high schools 3 times in 2 states my schedule has been screwy and as such I have not been able to qualify for as many APs as I would have liked or had the class space as I’ve had to accommodate the graduation requirements of 3 counties.
GPA: 3.96 UW
4.4 W
My weighted should be higher. I’ve moved around a lot as stated and have always taken honors and upper level classes, but my 9th and 10th grade classes did not transfer as honors so my weighted is much lower than it could be.
I’ve always taken the most challenging classes as I could (slacked a teensy bit this year), so here is a little run down (I left out random non academics like gym):
HIGH SCHOOL 1 (9th Grade):
Honors everything (nothing transferred as honors to my current HS, however)
Geometry
Spanish 2
Chorus
English
Biology
AP World (transferred as regular World, also never took the test again because of wacky curriculum differences when moving)
Chorus (in a prestigious program)
HIGH SCHOOL 2 (first semester 10th Grade):
Honors English
Algebra 2 (taken honors, transferred as regular)
Honors Chemistry
AP Government
Ceramics
Honors Chorus
Honors Spanish 3
HIGH SCHOOL 3: (second semester 10th grade to now):
10th grade (continuation from High School 2):
Honors English
Honors Algebra 2
Philosophy
Chorus (they had no honors equivalent)
Honors Spanish 3
I had to drop Honors Chemistry when I moved because of extreme curriculum differences.
11th grade:
AP Lang and Comp
AP Stats
Honors Precalc
Honors Physics
Entomology
AP US History
Honors Spanish 4
Computer Programming
12th Grade:
AP Lit
AP Calc AB
International Human Rights
Student Leadership (student government)
AP Biology
Honors Chemistry (full year this time)
Immunology
Student Aid (one semester)
I’ve always pushed myself so hard in school. I just want it to pay off. I go to an extremely competitive school now but I’ve maintained my grades throughout HS.
Extra Curriculars:
Again because I’ve moved and have rarely lived in stable household I wasn’t able to, say, play the sitar since I was born or grow with a club for all of high school. That said I am very proud of a few things I do:
Student Conservation Association, 10-12 grade, worked and volunteered
Google them, they’re amazing and have saved my life. I do trail work with them in my local area (building/repairing/maintaining trails, team/career building skills) and went to Grand Teton National Park for a month to build a trail. I wrote about my work with them in my Common App. This is my main passion, I couldn’t live without it. It’s unique I think because it puts me wayyyy outside of my comfort zone but I love it sooo much.
Science National Honor Society, Activities Director
I’m very involved in the club; help plan and execute events. Really enjoy it.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, volunteer
I volunteer at their insect exhibit. It’s great fun and I get to interact with visitors from all over the world. I’m the youngest volunteer so it’s unique to me.
National Honor Society, member
Just joined this year but excited for it.
Linguistics Club
Bunch of super nerdy kids. We do logic puzzles and learn about the theory behind language and work towards a national competition.
Student Government Association, member
Wise Singers
Selective choral group at one of my high schools.
LEO Club, Treasurer
At a past HS.
Chemistry Cooking Club
Fun thing where we cook something and learn about the chemistry behind it.
My multiple moves were because of domestic violence issues in the household, which I mentioned in the extra info section on Common App. Since HS 3 (late 10th grade to now) I’ve lived in a stable house with my amazing, awesome mother whom I wrote about in one Duke essay. Because of that issue and my moves I don’t feel like I’ve been afforded the same opportunities as other applicants and I’ve had to work so hard to get where I am. I hope I conveyed that to Duke and I hope that makes up for maybe my less-than-stellar ECs or course rigor. I really, really want to get in and I feel like if I do I’ll finally be able to explore and learn and do everything that I’ve ever wanted, that I haven’t been able to do all my life. I talked about this feeling a bit in my interview (which went really well).
Thanks for taking the time to look at this and stressing out with me!