Chance Me: Boston resident, 3.59UW, 32 ACT, White female, biology major looking to go out of state

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US citizen
  • Massachusetts
  • Type of high school: high achieving public high school
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity: white female

Intended Major(s)
Biology

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.59/4.0
  • Weighted HS GPA: HS doesn’t report W GPA
  • Class Rank: HS does not report
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 32 ACT

Coursework

  • Taken 1 out of 5 AP classes offered (AP Biology, currently taking it so no scores but have an A- average in class currently)
  • school has a very strange leveling system but taken advanced math all 4 years, accelerated science all 4 years, standard spanish 3 years, accelerated history 3 years (not offered freshman year), accelerated english 3 years (not offered freshman year)
  • double enrolled in honors anatomy junior year
  • triple enrolled in science senior year (AP bio, accel. physics, honors engineering)

Awards

  • Invited to Massachusetts Student Athlete leadership summit at Gillette Stadium

Extracurriculars
HS Soccer Team
Position: Captain/Athlete
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Voted captain and led my team to a 13-2-2 record. Played a crucial role in our defense, coordinated team bonding activities and fundraisers

HS Girls Alpine Ski Team
Racer, Captain
Grades:9, 10, 11, 12
Voted captain, organized carpools, advocated for new team equipment. Created a welcoming environment, led team to league champs and third at states

Student senate
10,11,12
1 of 5 peer-elected senators bridging the gap between admin and students. Advocate for student initiatives & philanthropy at school committee meetings

Evviva Trattoria
Dining Room coordinator
10, 11, 12
Promoted to a role where I oversaw servers, relayed orders, and maintained a clean dining room. Managed hangry customers in moments of high stress

Breton Meadow Farm
Microsheep Farmer
9
As a four person microsheep research team, we ran an upbreeding program to inseminate 50 sheep with a purebred gene in order to decrease size of sheep

Relay for Life- American Cancer Society
ELT (event leadership team)
10, 11, 12
Organized, fundraised, and advertised for events. My team raised 8k out of our 90k total for ACS. My photos were later used in ACS advertising!

FC Stars Premier Soccer Club
Athlete
9, 10, 11
Played on selective club team since 5th grade, had games/practice 4 times a week. Led team to numerous tournament wins and postseason victories

Lolos lens
photographer
9, 10, 11, 12
Used photography as a creative outlet and to meet new people, photographed school & personal events, run a portfolio account with my favorite content!

HS Track and Field
Athlete
10, 11
Competed in the 100m sprint, shot put, and discus. I learned how to run (correctly) and the proper mechanics of throwing, met many new friends

Coffee Shop
Barista
10
Made coffee, served customers, and lost many battles with a panini press while experiencing the other side of the counter at my favorite coffee shop!

Essays/LORs/Other

  • fairly strong essays (multiple reviewers)
  • strong letters of rec from 2 teachers and an additional letter from my current boss
  • main essay about my ability to connect with people (especially adults) through the many jobs i’ve held over the years, conveys my personality well

Cost Constraints / Budget
No cost restraints/budget, didn’t apply for financial aid

Schools

*Safety

  • University of Oregon (got in with $30,000 merit money)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (EA)
  • University of tennessee (RD)

*Target/match

  • Clemson (got deferred EA)

*Target/reach

  • University of Richmond (EA)

*Reach/Far reach

  • Wake forest (rejected ED)
  • UGA (rejected EA)
  • Tulane (deferred EA)
  • University of Virginia (EA)
  • UT Austin (Priority)
  • University of Richmond (EA)

Would really appreciate any advice on my chances at Clemson/Tulane RD after I’ve been deferred, I toured both and really liked them!

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If your username is your real name you may want to change it to protect your privacy. Here’s how.

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Surprised you didn’t get some merit at UTK as well (it’s auto-merit if you meet ACT/GPA thresholds).

UT Austin - incredibly doubtful. Only admit 10% out of state.
UVA - doubtful
Tulane - have you shown demonstrated interest? Gone on tour(s), information sessions, etc? Your ACT is in range (GPA a little low but if you’re in a well thought of school system it might justify that). Tulane is big on DI though - focus on the “why Tulane” essays, etc.

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I toured Tulane and went to their info session at my high school, still waiting to hear back from UTK

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If you’re intent on Tulane - after having been deferred in EA you’re likely to get an email asking if you want to ED2. That’s your best chance there but you’ll be comparing $85K/year to your offer at Oregon of ~$45K/year.

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At our school everyone deferred EA by Tulane who chose to switch to ED2 has gotten in over the last 3 years (one person per year, so not a big sample size, but still). Best of luck!

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thank you!

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$30K per year at Oregon - that’s awesome. Beautiful campus.

I would suspect yes to the safeties.

Clemson - maybe - but unlikely.

No to Richmond

And no to your reaches (you have Richmond both).

Clemson and Tulane - wow, that’s a contrast.

Did Tulane offer an ED opportunity after deferring?

Can you afford $86-95K a year over four years? Or are your parents willing?

I don’t see a Tulane RD…

Best of luck

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Tulane offered ED2 opportunity after deferral, steep price tag but parents are willing to pay

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Then Tulane ED2 is your best bet.
I don’t see your reaches happening, other than perhapd URichmond (smaller&private = more time to review your application, which shines thabks to ECs).
Perhaps add more smaller private colleges similar to URichmond (as long as they have a Jan 15 deadline).

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Willing or desiring.

If you apply ED2 and you get in (and it’s a need aware school, so if they are), then that’s your best case. It’s a business. They want your $$.

But if you get into Clemson or Oregon at $30K off is $35K-ish a year so more than $200K less…so you can’t then back out of Tulane. Or they can’t.

So you have to be 100% they are committed to paying, not just willing…to likely have a chance at Tulane. They play the game to get your money.

I just find it odd someone could love Tulane and Clemson…wow, are they different.

Have you been to Eugene? Worth the trip and great ice cream place right off campus.

What do you plan to do with your degree - do you know?

Bottom line - ED requires:

  1. A lot of financial commitment

  2. Assuredness that it’s the #1 school no matter the circumstances. Doesn’t sound like it is as you list UT as priority (also a head scratcher with Tulane and Clemson).

Have you been to these?

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Haven’t toured Oregon yet, All in all I think I like Clemson more than Tulane which plays a bigger part into my ED2 decision, financial commitment is large but parents are able to pay. I am on the fence about going pre-med or wanting to go into research, overall not super sure what my ideal career path is yet but very interested in genetics.

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Why would you EVER ED to a school that isn’t your top choice.

Clemson deferred, didn’t reject you.

Biology is a lower paying field in general (research isn’t revenue producing) and if you did go to med school, that’s another $400K.

Just things to think about.

No - don’t ED to Tulane.

$30K at Oregon is more than I’ve heard - that’s awesome!!! Very nice school and great area.

It’s far from home - but they all are. Easier to get to then Clemson.

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I interpreted this as a 4 year number - if it’s annual - that’s really too good to pass up.

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It is $30,000 total, $7,500 a year. As far as safeties go, I really loved Boulder and if I got in I would choose Boulder over Oregon.

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Pretty good chance you’ll get into UTK as well with similar merit to Oregon.

The thing for you that Clemson, UTK and Oregon are going to have going for them over Tulane is they are all 2.5-3x larger. Since it sounds like you’re somewhat undecided exactly what path you’re going, those three schools are going to have more options for you to explore.

If you see yourself going beyond 4 years (masters, med, etc) look to make your 4 year undergrad economical.

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Why I mentioned - it was crazy…to see if they said it’s a 4 year #.

It’s like Boulder - $25K - except it’s $6250 a year.

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Premeds do well when they attend a college where they’re top 10-25% (but not top1%). So if you’re serious about trying for med school you ought to choose a college where your stats place you at or above the top 25% threshold. (Look up CDS numbers for each college).
In addition, you don’t have to major in biology at all (the most successful premeds->med school are music majors!) You have to be excellent in your chosen major and in the premed pre-reqs.
Since most freshmen premeds never complete the premed pre-reqs and of those who successfully do only 40% get into even one med school… so you need a plan B. What’s your plan B and which college will help you most with it?

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Do you have a sense of your class rank? The lack of APs may hurt you if top tier classmates take closer to the 5 AP courses.

Is this your whole college list? What does your HS counselor think re: your chances? Does your school have Naviance or Scoir, where you can see historical acceptances on scattergrams?

I don’t think Clemson is going to happen. Tulane won’t happen RD, best chance is ED2. Unless your GPA puts you solidly in the top 10%, I don’t see the reaches happening.

If you are thinking about adding apps, you might apply to Pitt (do so ASAP if considering). Good luck.

ETA: While UTK might work out, missing EA makes it less likely and not a safety. Likely no merit in RD if accepted.

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UTK’s site stipulates any applications received by 12/15 (RD deadline) are automatically considered. I don’t recall any chatter last year that RD kids did not get what was listed in their tables for auto-merit. Not to say would never happen since they specifically say “considered”.

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