Chance me for these schools! [4.0 UW, 35 ACT, Political Science]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US citizen
  • Small Town in Midwest
  • small private high school

Intended Major(s)

  • political science for prelaw
  • I want to double major or minor in something like psych, philosophy, or sociology

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
  • Class Rank: ~1-2/~50
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 35 ACT

List your HS coursework

  • 9 APs: lang, lit, gov, apush, bio, chem, stats, calc ab, precalc
  • 12 Dual enrollment (incl. up to span 202, calc II, and other humanities classes)
  • 8 CLEP
  • (max course rigor available to me)

Awards

  • Top 10, Principals list, ACT award, AP Scholar w distinction, art awards, highest class grade awards, scholarships

  • mostly TBD for other awards since I’m only a junior

Extracurriculars

1. 2 years paid intern and junior board member at nonprofit–helped start nonprofit, managed receipt list for org, donor communications, organizing events, raised funding in grants, attracted and led volunteers, managed facebook page, sending emails etc

2. published 130+ page book on amazon–political science, anti-war (I’m currently writing and I hope it’ll be done by the time I apply)

3. 2 year paid TA and tutor for kids with learning disabilites at nonprofit after school program

4. 4+ years volunteer passing out food and leader at nonprofit childcare community center

5. 4+ years painting and drawing with awards and teaching art

6. 2 years mock trial lawyer

7. 1 year JV cheer

8. 4 years violin, guitar, piano, singing for community events,

9. NHS food drive (planning for senior year)

10. Family responsibilities of driving ~9 hours/wk

Essays/LORs/Other

  • rec letter from guidance counselor will be very strong
  • rec letter from president of nonprofit I intern for
  • rec letter probably from treasurer of nonprofit
  • 2 from teachers probably all very strong
  • not sure what to write about yet for personal statement

Schools I am considering in no particular order except Penn and Gtown are top 2

  • Penn (ED)
  • Georgetown
  • USC (EA)
  • UVA
  • CMU
  • Yale
  • Brown
  • Harvard
  • Stanford
  • UNC
  • Notre Dame
  • Michigan
  • NYU
  • Barnard
  • Villanova
  • Fordham
  • GW
  • UCSD
  • UCLA
  • UC Berkeley
  • UChicago
  • Johns Hopkins
  • Columbia
  • Williams

Tell me where I can get in

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability):
  • Extremely Likely:
  • Likely:
  • Toss-up:
  • Lower Probability:
  • Low Probability:
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What’s your budget?

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As a general comment, if you would like to pursue multiple interests through a single, interdisciplinary program, consider colleges with an available major in public policy.

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I’m not too concerned with budget. If I get into top schools, they give full tuition to anyone making under like 200k. At least Penn has that policy. If that doesn’t work out, I’m sure I can get merit aid at some safeties. I can probably get scholarships to cover any other expenses but idk it should work out.

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What is your sure thing for acceptance on that list, that is affordable for your family?

It’s a pretty top heavy list…even though you are an excellent applicant. You have the potential to get accepted to multiple colleges on this list…but you might not.

Please read the thread I’m linking here. This was a VERY strong student…and no one expected him to be denied acceptance everywhere he applied senior year. But that’s what happened. He did land well on his feet after a well thought out gap year. But his senior year of high school wasn’t much fun getting rejection after rejection. You don’t want to be in the position. Please read the whole thread.

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I think you need to do a lot more research. Schools like the UCs and Michigan will not be affordable nor offer enough merit.

What is it that you like about these schools? It seems like you just picked highly ranked schools with the hope of getting in somewhere with a “name”

Read the threads about creating lists that start with safeties (schools that you are sure to get into and you can afford). Once you have those sorted out, you can start adding match and reach schools if the NPC works out for you.

While I think you will get into some schools on this list, I don’t know if you will get into schools that you can afford from this list. While you may think you want to apply just to see if you’d get into schools, there is nothing worse that realizing that you have no real (I.e. affordable) options once your decisions come in.

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Am I reading this wrong? Is your rank 1 or 2 out of approximately 50 kids? With 50 kids, how did they offer all of those AP courses? Did you self study for some of them?

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First off, I have done a ton of research on every school on this list, and I said they are where I’m “considering” meaning I’m not applying to every school I wrote here, and I will probably apply to other places besides these. Plus I’ve calculated my net cost at each if I get accepted, and my family will be able to afford almost wherever I get into. Also, I want to go to a top program for my major to have access to internship opportunities. Going to a top college with a big name has always been a priority for me. The college choices are already decided upon, the question is where I will get into.

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No i don’t really know. My class is around 50 kids and we offer 9 APs

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Your statement on giving full tuition is not necessarily correct. You have to read the fine print. A lot of people fall victim to that - they look at assets too. Many get far less than they expect.

Yes, you need a budget and yes you need to have your parents run the Net Price Calculator for each. Also, some are need aware - so they might be aggressive with aid - except they turn down kids who need to much - hence the need aware.

Your list it too long - but you are exploring. What do you seek - from small to mid to large….to urban to suburban to rural, etc. Sports, no sports? Greek life, weather, etc.

Your list is reach heavy but you have some some assured - but are they affordable?

You don’t name your state - but I would add your in-state public. Or if you are in one of the Midwest exchange states - look at that list.

But again, you need to know a budget because you need assured and affordable. What if you get into GW and it’s $80K a year - can you afford it? So it’s hard to judge you and your budget assumption is likely not correct.

Here is the Penn and Gtown NPCs - but even if they are favorable, they are unlikely for admission - so you need that affordable safet. I can’t tell you it’s on your list but only GW is likely, Nova is very need aware and GW requires demonstrated need.

Don’t forget, law school is another $300K and they couldn’t care less, based on the data, where you went - hence schools like Harvard are represented by 160+ colleges in its under 600 person class. Penn law more than 200 - so whether it’s Southern Illinios or U of Chicago, if you deliver on GPA, LSAT, and profile - you have a chance.

So please dig more into budget - it’s of the utmost importance. You could very well strike out and be left with no affordable home with this list.

For mom and dad….

Welcome | Net Price Calculator

Welcome | Net Price Calculator

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First, you need affordable safeties- start with that. Find 2-3 schools that are affordable for your family, you know you’ll be accepted to, and that you’d be happy at. I don’t see any true safeties on your list. Apply to the honors program at your state flagship and to full ride scholarships at lower ranked schools of interest. Then decide which of the “lottery ticket” schools on your list are realistic. For example, UC state schools don’t give any financial aid to out of state students, so those probably aren’t affordable. You have a strong profile but also know that there are thousands of kids with very similar profiles who are all competing for a small number of slots at the schools on your list.

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I’ve already done the price calculators, taking into account my parents assets, income, and my own income. My parents will be able to afford it almost wherever I go.

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No one here can tell you where you will be admitted.

The UCs are test blind and use a different GPA calculation. Please calculate your UC GPAs and share them. GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub

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But you still need a budget? Can they afford $80K? $60K? $40K? And $100K a year for law school?

And what do you seek in a school besides a name?

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Oh brother…I have a budget.

I’m going to apply to affordable safeties. Of course I am. I just listed the schools that I really liked and would prefer to go to if they work out.

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I’m aware.

I want to hear from people with similar stats that have gotten into or rejected from these schools.

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And I have a budget. I’m just not going to limit myself out of fear that I won’t be able to afford it.

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You could get in any. Will get in Fordham and GW. Then Nova most likely. The rest likely a few …UCs are test blind and all your CLEP may backfire.

Will you have four years of language ? You’ll need for most your list. I don’t see where you labeled it

And a little humility is needed too.

Good luck

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You’ll hear from both at most of those schools. Villanova, Fordham and probably GW (politics there is more selective than its overall admit rate) are likely to be good targets for you. The rest of them are mostly single digit admit rates, or single digit admit rates for out of state students. They just don’t have space for all the 4.0, 35-36 students who apply. That’s why posters above have referred to them as “lottery schools”. You “can” get into any of them, but that doesn’t mean you will. With those kind of admit rates and the caliber of a large portion of applicants, your essays and letters of recommendation (the ones from teachers are the ones that matter) will be an important swing factor in admissions and none of us can see those.

Can you share what your safeties are?

Edit: it occurs to me that American is a notable omission for someone interested in politics and being in DC. As long as you show demonstrated interest, it would be another good target assuming it’s affordable. They do practice yield protection and have been known to reject high stats students who don’t show interest.

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Four years at UC Berkeley out of state, or at UCLA out of state, plus three years of law school, is likely to add up to something like $650,000 (maybe slightly more or slightly less). The Universities of California have close to no aid for out of state students.

No one can tell you this.

If you can clearly state why a particular school is a very good fit for you, that is likely to come across one way or another in your application, and may help your chances. I am hard pressed to know how you would be able to figure this out for so many highly ranked reach universities.

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