Chance Me for UVA and WashU [VA resident, 4.3 GPA, top 2%, 1330 SAT, political science]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US domestic
  • State/Location of residency: VA
  • Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public
  • Other special factors: first gen

Cost Constraints / Budget
2,000 or less

Intended Major(s): political science

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.98
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.358
  • Class Rank: Top 2%
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1330

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English: AP Lang, AP Lit
  • Math: AP Calc BC, AP Stats
  • Science: AP Physics
  • History and social studies: AP World, APUSH, AP Gov
  • Language other than English: Adv French 4
  • Visual or performing arts: Creative Writing 1 and 2

Awards

  • state level award winner for writing 5 times at various levels, for multiple writing forms
  • school writing award 2 times
  • county writing award
  • published in a national writing collection

Extracurriculars
President of two school writing publications, lead choir member, serving at school (making lessons, etc.), writing books (have published online with over 25,000 reads!), self-led tutoring of underprivileged students after school tutoring service fell apart, etc., etc.

Essays/LORs/Other
I’ve gotten a lot of strong feedback for my main essay, so I think I’m good on that.

LOR extremely strong, teachers who write them often get kids into Ivies and take them extremely seriously.

Schools

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability): (Omitting for confidentiality, but guaranteed full tuition at two good safeties that I like)
  • Extremely Likely:
  • Likely: Hampton-Sydney
  • Toss-up: UVA, Washington and Lee, Carnegie Mellon, William and Mary
  • Lower Probability: Wash U, Georgetown
  • Low Probability: Brown, Harvard, Yale

Is UVA, WashU, and Hampton-Sydney realistic to hope for?

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Did you apply with your test score or test optional (where that’s an option?)

Did you run the net price calculators at each school to determine if they would be affordable?

I think you will get in to Hampton-Sydney, but I doubt it will be affordable.

All your other schools are reaches. Do you have any highly likely options that you know will meet your price point?

Teachers and their LoRs do NOT get students into certain colleges. It is a plus though that they know how to write a LoR.

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Can you commute? Room and board will be more….like 16-18K.

Great record - but I think these schools are tough with the SAT so I’d go Test Optional at all, except HS.

Can you afford HS? This will tell you. Of course, assuming they are need aware and you do have that need, they could use that against you in admissions. Good luck.

Net Price Calculator

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What’s your HS’ average SAT (/is your score significantly higher than what your HS sees?)
If your HS is an urban or rural HS definitely submit to all the VA colleges because it shows your grades are backed by a solid score. .if your HS is in Nova don’t submit because admitted Nova kids will generally have 1400+.
First generation/low income kids will have special consideration at most universities. You may want to check the support they specifically offer.
Did you participate in any fly-in?

Why Hampton-Sydney? It’s considered one of the most conservative private colleges and male-only while you don’t have any other similar colleges (Wabash, Morehouse, Hope, Hillsdale, potentially St John’s if you like their Great Book curriculum..)
Why not Kenyon and Denison, where your writing prizes may matter?

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Yes, my SAT is in the top 5% at my school, but I am in NoVA.

I sadly wasn’t able to do fly-in since I couldn’t afford it!

Also, Hampton-Sydney because I have close family who live nearby and have friends who have went and said despite the conservative environment, the school provides a really good experience academically

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Yes, I’ll be commuting if I end up going!

Thank you! Would you recommend still submitting SAT if it’s high (top 5%) at my school? It’s why I’ve been going back and forth between optional or not.

Hampton Sydney does seem a bit pricey with Net Price, but I know my family there will be willing to provide some support which will cut the cost down to my budget!

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I usually applied with score, but most are regular so I can still withdraw it!

Net Price told me they would be very affordable for me

Hampton-Sydney, I’ll be leaning on the support of the family I have there.

Of course! I’m sorry I phrased it that way, a good LoR is important but won’t make or break admission!

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I know Va State has a program - not sure if that’s one of yours.

I would apply TO - but you might reach out to each admissions counselor and ask.

Most will say, if you think it adds to your overall story, then yes - vs. give you an answer.

But some will flat out tell you yes or no.

I wouldn’t but we all think differently. There’s another thread debating this right now. A few say no, it can’t help but it can hurt. Others note what you are noting - so even if it’s low, it’s still worthy.

Talk to your counselor.

At WashU for example, in last year’s CDS, 57% submitted a test but the 25th percentile was 1500. So is submitting 170 points below wise? Well if 1500 is the 25th percentile, someone submitted below 1500 but how far below? And it’s likely athletes, first gen, people of color or some other hook.

But it’s hard to know. But you can look at the CDS for each school to decide and again, talk to your counselor.

I’m in the no boat - but there are others in the yes boat so….

Good luck.