Chance Me - Is 3.5 UW GPA a dealbreaker for WashU? [MO resident, intended history major, 1200 SAT, <$10k]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Hi guys! I’m really nervous about applications and am wondering what others think of my chances for WashU. I’m planning to ED. I’m aware my chances are low but I’m curious to know what others think and if I should even spend my ED on a school I probably can’t get into.

Demographics

  • US citizen and resident
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Mixed race (wasian), female
  • Strong public high school, ~20 students go to WashU from my school each year

Cost Constraints / Budget
Can spend ~10k per year on tuition. I’m expecting a lot of financial aid

Intended Major(s)

History

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

3.5/4.3

(By year it’s 3.7, 3.5, 3.3. Currently I have a 4.0 and I’m expecting to stay strong)

~1200 SAT, as of right now would go test optional. I’m taking an SAT soon and expect to do well.

List your HS coursework

8 APs, 6 honors

APs: Gov (5), Comp Gov, (4), Euro (4)

Currently taking: APUSH, AP Psych, AP Econ (Macro and Micro), AP Calc AB, AP Lit, and Chinese V

Awards

National top #50 for chess for girls my age

Presidential Volunteer

Congressional Volunteer

National level chess tournament qualifier

Scholastic Writing 2x Honorable Mentions

Awards in local singing and writing competitions

Extracurriculars
President of chess team - 4 years

Speech and Debate - 4 years

School Newspaper - 3 years

Theater - 2 years

Essays/LORs/Other
I think my essays are pretty strong, I’m a solid writer.

My home situation has been rough my whole life but after my parents separated (early senior year) things have gotten significantly better. My grades were significantly affected because of this, so I’m wondering if the admissions people will take this into consideration.

Schools
Planning to ED WashU

I know my grades are pretty lackluster but I’m wondering if you all think it’s worth it or even possible for me to be accepted, even though its unlikely. Does my home situation weigh into this at all, especially if my grades increase this year? My cumulative GPA won’t be up by the ED deadline which I’m worried about. I think my ECs are pretty strong. If I can get a good SAT I may have a chance. Are my grades a dealbreaker?

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So I’ll tell you - the most important school on your list is not the dream school, but the school that you can 100% afford and 100% get into. That’s where you need to spend your time.

You seem already to know your chances are low - and with Wash U, that’s always the case regardless.

What we don’t know about you is -

What is it about your school that they send 20 to WashU? Given the amounts, I’d assume your college counselors can better assist you to see if you can be one.

In regards to your home situation, you should ask your counselor to highlight it. I’m not an adcom but I don’t think it makes up for the grades.

Wash U is test optional but 60% or so do submit tests. In your case, waiting to RD might make more sense as they are a need blind /meets need school and the first semester grades will help. That’s something to talk about with your counselor but given the low GPA, any chance to show a higher # may outweigh any ED benefit.

The school doesn’t list a grade range in the Common Data Set but notes 86% of kids are in the top 10% of class and 98% in the top quarter. Are you in the top 10% - if your school ranks?

So - has your family filled out the net price calculator? That will show what you need to pay. In other words, you say you can spend $10K on tuition but what does the school say you can pay? The school also says you need to live on campus (required). I don’t see a local waiver - so does that mean you can afford $35K?

Have your parent fill out the NPC but know they will likely need info from the other parent to be included. Then Wash U will tell you what they expect you to pay. Make sure both are included in that NPC.

Because you know you want to go to Wash U, I don’t see an issue with ED but based on what you’re saying, it’s not realstic.

That’s why it’s most important to find those schools that you can attend - both admissibility and affordability. That may be a community college or local to you state school where you live at home. Wash U is the easy part - you know you want to go there. But assuming it doesn’t happen, then what others are you hoping to get to?

But ask your counselor for assistance - with such success in the past, they’ll be able to help you in the future.

But room and board alone is $15K+ at most colleges. At Wash U it’s over $24K. When you said $10K on tuition, did you mean for everything - including living?

Anyway, in the end, the school will tell you what they will make you pay. Sometimes it doesn’t equal what someone is able to pay - but better to know up front. Others may fully cover you but those schools are typically more selective.

Best of luck

Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid | WashU

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It is your call but (and I hate to say this) I would be very surprised if you were accepted.

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Just noting that with this large number going to WashU every year from your school, I’d take a good look at your school’s Naviance or SCOIR data. I suspect you’ll be able to figure out how your GPA compares to other accepted students from your school and use that as a better way to evaluate your chances.

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I would strongly suggest you do the net price calculator. Are your parents still married? If they are divorced, the net price calculator might not be particularly accurate.

Please explain why you want to apply ED.

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Thanks for your help. We did the Net Price Calculator and can expect to afford it given the average amount of financial aid. I’ll definitely reach out to my counselors to see what they think. I’ve got a solid college list going so I’m not too worried, I’m expecting rejection so I’m prepared to go to school elsewhere. Thanks for your response!

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Totally agree. Thanks for your honesty

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They aren’t divorced yet, but net price calculator is giving a number that is affordable so I’m not too worried about finances. I want to ED since it helps my chances to get into the school I want, and I’m not dedicated enough to anywhere else to really consider an ED

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But if you can only afford $10k, do you have one you can get into and afford ? Does Mizzou or other state schools have low income assistance ? Sadly $10k doesn’t cover living costs.

Great you have a list but ensure it’s affordable, beyond tuition.

Good luck

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I’ll look into it more. Thank you. Mizzou and SLU are both on my list and affordable for tuition but I’ll have to look into the other expenses. Thanks a bunch

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Awesome, I had no idea this existed. Looking into it right now, thank you so much!

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You need to explore other options. Not only is the 3.5 GPA, roughly half "A"s, half "B"s, a potential disqualifier, so is the SAT composite score of 1200. And the decreasing GPA trend will raise eyebrows. Applying test optional won’t matter.

The WashU Class of 2029 Incoming Class Profile

I do believe that your home situation did affect your high school performance.
Your only viable option if your set goal is to eventually earn an undergraduate degree from this institution is to start off in the St. Louis Community College system & then apply for a transfer. You’d be able to earn your A.A. degree, establish a record of high achievement, pursue more leadership experiences, and strengthen your overall application. Even if you were to pursue this, you still need a Plan B and a Plan C because it’s not easy to transfer to WashU.

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Note that WUStL requires both parents’ financial information, even if they are separated or divorced (see First-Year US Citizen/ Permanent Resident Applicants | Financial Aid | WashU ). Be sure to include both of their finances in the net price calculator. Also, if they are uncooperative with financial aid forms, that can prevent you from getting financial aid.

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First let’s focus on this. Generally speaking university classes are tougher compared to high school (at a wide range of universities). Having a strong senior year of high school is going to help you a lot. The primary plus of this is that it will help you to be well prepared to do well in university, regardless of which university you end up attending. I want to start by saying that I know that this is not easy, and congratulations on putting together the effort to have a strong senior year. Try to keep this up all year (even if you end up with a bit less than a 4.0 for the year).

I am interpreting this as meaning that you have a downtrend. On the one hand this is not going to help you with regarding to getting into WUSTL. On the other hand, this does increase my expecting it to in the long run be helpful if you can reverse this trend for your senior year of high school.

I am now wondering what your score was on the math part of the SAT. At least in my limited experience, people who are good at chess are sometimes also good at math.

I agree with others that WUSTL is a reach. Definitely pay attention to safeties. To me Mizzou and SLU both look like good choices although I am not from your area.

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Funny (haha) that you’d call it “spend my ED” – because I kind of feel that way about it too (I’m a parent). However, many in this forum will advise against thinking of it that way: ED isn’t something you gamble with, you do it if and only if you’re fully in love with a school.

Anyhow, I agree with you that your odds @ WashU are very low. But the answer to your Q depends on whether you have another place you could “spend” your ED at. If WashU is your one and only true love, then why not? Do ED there, just make sure you’ve got other “matches” and “safeties” lined up for RD.

However – my advice would be to look around and find another school or two that would be a great fit for you. It’s a big world. There are so many great colleges. I’m certain there are several out there that would be a great fit for you.

After you start college, wherever you go, all the hoopla about “Mary got into Stanford” and “Jane’s going to Yale” … all that fades, and you’ll just be having a great time at whatever college you’re at. You’ll be focused on your new friends in college, and nobody, including yourself, will care where your high schoolmates went.

Hang in there, be tough!

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Since your HS sends so many to WashU, I think the best source of information will be your guidance counselor, Naviance data, etc. Agree you need to focus on affordability before considering ED.

As I tell anyone, you need to create an application list that includes reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be excited to attend. Toss out any “dream school” thoughts and focus on academics, affordability, and fit.

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I just want to make sure that when you’re looking at cost of attendance, you include all of those “other” expenses. Otherwise, how is it affordable?

Everything is expensive, especially now.

Yesterday, as I was waiting in a small office for an appointment, I was speaking to the receptionist. She’s a student working part-time and attending UCSD. She was asking me about some local events and didn’t know where they were located.

At the time, I didn’t know she was a student and I said, well you should be able to get there via this freeway. She said, I’m not local. I am from Victorville. That’s when she mentioned she was a student UCSD but wouldn’t be returning the following year.

I asked why not? She said it was very unaffordable living in our city. She admitted that she had made a big mistake leaving campus housing and took an apartment outside of the university. Well our studio apartments are running at $3500 per month.

Ultimately, she admitted that her goal was to get into medical school. I asked her if her parents were aware of huge medical school costs. She told me she would rely on loans and scholarships. I told her there’s a cap on loans and scholarships are basically nonexistent. That shocked her.

My point is that there is a lot of unknown information for new students coming into the university system. The use of scholarships cannot be relied upon.

The biggest unknown is the large, expensive cost. That’s why every student and family needs to be aware that a college education relies on a budget that the family can afford.

Speak with your school counselor. She may or may not be able to estimate affordability or at least give you a total cost of tuition plus fees and living expenses.

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Also, talk to your guidance counselor at your high school; s/he will likely know about what it would take for a student from your high school to be a viable candidate for WashU.

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I just now saw this; didn’t mean to duplicate, but your suggestion is smack on.

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This is critical. Most low income programs target tuition and not room and board.

Hopefully the counselor has low income info for Missouri publics.

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