GPA is the most important thing on your application and an unhooked applicant can’t have it offset by EC’s. Yes, a 4.0 better than a 3.8, applicants with a 4.0 can also be rejected.
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Higher for which schools? The high reach schools on your list reject 4.0s and perfect test scores all the time.
You do not need those schools to meet your career goals. You are a good student. If you apply to a range of affordable schools you should have some excellent options.
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I think it’s crazy that there is a sense that a 3.81 (especially with freshman year seeming the weak point) combined with a 1530 SAT is somehow seen as a poor outcome. The high reaches are reaches for everyone, so be realistic,but there are plenty of good schools you’ll get into with that profile. For example, Princeton as a school on your list will, as others do, look at trends in grades, and your SAT falls within their middle 50. On the other hand, they have an extremely low admit rate so the most likely outcome for any applicant is rejection. Other than the tippy tops, I think you have a decent chance at a number of schools on your list. But you’ll need to whittle it down I think to have time to spend to craft decent essays.
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You have to plan for the biggest possibility - and if you are going to be in research, you will still potentially have more expensive schooling (if do a Masters).
As for Wake, Tufts, Brandeis - they are a step down from your Ivies so if you dream is elite and notice I said full pay - especially Tufts and Wake - that’s who attends, the wealthy. Theyr are heavily full play. That’s what they love. Being from Wa will help. Didn’t say you’ll get in but they are more realistic. Brandeis you’d have a good shot. Colleges are businesses - if you can pay $90k a year, they’d like to have you.
As for ECs being narrow - before I saw golf - they were research focused and during the school year. Independent research is hard to prove/quantify and doesn’t scream team work. I like to see kids be kids - but as I noted you did show that with golf and mock trial.
As another poster noted, ECs are a yay or nay type thing - but far less important than GPA. No point in wondering about ‘if’ u had a 4.0. You don’t. It’s ok. You don’t need to be perfect.
I was a patient at Vandy Hospital, one of the top hospitals in the country. Residents - so post med school - come from undergrads like N Illinois, Murray State,Kansas State Lipscomb, Luther and more. What you do, not where you go, will matter most. For PhD, in the college transitions bio feeder list per capita, top contributors are Earlham, Allegheny, St Olaf, Ursinus, Juniata, Kalamazoo and more.
You are what matter. Not Columbia vs C Washington.
Good luck.
I noted if full pay. At Wake, last year 253 of 1389 got aid. They meet need. They are need aware.
If they determine you don’t have need, your odds increase - that’s my hypothesis.
For lack of a better word, they are a college for the wealthy.
I noted - if full pay a then it’s a step down from Ivy but the big name they apparently seek.
Simple answer is “yes” although higher test score depends. Some colleges include test scores as a priority and some don’t. Each college tells you how they value test scores on their Common Data Set, Section C. Your SAT is excellent, so I don’t think it would matter much, if at all, if it were higher.
When we get to evaluating your extracurriculars and essays, we have know way of knowing because it’s subjective. Just give it your best shot and see what happens.
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What are your safety and affordable target schools? Those are the most important schools to focus on. Once you have them, you can apply to as many reaches as you want.
The University of Tennessee is another one to look at. The UT Health Science Center (graduate programs) has a close relationship with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The hospital also has summer research opportunities for college students.
UVA is a reach, but I would keep it on the list if it is affordable. They meet full need. UNC (a reach) is not on the list but they also meet full need. Need is based on their calculation, which is why the NPC is important.
I think you will be accepted to Syracuse, but it is very expensive and I would use the NPC with your parents. It is close to SUNY Upstate Medical Center which is a positive. One of my kids did a month long shadowing program with a variety of specialties.
I said this earlier, but Pitt is a good one to add. There is still research going on for undergrads and it is located in a huge medical community.
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What about Rhodes?
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That might work too! I don’t know a lot about it, but it is certainly worth checking out.
Adding: Rhodes also has a close relationship with St. Jude.
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Case Western seems like a good target for you, but you have to show interest.
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For my independent research I conducted them with an accredited organization (Illinois Math and Science Academy’s RISE program) – for the proof aspect. For the collaboration aspect, I also worked heavily with 3 different professors/mentors for each project from various universities, so with that being put into consideration. Plus I completed a full research paper and participated in symposium. I will have my second paper published in JEI as well.
Yep I’m looking at Case as of now and I’ve participated in their virtual events as well as their in person event at my high school. Thank you!
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Thank you so much – matching here is super helpful!
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Please make sure to somehow note that in your character limit (the collaboration, etc.).
Good luck to you.
You’ll land fine - but have to step down a bit (IMHO).
Best wishes.
But first thing’s first - you need a budget before you think about any school. Talk to your folks - what can they spend (without strain)? $20K, $50K, $100K, etc.? That will drive your list building unless your family is willing and able to pay $90K+ a year.
There will be lots of great landing spots for you!! But I’ll leave my chancing as is above in post two.
Have you considered Lehigh? It’s not a safety, but being from Washington State would be a big advantage. You would have to show interest- if you cannot visit you might want to see if there are any local events, sign up to get info, etc.
These schools can be very expensive if a family does not qualify for FA or the student does not receive significant merit, but I will leave that discussion for your family.