Chance to UMass Amherst?

Fionn21
Wed, 04 May 2011 02:01:39 +0000

I think you have pretty good chances, although UMass seems to be getting more and more competitive every year.

Compared with me in 2008:
UWGPA: 2.7
Class rank: I don’t remember, either top 50% (just barely) or didn’t rank at all.
SAT: 2100
State: Massachusetts
ECs: not many either, but I slightly exaggerated the importance of the few I had when I saw my peers doing the same thing (i.e. people who had been in their church’s choir in kindergarten suddenly confusing age 5 with ages 14-18, etc.)–anyways, sounds like you have a good selling point for what excites & interests you/you are involved in outside studying.
I had no APs, but two years of honors English, and my personal essay Totally Ruled.

It’s hard to say. I know a few from my class with that range for SAT who got in, and some who didn’t (and were surprised). My high school is somewhat prestigious in itself (like, for a high school), and so my record reflects the smart (good high school, good SAT, good essay) but lazy (crappy GPA, no ranking/APs)–but I was in-state so they took the chance (rejected from the other 3 schools I applied to). I think you have a really good chance if you don’t screw up the writing piece (you may want to use being the first in your family–congratulations btw!), and if your ECs are, ahem, well-executed. Your APs are impressive, as is the 3.4… your SATs are just okay but your GPA combined with your rank show that you’ve worked very hard to do as well as you have.
My ex-boyfriend was CS but he took forever to graduate and had a hard time finding a job because of a crappy GPA afterwards, though he’s all set now. CS is a great dept., something like 5th in the U.S., I believe (?), indubitably one of the best on campus. I think it’s a good fit. If you’re CS try living in Northeast, or maybe Orchard Hill (a little far…) or Central, and watch out for too-much-weed (you didn’t ask, but looking back I wish someone had told me about the different areas).
I also keep hearing that UMass wants to attract more out-of-staties like the more prestigious state universities, hence the new Rec. center/perpetual construction, so maybe you have that on your side as well, but dunno… I suppose you def. have already knowing/declaring CS on your side (they like that, I think).

Is UMass your first choice? Anything else?
I hope I helped a little.
Good luck! I think you can do it! =)