I’m a rising senior and I was wondering what my chances at a competitive school are. My top choice is University of Michigan, Ann Harbor. I’ve been looking at many other schools such as Mizzou, University of Virginia, Stanford, etc.
I know my chances at U of Missouri (Mizzou) are good, especially since I am a Missouri resident, but I wanted to know what my chances are for a more competitive school.
I have a 3.68 GPA, unweighted. I've taken three AP classes (AP Chemistry, AP Language, AP World History)
I'll be able to send my ACT score in as at least a 30, but I'm also taking the September ACT.
I'm involved in many activities such as student government (School VP and previous class president), French National Honors Society community service coordinator, English Honors Society member, Math Honors Society member, Varsity field hockey goalie, editor in chief of the yearbook, member of my school's leadership panel, co- president and founder of my school's Habitat for Humanity chapter, and a board member of the Hunger Outreach Project. I also have a part time job at a local ice cream store. I also am a part of a board of women who help organize the Young Women's Leadership Conference in my area. There are other clubs and such but these are the main ones that I have put the most time into.
In addition to the above, I was adopted at the age of 13. My mom thinks this could help me out considering I faced a lot of challenges as a kid and I missed a lot of school, but am still successful and driven.
You should have many good options. For Michigan, your stats are a notch below their median for both test scores and GPA, which makes it a reach, but it’s worth a try, particularly if your recommendations vouch for all the challenges you have overcome. (Stanford, on the other hand, has one of the lowest acceptance rates in the country and is a reach even for applicants with perfect stats - that application is probably not a good use of time. But you have tons of great options that aren’t at the Harvard/Stanford level of competitiveness.)
Mizzou is definitely a good option, and Truman State is a great public LAC, if your desired major falls within what liberal arts colleges offer. SLU could be a good choice too, if it works financially.
What are your financial constraints? Would you be able to afford private U’s or get enough financial aid to make them affordable? (Speaking of which, UMichigan out-of-state costs nearly as much as a private U. Same with UVA. Is that cost level doable for you?)
Depending on your specific interests, and what works for you cost-wise, there are many excellent schools that would love to have a student like you. It’s just hard to tell what would be the best fit without knowing a little more.
I’m looking at studying engineering, but am not sure what type specifically. I’ve been very interested in biomedical engineering and marine engineering so far. I know that makes it more difficult because the engineering field is very competitive. I’m hoping to get my ACT score up a little more in September to make Michigan less of a reach. However, there isn’t much I can do for my GPA since I am already a rising senior.
Financially, I hope to be okay. For Michigan, I am eligible for most of their grants and could apply for many scholarships. I am Pell Grant eligible which helps out a lot. I’ll be applying as an individual student (since I was adopted at a high age) so my parents income will not determine how much aid I receive, but my own income, which is very little. My parents have said that with grants, scholarships, and the assumption that I receive quite a bit of financial aid, that tuition won’t be an issue.
My parents and I have an overall goal to be able to leave whatever school I go to debt-free, so in the end if I end up not being able to pay all of the tuition, I would choose Mizzou or another lower cost school. I’m eligible for the Honors college at Mizzou, and in addition to being Pell Grant eligible, my entire tuition would be paid, along with books, residency, food, etc.