Confused Senior URM (Chance Me)

Colleges & Universities University of Virginia
1

GPA weighted 3.99
Gender: Male
SAT: 1340
ACT: -
Course Rigor
7 AP’s total: APUSH: 5 AP World: 4 AP Seminar: 3
taking 4 of those AP’s right now as a senior
Class Rank: 115/453

Extra Circulars

  • Marching Band 4 years (Low Brass Section Leader)
    -Inspiring African American Males IAAM (VP Junior and Senior year)
  • Bear Squad Mentor (senior year only)
  • French Club (2 years)
    -Debate Club (1 Year)
    -DECA regional competitor (1 year)
    -Theater Crew (1 year)

Awards: (9th Grade English Excellence Award)
Race: Black, although grandfather was from Lebanon

GPA is kind of low because I was diagnosed with a muscle disease sophomore year that caused major depression. (what my essay is about). I’m not sure if UVA is to much of a reach for me. Im not in any honors societies, although the IAAM application process requires a certain course load and GPA. I want to be in their marching band, and have even got the MB staff to write out a recommendation for me. I intend to major in business/ economics. class rank is sort of low, but it is right on the cusp of 25%. Not sure if i should even apply…

2

bump

3

Are you in-state or oos?

4

In state

5

Your GPA is low as you acknowledge but just write very solid essays!

6

Are you in-state? That makes a big difference for UVA because their OOS acceptance rate is on the low side. Do you have other schools on your list?

7

I agree with @jmek15

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I’ll leave the chancing for UVA to those who know the school better… but this article helps to quantify the amount of URM advantage that figures into the admissions process. https://alumni.virginia.edu/african-american-admission-enrollment-by-the-numbers/ (Many public U’s, such as the U of California system are not permitted to advantage applicants based on race, but UVA evidently does.)

Would a private university that meets documented need be more expensive for you than UVA, or would you qualify for enough financial aid to make the costs similar? You might consider looking at U of Miami, which has a terrific marching band program, seems like a good fit stats-wise, and is strong in your academic areas of interest. UofM meets 96% of documented need on average, so if the Net Price Calculator looks affordable for you it could be a good match. https://www.bandofthehour.org/join/

9

OP, It would be helpful if you answered the questions that have been asked of you by the above posters. What is your unweighted GPA calculated on a 4 point scale, core classes only?

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I am in state, my unweighted gap is a around a 3.6

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bump

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As far as I know, UVA really doesn’t care about your GPA (as in the actual number); rather, they look more closely at the courses you chose to take and the grades you got while taking them (since calculating GPA is not a standardized process between different high schools). So they are probably going to pay more attention to the details of your transcript vs. the 3.6 number