<p>I’m only a junior, but planning on applying to UIUC for journalism.
I’ll have 4 years of newspaper and drama, and two of radio and speech.
Plus i was in 4-H from when i was 10 til my sophmore year(treasurer for two years, founded ‘Tractor Club’),
and i’m trying to get a job/internship at a local newspaper.</p>
<p>My freshman year i spent a week in Kentucky building houses, and this summer i will have two weeks being an unpaid(service houred) counsclor at a camp on a farm. I also taught sunday school my sophmore and junior year, and will my senior also. </p>
<p>My grades are bad(currently a 3.2, but i’m guessing i’ll bring it up because i’ve had mono, numerous blood problems, and a car accident that has made me miss at least 12 days of school a semester–more from the car accident[3 weeks]-- all from freshman year to current)
And class rank is about 200something out of 600something.</p>
<p>I haven’t taken the ACT or SAT, but i am figuring i will do decent since I got a 29 on a practice ACT, also planning on taking the SAT II for lit and Latin.</p>
<p>so- do i have any chance? how much do they weight in GPA and Class Rank?</p>
<p>Iheart -
I think you may be ok. You need to make sure your personal factors get written into your GC’s report - along with the information that you have most of this under control. </p>
<p>The USNWR lists the following for last year’s enrolled students:</p>
<p>Top 10 percent of high school class: 24%
Top 25 percent of high school class: 54%
Top 50 percent of high school class: 92% </p>
<p>You’re not in the best position, but its not that bad with mitagating circumstances and a (hopefully) impressive ACT. You will want to apply to other schools as well. May as well go for it and do you best this semester!</p>
<p>alright. thank you. yeah, i know my grades are really horrendous. i’m looking at other schools, also, this was just my…ideal school, not where i thought i would match.</p>
<p>another thing, i’ve been in, and am in, a band since freshman year. I’m the drummer. Is that something i would put on my application, or is it inconsequential?</p>
<p>Doesn’t look like they would care about the band, but they say they like character, and you have that. Your volunteer and service work will help.</p>
<p>Now, on the application, the key for you is section 20, the personal statement.</p>
<p>This is where you spend a smallish amount of time talking about your difficulties, and a largish amount of time presenting a compelling statement as to your potential, talents and vision. </p>
<p>If you have the chance, sit in on a class or three, talk to the professors, research the department. Your personal statement is allowed two side of a page. If you research, think and write, you will have too long a statement at first. This is good: then you will refine it down to an elegant essense. Start it late summer/early fall so you have plenty of revision time. And for heavens sake, make sure you get and adult to proof it.</p>
<p>Hum, yes, they are more selective - but they seem to want two essays. Make sure they are good ones: in a border line situation they will be critical. This school is a reach, but a reasonable reach, and certainly worth going after. </p>
<p>I also have a feeling (from reviewing essays on CC) that most essays aren’t very good, and don’t clearly demonstrate a student’s fit with the school. My son is currently at UChicago. If you looked at his stats (particulary class rank) you would say it looked reachy. Once you factored in his essay, the picture changed. </p>
<p>Its better to be at the top of you class. But - woulda coulda shoulda - so you work with what you got. Stay focused; concentrate on your grades, apply to some likelies - but its worth giving it a shot.</p>