(Insert witty line here), chance me!

polkahard · July 18, 2007, 11:43am

Hoping you guys could tell me what you think.

White male
Large uncompetitive public school in PA
Looking to major in biology or related field

Rank: 2/450ish last I knew
GPA: around 96/100 (out of 4.0, I think it’d be near 3.8 or 3.9)
All honors/AP classes throughout high school
Will have taken all APs (7 of them) that my school offers

SAT I: 2150 (760 CR/730 W/660 M) retaking in Oct. to get math up
SAT II: 740 (US History), 690 (Math) taking another to get rid of math
APs: 5 (US History), 4 (Biology), 3 (Chemistry)

ECs
–United States Senate page for Sen. Arlen Specter
–volunteered two summers at aerobics/hip hop world championship in Los Angeles for about two/three weeks each year (the hip hop championships will actually be featured on the upcoming NBC show World Moves)
–greatly involved in my church for about my entire life; done everything possible, altar serving, bible school teacher, etc
–National Merit Commended Scholar, up for semifinalist, but doubt I’ll get it
–NHS
–bowling team (9,10,12) won most improved
–golf team (10, 11)
–Spanish club (9,10,11,12)

Work Experience
–job as a dietary aide at a local hospital; around 15 hrs a week

Schools
–UVA (OOS)
–W&M (OOS)
–Rice
–UNC (OOS)
–Duke
–WUSTL
–Pepperdine (any chance for a Regent’s scholarship here?)
–UPenn
–PSU (in state)

I feel my ECs are lacking compared to other people, but at the same time, I think I’ve done a lot of unique things. I focused on what I liked, which everyone says is what colleges want. Your opinion is appreciated.

Thank you very much!

Calcruzer · July 18, 2007, 2:40pm

Yes, the ECs are your major problem for the top schools. That and you need about another 100 points on the SATs for some of these places.

UVA (OOS)–match to slight reach (closer to match)
W&M (OOS)–match
Rice–slight reach
UNC (OOS)–match
Duke–reach
WUSTL–reach
UPenn–slight reach
PSU (in state)–safe match

Pepperdine (any chance for a Regent’s scholarship here?)–match, but I think you are confusing Pepperdine (a private school) with the University of California campuses (public schools). The UCs offer the Regents scholarships (they are only for in-state students). The scholarships offered by Pepperdine are from the Faculty/Staff. Pepperdine does give financial aid to 75% of their students, but they charge $34,000 for tuition–so they need to do this.

ses · July 18, 2007, 4:11pm

*If you’re commended, then you AREN’T eligible to be considered a semifinalist. You’ve missed the cutoff.

UVa, W&M, UNC, Duke, WashU, and Rice are more or less on the same level. Odds are you’ll get one or two. I’m thinking that UVA and WashU will be the toughest.

UPenn is gonna be a reach for everyone. You’re coming from a non-competitive school with really so-so ECs (minus you’re involvement in the church).

PA is a really competitive state. And while UPenn loves in-state kids, I really doubt that you’ll cut it for them.

Good luck, though. And definitely look at other schools that are ‘mid range’. LACs and the like. UPenn may not take you but what about Haverford?

polkahard · July 18, 2007, 4:24pm

Thanks for the opinions!

I understand that Duke and Penn are probably out of my league. Just wanted to see how I’d fare. My main choice right now is UVA, but I’m really surprised that WashU is that tough. Don’t worry, hitting those books for the SATs…I know I can get that math up.

As for being Commended/Semifinalist…I won’t find out until September. I’m definitely Commended, might be semifinalist, but doubt I’ll get that, since I’m in PA and the standards are really high.

And I could have sworn that Pepperdine’s highest merit scholarship (I believe like 24K) was called a Regents. My mistake, though, but you knew what I meant!

(Insert witty line here), chance me!

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