My chances at WashU

eaad · August 8, 2008, 12:49am

Based on my information below, what would you say are my chances at getting into WashU? Please give me advice on how to increase my chances of getting in!

STANDARDIZED TESTS

i took the SAT in June ( 2nd try; first was a 2000) and got these scores:
M- 730
W- 680
CR- 680
Composite- 2090 (Should i take this again?)

ACT Composite- 30 (Should i take this again?)

SAT II’s:
Math II : 750
Bio E: 730
US History: 670

SCHOOL

I attend a VERY small high school in California (only 10 years old with an application process) with about 70 students in my entire class and 7 faculty members for the whole school. Our school has NO sports and NO AP classes an my college classes are simply counted as CP classes, so forgive my pathetic GPA and lack of ECs.

GPA: 3.855 UW (No APs in my school)
Rank: 10/70
College Semester Units completed: 80.5
AA Degree in Humanities
AA Degree in Liberal Arts
AA Degree in Natural Sciences
Want to major in Biology and Economics

Community College Classes taken:

Fundamentals of Computer Science A
Career Self-Assessment A
Career Exploration A
Introductory Logic B
Introduction to Psychology A
Introduction to Linguistics A
Fundamentals of Speech A
Written Communications A
Library Information Literacy A
Beginning Tennis A
Mythology A
Art History A
American Government and Institutions B
Elementary Spanish (1) A
Elementary Spanish (2) A
Principles of Economics: Macro A
Critical Composition A
Beginning Individual Conditioning A
Beginning Badminton A
General Chemistry (1) B
Precalculus I B
Core Biology A
History of Western Civilization A
Precalculus II A
Calculus B
Probability and Statistics

Community College courses planned for Senior Year:

General Botany
General Zoology
General Chemistry (2)
Calculus (2)
Principles of Economics: Micro

E.C.s

Junior Representative in Student Government
Founder/ President of the Sports and Activities Club (for 3 years)
Volunteer at the local library (125+ hours over 4 years)
Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity (70+ hours since January 2008)
Volunteer at Soup Kitchen
Volunteer at a Retirement Home
Volunteer at Neighbors in Health (free healthcare)
Key Club Sergeant at Arms (Member for 4 years)
Art Club
Academic Decathlon (4 medals in January and i hope to be a captain or starter next year)
Alpha Gamma Sigma (college academic honors Club)
Letter of Recs from two college professors (Bio and Spanish) and a counselor

Please give me advice on how to give myself a better shot of getting into WashU! Thank you!

Don_Quixote · August 8, 2008, 1:38am

I’m going to say you have a fair shot, but WashU is definitely competitive to get into and there aren’t many shoe-ins (sp?)… Like everyone’s going to say, be sure to show interest in WashU if you’re really interested: visit the college, talk to professors (if for no other reason than to find out if WashU’s biology/economics programs are a fit for you).

I don’t know what kind of hours you have in each of the ECs you listed, or which ones really interest you; however, if one of your EC’s really means something to you, be thinking of ways you can go the extra mile with it or even continue it into your college years. (Maybe you are already especially involved in one or two great projects, but there’s no way for me to know from what you’ve said, and an AdCom won’t know either unless you help them.

I would definitely consider retaking your ACT and/or SAT. I’m not sure, but I believe WashU lets you superscore your tests, so even if you only do better in one or two subjects, you could still have a good effect on your composite score.

Best of luck!

washupremedsv · August 11, 2008, 7:24pm

i would take the ACT again…3 times for SAT is a little excessive, especially since they’ll see all 3 of your scores. Try to get that ACT to around a 32 and i think you’ll have a good shot.

HartinGA · August 11, 2008, 11:34pm

I agree with most of the other comments. My summary:

The GPA is very good, you shouldn’t look down on yourself. It is a very high UW avg anywhere.

The curicullum is what it is. As long as you have taken advantage of what your school offers, that is all you can do and most schools look at it that way. I would certainly consider your CC classes to be sort of APs, at least the closest you can come to it.

Agree your app needs to emphasize one or two key service areas that were your focus. Unless you didn’t have a focus. List them all of course, but you need to tell about some depth there.

The test scores are the most problematic. They are very good, and Wash U is not obsessed with scores contrary to some claims. Though good, they are a little below avg for WU. Is English not your first language? If not, then take the SAT II for your native language. If it is, them I would take a tough prep class and take one or both again.

I think if you do good essays and really let them know you want it, you have a good shot.

My chances at WashU

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