Average GPA, Good Everything Else! UMich Chances?





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College Discussion Forums: Individual Schools: US News Top 25: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor: 2004 Archive: Average GPA, Good Everything Else! UMich Chances?
By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 05:13 pm: Edit

I think the conversation title speaks for itself. I am a junior at one of the BEST public Michigan high schools and will most likely end junior year with a 3.76 GPA. My other EC's and test scores are pretty good. I took or will take US History AP, Biology AP, Chemistry AP, English 11 AP, English 12 AP, and Calculus BC AP. All others are honors classes unless they are pre-requisites(e.g. Chem 1, Bio 1). This doesn't matter but I am an Indian male(born in U.S.)

ACT: 30+ (taking it december 13)
SAT 1: 1400+ (taking it in spring)

EC's:
Project LEAD-2 years
SADD Club-2 years
Literary Club-1 year
Hospital Volunteer-Over 150 hours
Downhill Ski Supervisor Volunteer-45 hours
Boys And Girls Club Leaders In Training (LIT) Volunteer-60 hours
Troy Youth City Council(City board, like City council, but made up of hs students to deal with youth issues)-original member since May 2002
Medical Club(President)-I hope to start this at our school this month
UMich Medical School Summer Science Academy Attendee(hopefully I will do this in summer2004)

As you can see, I like science and my goal is Pre-med tracking/Biochem major. Do you think I have a chance at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor's College of Literature, Science, and Arts? Please reply! Thanks.

By Rmehney (Rmehney) on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 06:16 pm: Edit

And what public high school would this be?

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 09:31 pm: Edit

Troy Athens High School. (It was much better when I was a freshman, but now Troy High is better. Athens is still great though.) I also forgot, by the time a graduate I will have 2 years of JV Tennis and 1 year of Varsity Tennis under my belt.
Please Reply!

By Rmehney (Rmehney) on Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 02:04 pm: Edit

Hmmm...it is a good school, but I wouldn't consider it one of the "best" public high schools. Try the Grosse Pointes.

GO IKE! ;)

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Thursday, November 27, 2003 - 12:01 pm: Edit

any other comments?

By Rog (Rog) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 06:38 pm: Edit

Oh, I'd say you're probably safe. I have a 4.0 GPA, 1430 SAT and 34 ACT, and I'm from this tiny town in Northern Michigan called Harbor Springs. I expect to get in - a friend who has the same GPA and lower test scores was accepted just this past week. I would guess that you will most likely be accepted also.

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 07:19 pm: Edit

thanks Rog

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 06:02 pm: Edit

bump

By Subparasian (Subparasian) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 12:27 pm: Edit

Get those scores first... keep up with your grades... and stay involved. I looks like you have very good chances as of right now. Just get that 1400 and you're pretty much in.

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 01:15 pm: Edit

thanks subparasian. I haven't received my Dec. ACT scores yet but I am retaking them for sure. Why...I had the FLU! Yep, i know it sux. Oh well. I signed up for April 3 ACT and March 27 SAT. Gotta study for them now. It seems like I'm spending way too much time on this site asking for advice on how to get into college when the answer is, get off the site and study!lol.

By Spikex35 (Spikex35) on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 12:03 am: Edit

I have a similar situation to Spydersport, except a lower GPA and higher SAT scores. Namely, 1570/790/790/790/770/730, but only a 3.3 unweighted GPA. Weighted is 4.0+, however, and I'll have 11 AP's/honors courses, and a number of leadership positions in MUN, Soccer, Cross Country, and Community Service. Have a hook with Japanese culture too maybe, (can speak the language), but I'm still really worried--

What will this 3.3 GPA do to me? Is it gonna kill me?

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:30 pm: Edit

are you instate? if so you will have a better chance. I don't think UMich weights grades at all. They just look at your academics and put them on a 4.0 scale. They do, however, look at the strength of your course load. They don't look at sat 2s either. What type of school you go to and how hard your course load is will affect the adcoms. hope this helps. Anyone else want to review my stats?

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 04:47 pm: Edit

bump...and don't hijack my post plz. Thanks

By Subparasian (Subparasian) on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Grades are a big part of their admissions process... very big part.

How is your class rank, Spike? I don't think you have anything to worry about. With a 1570 SAT and those kind of SATII scores, it's a gimme. You could drop 100 points on your SAT, go down to a 3.0 UW, and still be very qualified.

By Rmehney (Rmehney) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 01:11 am: Edit

Michigan hardly cares about test scores...BELIEVE ME! Even if you look at the their old admissions calculator, a score of a 31-36 ACT all carried the same amount of weight. Just get above a 23 on the ACT (I don't know what this is roughly on the SAT, pretty low though). Grades are the be all, as it is public university trying to maintain a high US News ranking. They also don't really care about what school you went to (i.e. won't cut you flack for going to a tough public unless it's New Trier in Illinois; my sister's roommate got in with never getting a single A in high school). And last but not least, you can seriously take any dang class you want. I suggest you just take blow offs, because if you get all A's, you're freaking golden... I've taken an extremeley rigorous course load at my school, and for what? To get deferred...Swell..Call me bitter, but my sister was known around school for being the "undeserving" Valedictorian since she never took one hard class in her life. I always stood up for her though because it does take some sustainable effort to get a 4.0; however, I guess she was the true genius by breezing through high school and getting into the college of her choice with no real effort.

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 05:49 pm: Edit

Rmehney-Your advice, is well, out there. I wish it was that easy but its not. Taking hard classes and getting good grades in those blow away being an undeserving valedictorian. If you got deferred but believe you should have been accepted, it was probably one of those wierd years and the school needed another lacrosse player or ballet dancer or something. I think I will continue to work hard in tough classes and play it safe. but thanks anyways for the advice.

By Jinhamasaki (Jinhamasaki) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 09:52 am: Edit

Rmehney, you're right. I took 11 friggin AP's and my GPA is not THAT great (3.7 UW) and I got deferred. I dunno what is up with UMich.

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 11:20 am: Edit

I heard UMich rounds grades so I guess my 3.76 is now a 3.8. Does that help much?

By Rmehney (Rmehney) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 03:38 pm: Edit

I hardly consider my advice "out there"...It's the truth, and there are plenty of others on this board to attest to it. You can think what you want and be naive based on what your counselor tells you. It is blantantly obvious GRADES are more important than anything. Yes, classes do help a little, but not as much as you think. But go ahead and continue to take hard classes, it's good for the soul and a true challenge! And Michigan doesn't need another lacrosse player or ballerina, seeing as how they don't it's a large enough school as it is.

By Subparasian (Subparasian) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 10:15 pm: Edit

I don't understand the hype with the rounding of the GPAs. If they do this for you, they do it for everyone. Thus, the battlefield is equal again. Sure, your GPA might look better than it is... but so will all the other applicants. I personally think rounding GPAs is a bad method as it tends to make students either underrated or overrated.

Good luck. GO BLUE! CLASS 2008!

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 01:48 pm: Edit

thanks for all of the input guys. Rmehney, I'm thinking that you are right now. Some of my senior friends got into Michigan recently, but they didn't have high GPA's either. So...WTF! Why is the admission process so random. people are getting in with 3.2 and 27 ACT and no EC's (including no NHS, which is pathetic at our school). But, I have exhausted all of the other classes at our school and can't backtrack in math and science (ie drop from honors precalc as a junior to algebra II as a senior.lol) so it looks like i will end up with 4-6 AP's next year. Yeah, this sux. I better get into UMich after all of this work.

By Jenni (Jenni) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 10:10 am: Edit

does u mich add GPA? my school doesn't add extra GPA points even if I'm taking APs or honor course.

By Jinhamasaki (Jinhamasaki) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 11:58 am: Edit

Nope, they look at UW

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 04:03 pm: Edit

bump for my posts!

By Spydersport824 (Spydersport824) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 04:58 pm: Edit

anyone?

By Subparasian (Subparasian) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 12:33 am: Edit

Well, they got a lot of attention from the Supreme Court case. Maybe this year they're turning to a new method? (away from the point system... similar to UCs)

Regardless, just do you best and apply early... nothing more to say.


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