How accurate is the Chancing Simulator?Answered
My dream school right now is Wake Forest
The Chancing Simulator gives me a 47% of acceptance
Can somebody confirm if this sounds accurate?
My GPA is below their average but every other aspect of my application exceeds their newly admitted freshman class. Can somebody please advise whether they will look at my profile holistically or just throw my application away because of my GPA?
Academics for reference:
-3.55 high school GPA (with an upward trend, I currently have a 4.0 this year)
-34 ACT (34 super score, 33 composite)
-National Merit Scholar (based on nationwide PSAT scores)
-Excellent extracurriculars (according to collegevine)
-I am already accepted into the WF summer immersion program for their school of business (this is a selective program that requires 2 essays)
- 3-time 5AAAAA State Champion, Varsity Dive Captian
- Varsity Pole Vaulter
Please let me know if this sounds accurate? Keep in mind I will also be applying ED
@zpx3 Yes. I am a white male. I am born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I am not a first-generation college student.
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2 answers
47% seems very accurate for your stats, ECs and test scores.
If you want to improve that, I would suggest continuing your upward trend of grades.
Perhaps if you have time take the ACT on last time this summer but you are solid for WF with a 34. In your case, I do feel that having a 35 ACT will help offset the GPA a little so you should be fine either way.
I attend a prestigious boarding school and what I've learned is that many recruited athletes have lower GPAs than their peers due to the time commitment to excel and play varsity sports. Between all the meets and practices, that can easily eat away at 15-20 hours a week during the peak league and post conference commitments. As a result, it is very common for Varsity athletes at applying to top colleges to have lower GPAs but high test scores. Why? Because if they didn't have to do multiple sports, they would not employ the practice of selected negligence and have more time for homework, and test prep. It is rare that varsity athletes have 4.0 gpas and high test scores. So I wouldn't sweat this much because it is quite common and I'm certain you fall into that pattern with Wake Forest applicants as well (and at your other schools you are considering).
If you feel necessary to expand on what I stated, please use the add'l information section on the Common App when you apply. Explain to them the time commitment for doing both varsity swimming and track and field compromised your GPA a bit but you are not making excuses for that you are just aware that you had to make a calculated judgment call to take a hit on your GPA because you love your sports and hope to continue doing them. I just put it out there for you to make an informed decision. Alternatively, it might boost your application if you are not a recruited athlete to state that you intend to try out for both swimming and t&f as a walk on. This would show your commitment to your athleticism.
Good luck with WF. It seems like a beautiful campus with great teachers and students. I like the "honor code". Attending WF will ensure you get a top education and if you decide to pursue graduate school, give you a boost as feeder into many top grade programs around the country.
CollegeVine's chancing engine is generally quite accurate. The chancing engine is telling you the same thing that I or many other admissions consultants would tell you - Wake Forest is a solid target school for your profile. Though WF is not a safety school for you, it is certainly not a reach. If anything, I believe that the engine is slightly underestimating your odds of admission, since it cannot quantify the intangible benefits from having an upward trend in your GPA. Hope this helps!
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