Friend's chances of acceptance and scholarship at these schools?

Question

She's an incoming senior. She wants to get a scholarship to Virginia Tech, Purdue, or Embry Riddle for aerospace engineering. What are her chances?

GPA: 3.85

SAT: 2080

Frosh: Honors Geometry, Honors Biology

Soph: Honors Algebra II, Honors Chemistry

Junior: Honors Pre-Calc, AP Physics B, AP Psychology

Senior: AP Calculus, AP Chemistry

(all others were colleges prep)

ECs:

School TV News Cast: 4 years

Science Olympiad: 4 years

Teen Outreach Program: 3 years

Violin: 6 years

She has good recommendations and a good essay. She plans to take two SAT II tests.

Answer 1

I'd think you have an excellent chance of admittance at all three of the schools you mentioned.  Academic scholarships are rare, even for great students.

If she were to play any sport as a senior and do pretty well, she could apply for an athletic scholarship.  Each year 10s of millions in athletic scholarships go un used because girls often stop playing before their senior year, and are therefore inelligible.

Congrats on the good effort and outcome.

Answer 2

With those credentials, she should have no problem getting into any of those schools.  Embry Riddle may be the toughest because of the competition of getting into that school.  Has she checked out Wichita State?  It's one of the best aerospace engineering programs in the country.  My friend's son went to Purdue and hated it then visited Wichita State and loved it.  Lots of aerospace companies are located in Wichita so they have a tremendous program.  Check it out.

Answer 3

Sounds like a great start.

I recommend that she starts to develop more community and global volunteer interests. I can only imagine how busy she is and that her free time is limited or almost non-existent, but she should try.

She already shows some diversity, but what makes her special? How does she make an impact in the community? (Besides the teen outreach program).

It would be great if she were part of a community or regional group (outside of school) that focused on community member needs or education. Think of the Red Cross, Voter Registration for the upcoming elections etc.

Remember that applicants need to have great grades, great SAT scores, great EC's but somehow they need to stand out.  

Where does she stand out? That's a question that she needs to answer.

Good luck!