What are the chances of getting into NCSSM if I live in Gastonia?

I'm assuming you're going to apply next year (or after that, because this year's application is already done). I'm pretty certain with the 2010 census NC will split so there's another congressional district or two, but the general idea really won't change so this is how they currently get students.

NC has 13 congressional districts (probably will have 14/15 when you're applying) and NCSSM has to get a somewhat equal portion of students from all 13, so depending on where you are (and how many people apply), your chances change. For example, some districts have hundreds of people applying for 20-30 spots, while others only have around 100 applying for the same number of spots. The thing is, NCSSM doesn't release which areas are most/least competitive, so you really can't tell. The only thing that's common knowledge is that congressional district 4 (which you aren't in) is the most competitive of all. If you really want to know your chances, you can in fact calculate them yourself, to give yourself a rough idea. Find out how many people are applying from your school, multiply that by how many high schools are in your congressional district. Then divide 20 and 30 by the number (to find the low/high ends of the percentage spectrum).

But you shouldn't write off your chances based off your congressional district. Personal experience--I'm from CD 4 and I totally thought my chances were doomed (my oldest sibling got flat out rejected, second oldest got rejected and had to appeal to get in through the wait-list) but I got in on the first try without having to appeal. Just do your best to shine from the crowd. Try to raise your SAT score a good deal above your school's average. NCSSM looks at everything relatively. For example, a student from a school that has a 1300 SAT average that manages a 1800 is better than a student from a school that has a 1500 SAT that gets a 1900 (assuming they're from the same district).

Here's some tips--don't hold anything back. Skipped a grade? Write it. Even with things like being in the "AG class" in elementary school, write it all down. Don't try to be humble when writing your awards/achievements. For example, part of that section for me even included listing the percentiles of my state testing grades (EX: "In high school my EOC scores were all in the 98th-99th percentile"). Write down if you took the SAT in 7th grade as part of Duke TIP, even write down the character trait awards you've received. Make the NCSSM staff know what sets you apart from the crowd.

People always say "Get teachers/parents to go over your essays if you aren't very good at writing." But make sure you don't lose the sense of individuality that comes with the way you write. Try to express who you are and the ways you think through your essays. I think this would be the biggest part of the challenge in the application. Make them see you as an individual, rather than just another applicant. Make sure they know who you are. and at the end of the day, they remember you as who you are as an individual. They should remember you as a nice kid that likes to do whatever your hobbies are, and though you experienced some hard times in life, it's made you a better person (they actually ask you to write an essay on any "adversity" you've experienced, so start trying to think of anything you've been through that most would consider a 'sob story'). You should be "you" to them, rather than a random kid who happened to score a 2400 on the SAT that they know nothing about/don't feel connected to. Try to write in a way so that even if a stranger read your essay(s), that stranger would still somehow feel connected to you. I swear my essays are 3/4 of the reason I got into NCSSM in the first place.

Sorry for writing so much. But NCSSM is a topic I end up rambling about--probably because I still haven't gotten over the fact that I've been accepted. I'm going to be in the class of 2012--I just received the notification on Wednesday and I still feel giddy about it. Guess I sort of wanted to give future applicants some tips. Well, good luck! And if you're in the class of 2013, hope to see you at NCSSM!