Admissions questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

<p>I've been in love with Swarthmore for a very long time (it's the family school: my parents, grandparents, and aunt all went there), and absolutely have my heart set on going there. However, I've never made a formal visit: I've been on campus many times, read the Phoenix, etc., but I had a last minute conflict with my spring visit and couldn't go. I am going to visit in October (I want to apply ED I), but my fall break is at the same time as Swarthmore's break. I could go at some other point in the fall, but it would be a much more complicated trip (I live in Kentucky, and my father is driving me up). I am perfectly willing to miss school (it's excused), but I wonder if it's really worth it, given that I have a pretty solid idea of what the school is like. If I go up during break, I can still interview/tour, but I won't get to do an overnight/visit a class. So, to the more experience applicants/parents, what should I do?</p>

<p>On a less complicated note:
I am 3/115 at a decent public school (there is a tie for first). I have a 4.0 unweighted, a 4.6 weighted, and have taken the most difficult courseload and will continue to do so next year. I haven't taken the new SAT yet (admissions said I could take it in October, if I rushed my scores), because I have had a scheduling conflict with every date except the May date, which is when I took my SAT IIs, on which I recieved: 800 US History, 750 Literature, and 720 Biology. I got a 233 on my PSATs (80 WS, 77 CR, 76 M) so I'm not too worried. I'm captain of the academic team, an officer and 4-year member of the speech team, an officer of the technical theater club, a member of student council, a member of NHS, and an attorney in Teen Court. I've got a nice set of awards from school/academic team/speech team. The Salvation Army in my town is starting a free clinic this fall that I am going to volunteer at. Last summer I went to the Junior State of America program at Princeton, and right now I am at the Governor's Scholars program. I am working on my essays, and am pretty sure I can get strong recommendations. </p>

<p>Do I have a shot? I know my application is decent, but it's Swarthmore so everything is kind of up for grabs. As far as I know, no one from my school has applied there in the past ten years or so (as far back as my guidance counselor remembers), so I can't exactly compare. I am eternally grateful to anyone who can offer my advice here, I have some other (less selective) schools in mind to apply to if Swarthmore doesn't pan out, but it is absolutely my first choice.</p>

<p>Oh, one final question: I was planning on asking for recommendations from my AP Biology teacher (had me in three classes, worked with me in planning prom) and my AP statistics teacher (only had me in one class, but he's my academic team coach and knows me well) or AP english teacher (had me in two classes, speech team coach), but my counselor recommended asking an outside coach/boss on top of teacher recommendations, and I am considering asking the district court judge who is my Teen Court sponsor. (Background: Teen Court is a sentencing court for first time juvenile offenders , where teens are the attorneys/clerks/jury). I've been with the program 5 years, he knows me well, and it'll be unique, but I am not sure how well it will go over. Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Thank you all so much!</p>

2

<p>megblum, you look to me to be in great shape. My experience is that your kind of legacy situation carrys significan weight w/ Swat's adcom, your test scores and grades are solid Swat #'s, your authentic enthusiasm for Swat is obvious, your extracurrics. are very nice (Nobel not req'd), you write like a champ and, based on your debate career, you can no doubt speak as well as you write. I'm seeing a fat envelope.</p>

<p>The only reason you need to visit is for an interview. You don't want to pass up an opportunity to personally convey your personality, academic potential and unbounded enthusiasm for Swarthmore. The timing of your visit should not be a factor as long as you can arrange an interview.</p>

<p>Lastly, I don't think you need to go to the judge, nor do I think it would be particularly advantageous. Swarthmore won't be swayed by credentials. I believe your best choices are the 2 teachers whom you believe know you and your capabilities best.</p>

<p>You may not comprise a statistically valid sample, but I'd say probability is way on your side.</p>

3

<p>I have no doubt you'll get in, especially if you apply ED. I am not sure that you have to visit Swarthmore to get an interview. There is a good chance that your admissions officer will be in your area at some point in the fall conducting interviews - e-mail the admissions office and ask them about it. If you are absolutely sure that Swarthmore is the place for you, I don't think you have to visit "officially" at all, but if you decide to do so, I would strongly recommend to do it while school is in session, and you can sit on classes and interact with current students. A visit during fall break will not add anything to what you already know about the school. Good luck, I am sure you'll make a great Swattie :).</p>

4

<p>Just about everything has been covered. I would only add that I think you would have a very good shot. With legacy and your solid stats, I think they would have to have a very good reason to say "no".</p>

<p>As to the outside recommendation, my daughter sent one as an extra recommendation. I don't know if it made a difference or not, but it reinforced an activity she discussed in her essays. Recommendation or not, I do think that your five years of experience in "teen court" sounds very interesting and might make a great topic for an essay.</p>

<p>As for visiting, I think it would be best to visit while school is in session and do the full overnight. If your dad can't go, just hop on a plane and fly there yourself. It'll be an adventure! I think it really helps as kind of a "dry-run" for actually going off to college and helps in writing a good Why Swat? essay. Getting from the airport to the college is a piece of cake.</p>

5

<p>Wow, parents, grandparents, aunt .... a high-voltage family of Swatties!! I can imagine the discussions! :)</p>

<p>The only thing that would keep you out is if you mess up the 'Why Swat' essay. They might think you are taking your chances at Swat for granted. :)</p>

6

<p>Thank you all so much, I really appreciate it. Since achat brought it up, I was going to ask what you all thought of my main idea for my Why S essay. My idea was that I was going to write about how I love Swarthmore because it isn't just like my hometown ( a small town in Kentucky where everyone goes to church on Sunday morning and the political spectrum runs from conservative Democrat to conservative Republican). I'm not really sure about this topic and my counselor isn't much help. I know that essay is deliberately open-ended, but I'm not sure what direction to take mine in. My other idea was one based on the fact that I've been reading the Phoenix online for a few years and how each issue has another article in it that makes me want to go to Swarthmore and talk to these interesting and unusual people. This article ( <a href="http://phoenix.swarthmore.edu/2004-11-04/living/14384%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://phoenix.swarthmore.edu/2004-11-04/living/14384&lt;/a&gt;) is a perfect example. I read it and thought: wow, I wish I was in a place where everybody gets excited about politics, like I do. So, any thoughts? Again, I really appreciated your advice, I've been reading the boards for a little while and it has helped me so much.</p>

7

<p>I think that essay would work if you concentrate more on Swarthmore but also remember not to show your hometown in a negative light...</p>

<p>The Phoenix Online idea is wonderful too. You have a lot of time to develop these ideas over the summer.</p>

8

<p>Oh, three cheers from another Kentuckian who wants to go to Swarthmore.
For what it's worth, I made a visit during school (like your situation, the fall breaks of my school and Swat lined up) and I thought it was definitely worth it. I was 99% sure that I would apply Early Decision, but visiting helped my Why Swat? essay immensely (sitting in on classes, meeting students, and stopping in at club meetings shows how positively thrilled everyone is about what they're doing even more clearly than reading about it…and I got to make swords for the Pterodactyl Hunt.) I think the Phoenix idea sounds great – I had been reading the college’s livejournal community (which is active and helpful – livejournal.com/community/swarthmore) for several years, and that became a starting point for my essay. Also, on this tangent, if you end up visiting, the students on the lj community are involved in a wide range of activities and interests, and can let you know when different clubs meet/what classes to visit/etc. Just a thought.</p>

<p>Incidentally, you look pretty similar to me stat-wise...except that I was in no way a legacy (and my school had one person go about ten years ago.)</p>

<p>Have fun at GSP (I was at Bellarmine last year) and best of luck! (I'm not as knowledgeable as achat or interesteddad, but feel free to email me if you have any questions!)
-Elizabeth (the token, to my best knowledge, Kentucky Swattie of '09)</p>

<p>ETA: I don't know how often Swarthmore representatives visit Kentucky...I'm in the rural western bit, but would have been willing to go to Louisville/Lexington to meet with a rep...I think there might have been a rep at Dunbar once, but the timing didn't work for me. You could email the rep for Kentucky to ask...except looking at the admissions page, I'm not even sure who that would be this year (it was David Kaczorowski last year, who was quite nice in answering my emails.)<br>
Now off to finish my math placement exam...ergh.</p>

9

<p>Thanks again, I think I will go with the Phoenix idea but achat is right that I have some time.
Narwhal: I'm at Bellarmine now! That's really funny. How'd you get in contact with the Kentucky rep, if you remember? I live not terribly far from Lexington, but I could definitely make the trip there or to Louisville (even Cincinatti) if there was an event. The only thing I've heard about near KY was an event with Swarthmore and some other schools, Carleton maybe?, in Cincinatti one night when I had a conflict. Thank you so much.</p>

10

<p>I emailed him (it was David Kaczorowski at that point...now it might be one H. Alex Cook if KY is filed under "southeast." If it's categorized as the midwest, the person is yet to be announced) using the info on the page <a href="http://www.swarthmore.edu/admissions/contact_us.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.swarthmore.edu/admissions/contact_us.html&lt;/a>
But you could probably just send an email to the general address of admissions @ swat with any questions (including if they know where they'll be visiting this fall...I think I emailed in early August with this very question and the schedule wasn't set in stone, but it still doesn't hurt to ask.)
Bellarmine...enjoy the stairs. I was in astronomy so I got to lug my telescope up and down the stairs for the last three weeks...
Good luck!</p>

11

<p>megblum, Phoenix is it. After all, would you tell someone you were in love with that the main reason you loved them was that they were totally different than your ex? Not likely to elicit a swoon!</p>

12

<p>Meg- if you love Swat that much go for it! The legacy status certainly will help you... it helped me for sure, I won't deny it. Your stats rock hard, just write a good Why Swat? essay, let the adcoms know your passions, and if you love it then go for ED 1 and you'll have a good shot.</p>

13

<p>With regard to the representative from the southeast, is H. Alex Cook male or female? Just wondering how to address him or her in an email. Thanks.</p>