This is the official thread for those applying ED to Amherst College.
List your unweighted GPA, any SAT /ACT scores, and ECs. What majors are you going into?
Ask your questions, the CC community is here to help!
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Demographics: Male, Indian, Suburb Georgia, decent Size public School (~500 kids in graduating class) (Parents: 100-150k)
Intended Major(s): Biology/ Biomedical Engineering SAT:
1490: 790 math and 700 reading/writing
GPA and Rank: 3.8/4.00 UW; no ranking (IK its fairly low)
Coursework: 8 APs, APWorld (4), AP APGOV (5), AP CALC AB(5), AP Biology (4), AP Lang (4), Taking AP Chem, AP Stat, AP Psychology
Awards: FBLA 1st Place NLC Behavioral Economics + Healthcare Administration, AP scholar w/ distinction, Honors Student Award
Extracurriculars (not in order) :
I authored and presented a literature review analyzing fish skin’s potential as a wound healing biomaterial
As Hindu Student Council president, I organized events like Diwali, workshops, dance performance, and temple volunteering opportunities.
As co-founder of Hack Club, I helped launch a coding and technology club at my high school. I recruited members and planned workshops teaching python.
As JV cross country captain, I led team practices, motivated teammates and helped win 1st place at the Florida Invitational meet this season
As a Red Cross volunteer, I assisted at school blood drives by registering donors, serving refreshments, and supporting nurses. 200+ hrs
Work: Mathnasium I opened/closed the center, managed student check-in/out, monitored progress, held parent meetings, and taught students from K-12 (2 years)
Shadowed a head cardiologist of a hospital for 50+ hours
FBLA VP of Operations : Managed all members event sign ups and organized meetings and fundraising events.
200+ Volunteer hours at local hospital acting as a secretary of the surgical department
Essays : 8/10
LORs :
10/10 ( wrote the research paper with my BIO teacher)
9/10 ( took Spanish all 4 years with my teacher and we had a close connection )
So with this in mind is there a point in applying to ED to Amherst if my GPA is this low compared to the average.
You know that the CC brain trust is helpful, but we are not the Amherst admissions office, so take everything with a healthy handful of salt.
Does your high school regularly send students to selective liberal arts colleges? If so, I’d ask your guidance counselor their opinion.
And I’d also ask you to consider why do you want to apply to Amherst ED? As you know, it is a long-shot for ANY applicant. So why would you want to apply ED there specifically, as opposed to other colleges?
My D24 is tentatively planning to apply ED to Amherst. She loves the consortium and open curriculum. We are going to visit next week.
Attends very small all girls boarding school
Applying as Classics/Anthropology double major
34 ACT
4.0 UW GPA (top 10%)
School does not offer APs, but she has taken Honors/Advanced classes where available
5 years Latin, some Greek, 2 years French
ECs:
Editor of school paper
Editor of school literary & art magazine
President of largest club at school
Prefect
Honor Council
Lots of theater, including lead in last years Spring play
We know it’s a reach, but she would be thrilled to attend
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best of luck!
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I second this advice. Amherst College also recruits many athletes in ED so it’s especially difficult.