Any Chance at ALL?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>I am going to be a senior this year and I'm really interested in Dartmouth. IF I apply, it will be Early Decision. My dad also went to Dartmouth, so I do have a legacy. I do NOT expect to be able to get in, but if there's a chance, then please, say what you think. </p>

<p>By no stretch of the imagination am I the strongest candidate, but I do not fully understand what my chances are and need some guidance.</p>

<p>Academics
GPA- 3.6 (unweighted)/ 4.2 (weighted)
ACT- 32
SAT II- Math I OR II, and History (haven't taken, but will be 750-800)
Are there any SAT 2s I should take in particular??
AP History- 4
Ap English-4
I will be taking 4-5 APs this year</p>

<p>Athletics
Baseball (9,10,12)
Track (9,11)</p>

<p>ECS (in order of importance, and I plan to get some leadership positions my senior year)
NHS (11,12)
SADD/Character Club (11,12)
SPanish CLub (10,11,12)
Cancer Awareness CLub (11,12)
FBLA (11,12)</p>

<p>Work History
Rec Basketball assistance (Winter 2008-2009/2009-2010/2010-2011)
Caddie at country club (Summers 09-10)</p>

<p>Volunteer Service
Summer 09-volunteered at old person's home 30 hours
Wrapping paper sale (Fall 08 and 09) maybe 15 hours (really nothing special)</p>

<p>*If I can arrange it, I'll do some volunteer service at a way center for mentally handicapped, however i might not get to do because of work and then school. </p>

<p>SUmmer experience
I just attended Amherst College for 2 weeks for the Great Books SUmmer Program</p>

<p>My essay's will be strong as well (and recs). I know that I am not that strong, but please tell me whereabout I stand. </p>

<p>BE HONEST. TEAR ME TO PIECES!</p>

2

<p>I don’t see how you can confidently predict 750+ on your SATIIs, judging by your previous performance on standardized tests. But more power to you if you can, of course.</p>

<p>I’d say your chances are poor, unless there is something about you you haven’t conveyed to us. Definitely, going ED is your best shot, as a legacy.</p>

3

<p>Practice tests and I’m pretty good in those subjects. If you’d be willing is there anything you can suggest for me to do in the last days that will count on my application?</p>

4

<p>where does your GPA put you in your class (rank)? Unfortunately, your EC’s aren’t too special; most were joined junior year. But with a high class rank, high subject tests, ED, and a legacy, there might be something going for you.</p>

<p>It’s hard to add a significant EC in the last few days, unless you’ve already got something lined up.</p>

<p>So apply, and write good essays.</p>

5

<p>does anyone have any suggestions for either volunteer opportunities i could easily sign up with, or anything that maybe i could bring to my school and lead something?</p>

6

<p>I suggest that you devote some time to putting together a good, realistic college list and writing good essays that support solid applications instead. A last minute attempt to pad your resume with shallow activities is not going to fool anyone.</p>

7

<p>If Dartmouth is your dream school, apply ED. If it isn’t, don’t. If you have even an inkling of desire to come here, submit an application – regardless of what the posters on here say. You have a chance, although, in line with what others have said, it’s not particularly strong, especially if you don’t apply ED.</p>

<p>If you apply ED to Dartmouth and are not offered admission, please be sure to follow Consolation’s excellent advice:</p>

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<p>(Emphasis added.)</p>

8

<p>Your chances completely hinge on your class rank. If a 3.6 UW is considered really good at your school (because it is highly rigorous), and you are in the top 5% (if your high school is quite competitive, top 5% should be ok), then you have decent chances. You have even better chances if no one ranked above you from your HS applies to Dartmouth. People on CC completely over emphasize test scores–a 32 is fine, plenty of people with 32’s (or worse) are admitted to Dartmouth every year. If your high school is well known to Dartmouth/other top schools in terms of being highly rigorous/competitive and you are one of the top students there, then (considering you are a legacy) you have a decent chance.</p>

9

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<p>Puts him in the bottom half of the accepted students pool. Not a plus–and he needs one. Legacy status is fine, but what else is he offering?</p>

<p>I’d venture to guess that the kids accepted with ACTs of 32 or under are disproportionately recruited athletes or other hooked kids–or kids with stellar ECs.</p>

10

<p>i really don’t think i want to apply to dartmouth much anymore. I was just seeing what I could do</p>

11

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<p>Pardon me if I’m interpreting your statement incorrectly, but is this you giving up? If so, you * definitely * don’t deserve a slot at Dartmouth or any other top college.</p>

<p>Have some confidence, man. No one on this board, including me, actually knows whether or not you will get in. What we do know is that most people who get in have higher stats than you do. However, we also know that lots of people get in with stats that are lower than yours.</p>

<p>Apply. If Dartmouth – or any other selective college – really is your dream, it would be a shame for you to reject yourself by not even applying.</p>

12

<p>^Hear hear, you never know! Don’t count yourself out! PLus, you can always retake the ACT in October and still be in for ED (I think…)</p>

13

<p>Idk what I’m going to do. My GPA is solid at my school, but not great (or top 5%). I need that
at the least. I mean my essays are stellar. I dont know</p>

14

<p>Just apply dude. Don’t let your stats/our opinions affect your decision. You should base your decision solely on whether you are interested in Dartmouth. As you clearly were interested before everything we said to you, I highly recommend applying.</p>

15

<p>You are completely out of line to say that those accepted with 32s or below are “disproportionately recruited athletes.” A 32 on the ACT is a perfectly acceptable score for Dartmouth, and I was accepted with it. I am by no means any type of athlete, but a hard working student. Your admission to a college does not lie in the score you receive on your SAT or ACT. It’s completely ridiculous to dismiss any score in the 30s as meaningless to a school such as Dartmouth.</p>

<p>To the OP, you have a chance of being accepted. But do not apply ED to the school you expect to be accepted to. If you’re going to apply ED it should be because you REALLY love the school you are applying to and are 100% committed to attending that school come next fall.</p>

16

<p>Dartmouth doesn’t even have essays…so he can’t write stellar ones haha. </p>

<p>Try to talk to coaches - get recruited? are you good enough to do so? </p>

<p>I think you have a chances. Everyone does. A lot of it is luck, really. Depending on the year, the other candidates, and even the admissions officer you get. :smiley: Apply! Heck, most of my schools are reaches - all I need is to get into ONE. I don’t need to get into all of 'em :slight_smile: Go for it, dude!</p>

17

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<p>Nice job of selective editing. You left out the rest: “or other hooked kids–or kids with stellar ECs.”</p>

<p>Obviously kids with ACTs of 32 and below get in. But how do their OTHER factors compare to the OP’s? On the other hand, he does have legacy going for him if he applies ED.</p>

<p>BTW, OP, just because a school is a reach doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply. The one way to ensure you won’t get in is to not apply.</p>

18

<p>thanks everyone for their thoughts! Keep it going! Regardless of whether I go to Dartmouth or not, there are plenty of other great schools too. I</p>

19

<p>For me, I put a lot of hours into each of my jobs, score keeping and caddying. For Caddying, i mean two summers (like 16 total weeks) 30-40 hours per week about. For something like community service though, I put hardly anything. Does 500-600 hours of work look as good as community service. DO colleges care where you spend your time as long as you spend it actively?</p>

20

<p>For me, I put a lot of hours into each of my jobs, score keeping and caddying. For Caddying, i mean two summers (like 16 total weeks) 30-40 hours per week about. For something like community service though, I put hardly anything. Does 500-600 hours of work look as good as community service. DO colleges care where you spend your time as long as you spend it actively?</p>