<p>The Schools:
*Rice
*Brandeis
*Davidson
*Swarthmore
*Wellesley
*UChicago
*Brown (?)
*Columbia (?)
I've not included my safety school (UT) as, because of the top 10% rule, I know I'll get in.</p>
<p>Here's my information:
URM female from Texas--rising senior
GPA: 3.9-ish--this is the only GPA I have, but we don't have a crazy 5-pt. weighting system or anything like that
11 AP's by graduation, including physics B&C, bio, and chem
Rank: top 10% out of about 700 (I had a bad freshman year )
SAT: CR:720, W: 710, M: 620--I don't intend to retake as my math mistakes, both in practice and on the test were silly misreads and things like that. I don't think I can remedy that, and I've not improved much on practice tests. Believe me, I've tried.
SAT II's: US History: 790, MathIIC: 660 (I'm retaking--that I know I can improve on) I will take lit in October as well.
Oh yeah, my high school goes from 10-12 grade, so that's why I don't have many EC's freshman year (middle school EC's were subpar at my school).</p>
<p>EC's--
Theatre (10-12): I do school and community theatre during the school year and the summer, and the time commitment is so great that my choices for other EC's are limited. I'm a council member in my theatre club at school (officer-ship is a popularity contest).
International Thespian Society
NHS (10-12): lower-level officer
Church youth choir (9-12)
library volunteer (summers 11&12): I like books a lot
pediatric hospital volunteer (12--summer and year): I'm a sitter for the patients and volunteer 8 hours per week during the summer and will do 4 per week during the year. I didn't start until this year because this is the first year I heard of the opportunity.
This isn't really an EC, but this year I'm doing a medical internship organized by my school district that takes up 3 periods of the day. It is highly regarded in my district.</p>
<p>The eventual goal is to go to medical school, but I'm considering majoring in physical sciences. I'm not 100% sure, though....
Tell me what you think. Any other suggestions for my stats? Are these all reaches?</p>
<p>Yes. Uchi is a matchist-reach because they accpet more than anyone else, but they're canidates are just as strong. I take that back, I don't know about brandeis</p>
<p>*Rice - Semi Reach
*Brandeis- Match/ Safety
*Davidson- Match
*Swarthmore- Reach
*Wellesley- Semi Reach/ Match
*UChicago- Semi Reach/ Match
*Brown (?)- Reach
*Columbia (?)- Reach</p>
<p>I think this is a fair list, although I might recommend applying to Vassar or Wesleyan instead of Davidson. Those two are much closer to the others on your list.</p>
<p>Would Vassar be a reach as well? Yeah, I have Davidson because of the excellent premed program and nice theatre from what I've seen on the site. Plus, my dad seems to like it.</p>
<p>slipper has a good point...Davidson is TOTALLY different than the other schools on your list. In my opinion there is somewhat of a consistency with the others so just be careful! The pre-med program might be great at Davidson but you'll have to live there too.<br>
"Plus, my dad seems to like it."
I warn you against making deciding to apply to a school like this.
I also believe that if you get in Davidson you'll get into Vassar.
Good Luck!</p>
<p>Good "pre-med" is a myth. I have seen so many people go to school for this reason only to learn it means nothing. Pre-med is 8 classes, the rest absolutely depends on overall quality of institution, research/ hooks/ recs, and MCAT. Davidson is no better than Vassar at any of these, PLEASE don't fall for the trap. I really would replace it with Vassar. Vassar also has a more connected theater presence as does Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Swarthmore & Wellesley for URM can be consider matches for some, but I wouldn't bank on it, it's a 50/50 chance. I don't know what your ethnicity is, but for African Americans:</p>
<p>Acceptance Rate over the Last 10 Years
Wellesley 47.6%
Swarthmore 46.6%
Vassar 45.7%
Wesleyan 41.2%
Davidson 36.3%</p>
<p>I would pay more attention to the average, since the strength of th application pool changes every year, for instance Pomona's rate went up 7% last year.</p>
<p>To the OP-- add a few just a hair lower and you may wind up with merit aid. Maybe Smith, Grinnell, WashU?</p>
<p>If you are happy with UT and certain of admission, fine. But if you'd rather be at, say WashU or Smith than UT then you will need to add some matchier schools. Just to be safe.</p>
<p>A URM with your stats and a well written app will probably have excellent chances at the schools you mention. Good luck.</p>
<p>Nah, I'm fine with UT as a safety. Actually, for a while I had eyes only for UT, and I've only been seriously considering my chances at other schools of late due to my father's encouragement. Can anyone elaborate more on the Davidson vs. Vassar issue? I researched Vassar earlier, but the I was unsure about the super-liberal, artsy student body. Any input?</p>
<p>Davidson isn't very conservative, it just isn't as liberal as comparable northern schools. It is probably moderately liberal in the overall scheme of mainstream America. It would be a shame to discourage the OP from applying to it because of a stereotype that to my mind plays to regional prejudices more than to the reality of what the school has to offer.</p>
<p>I would agree that it isnt as conservative as made out to be, but I really know this school pretty well. A considerable amount of the population goes to Church on Sunday, votes republican, and hangs out at eating clubs wearing lacoste clothing - not that any of these are bad things it just might be exclusionary to some. It isnt nearly as diverse as a majority of its academic peers. When I spent a weekend there (not as a visiting student - rather visiting my friend who was a junior at the time) I didnt feel people were exclusionary, just unaware. </p>
<p>There is an alternative scene for sure and not everyone is like this, but it is a small school so someone looking for diversity and a more laid back attitude is unlikely to find it at Davidson.</p>