Hi! I’m a junior and am starting to put together my list of schools I’m interested in applying to. My high reach schools are Yale and Brown, but I’m aware that they’re a crapshoot for everyone. I’m also interested in University of Chicago, Wash U, Wesleyan, Haverford, Tufts, Vassar, and Hamilton, and was thinking about Connecticut College and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as safety schools. So, I’m wondering if I’m headed in the right direction in terms of schools that are a good fit for me in terms of being accepted there, and I was also wondering if I could get some assistance in finding safety schools.
SAT: 2320. CR: 790, M: 730. W: 800.
SAT II: Chem 700, US History 800 (might take spanish, I know chem is a bit low but thought it showed well-roundedness)
Courses: All AP/IB junior and senior year (candidate for IB Diploma), 4.0 unweighted GPA.
Extracurriculars:
-Varsity XC, indoor track, outdoor track all four years (captain next year)
-Cast in every fall play/spring musical since freshman year, member of International Thespian Society
-Forensics team (competitive speech) since 10th grade
-Class secretary since 10th grade
-NHS
-Part of a youth group that leads retreats for high schoolers, many of whom come from high risk communities
-Internship with Student Conservation Association this summer
(I’m a white female and not first gen)
Thank you!!
bump…and I guess a simpler version of this question, if anyone could help me out, is how confident should a student with 2300+ on their SAT, high GPA, and commitment to extracurricular activities be about getting into schools with acceptance rates in the 20s (Vassar, Haverford, Wesleyan) and 30s (Hamilton, Conn College, BU, William and Mary)?
Your academic credentials are exceptional and your EC’s are very solid. If your essays and teacher recommendations are on par I cannot imagine you will not have consistent acceptances in the 30’s and some likely acceptances in the 20’s. The top twenty selections are not nearly as predictable but you more than have the necessary academic credentials. If you are interested in small LAC’s and are looking for a couple of safeties where significant merit aid would likely be available you may want to research Hobart & William Smith and Dennison. Possibly also worthy of consideration are your flagship in state publics, especially so if they have honors programs.
Good luck to you!
Your stats are great. LAC acceptances can be erratic at times but you will get into a good chunk of the schools you’ve listed. I think Kenyon would be a good safety for you and you would likely get some merit aid as well. Not a safety, but have you considered Carleton? Based on schools you’ve mentioned and your running, it seems like it would be a good fit for you. Other safeties to consider - St. Lawrence, Dickinson, St. Olaf - all have good running programs and all give out decent merit money. I doubt you’ll need your safeties, however, as long as you spend time on your applications w/good essays, good recs, and show the LACs on your list some love.
Make sure to fill out the “request info” form this Spring for your safety and match schools, and don’t stop demonstrating interest - since you’re quite above their profile academically, they may wait list you thinking you’re not interested in attending, hence destroying the safety concept.
Are you in-state for UIUC? In any case, you’d likely make Honors College.