Can I get "chanced"?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
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<p>Hi I am a male, from virginia. I came to US four years ago from Iran because of religious toleration here. I could not gain any education higher than high school there. When I came here I started working my tail off in school, because I could LEARN MORE HERE! So here is my stats:</p>

<p>I am a rising IB senior. I have taken the most hard core classes my school offers.</p>

<p>I only know one of my predicted score for IB HL Bio which is a 6.</p>

<p>I rank 1/401 in my high school: I have to mention my HS is not very competitive; at least not to me. </p>

<p>My GPA weighted is 4.65 and unweighted is I think 3.92 or 3.93 IDK! We go by weighted here.</p>

<p>My SAT scores are horrible because of my lack of experience with English language. </p>

<p>CR is in 500's but I believe I will be in mid 600's next time I take it.
Math is 660, but I'll improve again
Writing the same...</p>

<p>I know my SAT is not that good, but SAT isn't the only factor....</p>

<p>My SAT II scores are ok! </p>

<p>I had a hard life and much to tell about it! I think a school like Swarthmore looks at the whole packet. </p>

<p>As far as Extraculs:</p>

<p>A list of clubs like NHS, World History, Chess, Academic, etc
My chess team won the regional once (im VP)
Varsity Cross country
Rescue Squad member (love it!!)
ESL teacher (I hold almost 5 days a week to teach kids english since I know its importance)</p>

<p>I am the first generation of my family to attend college as well.
Low-income family as well; I was considering Questbridge but I was afraid I end up somewhere I do not want to go!</p>

<p>I thank you in advance!</p>

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<p>I think you have a chance, but I’m not sure. Your SAT math might need to improve a little bit. For verbal, it might be taken into consideration that you are a recent immigrant, but I am not sure how they consider all that. Your grades may balance out your SATs a little. Appeal to why you want to go to Swarthmore. Definitely do an interview and pour your heart into your essays. Personally, I would love to have more Iranians at Swarthmore (I’m not one, but I have some in my family and I find the culture fascinating). Best of luck to you.</p>

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<p>Thank you. Should I also take the ACT?</p>

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<p>I love how people here hate to chance…it’s cheap I know. Adds credit to school for me.</p>

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<p>I’ll give you a 15% chance. If you improve your SATs, that will go up significantly.</p>

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<p>HAH A.E. I would not even apply if I had 15% or even 50% chances. I am planning on RD, and even though Swat looks for SATs, they’re only one factor for admission. My sister got into Haverford full ride having almost the same SAT’s; she was number 1 as well. She is Haverford class of 2013’. I believe I have something that colleges want. I have demonstrated that I am a hard working student, and I have so much to talk about, that SAT would not even be necessary, to be honest. Colleges do not reject you because of one admission factor–that would have been ludicrous.
Thank you.</p>

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<p>bluepurple: haverford isn’t swarthmore. not by a long shot.</p>

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<p>Don’t you find it sort of ironic to say haverford isn’t Swarthmore; not by a long shot? To clearify I have to add my sister used Quesbridge. I will assume you are aware of the process that quesbridge uses for its finalists. She chose Swarthmore as her first school, and Haverford as her second school. She was matched full-ride to go to Haverford for a number of reasons: 1) Haverford is obscure compared to Swarthmore, and so less number of Questbridge applicants applied there. 2) Questbridge applicants get matched to their school based upon one priority, which is financial status. My family is not THAT POOR. We make around 50 k a year, and there are so many other students who perhaps made less money. This is exactly why I will not do Questbridge: I do not want to be matched with another school. She was very very qualified for any Liberal Art college. Also, SAT is not as important to immigrant like me and my sister, as it does to Americans who were born in US. Imagine you going to my country and learn my language and accommodate your lifestyle to my home country’s culture, and excell your IB classes not knowing a bit of English; My sister and I have been here four only four years. I don’t know anyone who worked harder than us in HS. If I am ignorant it is because I do not know you then. SAT is not fair to both of us, as you might see why.</p>

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<p>bluepurple: fair enough, but you’re still not getting into swat.</p>

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<p>Duhvinci: I could not more agree! I don’t really care. I will be happy where ever I go. I have jumped from nothingness to a fine life. That’s potential.</p>

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<p>Also ignore all that bs on my post about myself. You are right: if I do not have high SAT it is my fault. I might be 1 in my class, but my school is a joke compared to the schools I see most of people in top elite schools go to. But I should still be proud of myself.</p>

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<p>bluepurple, Swarthmore goes by the numbers perhaps more than any other LAC: they have very few seats available and are inundated by applicants with the same meticulous academic records. Sure, you would stand out. Your ECs are great and if you are as charming in person as your CC posts sound, an interview would also be in order. But, I’m afraid you’d be facing daunting odds, plus a certain mindset, that you can see even in some of its CC forum threads.</p>

<p>I’m a little confused by your attitude toward Questbridge. Not everyone gets into their number one choice and the sorting process isn’t always pretty. I happen to think the only thing standing between Haverford and Swarthmore are their USNews rankings. But, maybe that’s what you were referring to when you said, Haverford was “obscure”.</p>

<p>Oh, well. I have another “obscure” choice for you. Have you taken a look at Occidental, in California? It’s also an LAC. And, like Swarthmore and Wesleyan, they have a history of liberal activism. Best of all, it is not impossible to get into (43% acceptance rate for Class of 2013.)</p>

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<p>JW: I will apply ED to a reach school, but I have two of the best schools in my own state, Virginia, that would most likely admit me easily: UVa and William and Mary. Both might be not my first choices for college, but I have to go with the best options I have and UVa is a great research school.
Thank you.</p>

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<p>Also JW: Do you think I should do Questbridge then? I mean do partner colleges look at your application from a different light if you’re a finalist? I believe I can be a finalist at ease, but should I do it? Is it worth it? It’s a rather very long application and I really do not want to feel hopeful about one of my top colleges, and then realize they love SAT and then go down. I like Bowdoin and they don’t require SAT–some schools have more sense sometimes as to look at potential. Cornell with Amherst were my number one colleges along with Wesleyan but I would have been a very strong applicant if I had at least a 660 on each section of SAT, which I don’t. I still will apply to those colleges for the sake of “trying” and if I didn’t get in I didn’t lose anything since application was free :slight_smile: haha. Both UVa and William and Mary are my RD choices, which I should get in with ease. So those will be my safety. I know UVa is pretty touch to get in but I’m in state and they let in almost 44% of Virginians–I am sure I have a place there, too. I will also hear from Amherst during next month if they want me to visit their campus for DivOH program. If they accepted me, then I will ED there, if not I’ll do it for Cornell or Wesleyan. BTW I am very interested in research. I want to contribute in curing cancer, and I really would do it with my best of intentions–its personal to me. So which school do you think is a better research fit? Obviously Cornell kicks butt there, but SAT!! :frowning: haha</p>

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<p>bluepurple - i’d luv to give you my perspective, but, it would probably make more sense to finish this conversation on the Wesleyan forum where you already have a thread. :)</p>

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<p>OK, but you asked for your chances at Swarthmore. I’m sticking with 15%. If you want your chances at Haverford, I give you about a 90%.</p>

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<p>hahahah A.E. thank you for chancing me.</p>

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<p>Recent immigrant from Iran. First generation college. English as a second language. Ranked first out of four hundred students in the Virginia public high shool. I think you have solid chance of admission to Swarthmore. I would not let the answers you have gotten on this thread discourage you at all. You are the kind of applicant that could (and I emphasize “could”) really excite the admissions office.</p>

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<p>Thank you interesteddad.</p>

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<p>For one thing, being poor is not the first priority for QB applicants to be matched to a school. Most, not all applicants have family incomes under $60,000. I can assure you my D’s school that she was matched to did not take her in the match round because I was a “poor single mom!”. There are MANY low income families that apply, but don’t get matched. You are matched because you are a high achieving student that a partner school wants.</p>

<p>If your sister applied through QB and got matched to Haverford last year, (congrats to her) what makes you think QB is not for you this year??? It’s your sister, same family, same income.</p>