can i get in?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

<p>Ok so I'm currently a junior at High School. I have traveled the world for most of my life. I have lived in Tunisia, Indonesia, and Italy prior to living here in New York. I speak 4 languages fluently(English, French, Italian, and Arabic) and took courses in 3 others (latin, Indonesian, and Spanish). </p>

<p>My stats are not too good GPA: 3.7, SAT: 1930 (i took it in May and did alot worse than i expected. Assume I got over a 2000 because I'm re-taking it and i know i could do alot better.), AP French (5), AP US History (expecting a 4). Most of my other classes are honors. My GPA is not too good because I didn't do too good when i first moved here but this year i have a 95 average). </p>

<p>I did alot of community work, most with my school (such as seasonal volunteer for the elderly shoveling snow and raking leaves depending on the season), helped build a playground in an elementary school, among others. I volunteer every wednesday to help out with autistic kids and am planing to volunteer a month with some UN or SOS program abroad. </p>

<p>Last summer I interned at the a major newspaper for a month and received an outstanding recommendation from them.</p>

<p>Awards i have received include the Rutgers Book award, 7th place in the National french contest in 2005 and 4th place in 2006, Bronze in the Annapolis Music Festival in 2005. I received a couple of MUN awards. I also got nominated to represent my school at the Youth Leadership conference thing, and am a member of the NAtional Society of High school scholars.</p>

<p>School Activities: french club, yearbook (maybe editor in chief next year), debate club, student council (president this year), newspaper (writer and photo editor), and the young democrats club.</p>

<p>So out of everything i've told you, do you think i could get into an IVy league school of even a top school? I plan to be an ambassador or a reporter for CNN when i grow up so my top choices are Georgetown University, Northwestern, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College, Dartmouth, and Swarthmore. </p>

<p>Please let me know what you think and if u have any advice or colleges matching my situation and goals.</p>

<p>Thank you :]</p>

2

<p>Isn't the Annapolis Music Festival a group festival? Like choirs and orchestras? Maybe my choir went to a different Annapolis Music Festival. Also, don't you have to pay to be a member of the National Society of High School Scholars? :/</p>

<p>You should really bring your SAT up and make sure you have leadership positions next year. You're going to need incredibly strong essays...and, when talking about Swarthmore, probably will need to demonstrate a lot of interest. How are your SATIIs? What APs are you taking next year? When trying to get into schools like that, you have to seriously consider what makes you different from other students, and what unique qualities you could bring to the school.</p>

3

<p>I haven't taken the SATII's yet. I' going to take french and US History. I'll probably get scores in the 700's. I'm working on my writing.. and im taking AP Art history and English 101 next year. </p>

<p>I think that if i get my SATs up a little i could have a chance, am I right?</p>

<p>and yes, I attended the festival with my chorus group from school.</p>

4

<p>I don't know if it helps but I was a recruited athlete for Swathmore with a 2000 on the SAT and a GPA well above 4.0 and I did not get in. Take it I did not have all the EC's and volunteer stuff you have, but the coach thought I would get in. So I would say at the very least you would need no less than a 2100 or so on the SAT's and your GPA is definitely not in your favor.</p>

5

<p>CNN = Emory</p>

6

<p>You can definitely have less than a 2100, I know plenty of fellow '11ers who have had less than 2100s, but you really need to bring out what makes you special. The thing with Swat is that your SATs really don't matter as much as so many other things. Your ECs, your essays, your unique characteristics...no one can really tell you if you stand a chance, since no one here will be able to see your 5000 competitors for those 900 acceptances next year. You should be taking more than one AP next year (more than Art History), though. Good luck on those SATIIs.</p>

<p>I mentioned the choir thing because generally, group chorus awards aren't listed in something like this. ;)</p>

7

<p>The top schools are very stats oriented because they can be. A 2200, 4.0 means someone is in the radar for Swat, Dartmouth and STILL that person would probably need great ECS. Northwestern and Gtown are a litte more forgiving, but not much. BC is the most likely among the schools you listed. Wake is a school you might want to consider.</p>

8

<p>frap:</p>

<p>I really can't tell. Just as a general observation, your stats are probably a bit low for Swarthmore. However, the places you have lived perhaps suggest an interesting story that could throw conventional wisdom out the window.</p>

9

<p>seriously-- i wouldn't stress yourself. you sound like exactly the kind of student that swarthmore is looking for- diverse, active, intellectual. i am attending next year with a 2090 and about a 3.8, so people who are saying stats are everything are wrong.</p>

<p>if i have any advice, i would tell you to show swarthmore your interest. i visited three times and applied early-- i know this is extreme, but if you show a level of dedication and interest in a small school like swarthmore, you have much less to worry about in terms of statistics. swat is looking for diverse, interesting students- not just high numbers.</p>

<p>best of luck!</p>

10

<p>your only chance is early decision and you don't sound like you love swarthmore enough for that. apply regular decision, just to see if you could get into dartmouth and chances are, you won't get into either.</p>