Hello, I am a senior from Nebraska interested in going to all women’s schools my reach school is Wellesley and then mount Holyoke, smith, Bryn Mawr, Skidmore, Pitzer, st. Lawrence university and Clark university
I have taken English 9 honors, Biology honors, anatomy and philology honors, a semester of honors chemistry, honors geography, honors oral communications, ap language and composition, ap psychology, ap human geography and ap literature and composition.
My GPA is a 3.8 and weighed is 3.96
I got a 24 on my act with the writing portion I have taken it three times and have had no improvement, I have also emailed the schools about not sending my scores but I am still not sure how not sending my scores will look on my application.
I am not in the top 10% of my school because it is incredably competitive, I am in the top 25%
I am involved in:
HOSA (Health occupational students of America) I am an officer
FBLA (future business leaders of America)
French club
Key club (community service) Bulliten Editor
Enviormental club Bulliten Editor
School ambassadors
National honors society
Volunteer experience:
Current hospital teen volunteer
Current food bank and kitchen volunteer
Current pet shelter volunteer
Past Volunteered at cat shelter
Past Hope link food bank (donated 500 lbs of fresh vegetables)
Extracurricular:
Iaido-Japanese non combative swordsmanship
I really really want to go to these schools do I have a high chance of getting in?
Look at the schools that don’t require test scores, I know Skidmore no longer does. Also, take the SAT as soon as you can, sometimes students do better on one test than the other.
Smith, Bryn Mawr, and Mt Holyoke are test optional - I don’t think Wellesley is though. I’d check fairtest.org and individual colleges sites to see what their policy is on submitting standardized tests.
Being from Nebraska is going to help, as schools look for state diversity. I think you’ve got a good shot at Smith or Bryn Mawr if you don’t submit your test scores. But that’s what Test Optional is for.
Wellesley is harder to get into, so it’s good you know it’s a reach for you. Have you considered Mills College near San Fran? It’s a good women’s college and would definitely look at someone from Nebraska bringing diversity. I think Bryn Mawr is easier to get into than Holyoke or Smith. Each school has it’s own subculture, so be sure to investigate which would be the best fit for you.
Even though the schools say they are Test Optional, almost everyone submits their Scores, so when an applicant excludes it from their application, Admission Officers can guess the reason.
@Aj0510 Have you visited any of these schools? We visited Bryn Mawr and it is a lovely campus, and has a bi-college arrangement with Haverford that allows cross-registering for classes, even for living at Haverford. Very close to Philly by train. Our school’s GC said Mount Holyoke was a little easier than BMC to get into, and I have seen amny times on CC comments on how friendly everyone at MoHo is to visitors. Smith is in Northampton, a great college town. Pitzer has a crazy low acceptance rate, considering its students profile for SAT/GPA is not sky high, but it is part of a great consortium in Claremont.
I agree that being from Nebraska will be a hook. You mention your high school is competitive. These colleges will see your school profile and take that into consideration, as they all have holistic admission processes. A key question here is what you can pay. Of the schools you list, Clark and St Lawrence might offer the most merit.
I believe that Smith recommends that applicants do NOT submits scores. Check each college’s website and see their policies. Bryn Mawr also takes Test Optional seriously, I belive. but they said that they really really really read the “why Bryn Mawr” essays. You should be quite clear on what sets that school apart for you, what you can contribute to that school, and why you see BMC as a great fit for you. Highlights might include the honors system, taking part in the student-led governing bodies (and make sure that you look up and use the right terms), and other programs that may appeal to you. BMC takes great pride in the students being able to leave stuff in the hallways and it not getting stolen, that sort of thing. Read about it carefully. Try to do the same for the other schools that truly interest you.
@PetulaClark I have visited Mount Holyoke and Smith but not Bryn Mawr. I have researched the college and loved the pictures of the beautiful campus. I have emailed the admission offices at the colleges and all said that they will not consider my application any less because I decide not to submit my scores. However, my family does not make that much money, less than 50,000 dollors a year. I know Wellesley would give enough aid but of course it is my reach school. The rest all seem pretty reliant on my parents making a lot of money
@Aj0510 Sorry for the late reply. See the links below, the first specific for MoHo, the second a link to the general site. (These are just averages and there are many qualifiers). The main point, though, is to consider how much fin aid you may be able to receive with your family’s income. Yes, the colleges would rather have full-pay, and may prefer hese when filling the last few seats of a class, but these students are the exceptions. Your high GPA and lots of APs and from Nebraska? That’s impressive. Two other schools to consider in Massachusetts, are Simmons (all girls in Boston) and Wheaton in Norton. Not as difficult to get into as Smith and Moho, but more potential merit and fin aid.
(Personal note: both my HS age girls want to go to colleges far away from home state of NC. I agree with them that going to school in a different part of the USA can be a huge part of higher ed itself. Nothing wrong with NC or Nebraska, but why not make it an adventure?)
Mount Holyoke 2014-2015: Full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded Title IV aid by income.
Average net price by Income
$0 – $30,000 $11,637
$30,001 – $48,000 $12,924
$48,001 – $75,000 $16,280
$75,001 – $110,000 $23,012
$110,001 and more $33,043