<p>I'm from Illinois and LOVE the Claremont Colleges (I visited last spring). I'm applying RD to Pomona, Pitzer, and CMC. As far as I can surmise, I'm in that "crap-shoot" area for all 3, so I've been frantically searching for backups to apply to. If anyone can give me a more concrete chance for any/ all of the CC's I'm applying to I'd be grateful, it would really help if I knew if I should relax a bit or really seek out a safety. Also, if you have any school in mind like the Claremonts (interdisciplinary studies, intelligent kids who know how to have fun, discussion based classes, not-tiny campus), suggestions would be nice. Thanks!</p>
<p>ACADEMICS
-schedule of all honors (frosh/soph) and AP (soph/jun/sen). seminar only half junior year plus all senior year
-scores: Euro=4; Lit&Comp=3 (possibly retaking this year); Physics=5; U.S.=4
--this year I'm taking AP...Chem, Macroeconomics, American Govt, Lang&Comp, Spanish and Calc BC
-GPA: weighted = 4.83 unweighted = 3.87
-class rank: weighted = 10/516 (1.9%) unweighted = 28/516 (5.3%)
-ACT= 34
-SAT II
--Math 2 = 760
--Physics = 720
--U.S. History = 690</p>
<p>EC's
-I skateboard just as much as Varsity team players practice/ play
-IM basketball (11,12)
-Photo Club (9, 10)
-Theater Guides (9,10)
-in my school's presidential debate (11)
-Student Congress (12)
-STAND Anti-Genocide Coalition (11, 12)
-NHS (12)
-Boy Scouts (K-12), holding positions of Troop Bugler and Troop Scribe at different times
-internship at Fermilab over summer. wrote my short answer on commonapp about it
-Peer Mediator (12, it's the program's first year at my school)
-Hawk HOOKS <a href="12,%20also%20just%20started%20this%20year%20at%20my%20school">we run monthly schoolwide activites to strengthen the sense of community, it's based on Rachel's Challenge</a></p>
<p>AWARDS
-High Honor Roll (highest ranking given) = every semester
-Medella de Bronce in National Spanish Exam (10)
-National Merit Commended Student
-Eagle Scout
-expecting to be National AP Scholar
-Illinois State Scholar</p>
<p>WRITING
-very strong writer
-my counselor always seems impressed by me, so i'm also hoping for a boost from her recommendation letter
-GREAT rec letters from teachers </p>
<p>INTERVIEWS
-alum interview scheduled for Pitzer and CMC, which I'm hoping will help me a bit
-Pomona... I missed the deadline, but I actually emailed the Assistant Dean of Admissions about it and got a response that said it really isn't a big deal, especially since I'm out-of-state.</p>
<p>VISIT/ INTEREST
-I visited for almost a week last spring and did as much as I could in my time there (tours, sat in on a class, hungout on campus, saw a guest speaker...). I'm doing my best to make it clear that they are my top picks.</p>