<p>Hello, everyone. Just got my december sat scores (dissapointed). But still these are my stats. Chance me plz.
SAT I - 1960
TOEFL - 107
GPA: 4.9 out of 5.0 unweighted (5.0 uw for all years except 10th grade, which I flunked)
I go to russian high school with russian as a principle language; its really hard to study in my school: no class choice, you have to have about 15 classes every semester and different schedule everyday)
My two recs are amazing (top 1% for almost everything), one rec is average and one is very good (from college professor).
I have spent 2008-9 school year in America for free in American high school. Ive been in Environmental club there, Multicultural club, did a 50+ hours of volunteerism, varsity soccer team. I do sports everyday here in Russia + English drama club vice-president, books club leader and some more.
My father is a college professor, i need really big FA though (wages in russia suck compared to american)+I guess i am URM, that might help.
Oh yeah, and my essays must be good. Not sure about grammar, but everything else is brilliant. Hopefully.
So what are my chances?</p>
<p>I’m going to be blunt here, your syntax and grammar leaves much to be desired. Granted, you’re an International Applicant and not a native speaker, but you really need to make sure you’re up to par with every other applicant (international or otherwise) to colleges in America in that fundamental respect, at least. </p>
<p>Also, you mention flunking the 10th grade and still having a 4.9? How does that work?</p>
<p>As for your chances at Reed, I’m a bit iffy, because you don’t exactly paint a coherent picture of who you are. Your SAT is on the lower end of Reed’s spectrum, but that isn’t as much of a worry as what I first mentioned in my post. Reed isn’t the kindest to International Applicants needing Financial Aid, so that’s something you’ll have to keep in mind. Anyway, good luck! Hopefully you’ll get in some place great.</p>
<p>Well, I did not exactly flunk 10th grade, I just got a lot of 4s (compared to no 4s in 8th, 9th and 11th grade).
My grammar and stylistics is something I am worried about. Unfortunately, I did not have my essays checked with a native speaker; it might be a problem.
Thanks for chancing.</p>
<p>I’m not applying to Reed, but I’d say if you had serious grammar issues in your essays, that is definitely a problem, even if they are brilliant.
What were your CR and W scores?
I’m an international applicant too (applying to schools sort of similar to Reed but on the East Coast).</p>
<p>If your essays have more than a few grammatical glitches, the Admissions Officers are not going to take it lightly, even if you have a great CR/TOEFL score. Like I said, your problem doesn’t seem to be just grammar, but syntax as well, and that’s extremely worrying. Can you somehow revise your essays with the help of an English teacher before the 15th?</p>
<p>650 - cr, 600 - writing (essay - 8)
I’ll do my best in revising my essays</p>
<p>To “from Russia”: your SAT’s look good to me. The adcom does not expect the same level of performance on the English/writing from non-native speakers as it does from native-speakers. But because Reed’s curriculum is both reading-intensive and writing-intensive, the adcom needs to be confident that you will handle the assignments well. Secondary schools in Russia are stronger than secondary schools in the U.S. That is a plus for you, as is your year of study here. </p>
<p>In my opinion (I’m an alumnus of Reed), you will be competitive with your application (but there can be no certainty) if you can write very good essays, including a convincing “Why Reed” essay. More generally, how you present your “persona” will matter.</p>
<p>Basically, my Why Reed essay consists of several parts-criterions, in which I am presenting why Reed fits me. I explain why I like Reed’s challenging academics (with focus in getting knowledge not grades), conference style classes (I have always been the most active participant in class room discussions: I just love to argue), geographical position (I was brought in a city similar to Portland in its size and population) and some other stuff. My essay is probably too structured, but at least it is structured =DD
I have never visited Reed or anything, so I dont know how its social life is and how Reedies are in reality, but, hopefully, I’ll find couple of “soulmates” and good acquaintances in the whole college + I am flexible and cosmopolitan (I was brought up in Russia + my year in the states; my father is from Islamic country that I visit every summer)</p>
<p>“Reed’s curriculum is both reading-intensive and writing-intensive”.
Oh yeah, I like that, too. I read a loooot. Complete book worm. Right now I am reading the second book of Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time” (not easy to read, his sentences are as big as fricken skyscrapers; and manner of thought is hard to get used to), so the level of books I read is pretty high.
And I like to write, too. My CommonApp essays mentions how I was writing little fantasy and animal stories in 5th-7th grade.</p>
<p>Judging from your response above, I’d peg your chances much higher now. Your syntax and grammar are far more sorted and I can actually see a coherent effort to build, as Mackinaw said, a “persona”.</p>
<p>As an international applicant who applied and was accepted to Reed, honestly there’s no telling what Admissions Officers at Reed are looking for specifically. My test scores were pretty miserable as well (by Reed and other selective colleges’ standards), but then I know other international students who shone with their test scores. Good luck though! Right now, there’s no point wondering what your chances are beyond a point. Sit back and enjoy yourself until the last week of March rolls in.</p>
<p>I have SAT subject tests in less than a month, so I can’t sit back and relax yet:) After the tests - surely. And thanx for chancing all of you guys.</p>