Chance me for Dartmouth, Brown, and top LACs

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>SATs: 2260 SAT (740 reading/730 math/790 writing.)
790 US History, 740 Literature
ACT: 34, or 35 for colleges that superscore (Brown, Cornell, Amherst)
GPA: 3.81 UW, 4.47 W- (8 APs, 2 honors)
This is the GPA calculated my my school, and only includes sophomore and junior year. My first semester senior year GPA is a 4.0 UW. Somewhat of an upward trend, except for a blip in my junior year (3.67 semester GPA).
I haven't taken the absolute toughest course load possible, because my brain turns to mush in the face of math or science. For that reason, I decided against taking Calculus or Physics.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- experience with writing and receiving grants ($6500)
- president of four clubs
- VP of school's honor and service society
- on a committee that successfully petitioned the district to put a salad bar in our cafeteria
- 200 hours spent volunteering for a non-profit organization
- participated in a week-long writing camp last summer
- have held a job since 2006</p>

<p>Random factoids:
- Asian, female, Californian
- First generation
- Magnet school (in a class of about 700), huge feeder to UC schools
- School doesn't rank, but I'm in the top 10% (UC's ELC)</p>

<p>App-related info:
- Intended major: psychology. Also took a night class in Psychology of Stress for college credit.
- Recommendations are amazing. My psychology teacher described me as being more of a colleague to him than a student. The best rec came from the adult who oversaw my grant-writing project.
- I don't think I'd be a good judge of my own writing, but my Common App essay was about why I love psychology.</p>

<p>Awards:
- National Merit Finalist
- SF Wellness Initiative Award
- Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship
- Principal's Honor Roll (2x)</p>

<p>Schools I've applied to:
Dartmouth
Amherst
Brown
Haverford
Tufts
Cornell
Vassar
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Oberlin</p>

<p>Thanks in advance! Post your thread here if you'd like a chance back. :)</p>

2

<p>Id bet 100 bucks you’re getting into everywhere from Haverford down. Dartmouth and Amherst - maybe or maybe not. Probably waitlisted at one. And for some odd reason, I can’t explain, I think Brown is a rejection. </p>

<p>But you know what? It’s all just a guess. I have no skin in this game (admission’s or students) and I honestly just think you put your best foot forward and struggle to get through the next two months. You’ve done what you’ve done, it is what it is. Well done, and in two months the choice will be in your hands. Look forward to it and find something you can love about every school on your list, but keep a cool head and a neutral heart until all the decisions are in.</p>

3

<p>I’ll pee my pants out of joy if your prediction’s correct. </p>

<p>Until decisions come in, I can’t see the anxiety lifting, but I wholeheartedly agree with your advice… although knowing it intellectually is one thing and having your emotions correspond with what you know to be rational is something else entirely. I’ll be working with this for the next two months, I think, but hearing it from someone else is extremely gratifying. Thank you!!</p>

4

<p>I’d say you have a very good shot at Haverford, Cornell, Tufts, Vassar, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Oberlin…I think Dartmouth, Amherst, and Brown are going to be a lot tougher and likely to be nos, but again, just a guess!</p>

5

<p>Do my SAT scores, when taken separately, put me at a disadvantage? I’d sent my SAT scores rather than my ACT score to most schools, because I hadn’t heard that Writing doesn’t matter as much as the other sections.</p>

<p>Does anyone know the policies of the schools I mentioned, regarding the Writing score out of 800?</p>

6

<p>your stats are very impressive. you’ll definitely get into Amherst, Haverford, Tufts, Vassar, Middlebury, Wesleyan, Oberlin, Cornell, and Darmouth.</p>

<p>The only reason I held back Brown is because my friend with a higher GPA and maybe not as impressive ECs (but still impressive) as yours got rejected from Early Decision. Brown is really hard to get into. Nonetheless, i think you have a really good chance of getting in, especially since you’re planning to pursue Psychology as a major (my friend that got rejected was PreMed) (not that Psych is an easy major, its just that I think normally people with the ridiculously impressive stats and perfect SAT scores apply for PreMed or Bio/Chem majors). </p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

7

<p>I think Amherst, Dartmouth, and Brown are toss-ups. You’re in at the rest.</p>

8

<p>Most of these schools are safeties for no one; stats are only part of the picture.</p>

<p>Stats are most of the picture at public schools.</p>

9

<p>I agree. I think you have a very competitive track record in your app to definitely be accepted at Haverford and below [on your list :)]</p>

<p>Your top three all seem to be reaches, but you know how top ranking universities are :wink: I think you’ve got plenty going for you. I think those essays may be that touch you will need. Work on those and I think you have a solid opportunity to get in.</p>

<p>Thanks for chancing me :D</p>

10

<p>Excepting Amherst and Middlebury, I think you’re a clear shot for the Liberal Arts Colleges.
Dartmouth and Brown are a surprise. While I wouldn’t say they’re as unpredictable as Stanford, I would prepare for the worst and hope for the best. </p>

<p>First Generation REALLY helps.
Its also probably good that you didn’t apply to many west coast schools.
I think you’ll be happy after its all said and done.</p>

11

<p>I vote that you’re in at all the schools, due to your numbers, activities, and being first-generation.</p>

12

<p>The problem is that out of two million new college freshmen, there are too many with such qualifications for them all to be “in” at these schools.</p>

13

<p>LACs and Cornell, I think you’ll get in.
But Brown and Dartmouth, I have no idea because… well, they’re Brown and Dartmouth.</p>

<p>Good luck :)</p>

14

<p>Your ECs are pretty good. Not taking Calc or Physics will definitely hurt you, though. Which is why I think your’e in Haverford down as well. My school is a really competitive private with very good connections, which always helps. BUT I’d say you hav ea good chance at Brown and Dartmouth, definitely.</p>

15

<p>I wouldn’t say in at Cornell…but definitely a good chance</p>

16

<p>Based on your grades and everything else… you deserve to get into every school on your list… and you would thrive at all of them.</p>

<p>That said, it is such a crazy competitive environment for getting into elite schools that it is possible you may miss out on one (or possibly two)…</p>

<p>Here are a few random observations:</p>

<p>1) Your SAT scores are clearly very strong… but at some of the schools you applied to (like Dartmouth, Amherst, Brown) they are not eye-popping.</p>

<p>2) Perhaps more impressive (to such schools): your grant writing success and being first generation Asian American. </p>

<p>3) Of course, being Asian American can cut both ways at elite schools. The downside is that – consciously or not – some admissions officers may group / compare you with other Asian Americans, who have put together some of the most impressive college applications ever seen. Also, all else being equal, females are at a slight disadvantage (unless you are a “newspaper” athlete.)</p>

<p>4) Speaking of athletics… please note that schools like Amherst and Middlebury have placed an enormous emphasis on varsity athletics. Because these schools are rather small, a larger PERCENTAGE of their student bodies are part of the athletic program, which can squeeze non-athletic applicants.</p>

<p>5) All else being equal, I think it helps being from the west coast given the geographic dispersion that eastern schools are looking for.</p>

<p>6) Brown has had a crazy surge in applications for the Class of 2014. And that is on top of huge increases over the past several years. Wesleyan also had a surge in 2014, but they were starting from an “easier” acceptance rate level. Both schools – known for their liberal student bodies – may have benefited from the Obama candidacy/election. In any event… Brown will be a tough nut to crack… Wesleyan shouldn’t be much of a problem.</p>

<p>All the best of luck… you should do very well, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if you were to get into all of your choices.</p>

<p>Enjoy the ride!</p>

17

<p>thanks for the chance! you have really amazing and pretty wide-ranging credentials and your interest in psych will probably help you. i think you’ll get in handily everywhere but Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown, and Amherst. You have a great shot at these schools but honestly its just a toss up and you just have to hope for the best. good luck!</p>

18

<p>Dartmouth-maybe
Amherst-reach
Brown-reach
Haverford-high match
Tufts-match
Cornell-matchy
Vassar-match
Middlebury-mid. match
Wesleyan-prob. in
Oberlin-in</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

19

<p>Dartmouth-50% chance in
Amherst-45% chance in
Brown-25% chance in
Haverford-65% chance in
Tufts-55% chance in -tufts syndrome
Cornell-35%
Vassar-75%
Middlebury-57%
Wesleyan-58%
Oberlin-in</p>

20

<p>I’m no admissions officer but I’d expect you to get into all of them except Brown, Dartmouth, and Amherst; those are prolly more like toss ups.
I sincerely hope you get into those schools, as I can hardly imagine any better qualifications. Congrats on the fantastic scores!</p>