Chance me for EDI to Vassar College?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vassar College
1

Hello everyone! I am a Pakistani female, who just graduated from The Mahindra United World College of India, which is, as obvious, is a United World College (UWC).

I am currently taking a gap-year and planning to apply to Vassar college for fall 2018. I am planning to major in International Studies/ Development studies and minor in English Lit. I am providing my stats here, please tell me what are my chances of getting in.

IB final point: English Lang & Lit (HL):6, Theatre (HL): 6, Econ (HL): 4, Chem (SL): 4, Maths (SL): 5 and Self-taught (SL): 6.

ACT: Aiming for 32-34

Hooks: First generation student. I also started a campaign to educate women to make sanitary napkins of their own in slum behind my area. The campaign lasted from 2014-2016.

Academic Awards & Achievements:

● Academic Excellence Award in Mathematics (For obtaining 74/75 in Grade 9).
● Academic Excellence Award in Computer Science (For obtaining 71/75 in Grade 10).
● Won School-wide Spelling Bee competition (Grade 9).
● Won School-wide Debate Competition (2015).
● Won district-wide essay writing competition (2014).
● Offered Summer School Scholarship from Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan (2016).
● Awarded full scholarship for 2-years from Aman Foundation to study at Mahindra United World College of India
(MUWCI) (2014).
● Named as the ‘Best Student of the Year’ at Education Trust Nasra School (2014).
● Made a generator running on solar power with school fellows in secondary school open day competition. It was called
‘one of the most creative project’.
Experience:

● Head of the Mahindra United World College magazine team.
● Coordinator of Mahindra United World College of India Waste Composting Team (Grade 12).
I worked with a team of 16 people. We educate student body about the techniques for proper segregation of the waste. This team thrives to make the campus a sustainable place to live. Recently, we introduced a new bin system at our school. The purpose was to determine the most efficient waste management techniques for the school.
● Adamjee School (Karachi): Taught English to primary grades (1 year)
● Home tuitions to the AKUEB students for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
● Field research on domestic violence in Pakistan: I interviewed the victims of domestic violence in Karachi and in rural Punjab and Sindh, and later wrote a research paper on it.
● Interviewed prisoners of death sentence in Karachi Central Jail. An entire report was published about it later. (2012).
● Intern at TCF Pakistan (During gap-year)
● Volunteered at SOS Children Village (2014)
● Volunteered at CARE Foundation (2015)
● Head Prefect of Nasra School Secondary section (2013-2015)
● Deputy Head of Nasra School (2010-2012)
● Content writer at Assignmentdue.com (2015-)

Activities:
● Theatrical play - ‘The Visit’- Production Team Member (Grade 11).
Was responsible for stage management and lighting of the play.
● Theatrical play - ‘Ikhtilaf-e-Rae’ - Production team member, Co-director, and Stage Manager.
Produced a report explaining every step involved in the production of the play.
(Grade 11).
● Theatrical play -‘Hedda Gabler’- Director; Managed a team of 10 members (Grade 12).
● Produced a report explaining the directorial intentions for play A Doll’s House
(Grade 12).
● Co-coordinator of Mahindra United World College of India Urdu Club (Grade 11).
Taught Urdu script and poetry to a class of 10 students.
● Organized Earth Day in secondary school (Grade 10).
Managed a team of 10 people.
● Performed a theatrical play outside Arts Council Karachi. The play addressed the subordination of women in Pakistani
society (2004).
● Attended various seminars organized by Irtiqa Institute of Social Sciences, Pakistan, on women empowerment. Also
attended a seminar on Cyber Crime in Pakistan by Jahanzaib Haque.
● Self-taught Tabla.
Aspiring to receive proper training in South Asian Classical Music.
● Member of Mahindra United World College of India Girls Football Team (Grade 11).
● Member of Mahindra United World College of India French Club (Grade 11).
● Member of Mahindra United World College of India African Dance Club (Grade 12).
● Member of Mahindra United World College of India Night School Team (Grade 12).
We teach the school staff members basic English and Mathematics every day. I have a session with them once a week.
● Member of Mahindra United World College of India Cricket Team (Grade 11)

I am so worried about my IB points, which are, as obvious, only 32. I really wanna go to Vassar. Please tell me what are my chances

2

I’d say your chances are pretty good.

3

keeping my majors in mind, I believe the resume is pretty good. But these IB points are just worrying me too much.

4

Agreed. The two 4s and the 5 in Math is troublesome.

5

Do you need financial aid? If yes, you probably will not get in. Sorry. It’s super competitive for international students seeking financial aid. Vassar may not be as competitive as Swarthmore, but it doesn’t look super good for you, particularly since there are so many students from India and Pakistan who apply. Your IB scores are the main reason. And that you have more awards in the 9th/10th grades and very few to none in the 11th/12th grades shows a decline, which isn’t promising.

Maybe look into Earlham, College of the Atlantic, and other LACs that like UWC students. Also although a lot of people aspire to get a 32-34 in the ACT, often it doesn’t happen and they get like 30/31. Think about that too; the ACT isn’t a walk in the park. Usually I’m more optimistic for a process that is hyper-competitive, but here I have no reservation in saying that you’d do better to invest your time in making more strategic decisions than applying early to Vassar. There are lots of LACs that admit UWC students and offer generous aid, like Lewis and Clark and Lake Forest. You’d do very well in applying to these schools!

My friend, for instance, went to a UWC too, and she got into Yale and Middlebury but was denied by Vassar. I didn’t get into Vassar either, but was admitted to Amherst, Macalester, and Reed, among others. I had the equivalent of a 40/41 (I did A Levels), and over 2200 SAT and international awards in writing and scholarship, and the gamut of extracurriculars that you see among competitive applicants. The point is Vassar is a competitive school, particularly for international students seeking aid, so academic scholarship is a primary determinant to your admission. Without that you need to be realistic.

6

International95’s weird comments notwithstanding, you seem to have a very solid record, especially in extracurriculars. If your ACT comes in as predicted, I’d say you have a very good chance of admission. No one is guaranteed admission, of course, but I don’t think you’d be wasting your time. If you’re in love with Vassar, there’s absolutely no reason not to apply and give it your best shot. The worst that could happen is that you end up at a different college, which is what will happen anyway if you don’t apply to Vassar in the first place.

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@sheepskin00 lol do you know anything about international student admission with financial aid, let alone about the United World Colleges? Here’s a start.

In Vassar FAQs about international student admission with aid:

How many international students apply for financial assistance?

Each year, over 850 international students apply for admission and financial assistance, and 35-45 are admitted with funding. Clearly, while Vassar’s international aid budget is substantial, competition for this assistance is quite keen.

That’s an acceptance rate between 4.1% to 5.2%.

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I mean I understand your point International95, but I know a girl from my school who got into Swarthmore with a 34, she applied as an ED applicant. Also, an Indian guy from my college who had 35 and 4 in Maths HL got into Reed. He did the ED. The admission plan affects the outcomes too much, way too much actually. I know a guy he had a 44+, great academics, outstading recs and extracurriculars but he got rejected from Columbia. It surely depends on grads but essay does matter A LOT. I think keeping my major in mind, I have done crazy amount of work. Also, the formation of that sanitary napkin thing has to be a hook as it shows my passion for social work. I continued the organization even after I went to the UWC. I will explain college about these bad IB points (Which i’m really shameful for) but I will at least give a shot to Vassar. I have done extensive research and I think it is the best fit for me. I value your opinion though and thanks for replying.

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I suppose that as a UWC applicant you always have a step-up, in no small part because of the $10k grant for every student, as well as the $5k towards the admissions office, from the Davis foundation, wherever you go. I’m not really as concerned about high-stats applicants getting rejected from Ivy league schools; that is hardly news. You should obviously try, but I’d also strongly encourage you to submit concurrent EA applications to schools that love UWC students, like Earlham and Colorado College.

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@International95 I might not know all the ins and outs of international applications, but I know Vassar and fit is a key concern for the admissions team. Numbers aren’t the whole story. The OP has a really interesting background, which is what Vassar likes. Offbeat, different, iconoclastic. You have to be able to handle the academics as well, but Vassar isn’t strictly a numbers game. They want stats but are flexible on that if the applicant has other exceptional qualities. I think the OP sounds like a good applicant for Vassar. No way to know for sure what the ad com will do, but they will certainly take her application seriously.

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International95 thanks for the reply. Yeah man, i have designed the plan in the same way like i will do the ED to vassar and then EA to the other colleges i might be interested in. i mean i know a girl with a 35, first-generation, great stats and whatnot, but she got rejected from all the colleges she did RD to. I really don’t wanna do RD anywhere because that in itself is putting yourself for the worst outcomes. I know she got wait-listed at Connecticut meaning if she would’ve done the ED, she would’ve gotten in. Also, colorado will be a good option because they literally love UWC and MUWCI. I know a girl with a 25 ACT got in there

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@sheepskin00 on a light tone, how do you know about Vassar so well? Do you know anyone who goes there or maybe you’re planning to apply too :slight_smile:

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@International95 What other schools you know like UWC (you may answer in my new thread)? Also, are you an Indian? I don’t know why but I have a feeling you’re an Indian (I have my share of experiences while studying at MWUCI lol)

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No, I am not Indian. UWCs are too unique in what they do and the relationships they build with colleges (in particular because of $$), but there are quite a few international schools with great reputations in US colleges. I, too, have experience with Indian students, and your writing reflects how they talk and write (“on a light tone”, “meaning if she would’ve done the ED”).

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@International95 Calm down, you stupid creature. I don’t know whether you’re an Indian, but one thing I know is that you’re extremely annoying. you mind can change the tone of anything asked and make it sound toxic. bye and thanks for the help

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@madiefarts123: it was my way (albeit unpleasant) of telling you that you should have your essays proofread by native speakers. If you think adding a sense of realism to this thread is ‘extremely annoying’, then so be it.

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Can someone kinda name me some LACs or just colleges in general that pretty much like UWC students?

18

@jasmineprinsto are you a UWCer?

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Well no but my sister is. Do you know any uni like that? I mean I think Brown could be one example?

20

@madiefarts123 Wow, I get the impression that you hold a lot of contempt for Indians. I just thought I should let you know, since Vassar is one of the most (if not the most) progressive top tier institutions of higher ed in the US, that there is absolutely no tolerance for racial animus there. Any disposition to harbor prejudice against entire ethnic groups or nations will not be tolerated. I’m telling you this because I hope to save you a life-shattering degree of embarrassment in the future; racism does not have to be overt for it to be called out at Vassar. Let me be absolutely clear; if you so much as whisper a racist thought you will be checked and shamed with little to no opportunity at any form of redemption. (What counts as a racist expression? Your comments above would be a five-alarm fire at Vassar). This is a school that literally out-protested Westboro Baptist Church. I’ve known a handful of people that decided it was better to transfer during Freshman year to more conservative/backwards schools rather than bear the disgrace of their exposed prejudices.

Here are some other reasons why you will likely not be accepted ED or RD: 1 - Your English is pretty abysmal for someone who minored in English literature, which will be a huge red flag to the ad com. To them, it’s a bright, flashing sign that you will struggle academically (even if you pursue a field of study that isn’t traditionally language intensive, including the natural sciences). At an institution like Vassar, even your biology professor will deduct points for grammar on lab assignments and papers. Fluency in English is not sufficient and mastery is a requirement. A lack of English comprehension might slide through the cracks at a large research institution like Harvard or Stamford, but Vassar is far too focused on the individual student for it to pass. 2 - The fact that you referred to your own extracurricular community organizing effort as the “sanitary napkin thing” will immediately suggest to the ad com a level of insincerity that belies any altruistic intent and instead reveals plain, regular old resume packing. The ad com makes a living off sorting out this kind of thing, and trust me, they can tell the difference. 3 - In just a short online exchange you’ve demonstrated that you easily bristle at the slightest criticism. An inability to embrace personal censure without grace will set you back not only in class but socially as well. Vassar has spent more than 150 years building an environment where intellectual vulnerability is both encouraged and required. Ad hominem insults like “stupid creature” might be cute at a state school, but they will humiliate you at any top 15 LAC or national university.

Good luck with your applications. I hope you find the right fit.