Chance me for Middlebury College Early Decision!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello all! I fell in love with Middlebury this past year and have already applied Early Decision. I know my SAT scores are low, and I plan on taking them as I assume I’ll end up trying to apply again during regular decision. I was recruited by Middlebury’s track coach for pole vaulting, because I won states this year, and have stayed in close contact with him throughout the application process. I know this school is a reach for me, but am just wondering what my chances may be of acceptance…

Info:
Senior, Class of 2016
Attend an average public high school
Permanent U.S. Resident

Academics:
Rank: 6 out of 160
GPA: 4.0 (Unweighted)
Unsure of weighted GPA, but definitely higher

SAT: 1900 (600 CR, 630 M, 670 W)
AP’s: English Language & Composition (4), US History (4), Psychology (5)
Senior Year Classes: Dual Enrollment Physics Levels 1 and 2, AP Calculus, AP Literature & Composition, AP Biology, Adv World, Latin 4.

Extra Curriculars:
-Latin Club (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Vice President)
-National Honors Society, Secretary of the State’s NHS
-Key Club (10th, 11th, 12th)
-Marathon Club (10th-11th), started by a friend and myself with the goal to run a marathon (achieved)
-Student Government (10th, 11th, 12th) Class Treasurer
-Androscoggin Valley Education Collaborative (12th) - Contemporary Issues: we collaborated with students from other schools in the area to analyze primary sources.
-Varsity Cross Country Running (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) Captain for 1 year.
-Varsity Nordic Skiing (9th - 12th) Captain for 1 year
-Varsity Track and Field (9th - 12th) Captain for 2 years, Individual State Champion in Pole Vault, MVP x3, Team’s top scorer x3
-Allstar Cheerleading (9th - 12th) Travel Team outside of school. Year-round commitment, highest level team within the program all four years (NCA National Champion)

Summer:
-Part-Time job at a restaurant, falls into the end/beginning of the school year.
-Volunteering at a local hospital (3 years), over 170 hours total.
-Mentoring/Coaching a youth track camp twice a week.

Recommenders:
-Latin teacher of 4 years, I didn’t get a chance to read it but am confident that it’s strong.
-History teacher for 2 years, pretty good
-Cross Country/Nordic Coach of 4 years, pretty good, personal.

Again, the track coach recruited me and says that he will try to advocate for me in the admissions process, but I don’t believe it will have a huge impact. I’m hoping that if I’m not accepted in Early Decision, my second try at the SAT’s will help me get in during RD.

Caucasian Female
Applied for Financial Aid
Major: Biochemistry

Thank you for the time taken to read my post, and any comments are greatly appreciated!

2

Did you ask this question to the track coach prior to applying ED
The coach could give you a pretty good idea of your chances based on his/her past experiences with getting athletes through the admission process
What they say is not a guarantee but they might be able to make you feel a little more hopeful
Let the school know on your application if you did not already that you would be willing to attend as a FEB admit
Best of luck

3

Thank you @fleishmo6 ! He had an admissions officer perform an early evaluation for me when we first starting contacting one another, but I didn’t have an SAT score at the time to submit. The school said positive things about my transcript and GPA, but said that they’re looking for solid SAT scores. When I told the coach that I scored a 1900, he said a 2100 would make his life “easy” but that he would work on pushing for my admission as much as he has the power to.

4

Yeah the SAT score will be difficult to get past
Any chance of retaking or taking ACT
Not sure when tests are given but as it is your top choice might be worth looking into with the help of a tutor
My oldest son is a senior there and my youngest also like you just applied early
Fingers crossed for both of you

5

Regarding your SAT scores, Middlebury seems pretty flexible regarding them if they otherwise like an applicant. For example, USNWR recently profiled a student accepted there with a 3.2 UW GPA and a 26 ACT (possibly not submitted). So there does seem to be precedent at Middlebury for the serious review of an application even in cases where at least certain scores are well below average (for Middlebury). Good luck.

6

In the interest of full disclosure, the woman profiled was an underrepresented minority from an urban high school in Chicago (as opposed to a Caucasian woman from New England, which is perhaps the most challenging demographic when it comes to admissions). Middlebury is making a concerted effort to increase diversity.

7

I would take the SAT again, but I think you have a good chance of being admitted anyway. Good luck!

8

Middlebury I will predict will go test optional over the next few years, along with Hamilton.

The President of Middlebury is quoted saying that standardized test scores rarely determine the outcome of an application.

9

Middlebury and Hamilton are already test flexible, so technically neither the ACT nor SAT needs to be submitted to either school. The NESCAC schools that are currently fully test optional are, I believe, Cobly, Wesleyan, Bates, Bowdoin and Connecticut College.

10

After checking, it appears that Colby, along with Hamilton and Middlebury, is test flexible, not fully test optional.

11

After further research, Trinity seems to have made a recent move to a test flexible standardized testing policy. These NESCAC schools would therefore be test flexible: Colby, Hamilton, Middlebury and Trinity. Bates, Bowdoin, Connecticut College and Wesleyan are entirely test optional.