Chance me for Pomona and Scripps?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I live in San Diego and I’m worried because I heard it’s nearly impossible for SoCal people to get into the Claremonts. I have fallen in love with both Pomona and Scripps!

TEST SCORES: I took ACT once and got a 35 (35, 33, 36, 35, with 27 writing). Taken 5 AP tests, gotten 5s on all. SAT Subject Test Literature 800.

TRANSCRIPT/RIGOR: I got 1 B in freshman year, all A’s sophomore and junior. 2 APs sophomore year, 4 APs junior year. Anticipate all A’s, maybe 1 B this fall.

RECS: Counselor doesn’t know me so will probably be so-so rec. One of my teachers will say I’m great student, kind, friendly but too quiet/doesn’t participate enough. Other teacher will say I’m one of best in his career.

ECs: probably pretty average ECs. Youth Symphony all 4 years for flute and oboe, play big role in my church/youth group, volunteer with special-needs people a lot (camp counselor, club at school, Special Olympics coach), volunteer with elderly people helping them with technology, section leader in my band

ESSAYS: I think my essays will be one of my weakest links. I am good with grammar but not so great with nuance, talking about myself. Probably about the level of the average Scripps applicant.

AWARDS: I’ve gotten 2 community service awards/recognition, one leadership, 2 academic… probably not above average

DIVERSITY: I’m Hispanic, low-income

2

Plenty of Scripps and Pomona students are from SoCal, myself included. I’ve never heard anyone say anything about admissions being harder for SoCal students.
Probably the best thing to help boost your chances would be to schedule meetings with your counselor so they could write a more personal letter. That and having a teacher who might say that you don’t “participate enough” might be bad as both Pomona and Scripps are big on discussion classes and class participation. If you have another teacher or the chance to change that impression of you, that’s something to work on. Although the letter from the other teacher sounds like it’s likely to make a much bigger impact than the other two, so you’re probably fine there :slight_smile:

Overall, you’d probably be an average student here, so at this point, it’s mostly up to having good recs, an interesting letter, and sheer luck. Also, since you are relatively in the area, if you have access to transportation, I would definitely recommend doing an interview. You could probably schedule both interviews in the same day even.

3

Thank you so much, Scrippsie! Really helpful advice.