Chance me for Pomona College, UChicago and others

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

General Info:
From: Canada
Income: Too much for any real financial aid
Ethnicity: Mixed
No hooks

Academics:
School: Best Independent school in my Province
Unweighted GPA: 4.0 (all years)
Class rank: N/A
SAT: Didn’t take
ACT: 34 (Reading: 36, English 35, Math 33, Science 33)
SAT II: French with Listening 770, Math 2 770

APs: Psychology (5), AP Human Geo (5), Macro, Calculus AB, French, Lang

Courses:
I took the most rigorous courses available every year.

EC:
JV Volleyball (9, 10) (Captain both years)
Varsity Tennis (11,12) (Captain both years)
Model UN:(9, 10, 11, 12) Served on the Secretariat for the completely student run conference in North America twice
Best Delegate awards numerous times
Band: (9, 10, 11, 12)
Jazz Band: (9, 10)
Model UN club: (10, 11, 12) Founder and Head Delegate
American Sign Language Club: (10, 11, 12) Founder and President
Apiculture Club (Beekeeping): (12)
English Head at my school (11)
Founder and President of two youth non-profits. One is a registered non-profit in Canada having raised over 40 000 dollars
Top 1% in numerous math competitions
Represented school at International Public Speaking Competition
Licensed Ski Instructor
Student Ambassador at my school

Volunteer experience:
over 1000 hours of volunteering:
senior homes
medical assistant
working with children and families in poverty (tutoring, babysitting, organizing events)

Work Experience:
Receptionist at Walk-in Clinic

Recommendations:
Have very good relations with my teachers

Please Chance me for:
Pomona College (ED)
UChicago (ED2)
Bowdoin College
Dartmouth College
Brown University
Barnard College
Wellesley College
University of Southern California

Thank you guys so much!

2

Really need to know what is your intended major, also if I am to chance you for pomona I need to know your ethnicity.

3

@theChinaman Intended major probably Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and ethnicity: Won’t include on Common App but Last name indicates East Asian Thanks!

4

I have couple of East asian friends who applied last year with perfect test scores and were rejected. You probably already know this, your ACT score is average for Pomona. Definitely Pomona is skewed towards extracurriculars rather than test scores so if you emphasized the speaking competition and Model UN position (because it pertains to your major) it would help in your essay.

Our school has had hundreds of applicants to Pomona in the past 9 years. Most of the admitted are not the all-around stats kids but rather the kids with a huge stats spike in one area. Also, the ones who admitted from our school tend to be white females, never heard of an Asian male from my school admitted to Pomona except me. It tends to be a craapshoot.

ok since I have no clue what linguistics is I’m gonna stop talking now.

5

Linguistics isn’t a major at all the schools on your list. The OP seems to be female, as she has Wellesley in her list.

6

You have a solid chance of getting into Pomona if you’re applying ED1.

7

@intparent Linguistics/Cognitive Science is my intended major, but I’m not 100% set on that because I’m also interested in International Relations and Political Sciences. All the schools except Bowdoin and Barnard have a Linguistics/Cogni Sci major/department.

8

@theChinaman Yeah I realize I’m pretty average in terms of test scores… It’s interesting to hear your perspective, I know a couple of people currently at Pomona or have gotten accepted in past years and around half of them are East Asian, and also multidisciplinary kids. Are you currently attending Pomona? Since you said that most of the people you know that got accepted to Pomona are white females, do you feel that there’s a strong “white” feel to the school? Thank you for your insight!

9

Sorry I indicated I go there right now. I am a high school senior in the local high school. Taking class at Harvey mudd, Pitzer and Pomona. From our school many people apply to Pomona college since it is very close by, but the accepted rate from our school is same as national average, according to our Naviance. The kids in my class are majority white, but definitely not as white as my class at Pitzer (There is only one Asian other than me). At Pomona my class is around 3/5 white, 1/5 hispanic or black, and 1/5 Asian american, so more well-balanced (because it’s a science class). But even my Harvey Mudd class is mostly white.

Also, Claremont is a white-dominated city. I used to live in Irvine, Orange county, really hate it in Claremont honestly.

My dad works at one of the colleges and he’s actively trying to bring in more overseas Chinese. I honestly think the colleges have a problem with diversity, but some of my Asian friends actually applied to the liberal arts schools because they want to be around more white people, less Asians. White people aren’t good or bad, it depends on what type of Asian you are. I’m honestly more of a Berkeley/Caltech type of guy though.

But in terms of liberal arts, Pomona is as diverse as you get. So kudos to them!

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And I totally agree with nostalgic wisdom, you have great unique extracurriculars, solid chance of getting in Early decision. Hope you have good essays, wondering about your AP scores. Did your school not offer AP tests? Because you only have two done by junior year, both considered easy APs. That might hurt you a lot! (if your school offers other AP classes)

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@theChinaman Oh wow, thank you so much for the insider info. Yeah I do hope that more schools try for a more ethnically diverse student population. About the AP exams since I go to a Canadian school the options are extremely limited. We’re actually not allowed to take AP courses until junior year, and even then we’re only allowed to take 1. I self-studied AP Psych my Sophomore year.

Although you’re not technically technically a Pomona student, I just wanted to ask you how you feel Pomona is about demonstrated interest. Do you think it helps? I’ve tried to show a lot of interest: I’ve visited twice, done an interview on campus, met and talked with two professors, met my regional admissions officer twice once there and once in my hometown.

Aside from that, you said that you’re a senior so you’re also applying to colleges? Have you decided on Pomona? Or do you think you’ll go to Berkeley/Caltech? If I get accepted it’d be interesting if we both went!

12

According to the Common Data Set for Pomona, demonstrated interest is not considered.

https://www.pomona.edu/sites/default/files/cds-2015-2016.pdf?time=91520164

13

I’m applying to all three :smiley:
I’ll let you know how it turns out, schools too darn selective nowadays

14

Thank you for all your help! Pomona College Class of 2021!