Chance me for top LACs and Ivies!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi, everyone. I am a rising senior looking to apply to a mix of LACs and Ivy League schools here are my stats and ECs:

ACT: 34 (36 R, 36 S, 34 E, 29 M, 11/12 W)
UW GPA: 3.88
W GPA: My school does not offer AP, IB, or honors courses, so I don’t have a weighted GPA. Everything I’ve read and heard seems to suggest that I won’t get penalized for this. If someone can confirm this, that would be great.
Rank: School does not rank.
Major Awards: Cum Laude on the NLE, alternate delegate for USSYP.
ECs:

  • Captain of debate team (9-12)
  • Captain of the varsity swim team (9-12)
  • MUN (10-12)
  • YMCA Youth in Government (10-12)
  • Student Advisory Council (11-12)
  • Internship at a major organization (11, won’t be very specific for privacy reasons)
  • Assistant swim coach on a summer team (this summer)
    Hooks: Zilch.
    Colleges:
  • Brown
  • Yale
  • Dartmouth
  • Bowdoin
  • Hamilton
  • Davidson
  • Wesleyan
  • Colgate
  • Union
  • American University
  • Marist College
  • University of Connecticut
2

No, you won’t get penalized for not having a weighted GPA. Your stats are awesome and your extracurriculars are quite nice as well. I think that you have a solid chance at all of the schools that you listed- You’ve done a terrific job of putting together a balanced list of reaches, matches, and safeties. My only suggestion would be to add a safety with a 70-80% admit rate just to fully cover yourself.

Best of luck come admissions time! Do you have a major in mind yet?

3

male or female?
URM? first gen? other hooks?

4

@newkidnewtrix: I’m looking to study political science!
@preppedparent: I am a straight white male. Maybe having an LD/ADHD? Also, by “zilch” I meant nothing.

5

I don’t think you need to add a high admit safety. You’ll be fine with your list as is and will have some options. Just make sure you are showing “demonstrated interest” to those schools that factor that in.

6

@doschicos: Thanks for the advice and tips about demonstrated interest!

7

You’re welcome. In case you are unaware, you can gauge how different schools factor it in by looking at each school’s Common Data Set, Section C7.

Here are some examples:

Bowdoin - not considered: https://www.bowdoin.edu/ir/pdf/cds2016-17.pdf

Hamilton - considered: https://www.hamilton.edu/documents/CDS_2016-2017.pdf

8

Thanks for the links. One side note- I think it’s very interesting that Bowdoin lists test scores as “important,” yet they were essentially the school to start that whole movement.

9

Yes, that is odd!

10

Very nice major choice-I wanted to know because engineering and CS majors are quite impacted and your chances would be a bit lower if those were your intended majors. You should be just fine!

11

@asdfdasfda BTW your name is hard to spell. When we were at Bowdoin, the Admissions Dean said “Each year there are students who don’t send in their standardized test scores who should, and those who do and should not.” That gave me at least some insight as to how they use scores. It tells me that Bowdoin is wanting to see your best side. It may or may not include standardized test scores. Some students do well on standardized tests, if that’s you, showcase it, if it isn’t show off in other ways.

12

@preppedparent Apologies for my name. I do plan to send in my test scores, I just thought it was interesting what each college ranked in importance.

13

@asdfdasfda yes, at Bowdoin, test scores can help you, but they acknowledge they are not the be all and end all. Good Luck!

14

Your’e extremely well-qualified! You definitely have a chance! But so do a lot of other kids so you need to make yourself seem special through your essays. Unfortunely your ec’s are very ‘normal’ in that they are great but mainstream… try to differ yourself through other means and you’ll be golden
Chance back?
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1976885-recommendations-on-where-to-apply-also-unique-ec-p1.html

15

@Harpguy2022 Thanks for the advice! Which schools would you say I have a better shot at than others on my list?

16

Buuump…

17

@asdfdasfda
Brown- High Match

  • Yale- High Reach
  • Dartmouth- High Match
  • Bowdoin- High Match
  • Hamilton- Low Match
  • Davidson-Low Match
  • Wesleyan- Low Match
  • Colgate-Low match
  • Union- Safety
  • American University- Low Match/Safety
  • Marist College- Safety
  • University of Connecticut-Safety
    I think you have a great shot at Dartmouth as they really like top of the class students.
18

@VANDEMORY1342 Thanks for your input!