Chance me for top LACs?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I know I'm only a rising junior, but the pressure for me is just so bad. I really have to work hard this year, or I won't even be able to go to a state school. I know the top LACs give out great financial aid (used the CB net price calc), plus I actually love the ideals/foundations of a liberal arts education, so I'd love to attend one.</p>

<p>Please chance me for Swarthmore (#1, will apply ED), Williams, Haverford, Pomona, Colgate, and Pitzer.
It'd be even nicer if someone can also chance me for my "safeties": Gettysburg, Holy Cross, Trinity, Skidmore, and Lafayette.</p>

<p>I go to a small, extremely competitive top public school. It's #1 in our state and also on the national rankings.</p>

<p>Stats:
First generation, low-income Asian-American female (I'm extremely mediocre compared to other Asian-Americans... sigh)
UW GPA: 3.55 (if I get straight A's junior year, I can bring it up to 3.78, weighted would be 4.26)
My GPA is awful, I know... I had really bad anxiety and depression especially from 7th grade to about the end of 10th grade... I know I shouldn't mention this in my app, b/c colleges don't want another VT to happen, but... yeah. I'm going to do my best to work on it.
SAT (superscore): 740R / 790M / 720W, total: 2250
SAT II: haven't taken yet, probably will take math 2 and US history.
ACT: haven't taken yet, expect to get at least 30 composite.
Rank: school doesn't rank.
APs: US Gov 3 (oops), Spanish 4</p>

<p>Junior Courseload:
IBHL English/Literature
IBHL Spanish 5
IBHL History of the Americas
IBSL Math (I could take AP BC Calc, but I really hate math and I'm not stellar at it)
IBSL Environmental Science
IBSL Economics
International Relations (sem1) / IB TOK (sem 2)
Contract Band</p>

<p>Senior Courseload:
IBHL English/Literature
IBHL Spanish 6
IBHL World History
IBSL Environmental Science
IB TOK (sem 1) / International Relations (sem 2)
AP AB/BC Calc (depends on how well I do in IBSL math)
Wind Ensemble</p>

<p>ECs:
- Model UN (9, 10, 11, 12): president 11th grade, expect to be SecGen senior year + won various gavels/awards
- International Club (9, 10, 11, 12): expect a board position this year/senior year
- Amnesty International (10, 11, 12): expect a board position senior year
- Key Club (10, 11, 12)
- FCA (10, 11, 12)
- JVML/VML (9, 10, 11, 12)
- Be the Change Club (9, 10, 11, 12)
- HOPE Club (11, 12): expect a board position senior year
- Korean Culture Club (9, 10, 11, 12): president 11th and 12th
- National Honors Society (11, 12)
- Varsity Track and Field (9, 10, 11, 12): expect to be captain/co-captain senior year
- Chile Exchange Program (11)
- Wind Ensemble (9, 10, 12)
- Pep Band (9, 10, 11, 12)</p>

<p>Outside of school ECs/activities:
- kumdo (which is the Korean version of kendo): 2nd degree black belt, instructor, 100+ volunteer hours, got 1st place in an international tournament, placed 1st/2nd in various national and regional tournaments
- tutor ESOL kids (math and english), about 30 hours
- voluntered at ASPCA, about 40 hours
- interned at Smithsonian museum camps, about 60 hours
- volunteered at church VBS, about 30 hours
- church mission trips (11, 12)
- lots of other little things I can't remember</p>

<p>My #1 dream school is Swarthmore... I visited the campus and I'm in love. I'm also going to apply to the fly-in program DiscoSwat after this year, and hopefully I can get in. I also plan to do an interview there and visit on junior visit day, anything I can to improve my chances. I'll be so thankful and gracious to get into any of these schools, but... if anything, I want to go to Swarthmore!</p>

<p>That's about it, extremely long post haha I apologize. Thank you :-)</p>

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<p>Swarthmore is a reach for anyone, so be sure to show your interest! You are a unique candidate; show them what you bring to the table. Fantastic SAT score, by the way, especially for a sophomore! Your IB course load stands out, as do your various leadership positions. Good luck! I think that Williams is a low reach, the rest on that list match/high match. All of your safeties are low match/safety. Applying early to Swarthmore is a good idea!
Chance me back? :)</p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>78 views, yet only one reply… I wonder if the length of my post is scaring people away LOL.</p>

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<p>Bump…</p>

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<p>I think one of the difficulties of this situation is that you have a high SAT score, but a lower UW GPA. It may be helpful for you to go to a website such as Naviance for you to compare yourself with past students from your school, as we have very little indication of how rigorous your school is. From the looks of it, you have a strong schedule ahead of you for your last two years. Anyways, I’ll bite.</p>

<p>You have a very good shot at many of those schools and it’s very great that you are a rising junior. This means you still have another year and a half to show them what you are made of. Having your standarized testing out of the way is a plus. I think your scores are fine, and don’t necessarily need to take the ACT unless you have an overwhelming desire to do so. Raise your GPA before applying and make it spectacular so they can see the upward trend, it’s great that you have another year.</p>

<p>When I applied to schools, I had very similar stats and for a high SAT and lower GPA candidate (ECs were good), I strongly believe it is the essays that makes the difference. I got into the schools that I believe I wrote stronger essays for. I think you’re into your safeties, all but perhaps Lafayette, which I would consider a high match as it is considered one of the more selective ones that you have listed. </p>

<p>Due to how selective the other schools are on your list, I would have to put them in the “reach” category, with Colgate being a low reach/high match. You are ahead of the game, and I am glad you have thought it out already, congrats. I would have to say though, that you need a true financial safety, a place that you know you will get either a merit scholarship at or can 100% afford, the usual choices being the state flagships. Out of the ones I am familiar with on that list, I don’t think any give huge merit scholarships (with the exception of perhaps Lafayette with the Marquis scholarship, but that is competitive to get)</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>Yes, your UW is on the lower side, but if you show your academic versatility by getting straight A’s first semester of senior year, you can show the colleges about your ‘now’ as opposed to your past. I noticed that one of the main reasons that you’re applying to Swarthmore is great financial aid. Well, there are quite a lot of threads on CC that say that Swarthmore’s financial aid is not as great as people might think. I think that if you’re looking for the best financial aid package, you should consider EDing for Williams (best financial aid in the country for LACs) or Pomona. Either way, stick to Swarthmore or another LAC and show plenty of interest. Do overnight visits and all that jazz. LACs really care about demonstrated interest because the HYPSM usually steal their admits. At Pomona, the panel said that students who choose not to attend Pomona usually go to a high-tier ivy or Stanford, which is why they care about students who truly want to attend their schools. </p>

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<p>Btw, focus on the ECs that you really care about, since the common app only allows for you to list 10 of them. </p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>If I were you, I wouldn’t report my unweighted GPA. I would however, report your weighted GPA as it is on par with many of the top level arts colleges. Your ECs are great and your grades are good as well. Your SAT scores are also good however if you can make them even higher that would be great. The higher the better. Swath more shouldn’t be too unreasonable. However consider other top colleges such as Amerherst, Grinell, Bernard, Williams, Middlebury. </p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>Which part of the country are you located? If you are far away from east coast, then Swarthmore looks to recruit from outside of Philly area.</p>

<p>Your story about depression/anxiety is something worth mentioning, especially if you have a strong upward trend. Can you get your GC to talk about it in their letter? It needs to be mentioned somewhere otherwise Adcoms will wonder what happened in Grades 9-10.</p>

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<p>@sgopal2‌ I’m from Northern Virginia, which isn’t that far from Philly (~2 hrs).
I was told not to disclose information about mental disorders, because AdComs look at them like they’re detrimental and do not want another VTech to happen. But yes, I could get my GC to talk about it.</p>

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<p>I think if you frame the situation appropriately (that you went through a terrible bout of depression, that caused harm to your grades,motivation,etc) and have now sought treatment and under therapy. The chances of it recurring again are low. You also need to express how you learned from this experience and how it motivated you to succeed further. </p>

<p>If on the other hand you suffered from a mental disorder that went untreated, this would be concerning to AdComs. Share your story, open your heart, and I think it will help you in the long run.</p>

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<p>I think you’ve got a really good shot at these, good course load and you’re on the right track. I’d recommend taking some classes online or over the summer to bring up your UW GPA but you have a solid shot at all these schools. good luck and chance back? <a href=“http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1673832-will-chance-back-chance-me-for-cmc-barnard-bryn-mawr-columbia-stanford-cornell-umich-stern.html#latest”>http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1673832-will-chance-back-chance-me-for-cmc-barnard-bryn-mawr-columbia-stanford-cornell-umich-stern.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>So sad to think a 3.5 GPA and stellar SATs means you are mediocre Asian. My kids are Asian (adopted from China) and they have grades way lower than yours, SATs way lower. They have faced this pressure and stereotype and to me this is heartbreaking. I have gotten to the point where I actually disrespect Asian parents for all the pressure they put their kids under. I had a B+ average in HS and got a great LA education, went on to get a Ph.D. in the sciences and did great. My parents never made me do extra practice or retake the SAT etc… Now, I feel so sorry for my own children who feel they have to live up to this ridiculous standard. In fact, they are messed up with anxiety and depression too because of it. No matter how smart you are, you won’t be much good to society if you have mental illness. You also will not have a happy life. Just stop and think about it. Do your best, be yourself and good luck. </p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

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<p>Bump.</p>