Chance me? Please?

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm currently in my senior year in Singapore and I am thinking about applying for wellesley ED. </p>

<p>SAT: 1950 (Reading: 750, Math: 650, Writing: 590...yes i know they are bad)
SAT II: not taken yet
GPA: follows A level system
Awards: nothing notable
ECS: nothing notable :(</p>

<p>Possible hook: Possibly my love for languages. In my country, I studied Chinese for 10 years in school, studied Japanese for 2 years in an outside institution and is currently self-studying Russian (put on hold for the upcoming exams)</p>

<p>Hopes to major in: One reason that I want to come to this college is that Wellesley supports its students taking up a double major. I hope to do Russian or Classics with Economics. Is wellesley good in these majors?</p>

<p>One major, major problem for admission to ANY college in the US, is my grades for the past 3 years. I was living an aimless life without any care for the future till I finally decided my life goal this year, and my grades reflect this change in attitude. My grades have fluctuated WIDELY in the past 4 years.... if i convert my grades into a rough estimate of GPA, assuming 2.0 is a pass and 4.0 is an A, my grades range from 2.0 to 4.0 in the past few years :/ Am i incredibly screwed?</p>

<p>Btw, when will the essay questions come out? It's not on the college's website yet everyone seems to working on it.</p>

<p>Sorry, I'm not very good at chancing people, so I can't help you there. The entire admissions process is too random for me to comprehend at times, lol.</p>

<p>However, the essay topics are on the Common application and they're usually these:</p>

<ol>
<li> Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.</li>
<li>Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.</li>
<li>Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.</li>
<li>Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.</li>
<li>A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.</li>
<li>Topic of your choice.</li>
</ol>

<p>There's also the "Why Wellesley?" short essay on the Wellesley supplement, in which you basically tell the admissions committee why you would like to go to Wellesley. That part of the application will be available on Sept 5th, but it's a good idea to start working on it now.</p>

<p>Good luck! :)</p>

<p>You don't really sound too confident in yourself...that is one thing that needs to change. A difference between foreign countries and the US is the amount of modesty that is expected from each person, I think. In the US each person is expected to puff out their chest and exclaim that they're the best. So be proud! :D</p>

<p>Okay, sorry for the little pep talk haha. Your SAT isn't bad, but it's hard to tell about everything else. You should really put emphasis on your love for languages.</p>

<p>As for your academic interests, Wellesley is really known for its economics department and its Russian is very strong.</p>

<p>nelle,</p>

<p>Everyone seems to be working on their application essays, but in truth, those are the uber excited people who are a bit ahead of the ball game. Wellesley uses the Common Application, so they won't be posting the essay topics on their website. I'm pretty sure the common application is up on their website: <a href="http://www.commonapp.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.commonapp.org&lt;/a>. I would head on over there to see how things are. No idea of when the Wellesley supplement will be out, but I suspect soon.</p>

<p>As for international applicants, a few things can effect your chances:</p>

<ol>
<li>Are you a U.S. national applying from overseas? If so, then your chances are similar to any other U.S. student applying domestically.</li>
<li>Are you an international student who is NOT looking for financial aid? If so, then your chances are close to any other U.S. student applying.</li>
<li>Are you an international student who IS looking for financial aid? If so, then your chances have dropped dramatically because it is much more competitive for overseas students who will need aid. Also, these students cannot apply ED - all must apply regular decision.</li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks for all the responses, especially the little pep talk :)</p>

<p>Eh, I am fortunate to be born into a family that is financially able to send me to study in the US without any need for financial aid. Argh, I really hope I can get into Wellesley, ever since deciding its the college for me, I haven't thought about any other college at all :)</p>

<p>I think I read that applying ED increases your chance to get in drastically, is it true? Oh, what would be a suitable GPA grade for the admission comm to even consider me in the pool of applicants? Seems like everyone is writing a quirky essay... what if I don't really have anything quirky? I only have passion in what I do? I seem like a real worry-wart :/</p>

<p>I know - I have my heart set on Wellesley too! But I suggest looking at some safety schools, so you still have some good colleges too fall back on just in case.</p>

<p>I don't think they have a cut-off GPA for admission, they look at the application holistically. And as for the essay - stick with what you're strong at. If you're passionate about languages, express that, and make sure that when someone reads they essay they find themselves seeing "the real you".</p>

<p>As for ED... eh, well you are showing the admissions officers that W is your top choice. But really, it's a self-selecting pool. If you think that W is the college for you, it can't hurt applying ED.</p>

<p>Ps - I'm in singapore too! you at raffles?</p>

<p>Nelle, </p>

<p>My math SAT score was in the 500's, so I don't think that will necessarily destroy your chances. Thank goodness for the remedial Quantitative Reasoning Test they make you take if you need help in math! All first-years also have to take Writing 125, so if you're a weaker writer, that could help you out a lot.</p>

<p>Out of curiosity, how do people abroad (especially as far out as Singapore) find out about Wellesley?</p>

<p>Nelle, make a list of random aspects about yourself or your interests. Look at your surroudings, think of your favorite tv shows, something simple. The trick is to relate something simple to some really thought-provoking idea! My friend wrote her essay about her belly button but got into Columbia. How do you define yourself? As an artist, an intellectual, a hardworker, a comedian? So many possibilities are out there. Writing the essay was one of my favorite parts of the admissions process because it gave me the chance to prove that I was human, not just a set of numbers.</p>

<p>I would say that ED does improve your chances, but not drastically. I would advise applying ED if it's really your #1 school and you are not in need of financial aid.</p>

<p>Oh im in ajc, formerly from scgs :) what about you?</p>

<p>Eh, I found out when the admission officer from wellesley came into town to talk about wellesley. What really caught my attention was that the admission officer emitted the same kind of aura as my former principal, a confident, self-assured, humourous woman :)</p>

<p>^^Write about your former principal in your Why Wellesley, then. :]</p>