<p>Hey guys!
I would really appreciate a general chance (I know they're not scientific or anything but I'm really worried). </p>
<p>Nationality: Australian but I live in Central America
Income bracket: I need full financial aid
GPA: 5.7/7 (IB scale). I am predicted 36/45
Classes: I take the IB diploma.</p>
<p>Community service:
-Volunteered for a queer organisation in my home city for 3 years
-Painted houses in a Costa Rican slum for a week
-Helped my community rebuild after devastating floods in my state in 2010.</p>
<p>ECs:
-Editor of my old school newspaper for 2 years. Was a journalist for three years prior.
-Editor for my current school newspaper, journalist for one year.
-Wrote for a famous online queer magazine
-In Australia I wrote for my local daily newspaper
-Founded and am the leader of my school's LGBT club
-Organised and ran the first LGBT-themed week at my school. We invited speakers from the outside community, held debates and discussions, ran movies, etc. Will lead the next one in March.
-Played basketball for 6 years. Played for numerous teams and made my county team.</p>
<p>Essay:
About my deafness. College counsellor will also address this - has negatively affected my education in many, many ways.</p>
<p>Recommendations:
Pretty good.</p>
<p>SAT/ACT: Now this is what I'm worried about!
My SAT scores were abysmal... 610 (writing), 510 (reading), 450 (math)... Yeah.. I wish Smith was test optional for international kids!</p>
<p>Intended major: SWAG or Political Science
Minor: Russian</p>
<p>I’m not sure how Smith would view your SAT scores, but I’d say the rest of your profile looks good. Is it possible for you to retake the SATs? It might be worth a try; work with a SAT workbook and take some practice tests beforehand so you can be more at ease. Give yourself some time to make this part of your application stronger and you could apply for ED II.</p>
<p>Regarding your deafness, I would think it wouldn’t be good for you to come across as a victim. It’s better for your counselor to acknowledge your educational setbacks but you can demonstrate how you have worked to rise above those setbacks to accomplish your goals. I hope I don’t come across as critical; I have significant hearing loss myself and use hearing aids. I notice all the time how that limits me but I forge ahead anyway. :)</p>
<p>It’s test optional for internationals whose first language is not English and whose main language of instruction is not English. But zozza1 is Australian, so it’s not optional for her.</p>