Chance Me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

After my college road trip to visit Swarthmore, I fell in love with the school. I plan on applying ED I this year. I’m a bit worried though, as my GPA dropped first semester of junior year after my dad was diagnosed with cancer (not making excuses), as well as a trip to India for a wedding that I couldn’t get out of and paid dearly for in terms of grades, and personal health issues (overall, it was an awful time/semester, and teachers were not lenient). Also, if it makes a difference( and it probably does) I’m an Asian female. In addition, I have one cousin who graduated from there, and another who is attending this fall. I will not need financial aid.

GPA: 3.5 (UW), 4.55 (W); top quarter percent; highly competitive school
ACT: 31 in one sitting, expect to get around 35/36 in second sitting, based on practice tests

National Merit Commended
AP Scholar with Distinction
Part of the IB program

Extra-curriculars, etc.:

  • Secretary of Home Economics (co-founder)
  • Bharatnatyam (South Indian) Dance: 2004 - present
    • Senior group leader
    • gotten awards every year
    • Choreographing a solo two-hour show
    • Have been performing at different events
      with my group for 9 years
    • Will be sending a solo performance for

      a dance supplement
  • Senior President of a Literary (Tutoring) Club at an Elementary School; Member for two years
  • South Indian Music – Vocals: 2003 - present
  • Violin: 2006 - present (Orchestra: 2009-2012)
  • Three internships: university microbiology lab aid, internship at the library help desk, violin camp aid
  • Hospital volunteer: once at UF, another in village in Gudalur (India)
  • Put together a “Feed the Homeless in the City” event in Junior Year
  • Indian Cultural Youth Group for 6 years (Treasurer)
  • Secretary of GSA: helped in organizing a pride festival

Do I still have a chance after my gpa slipped? Any answers would be appreciated, thank you!!

2

the post glitched, but from ‘senior group leader’ to the supplement all falls under dance

3

also, i forgot to add but im part of national english honor society and national spanish honor society, if that helps!

4

@mesmou

I’m attending Swarthmore this fall so I’ll you my opinion. You seem like a culturally-rich person with an interest in social justice - which personally just based solely on your extracurriculars, I could see you as a very appealing individual to the folks at the admissions office. I wouldn’t see your gpa as a deal breaker as it does not seem bad at all and with Swarthmore’s holistic admissions process, I wouldn’t think that they’d reject you for it unless there are other weak points in your application. I got in with standardized testing scores much lower than their 25th percentile and was not even in the top 10 at my school (but keep in mind I am a first gen URM). Nonetheless, I was worrying about it too much when all I had to do was make my extracurriculars shine and my essays amazing. To get to the point, with the right essays, I beleive that you’ll definitely be a competitive applicant next year and your GPA won’t result in an automatic rejection. One personal tip from me is to make your essays as quirky as possible and not focus on a mere sob story (trust me, I have plenty of personal sad back stories, but I chose to write about aliens [in the space sense] and daydreaming). Good luck to you!

5

Oh thank you! I really hope I do make the cut, and I’ll definitely work hard on my essay(s).