<p>I'm not sure how I'll fare, but any helpful comments are much appreciated.</p>
<p>Subject Tests:
Chinese: 750
Literature: 690
Biology: 640
History: 690</p>
<p>AP Tests:
AP Eng. Language and Comp.: 5
AP Bio: 4
AP US History 4</p>
<p>AP Classes for Senior Year:
AP Econ.
AP Calculus AB
AP Eng. Literature and Com.
AP Chinese</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Newspaper President, two years in chess club before realizing it was a lost cause, Honor Society, a little bit of environmental club, 3 years of orchestra (2nd chair), National Academic League (team disbanded midway - not enough members), 1 science fair, </p>
<p>Awards/Recognition:
National Science Honor Society
National Honor Society
Mu Alpha Theta
other school academic awards</p>
<p>I also took an AP European History class this summer.</p>
<p>How many students in your class? Ranking 2nd is certainly impressive! Class selection seems good.</p>
<p>Your SAT scores could be better, especially in math. Do you still have time to take the Oct or Nov SATs? The same could possibly apply for SATIIs because Chinese tends to be weird with percentiles and the rest of the scores are fair, BUT I would say that would be a much lower priority. </p>
<p>Newspaper position and years in orchestra are good, but the rest seems sort of weak. I’m not sure I would include things that didn’t work out or clubs I sort of participated in on an application. I’m sure we’re not getting the whole story, but generally positions (president, chair, etc), results and numbers, or awards give a better idea of your participation and contribution. </p>
<p>If you have to prioritize activities on an application, you would generally select based on position, years involved, and general passion for the activity. Quantity is not necessarily better, but quality is important.</p>
<p>I would say something similar for your awards, most of which seem to be academically based. It seems to support the fact that you do well in school, but otherwise not telling a story about you as a person. I’m not sure how to improve this in time though 
Does your newspaper apply for awards?</p>
<p>Dear Autumnfrost,</p>
<pre><code> Your course selection suggests you are looking to challenge yourself
</code></pre>
<p>academically which is a good sign. I am curious about the number of students
in your class, considering you are ranked #2 which sounds impressive. Does
your school report individual gpa’s or did you omit it? Your gpa is also helpful
in trying to evaluate your chances. While your SAT reading score is good, it would
be to your advantage to take the SAT again to try to increase your math score.</p>
<pre><code> Looking at your ECs, I suggest you only focus on the ones that have played a
</code></pre>
<p>significant role for you. As FemmeFatale pointed out, including that you did “a little
bit of environmental club” and participated in chess for 2 years until you realized it
was not your cup of tea, might not be as beneficial as highlighting the activities that
have been a consistent part of your ECs. For example, I noticed you are Newspaper
President. This is usually a demanding position; it would be helpful for you to add the
number of years you have been writing for your school newspaper. Another feather in
your hat, is the fact you that you are second chair in the orchestra league and you have
been part of this league for 3 years. What instrument(s) do you play? Listing both of
these activities and underlining your position and years in them might be better off than
including what you wrote here about chess club and the environmental club. I would speak
to my guidance counselor to see what he/she thinks.</p>
<pre><code> Your awards sound good too. Now, I’ll be honest, your ECs could be stronger but you
</code></pre>
<p>do have two (Newspaper President and Second Chair Orchestra) that are solid, so stay
positive and remember quality is more important than quantity. Make sure to really
spend quality time on your essay and, if possible retake your SAT. Thanks to your Reading
Score, strong coursework and class rank (assuming your class is a good size class), you
have a chance. I am not saying your chance is strong, but I believe that if you can increase
your Math score (SAT I), you will be in a better position. If you really are interested in
Wellesley, make sure to write an outstanding essay and convey your interest in the school
when you interview. I love Wellesley and am so thankful for all the opportunities the
school provided for me. A Wellesley education follows you beyond college. I attribute my
success in grad school at Harvard, and in my career, to the foundation I received at Wellesley.
It is priceless! Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for replying. I’m 2 out of about 250. I’ve already taken my SAT three times, so I don’t think I should take it again. What I think I might do is to actually study for the ACT instead and hope that that score will be better.</p>
<p>2 out of 250 is very impressive. Good idea to take the ACT since you have already
taken the SAT three times. Give it your best shot!</p>
<p>I think you are competitive but not hugely so. I agree with you that after taking the SAT 3 times, it is time to focus on something else. I have personally known people who scored much better on the ACT than SAT (35 ACT/2090 SAT and 34 ACT/2100 SAT), although both were strong in the math and science and weaker in verbal, whereas your strengths lie in the other direction. I know that some people say that the Science section is really just more reading comprehension, but science has always been my weakest subject (the only subject in school that I just plain don’t like) and I scored by far the worst on it on the ACT–I was 36 Reading, 35 Math, 35 Writing, and 29 Science for a 34 composite. So don’t be complacent about studying for the science section! </p>
<p>I agree that your extras are okay but not great sounding. To be frank they worry me more than your test scores, because I feel that without absolutely insanely good tests and academic credentials, one can only go so far in terms of admission with only okay extras. I had a similar level of extras (I still have a stats profile under my name; you can get an idea there) and awards and I definitely feel that they were the area of my application that kept me out of the most selective schools. Now, there is a little more leeway at a Wellesley than a Yale, etc., but you still have to present a reason why you should be accepted as opposed to the next overall very smart and very qualified applicant, and I’m worried that I don’t see much of a reason. Being ranked number 2 is very good, but there is a student from every high school in the country who can say that, and many of them will have as good or better extras and test scores. Now, not every important quality comes across in a “chance me” post; a good essay and very positive recommendations can go a long way towards selling a student. But just based off of what I see, Wellesley seems like a bit of a reach to me. You certainly could be accepted, but I feel that it is a bit of a hard chance.</p>