<p>Extracurriculars:
DECA (10)
Spanish Club (10,11,12)
Classical Piano
-Private lessons since 1st grade
-I have placed high in statewide competitions
-Solo/Ensemble (x7) Superior or above rating
Athletics
-JV Tennis (9)
-Varsity Tennis (10,11,12)
-JV Basketball (9)
-Varsity Basketball (10,11,12)</p>
<p>Honors and Awards:
Academic
-Honor Roll (9,10,11,12)
-National Honor Society (11,12)
-DECA Regional Champion (10)
-DECA State Competition Qualifier (10)
Athletic
-Basketball
Varsity Starter (11,12)
Second Team All League (11)
-Tennis
2nd Place State Doubles (11)
1st Team All League (11)
2nd Team All League (10)
State Qualifier (10,11)</p>
<p>tmat 91 – If you do a web search and type “whitman common data set” you can access significant amounts of data, including information on admissions and financial aid. I’ve been doing this for all of the colleges that my youngest daughter mentions as she begins her search. In short, your SAT scores will be very competetive for Whitman. But be aware that the Whitman common data set includes a chart listing what is most important in admissions decisions, and standardized tests are not as important as rigor of studies and GPA. Although the common data set does not specify weighted or unweighted GPA statistics, your 3.8 would be average given the number Whitman reports. Assuming that you have opted for Honors and AP courses when available, I would guess that you would be seen as a strong candidate. Having been through this process with my oldest daughter two years ago, I would guess that you would stand a good chance of admission at any of the top LACs. However, having visitors to CC chance you is probably best for boosting confidence than anything else. There is still the essay to consider, the courses you’ve taken, the letters of recommendation, and the ultimate evaluation, how well will you fit into the academic and social community at Whitman?</p>
<p>Nonetheless, if I were you, given what you’ve posted, I would feel pretty good about now.</p>
<p>Thanks for your comment treeman… but here is the thing… I am in the top 10% of my class and have taken the most rigorous course schedule possible, but my school does not offer any honors, AP, IB classes… Do you think this will hurt my chances? Do top colleges expect you to get a 4.0 if your high school doesn’t offer any of those accelerated programs?</p>
<p>I’m not qualified to answer your question. But I can tell you that our school district has relatively few AP classes, and only one in the math and sciences (AP Calc). My oldest daughter was applying to college stating an interest in math and physics, and the lack of APs didn’t seem to hurt her applications. In several instances, she was offered rather large merit scholarships for students interested in the sciences. </p>
<p>In your case, I would suspect that letting admissions committees know that your school doesn’t offer honors or advanced classes would be a good strategy. In fact, class rank might be more important for you than for other applicants, particularly if your graduating class is large.</p>
<p>Good luck … and be sure to try to interview. You can share these concerns in person with people who can give you definitive answers. From our experience, interviews have been as much about sharing information with applicants as it has been about evaluating future students.</p>