<p>S is a senior at an excellent public high school in the northeast - LOVES Vassar, but we know it's a very high reach, even ED. Is Wesleyan easier to get into? Are there others he should consider besides Bard, Pitzer, Oberlin, & Colorado College? Prefers mild weather, but would sacrifice for great school with great academics. </p>
<p>3.75 GPA weighted (many honors & APs)
jazz guitar 7 years
jazz band 2 years
volunteer 25 - 50 hours
stock club
french club
starting photography club
track 1 year
part-time job</p>
<p>He should definitely consider Pitzer or, Occidental if he is looking for milder weather. Unfortunately, Wesleyan is no easier to get into than Vassar.</p>
<p>Actually, Vassar might be a little easier… for a boy. I understood that Vassar was a little more forgiving if the application was from a male. Fact of life, they need to bump up that ratio.</p>
<p>S got in off wait list with same GPA, nearly identical ECs <em>but</em> nearly 200 points higher. Since he got in off the WL I think we can safely assume he was on the low end of admitted students. Bottom line for you is that you need a big SAT bump to be competitive.</p>
<p>No, I still think Vassar should be on his list, if he loves it! A list should have reaches, matches, and safeties, so there’s no harm in him applying to Vassar even if their scores are above his. And it’s true that him being male gives him an edge.</p>
<p>He should apply ED only to his one dream school above all others. It’s a loooong time from December to September, scary enough to lock oneself in when it is a dream school, without a chance to change your mind. May to September is much shorter.</p>
<p>does he have safeties on his list, too? assuming his UW is substantially lower than the 3.75W you posted I don’t think any of those schools are safeties.</p>
<p>Formyson… my DS is looking at some of the same colleges. I had exactly the same questions regarding ED. He has a rising GPA, horrible Freshman year, okay soph, and good Junior year. I think his GPA may be a little lower but he is at top private college prep school in CA that sends 30% of class to Ivy’s. His SAT’s are hovering around 2200, with math score bringing it down. Eagle Scout, search and rescue team, a lot of conservation EC’s. Tons of leadership. I’m thinking that applying ED will hurt him because some schools might want to see his first semester grades. It’s such a hard decision. Thinking of maybe using the ED 2 at some schools that offer it because then first semester grades will have been recorded.</p>
<p>I had similar stats to his; 3.75 weighted (took honors and then IB diploma), a couple clubs, 62 hours community service, classical guitar for many years, etc… except my SAT score was 2200. So he definitely has a shot. I applied to Wesleyan ED–I had no doubt that it was my dream school, and I haven’t wavered since–and I got accepted. If you want a benefit like ED gives, but without the lock-in, he might consider applying EA, and then ED to Vassar (if he’s sure he loves it that much).</p>
<p>5boys… ED will never hurt. If they want to see 1st quarter grades then they will ask…Then they will decide to accept, reject or deferr to ED 2. If they will postpone solely for 1st quarter grades then the likely outcome would be to defer. That would still leave time for the other schools application while you wait for ED2. My son was deferred to ED2 because he tanked a grade during 1st semester. Luckily he was deferred, then admitted… Just started today…He pulled it out and worked very hard… and is now very happy at WES which was his first choice.</p>
<p>The difference between your son’s 2200 and the OP’s 2040 is HUGE in this case, mainly because a 2200 is <em>above</em> the mean SAT of Wes students and a 2040 is below. Meaning your son will bring Wes’ stats <em>up</em> and the OP’s will bring it <em>down</em>.</p>
<p>Jerseygirl is correct, ED never hurts and almost always helps. If Wes is his first choice, then you should absolutely apply ED, it can make the difference.</p>
<p>Being male has approximately the same impact at every LAC. Women apply to college, and LAC in particular, in far higher numbers than men. Vassar’s ratio is a testament to NOT giving men a strong advantage - if they wanted 50/50, they could do 50/50. I would hazard to suggest that the closer the male to female ratio at a given LAC, the greater the advantage being male gets you. This rumor that Vassar has any special preference for male candidates is unfounded and needs to be put to rest.</p>
<p>Actually, VassarGrad, I disgree. Some LACs tend to attact males at far greater rates than others. I don’t have the data handy, but schools like Bowdoin and Williams tend to get applications from men and women in equal numbers. Vassar (and others to equal or lesser degrees) tend to get a disproportionate amount of applications from women. Therefore, for schools looking for a balanced ratio, there is going to be a difference in acceptance rate and being male will have an advantage.</p>
<p>He visited Skidmore & strongly disliked it. Most of the students were uninspiring & the campus was a turn-off - there were cig butts everywhere! He was also turned off by the tour guide, who seemed hung-over & not very bright.</p>