Chance Please

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington & Lee University
1

<p>My son will be a rising Junior next year and I would like to gauge his school preference to W & L with a realistic eye. Any and all comments regarding his chances based upon this info. would be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>White Male, from South Florida</p>

<p>He plans to pursue PreMed Studies (ultimately Med School). He’ll be a Junior in the Fall Junior, so I'll make reasonable estimates for that and his senior year.</p>

<p>Stats. as of now:</p>

<p>GPA UW: 3.93 (Core Only)
GPA W: 5.12 (School weights +1 pt. for Honors & 2 pts. For AP Classes)
Class Rank: 2 of 110
Counting senior year, 9 AP classes will have been completed</p>

<p>Freshman Year: AP Human Geo (5)
Sophomore Year: AP Biology (just taken-very certain a 5)
Junior Year: APUSH, AP Environmental Science, AP Lang and Comp.
Senior Year: AP Physics B, AP Chemistry, AP Lit and Comp., AP Stats.</p>

<p>All Honors or AP level courses - Medical Professions Track at his school is heavy on the Sciences, has or will complete: Medical Terminology, Embryology, Anatomy & Physiology,
Forensic Science, Pathology, Medical Internship, Medical Exam, Biology (Honors & AP),
Chem. (Honors & AP), AP Physics B, Microbiology, AP Environmental Science.</p>

<p>PSAT: 214 as a 10th Grader (Intensive tutoring for PSAT and SAT continuing up until October Test date – School provided scholarship for tutoring 20 high achievers at his school) Shooting for 230's in October.</p>

<p>Sat Testing with tutor in timed test conditions is yielding CR 770 M 740 W 720</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
National Honor Society (Secretary)
National English Honor Society
National Spanish Honor Society
PreMed Honors Society (2 Years)
Key Club
Community Service 450 hrs. to date (YMCA, Fundraising for various overseas causes, Acting Camp mentor at local County Playhouse)
Physician Shadowing
Tutored Middle School Students in grade specific math</p>

<p>Dual Citizen- USA/Italy
He researched, applied for and was awarded his dual citizenship. He would like the option of living/working overseas after college.</p>

<p>Awards:
• Palm Beach Regional Science & Engineering Fair 2nd Place Physics Category (2012)</p>

<p>• Florida State Science & Engineering Fair Finalist – 2nd Place Engineering Category (2013- only student in school history to make it to and place at State Level).</p>

<p>• The Stiles Nicholson Foundation “MAD Scientist” Junior Achievement Award.</p>

<p>• ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers & Florida Foundation of Future Scientists- Outstanding Project Award – State of Florida 2nd Place Senior Division.</p>

<p>• Received a Full 4 year Academic Scholarship to attend his Competitive Private School from amongst 250 competing Highest Academic achieving Middle School students in South Florida.</p>

<p>Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards: Biology, Pre Calc, Anatomy & Physiology, World History.</p>

<p>AP Scholar with Distinction (as of next year)</p>

<p>Recommendations:
Honors & AP Biology teacher (was also his State Science Fair Coordinator)
Medical Professions Program Chair
School Headmaster</p>

<p>All three will be outstanding recs.</p>

2

<p>It’s really early (a lot can happen between now & his application), but he looks like a match and should consider applying for the Johnson Scholarship.</p>

3

<p>Thank you for the chance…and we’ll be visiting campus this summer…he’ll definately apply for the Johnson if he feels the school is a fit…</p>

4

<p>I think he sounds like a match, too. You might want to set up an interview on the day of your visit. That will benefit both of you (parents come in after the student interview) as well as show interest. Alumni interviews are available, though, in the your region in the fall if that is easier.</p>

5

<p>Thanks burry…we’ll follow up on your suggestion and try to schedule an interview on our visit up there this summer…</p>

6

<p>I believe interviews with a member of the admissions staff are available to rising and/or current high school seniors only. Younger students visiting campus can attend the information session and campus tour, so it is still worth making an initial visit this summer. If your son can’t make it back to campus once he is eligible for an interview, he should arrange for an alumni interview at that time. Since he is a student at a competitive private high school, I suspect a member of the W&L admissions staff may visit his school in the fall (the school college counselor would have that schedule) during college fair season.</p>

7

<p>W and L requires that the student (not the parent) lead the process and really needs to interview on campus. SAT scores (not psat or tutoring scores) are critical, over 2100 for non Johnson scholars and close to 2400 with hook for Johnson scholars. Sorry to point out typo but “definitely” spelling counts at W and L.</p>

8

<p>ahhh yeah…parents do help their kids sometimes…I’m sure that if he had taken his SAT’s yet, they would have been posted in the original post (hence, the “mock scores”)…I’m “definitely” sure that spelling does count at W&L and that his spell check will be working if he attends there…sheesh</p>

9

<p>Hi there! I was accepted to W&L and I am an incoming freshman. Your son definitely seems to have the credentials/scores/GPA. I had a lackluster unweighted GPA, but made up for it through extra curricula activities and test scores. Good luck, and make sure to take the SAT subject tests!</p>

10

<p>Lots of students from our area do alumni interview and many of them accepted. Several were invited to Johnson interviews. You don’t have to do on campus interview.</p>

11

<p>Your student looks like an outstanding candidate! Two quick observations, though: it looks like there is only one teacher giving a recommendation on your list. Most colleges, including W&L, require two. If the Med. Professions chair has taught your son in a class, then disregard what I just wrote. Otherwise, he’s going to need another teacher rec. The only other “huh?” I saw was, no Calculus? For an aspiring pre-med student, AP Stats is not considered nearly as rigorous as BC Calc, and all these top schools are looking for students to take the most rigorous courses available to them.</p>