Chance Please

Colleges and Universities A-Z Williams College
1

<p>Hello, all. Our daughter visited Williams and fell in love with the school. She is a potential visual arts/art history major and the school provides just the sort of experience and environment she is seeking, but she (and we) are a bit freaked out about her using her ED bullet on such a highly competitive school and we would greatly appreciate the collective wisdom of the group to help make an informed and sensible decision. Other options for ED would include WUSTL, Bowdoin, Amherst, Northwestern and Brown (probably just as daunting as Williams). Here's some background:</p>

<p>Grades: Weighted GPA of 97.2/100. School doesn't calculate GPA, but this should equate to about a 3.8. She got a couple of high B's in 9th grade, 1 in 10th grade and all A's in 11th (with a weighted GPA for the year of 101.5). Weighted and unweighted GPA has gone up every single semester as course rigor has increased.</p>

<p>APs: 10- European History (4); 11- APUSH, English Lit, and Latin (awaiting scores); 12- taking Art History, Bio, AB Calc and English Comp (plus post-AP Latin).</p>

<p>ACT: 33 Composite/34 super-score</p>

<p>School and Class Rank: Elite SE private school - doesn't keep class rank. </p>

<p>EC's include the following:
Art: Multiple Scholastic Arts Awards, including American Visions Award (one of 5 top works in state) and two Gold Keys; school "Arts Laureate";
Model UN: winner of several best delegate and best delegation awards
Cross Country: 9/10/11 varsity cross country (will compete again in fall); team won state championship last year
Soccer: 9/10/11
Service Leader: 10/11/12
Sunday School Art Teacher: 11/12
Summer Camp Counselor for At Risk Youth: 10/11
Community Teen Philanthropy Committee- member of small group who reviewed RFPs to make a $10K charitable grant.
Presidential Intern at History Museum summer 2013 (first-ever high school volunteer- abstracted Civil War era documents);
Intern at Contemporary Art Museum summer 2014 (first ever high school volunteer)</p>

<p>We are expecting very strong recommendations from teachers who have had her multiple times. Expect very solid essays as well. No other "hooks" to speak of</p>

<p>Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! </p>

2

<p>I believe your daughter has a good chance at Williams, especially ED, but at the same time understand that she wants to use the ED card to her full advantage. If Williams is truly her top choice – and it appears from her profile that she’d be an excellent fit – then I’d say go ahead and apply ED. The acceptance rate for ED is high – 40-something % (I know, I know legacies and athletes, etc) and I believe Williams would find her a person of interest. </p>

<p>The risk in NOT applying ED would be that if she were to be denied RD she would never know whether ED would have made the difference.</p>

<p>My son, Williams 07, was an art history/studio major. He applied and was accepted ED, and is forever grateful that he did. His scores and grades were similar to your daughter’s (his school didn’t rank either), but selectivity may have tightened somewhat over the past 10 years.</p>

<p>I assume that your daughter will submit an art portfolio with her application. Along with her visuals, she should put together a package that includes a resume listing courses, achievements, awards, internship experience; a supplemental recommendation from a mentor or instructor; selected (two maximum) media articles about her work. She should also make sure that her essays and recommendations reinforce and enhance her commitment to art/art history.</p>

<p>If she’s willing or able to pursue one of her sports on the varsity level, that would be a big plus. If not, the combination of academics+sports+arts is golden at Williams, even on the club level.</p>

<p>During his campus visit something about Williams spoke to him – the mountains, the kids, the museums, the art facilities, the entry system, Winter Study. It did not disappoint, in academics, internship and career opportunities, graduate school admissions and most importantly lifelong friends.</p>

<p>My son’s short list included Brown and Yale (both, as you note, extreme reaches). Among LACs he really liked Wesleyan, Hamilton and Kenyon. He didn’t feel that Amherst’s art/art history offerings measured up. For less selectives he looked at Conn College and Skidmore.</p>

3

<p>Because six colleges are being considered for ED means that your daughter is not yet prepared to make an ED choice. There should be no “options” for ED. None. Only one college should be considered for ED. It is not simply a way to improve ones chances, it is a way to get into the one and only school that you KNOW that you want.</p>

<p>Students should only apply ED if they are absolutely, totally, without question, certain that the school is their first choice AND that they can afford it. In no other instance is it wise to apply ED. Ever.</p>

4

<p>Momrath- Thank you so much for your assistance and thoughtful reply. The school did seem to be an excellent fit when we visited and she was captivated by many of the same attributes that attracted your son a few years ago. Williams is a very special place. If the school proves to be truly her top choice (as it it may well be after she completes all of her final summer campus visits), I will encourage her go for it. She is putting together her art portfolio and resume now and has requested a supplemental recommendation from her art teacher. I’m not sure that a varsity sport would be a realistic option, but a club sport certainly would be.</p>

5

<p>There is a lot of variety within those possible ED schools. Is she certain that this is the school for her? If so, then apply ED. Don’t use ED as a special ticket as some sort.</p>

<p>Students from my school have had great success with admission to Williams using ED. However, all three were varsity athletes. I go to a public school of about 450 people. </p>

<p>Applying ED definitely shows you are committed to the school. However, only apply if you are certain you will be happy if you get in! It isn’t for everyone!</p>

<p>I, personally, am applying to Williams ED. I have similar grades (I don’t have any Bs though) in all AP/honors classes. I was the captain of my track teams (indoor and outdoor) as a junior, and I’ll also be a captain for XC this fall. I don’t want to run in college, but I’ll definitely stay athletic by joining a club sport of some sort. I’m also a big musician and artist. I’ve played violin for 12 years, and I’ve been All-State for the past three years. I was partly drawn to Williams for its strong music program, as I want to continue playing violin in college. There are many other parts to my resume, like touring Ireland with my fiddle group and doing an independent research project, various a awards etc., but I am honestly a little intimidated to apply to Williams ED. It’s just so competitive. However, I just fell in love with the school, and I can’t picture myself anywhere else.</p>

<p>BASICALLY if your daughter is CERTAIN she wants to go to Williams and no where else, then apply ED. There’s no other way to know! You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Maybe we can both be future Ephs together (wouldn’t that be cool). </p>

<p>Good luck with the college process!! I wish you guys all the best :)</p>

6

<p>Tedlaruck–don’t know which museum your D is interning, but if it is a big-name one (esp. if it’s in the Northeast) there is bound to be a Williams connection. She should look into networking and possibly getting in touch with a Williams prof who may review her submitted portfolio. Prof’s letters to admissions certainly carry weight.</p>

<p>2015snl–send supplemental recordings too. If it’s impressive, it will make a significant difference in admissions. (To put it bluntly, you’re not the only applicant who says they’re a good violinist. Prove it! :smiley: Also, if you play Irish fiddle, I really hope you get in.) </p>

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<p>@FoxboroPiper‌ I will create a recording with my violin teacher this summer! Perfect :slight_smile: </p>

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<p>Thanks for your messages. </p>

<p>2015snl, my daughter does want to be absolutely certain that she makes the proper decision for her ED choice. Williams would clearly be a fantastic fit based on her background and interests, the size, location and environment at the school and the really positive experience she had during her visit there. I think the reason she hasn’t made her ED decision yet does not mean that she isn’t sold on the school, only that she is a bit intimidated by the amazing candidates (like you frankly!) with whom she will be competing. I do believe that the supportive messages from you and others may well embolden her to go for it, but this is ultimately her call to make and not mine. She’ll be confirming her decision over the next couple of weeks. Best of luck to you and we will certainly follow up with you if/when she proceeds.</p>

<p>FoxboroPiper, the museum is unfortunately NOT a “big-name” museum. It’s a newish, regional institution. Your networking suggestion is a wonderful one- we will see if there is some way to connect to a prof. Any opportunity to deliver her portfolio for review and feedback would be immensely helpful as it is very strong and will be well-received. </p>

9

<p>I believe the admissions committee will automatically send your daughter’s portfolio to the art department for evaluation and input. How much this input helps in admission is debatable. My opinion is that it is considerable, but we really have no way to know.</p>

<p>I also believe that your daughter’s museum experience is a strong point, even if the museums are less well known. Williams offers the combined art history/studio degree exactly for students like her. She could mention this in her application.</p>

10

<p>Best of luck! </p>

11

<p>On a recent visit, they assured us that an arts supplement can only help not hurt. I’ve heard rumors that at some schools a poorly reviewed supplement could be a negative but apparently–at least they said–not at Williams. </p>

<p>I did get the impression that hooks–legacy, sports, arts–mainly work as tie breakers for otherwise qualified applicants. </p>

12

<p>For class of 2018, 236 admitted ED . If 44% of student body are varsity athletes, then that is around 200 kids/year. NESCAC athletes are not “signed” by coaches, but need to go through admissions process with most applying ED. Just the way NESCAC league schools use ED process.</p>