Chances, and should I go for ED (will it make a difference)?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>Hello, I'm sure many of you see plenty of these everyday, but hey, a question is a question all the same.</p>

<p>Here's a bit of background:
I just started my senior year in high school so most of these statistics are from junior year and prior, keep in mind that I'm now enrolled in 6 AP classes and will have an estimated GPA of 5.0 for my Senior year (weighted of course). Additionally, my high school is one of the top rated high schools in my state. And lastly, I'm looking into a political science major. Also, I'm white.</p>

<p>Academics:
Academic GPA (unweighted): 4.0
Academic GPA (weighted): 4.5
Enrolled in Honors or AP classes: yes (straight A's)
In the top 10% of my class.
SAT: 2050 (will be taking again in November for sure)
-Math: 670
-CR: 690
-Writing: 690
SAT II:
-Chemistry: 760
-US History: 750
(also taking Math level 2 and lit. in October)
No ACT yet (taking in October)</p>

<p>AP Scores:
-World History: 3
-Chemistry: 3
-US History: 5
-English Lang.: 5</p>

<p>Extracurricular:
Played on the JV water polo team for 2 years
Vice President of my high school's NHS.
Founder and President of the school's Skiing and Snowboarding Club.
Founder and Head of the school's academic boosters organization (an organization which focuses on raising money for my school in a failing economy).
Competing member of my school's academic decathlon team as well as the FBLA competition team.
I won't bother to list the clubs I'm a member of, either than competition teams, I don't think that colleges care.
Outside of school, I'm a volunteer for RFB&D, or reading for the blind and dyslexic, which records text books for, well, the blind and dyslexic.</p>

<p>Lastly, my major passion and hobby is hiking, and over the course of my 4 high school years I've done a majority of the famous American hikes (I.E. Mount Whitney, Half Dome, Grand Canyon, working on McKinley)</p>

<p>Anyway, what do you think my chances are? Or would it just be a shot in the dark. I'm taking more SAT and such, and should do pretty decently in my opinion.</p>

2

<p>Unless you are planning to apply to some of the schools that require 3 SAT IIs, I wouldn’t bother to take another at this stage. I don’t think that 2 more good scores are going to make a big difference elsewhere. Raising your SATI scores by 30 or more points per section or getting equivalent scores on the ACT would probably do you more good. </p>

<p>Hiking is a good fit for D. </p>

<p>I’d say it’s a reach, but worth a shot. I tend to doubt that ED would help much.</p>

3

<p>Your SAT II scores are what I’d be least worried. Your SAT 1 is a bit low; perhaps you’d fare better on the ACT? I agree with Consolation that hiking does make it seem as though you’d be a better fit for Dartmouth than say Columbia, but it is no indication of acceptance chances. If you have your heart set on Dartmouth, go ahead and apply ED. Make sure to have backups to apply to in case you get rejected or deferred to RD.</p>

4

<p>^^ I agree with Consolation and Monroy. Can you try to do the late registration for the ACT and try the exam next month? Get your self familiarized with the concept and go for it. Keep us posted!</p>

5

<p>I would wait until you have competitive score to apply. ED is mostly for the hooked at Dartmouth anyway.</p>

<p>With a 4.0 unweighted GPA are you the val of your class? That will help a lot.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the help thus far. I need to take at least one more SAT II unfortunately, so there is no escaping that. And I am defiantly working to a higher SAT score on the SAT I. </p>

<p>Even though i have a 4.0 unweighted my high schools class rank is determined by weighted gpa :/, so I unfortunately rank 13 out of 733 (I was unable to take an honors math class freshman and sophomore year due to class size :/). </p>

<p>Anyway, thanks, and keep the replies coming, all feedback is great.</p>

7

<p>I’m actually in the same position you are, with roughly the same SAT scores (although your GPA is quite impressive. I still haven’t decided if I want to apply to Dartmouth ED. Their early decision acceptance rate is like 26% or something, so depending on what other colleges you are considering applying ED I would say go for it, you have nothing to lose (:</p>

8

<p>Don’t be fooled by the 26% ED rate. That includes virtually all of the recruited athletes and many legacies. I remember that last year a LOT of applicants here with really outstanding credentials were deferred or rejected. You might want to look back at those threads and compare.</p>

<p>If there is another school that you like a lot where applying EA (not ED) really helps your chances, I’d strongly consider it.</p>

9

<p>From what I know, there seems to be a lot of people at Dartmouth who were accepted ED. Just putting it out there…</p>

10

<p>Dartmouth takes about one-third of the class ED. Consider though, the class is 17% recruited athletes and 12% legacies, most of whom enter in that round…there will be some development in there too, staff kids and top URMs they want to snag. In the end, I think lots of qualified kids get deferred because they cap ED, and cap it lower than many peer schools.</p>

11

<p>I agree with Consolation, that unless there are schools on your list that require # SAT subject tests, if you are applying ED, it is in your best interest to retake the SAT I this October (as an unhooked applicant, you probably really need to crack 700)</p>

<p>The Class of 2012 had 400 students accepted ED</p>

<p>2/3s of the class consists of the following group of students:</p>

<p>~19% (76 students) were athletes </p>

<p>[TheDartmouth.com</a> | Ivy League recruiting practices: Does Dartmouth lower its standards?](<a href=“http://thedartmouth.com/2009/01/12/sportsweekly/recruiting]TheDartmouth.com”>http://thedartmouth.com/2009/01/12/sportsweekly/recruiting)</p>

<p>16.25 % (65 legacies)</p>

<p>20% (80 Vals)</p>

<p>11% (44 Sals)</p>

<p><a href=“http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/07/news/earlyapps[/url]”>http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/07/news/earlyapps&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Class 2013 had 401 students admitted ED</p>

<p>[TheDartmouth.com</a> | 401 members of Class of 2013 admitted early](<a href=“http://thedartmouth.com/2009/01/05/news/ed]TheDartmouth.com”>http://thedartmouth.com/2009/01/05/news/ed)</p>

<p>16.6% (62 legacies)
~19% (76 athletes)</p>

12

<p>It seems that for a hiker, Dartmouth is really the school for you…but if you want a real chance, work on those SAT scores.</p>

13

<p>Why do you need another SAT II. I thought you only needed 2 for Dartmouth? I still think you definitely need to work on the main standardized tests, the ACT or SAT 1.</p>

14

<p>There is no magic formula for admissions. We honestly do consider you application on a wholistic basis. ED has no bearing on your chances for admissions. It is simply an option for anyone who knows that they would like to go to Dartmouth and get the application out of the way. As proof of this our admissions stats (SAT scores, grades, ect) were pretty close (wish I had the exact number) for ED and Regular Decision.</p>

15

<p>masonfactor, stop using “we” when referring to Dartmouth. You clearly do not work for the Dartmouth admissions office.</p>

<p>As if it weren’t obvious enough by your stupid, error-ridden posts, it says in your profile that you were born in 1991.</p>

<p>Nice one.</p>

16

<p>Actually I am a freshman webguide for Dartmouth. We are volunteers that help admissions reach out to prospective students. You can find out more here: [Discover</a> Dartmouth | Facebook](<a href=“Facebook Public Group | Facebook”>Facebook Public Group | Facebook).</p>

<p>BTW: I wrote the last post in a rush so disregard any spelling errors.</p>

<p>You can feel free to email me at: <a href=“mailto:mc13@dartmouth.edu”>mc13@dartmouth.edu</a> if you have any questions about my role as a webguide.</p>

17

<p>Also if you would like to double check the Dartmouth Admissions site clearly notes our policy on Early Decision and it’s lack of bearing on your chances of being admitted: [Early</a> Decision](<a href=“http://www.dartmouth.edu/apply/admissions/firstyear/early.html]Early”>http://www.dartmouth.edu/apply/admissions/firstyear/early.html)</p>