Chances and Suggestions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bowdoin College
1

<p>I am considering applying to Swarthmore during Early or Regular Decision.</p>

<p>Transcript:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.6 at a prestigious private school that doesn’t give out A+ grades.
Course-load: Very rigorous – 7 AP classes</p>

<p>Standardized Tests:</p>

<p>SAT Math: 800
SAT Critical Reading: 700
SAT Writing: 720
SAT Composite: 2220</p>

<p>AP English Language: 5
AP US History: 4
AP Chemistry: 4</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular Activities:</p>

<p>Varsity Tennis: 9 & 10
Varsity Cross Country: 10 & 12
Varsity Track & Field: 11 & 12
Varsity Indoor Track: 11 & 12</p>

<p>Debate Team Captain and Founder
Tri-M Music National Honor Society: 10, 11, & 12
UNITY/Gay-Straight Alliance: 9, 10, 11, & 12
Coalition for Global Change: 11 & 12
Jazz Band: 10, 11, & 12
Guitar Ensemble: 10, 11, & 12</p>

<p>Hooks:</p>

<p>Music Rating (in all likelihood)</p>

<p>This Autumn I’m going to take the Literature and Math II SAT IIs and I am considering retaking the SAT I to improve my Critical Reading and Writing scores. Does anyone have any suggestions for improving my application and if I should apply during the Early Decision or Regular Decision periods?</p>

<p>Thanks so much.</p>

2

<p>Yo have a good academic record but not a spectacular one and the same thing is true with regard to your ECs. You have a shot at Bowdoin (as you do at all other LACs about which you have asked the same question). So your recommendations and your essays and the other intangibles will be critical for you. You'll be in the mix but how you make your case will be dispositive</p>

3

<p>Bowdoin*</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>

4

<p>I think you have all the academic stats you need to get in in terms of SCHOOL ONLY.</p>

<p>Your Extracurriculars need a bit more substance as I didn't see anything that really caught my attention there. I'm an incoming freshman to Bowdoin and all the people i've met in my class so far are, if not super hockey players from presitigious state champ teams, very very interesting people who have done some reallly unique and interesting things. </p>

<p>I had guitar ensemble/guitar orchestra on my application as well but I had lots of other EC's like doing lots of volunteer work with First Nations up in canada and Neurology research for 3 summers and during my senior years BLABLABLA haha. That's exactly what it really is, padding the resume. So just keep that in mind as you do your application. Don't do stuff just for college, but make sure you emphasize those special things you do that makes you unique and stand out from the rest of the applicants. </p>

<p>And oh ***** i'm late for work. darn. haha ^.^
good luck.</p>

<p>PS: Make sure you write a very catchy interesting (unique) essay.</p>

5

<p>And make sure you don't mention how much you want to attend Swarthmore in your Bowdoin application.</p>

6

<p>haha yeah i did the same thing when i was asking for chances on here last year and i put my bowdoin chances in middlebury which i ended up not applying to anyway (i couldn't take writing any more essays) =P</p>