<p>Hey everyone. I am new, but I know how the forum works, particularly this section of the forum. So anyone who chances me here, I PROMISE I will chance back. You can search my 3 or 4 posts and they are somewhat detailed, not 2 words or one liners.</p>
<p>So on to me. I go to a school in the heart of Wall Street, NY. The concentration and emphasis is on Economics and Finance. I am a rising Senior and there aren’t many kids in my grade. Here are my stats:</p>
<p>Race/Gender: African American/Male
EFC: 0; Family Income: Less than $20,000
W: 90.40
UW: Unknown (haven’t asked)
Rank: 21/121 (Has changed because a lot of juniors in my garde slacked; I will move up by next year); Top 15%</p>
<p>Now I warn you…these scores are HORRID.
SAT I: CR (460); M (550); W (470) 1010/1480
SAT II: Bio E (470); History (560)
ACT: 20
(You’re damn right I’m taking the ACT and SAT over this fall LOL)</p>
<p>Courseload: By Senior Year, 5 AP’s: 3 Junior Year; 2 Senior Year
-AP US History, AP English Comp, AP Biology - Junior Year
-AP English Literature, AP European History - Senior Year
*Scores come in 2 weeks</p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
AP English Literature
AP European History
Physics (I got offered AP Chem, should I take it?)
Pre-Calc
Health
Gym
Banking and Credit/College Writing (Each is 1 semester)</p>
<p>E.C:
100 Hours Community Service (9)
120 Hours Unpaid Internship (10)
Member if Academy of Finance (11)
Internship at Deutsche Bank (11)
Member of National Honors Society (11)
Member of LPP (11)
SAT Kaplan Prep Courses (11)
Quality of Life participant; Borough of Manhattan Finalist (10)
Downtown After 3 - Computer Lab (9)
Yearbook (12 - anticipated)</p>
<p>Being an african american improves your chances dramatically at any school; I would like to see your stats improve though.</p>
<p>No reason why you shouldn’t apply. You have things in your favor and some weaknesses where you can improve. Your weighted GPA is good, not great. Your test scores are not indicative of your good GPA, so if they don’t dramatically improve on the next round, I’d simply not send them. Bowdoin is a test-optional school and failure to send SATs or ACTs won’t hurt your chances.</p>
<p>As was stated, being urban, male and of a minority background helps you at elite LACs. If you are also a 1st gen college student, that helps too. Finally, if Bowdoin is definitely your school, apply ED 1, which will help some more. Your family income shouldn’t matter. Bowdoin is need blind and the decision on your app is made before it ever gets to FA.</p>
<p>However, my recommendation would also be to apply for as many third-party scholarships as you are eligible for. The reason is this - most colleges’ endowments got hammered by the economic downturn. Bowdoin is serious about their commitment to meeting full demonstrated need, and they’re need-blind, but numbers are numbers. Being a finance kid, I’m sure you get it.</p>
<p>Looks good to me! Just make sure that you have some less-selective LACs such as Colby and Bates on the list, as well as some financial safeties. One thing I would improve, besides the SAT/ACT, is making a stand out factor. I know that you have a very strong focus and that is really going to help you out, but there are a lot of kids in a similar situation as you. Take a look at the Class of 2015 Results threads for colleges similar to Bowdoin (Wesleyan, Bates, Colby, Williams and Amherst ect), as Bowdoin do not have one to scope out your competition. Good luck!</p>
<p>if your SAT scores were that low… you might want to rethink going to a school like this. Sure, you will most likely get in due to AA and Bowdoin’s sat optional poilcy… but you’ll most likely struggle. I’m not saying that to be a jerk, I’m saying it because I know people here who have struggled and have 18’s or 19’s… let alone 15’s…</p>
<p>Sure, SAT scores aren’t everything, I know because my SAT score was no where near 2100 or whatever the average was and I consider myself to be very smart… but they are indicative of something and I would really caution you in attending a school like Bowdoin. You could be doing yourself a huge disfavor.</p>
<p>Has anyone noticed that the OP started this thread in 2009? He is in the college class of 2014. So, assuming he matriculated somewhere, he is just heading home from his freshman year. Not that “chance me” threads are worth anything anyway, but this one is a fait accompli.</p>
<p>FWIW, he got into Bowdoin.</p>
<p>Wait, how do you know that he got into Bowdoin?</p>
<p>Click on the OP’s name, select “other posts by this user”. Not that I’m being stalk-y, but since so much time had elapsed since his first post, I realized that the decision was already “in the books” for something we were all still weighing in on. So far as I can tell, OP was admitted to Bowdoin, bit he never shared where he ultimately matriculated.</p>