<p>I am interested in Dartmouth, but im not sure about my stats:</p>
<ul>
<li>White upper-middle-class male</li>
<li>Top 10% weighted GPA at EXTREMELY competitive public HS (top 5/6% without freshman year)</li>
<li>old SAT: 710 v, 720 m</li>
<li>new SAT: 750 cr, 690 m, 790 w</li>
<li>ACT: 33</li>
<li>Will take 6 APs by end of senior year</li>
</ul>
<p>ECs:
- editor of paper 9th and 10th grade
- editor-in-chief 12th grade
- Co-head Democrat club
- Co-head Latin club
- Amnesty International
- Natl. Latin Honors Society
- Silver Medalist Natl. Latin exam</p>
<ul>
<li>Leaning toward liberal arts for major</li>
</ul>
<p>As an extra bonus for anyone taking time to offer their advice, here's a little joke:</p>
<p>Best Pickup Line Ever: Does this napkin smell like chloroform to you?</p>
<p>Slipper, why would you say someone with 50 points below the average SAT score last year has a good shot? I know you went there, what do you know that we don't? It seems so unlikely that a white guy with a 1430 and average ECs would get in.</p>
<p>Suze, I think it's all about how an applicant presents himself or herself, although I'm not an expert by any means. Yes, he does, have below average SAT's, according to you (I've seen different averages that hover around 1430); however, there are real people evaluating him, they're not just machines that automatically reject him when his SAT scores, which are quite good, don't blow them out of the water. I think you underestimate the power of an excellent essay. Furthermore, the difference of 50 points equates to about maybe 3 or 4 more right answers max on the SAT. So while your point that odyssy doesn't have that "hook" is valid, he still is a very solid applicant with a shot. I'm just saying that with the ambiguity that seems to accompany college admissions these days, he definitely has a shot, if not a pretty good one.</p>
<p>I don't think Dartmouth or any other school pretends someone is much smarter because they got a few more SAT questions right, but I do think they are unwilling to let their averages fall. It's not a coincidence that they happen to choose a class with higher averages every year. It was 1480 last year, up iver 50 points in a few years just like every other highly rated school. They have to compromise on scores for many hooked candidates which simply does not allow them to do it for the non hooked and still maintain their rating.</p>
<p>If a college turns down an applicant for she/he would make averages fall, I rather not attend it.
Suze, I don't think that his SAT scores are big problem, he still has to present the essays, recommendations and Ecs, so SAT score is just one factor. I bet you knew it already :). However I admit that his stats did not interest me. But as he can improve the chance by so many things beside SAT scores, I'd say odyssy5red has a good chance.</p>
<p>Then there's no college for you because they all do it. Are you kidding? This is so basic. Do you really think they are altruistic and considering what works for you. It's the job of adcoms to make the school look good. How naive can you be?</p>
<p>Suze, just out of curiosity, are going to apply to Dartmouth in the fall (either early or regular)? And I saw another one of you posts here, is it true both your parents went to Dartmouth?</p>
<p>I've read that Dartmouth admits a fair amount of legacies compared to other Ivy League schools, is that true? I don't have a legacy anywhere really except UT-Austin and U of Toronto, both of which I could get into fairly easily and I might as well go to a UC anyway.</p>
<p>Legacies will constitute a greater proportion of the Class of 2009 than the classes of recent years, with 123 legacies choosing to matriculate, making up 11.3 percent of the class.</p>
<p>YES, go legacies!!! That's such good news, it was only about 7% last years. My mom, very involved at Dartmouth, says there's just a tremendous number (lots of doubles) applying now.</p>
<p>There seems to be an upward trend in legacy admissions. All the best to you.</p>
<p>Class of 08</p>
<p>Legacies comprise 9.6 percent of the matriculating students, at just over 100, while the majority of students -- 63.7 percent -- come from public high schools</p>
<p>This is just me, but if both my parents went to a college, let's say Stanford (which they didn't), then I wouldn't want to go to the same school. I would always feel as if I was in my parents' shadow and have the hovering question of, 'would I have been admitted if I wasn't a legacy?".
Suze, I'm not trying to be pugnacious by any means, you may have the scores and grades to get into Dartmouth for all I know. However, I've always been skeptical of legacy admissions since I've heard of so many kids being admitted to Ivy League schools that do not deserve to be there based on their academic merit.</p>
<p>Suze, I was looking more at the ACT + Writing SAT also but you are right. But yeah not certain at all, maybe a 20-25% chance. Its a major reach for sure, the applicant really needs to present himself well.</p>
<p>Dont listen to the idiots who say you dont have a chance because of your SAT score. You have a pretty good chance. Make sure to polish up your EC's and essays.</p>
<p>suze doesnt know what he's talking about, implying that dartmouth doesnt accept non-legacy white kids under the average SAT score.</p>