Chances at Davidson...

<p>Whittierst, you are my hero. This information is absolutely great! Yeah I have heard the about WL also. This summer I plan on visiting DC, WL, Colgate, Vassar, and possibly Franklin and Marshall. Unfortunately I wont be able to visit Whitman and NW. As of now, I think that I will apply ED to either DC or WL depending on which I like more during my visit. I know of course this can change. For some reason, I'm thinking I will like DC better, but who knows. Your advice has been great and extremely helpful. Thanks so much. Hopefully in a few months Ill be able to meet your kid at DC and thank him for all your help :P. That would be something</p>

<p>Colsen ... a couple observations that may lend some perspective on your list ...</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Northwestern ... like but a very few places these days, they've kept the quarter system. That presents some unique twists ... vacations, start/end times, courses tend to be very concentrated and "quick", students tend to be a little out of "sync" because of calendar with peers elsewhere. Ditto on all else Whit noted.</p></li>
<li><p>F&M ... a lovely, fairly well kept (if not spectacular) campus in a decent part of Lancaster, which is no great shakes. We got sense it's very preppy. Definitely East Coast, and more Philly cheesesteak than Gotham City. We were most impressed with chem program, facilities, personal interests. Seemed very "quiet" on the October weekend we were there. Who knows if that's norm. Son determined it was not the right "feel" for hm. My own more cynical side concluded one of those places that was not a great value, difference maker, but that said, probably a fine experience for students who go there. Lots of PA schools we'd move toward before this one, I suspect. Conversely, it may be a good fit in light of a number of your other campuses of interest and orientation. It really could benefit from some market "branding" imo.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I suspect you'll end up with too very distinct groupings ... one really Southern, and one really NE preppy. You'll definitely want to spend some time with students at a place like W&L You may think you're on a new (and imo, nicer) planet. Just remember to stand in respect when Dixie is played. And have fun. It's tests like this one when one really begins to see how liberated and open minded one is. Or isn't. My free thinking sister could not imagine why anyone would knowingly go south of the M-D Line. But then again, she doesn't like boiled peanuts or NASCAR either. :eek:</p>

<p>Indeed. College prestige isn't anything,,,just a drop in the ole' bucket.</p>

<p>here are my stats:
4.0 unweighted GPA
at very good college prep school</p>

<p>courses:
all honors freshman year
sophomore year: all honors and the only ap which was offered (Euro)
-got a 4 on AP exam
junior year: AP US history, AP Latin Lit, AP Chem, Precalc BC Honors, English 11 Honors
projected senior classes: AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP English Lit, Advanced Physics Honors, Political Science/Economic Honors (semester each)</p>

<p>this is the hardest class load offered without AP english lang in junior year</p>

<p>top ten in class every year (out of 80)
math and latin awards every year so far</p>

<p>varsity sports:
basketball 9-11
volleyball 11
track 11</p>

<p>ec:
leadership team of FCA all years
church leadership
service (24 hrs per year)
weekly volunteering in children's sunday school</p>

<p>summer jobs:
farm work (all years)
11 summer - multiple kids camps (kids are my passion)</p>

<p>act:
32</p>

<p>Sat:
1370/2130
710 math
660 reading
760 writing</p>

<p>sat IIs will be taken on may 5 for chem, math II, and US history</p>

<p>have had contact in many instances with DC admissions staff, also have a boyfriend at DC
regarding him - should he write my peer rec? and/or should i mention him at all?
the admissions counselor for our area already knows that i have a boyfriend there from our conversations when she came to our school.</p>

<p>thanks in advance!!</p>

<p>I like your chances: 80%. Try raising the sat score, it can't hurt to try... and just make sure you write good essays. If possible think of exactly which ways you will contribute to campus life. Boyfriend to the extent that you know a lot about Davidson but not to the extent that you want to come to Davidson to be with him. So you could just call him a friend currently attending ... and in this context I think he could write a very good rec.</p>

<p>how would my chances be affected. from the original post in this thread, if i did a summer scholars program at washington and lee university in science and medicine</p>

<p>or if i did a college prep course for actual college credit at Northwestern</p>

<p>Im applying to these two for this summer</p>

<p>No one tells me any more about my chances :(</p>

<p>I'm sorry COlsen I don't feel confident enough to chance you when your situation regarding 10th grade is rare, I have no friends who tell of experiences with this, and you don't give any exact numbers, all these predictions you have to understand predicitions leave room for some skepticism whereas hard numbers don't lie. But by all means apply, you know you are a legitamate scholar and just recognize it will be a crapshoot regarding how admissions views your situation.</p>

<p>You are thinking about it too much. It is not a good idea in terms of overalll success and contentment to focus excessively on a specific school, and it may affect not only your work but the impression you give people. Just do your best so that you live up to your own expectations in every way as much as possible. </p>

<p>Especially at small schools, personal strengths and qualities are really important as well as academic and other measurable things. Recommendations will matter, for example. Lack of a broader perspective might be as much a negative as anything else. So relax a bit. And consider too that your preferences regarding a school may either change or you may come to realize that there is more just one right school for anyone.</p>

<p>Well said, Mattmom.
You need relax, I feel you are in a good enough position now to have a shot. Davidson is really pretty good about judging whether you are the kind of person that can benefit from there school. Down to earth is key. Good luck and don't stress too much;)</p>

<p>10th
Chemisty - WF (Withdrawn Fail)
Physics - D
AP European History - C
French III - A-
Math III - B
English 10H - B+
Health - A+</p>

<p>11th
Philosophy - A-
American Literature -B+/A-
Calculus I - A-
Chemistry - A/A+
US History - B+/A-
French IV - A</p>

<p>AP
Calc AB -- 5</p>

<h2>Eur History -- 3</h2>

<p>How do you take the Calc AP AB your sophomore year and get a 5 when you only take Calc I your junior year?</p>

<p>Is the Calc AP score anticipated or actual?</p>

<p>anyone else think anything about my chances?</p>

<p>in addition to earlier post:
i just found out earlier today that i am now top 5 in my class of 80 </p>

<p>i also forgot to mention that i am going to apply early decision...so hopefully that helps!</p>

<p>umm can you guys make your own chances thread? lol..im not doing his for you guys...</p>

<p>It is not a productive thread in any case, since common sense will tell most people if they are or are not viable candidates and outside the admissions office no one else can really be definitive.</p>

<p>I have to agree with mattmom - I'm not a big fan of these "chance me" threads - particularly with a whole lot of detail. You're wasting your time. Basic stats will tell if you're in the hunt and that you can find out from any number of sources, including the DC Admissions website. The rest is completely subjective and total guesswork. But, best of luck. You will end up going where you're meant to go.</p>

<p>I have said it before ... but I'll repeat myself: No one can tell you whether or not you will be accepted to Davidson or similar schools!! My D was waitlisted at Davidson with great stats. She got into Tufts & Vanderbilt, so it's not like she had something that raised a red flag in her app. It's simply that there are lots & lots of great candidates applying for a limited number of spots. If you are intelligent enough to be in the hunt for DC, you are intelligent enough to understand that there are too many great applicants for too few spots ... which means that not all of these great applicants will be granted a spot. There is no magic formula to figure out who will/will not get in. Do everything you can to help yourself by paying special attention to your essays ... and choosing wisely for your peer recommendation (this MAY be where my D lost an edge, because her PR sent it in without D seeing it ... don't know how good it was ... certainly not bad, but how strong?).</p>

<p>What this means is that if you fit the general description of a student who is accepted to DC, you have a good chance. NOT a guaranteed chance. So be sure to find some other wonderful schools you would be happy attending ... I promise you there are more than one or two ... and apply to those schools, as well. As far as ED goes, yes, it is VERY helpful for DC. However, if your family is uncomfortable paying your EFC, that might not be wise. Use the online financial aid calculators to get an idea of your EFC ... use the institutional methodology. If your parents say they can't pay the EFC, you will have to decide whether or not you can handle borrowing that amount. DC will meet 100% of demonstrated need ... but they won't give you money for the EFC portion (and if your family income is above a certain level, "meeting your need" will include loans).</p>

<p>Oops, maybe that's wrong. Didn't DC eliminate all loans in the need portion of the aid package?</p>

<p>They eliminated all loans. They also will give you an early estimate for FA if you plan on applying ED</p>

<p>chances? chances? :)</p>

<p>See posts 33, 34, and 35, all from adults.</p>

<p>Personally I find posts 33, 34 and 35 to unnecesarily attack applicants asking for chances. Firstly anyone asking for chances is not looking for a definitive yes or no, simply a probability. Anyone asking for chances also knows that this probability will only be someone else's best guess. Additionally anyone asking for chances by definition doesn't have a high confidence level in their ability to assess their chances. There is no reason why we shouldn't give estimates, it can only help the applicants prepare for the likely outcomes. Also some of us on these threads do have experience with many years of chancing, privately messaging and or hosting applicants, and actually seeing the classes admissions puts together. It is very reasonable to expect that some of us can give better estimates than some random applicant who has yet to even set foot on campus. Also incredibly important is that most of the applicants who post "chance me" are really asking how do I improve my application, a topic those who don't chance are usually very keen to chime in on. So you see chancers and non chancers are on the same side just coming from different angles.</p>