Chances at Denison?

Hi everyone,
Posts like these probably get very tedious and annoying, but this is probably the best way to get an accurate read on my Denison chances. I visited campus and fell in love, but I don’t want to get my hopes up until I think I’m in a good place to get into Denison.

My unweighted GPA right now (cumulative as of fall semester of junior year) is a 3.56, but the reason for that is because of a low GPA sophomore year, but I have an upward trend in increasingly hard classes. I am in a regionally/nationally recognized very selective Magnet program at my school, and take 9 honors / AP classes every year (10 total APs by the end of senior year, not counting Magnet classes with AP Material). I have gotten at least 3’s on all AP tests.

I also have a 32 on my ACT, with the subscores being a 34 in English, 33 in Math, 32 in Reading, and a 29 in Science, but I’m planning on taking it again to bump up my reading and science scores, and to take the writing portion.

I am also very confident in my ability to write a good essay, so I don’t think that is a weakness. Also I really really loved Denison, so expressing my love of the school in an essay wouldn’t be hard.

I’m involved in a lot of extracurriculars and have leadership positions in a few, I am on my school’s speech and debate and swim team, and I’m competing a national Judicial competition this summer.

That was rambly and long, but I hope that gave a full view of what the Denison admissions office would see. If you have any advice or a way to gauge my status at Denison I’d really really appreciate it! :slight_smile:

As long as your communally versatile as well, you’ll be accepted. There isn’t a doubt in my mind. I was accepted with a 27 ACT and around a 3.7 weighted GPA. My hook was community service with around 1200 hours since my freshman year of high school. I never joined any school-oriented clubs nor participated in any varsity sports. My essays and letter of recommendations were stellar, though. You won’t have a problem getting in.

It looks to me as though you stand a better chance of getting in than I did-and I got in! I didn’t take the ACT but I scored an 1850 on the SAT. My GPA was close to yours (somewhere between a 3.5 and a 3.6). That being said I had some pretty amazing people write my letters of recommendation and I’ve been super involved in my school/community–plus, I’m from NY so the whole geographic thing may have played in my favor. However, I think that what really won the admissions office was my essay. I spent over three months working on it, and it was about a very tough transitional period in my life and what I had learned through self reflection. I think that the more you look into Denison, the more you’ll realize that they really focus on the individual. That’s why I suggest that you let yourself shine through the application. I think that the more human (and less automated) that you sound,the better. Anyways, good luck next year! and hopefully I’ll see you around campus soon! #gobigred