Chances at Highly Selective LACs? (Chance back)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello! I'm new, but I've been lurking around these forums for a while. I figured that I might as well have a shot at posting one of these chance threads, to see what kind of responses I get. If you post here and have a thread of your own that you'd like me to look at, I'll gladly chance back.</p>

<p>The schools I'm interested in are as follows: Pomona College, Claremont McKenna College, Carleton College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, Columbia University, Duke University, Emory University, and UT Austin. Obviously, these are all very selective schools, and I'm worried that I may be shooting too high. I'd appreciate it if you gave your honest opinion on whether I at least have a shot at any of these schools, without being too brutal. ^_^ Here are my stats:</p>

<p>Gender: M
Race: Black/African American
State: Texas
College Class Year: 2016
High School: Private, Parochial, Competitive (considered one of, if not the single, best college prep school in Houston. multiple kids to Ivies each year)
Will apply for financial aid: Yes
Major: Undecided (Considering Media Studies, International Relations/Affairs, Political Science, Psychology, Anthropology, Music, Theater... I've got a wide variety of interests ^_^)</p>

<p>Academics:
GPA: 3.53 UW/3.7 W
--> AP Government/Politics (scored 5), AP Computer Science (scored 5)
Note- my school only allows us to take a maximum of three AP classes a year, and only starting junior year.</p>

<p>Scores:
ACT: 32 (English- 35, Math-31, Reading-33, Science-30, Writing 10) first sitting
SAT: 2070 (Math- 660, Writing- 680, Critical Reading- 730) first/single sitting; retaking in a month</p>

<p>Senior Course Load:
AP Spanish Language
AP Calculus AB
AP World History
Human Anatomy and Physiology, World Literature, World Religions, Mixed Chorus, History of Art
(again, school only lets us take three APs)</p>

<p>Extracurricular/Community Service/Work Experience:
-National Honor Society: 11-12
-->Three hours of tutoring per week, in addition to the 16 service hours a year required for membership
-LINK Crew Leader: 11-12
-->Introduce new students to the school, participate in various activities with them throughout the year
-Track and Field: 9-12
-->JV 9-11, V 12
-Mixed Chorus: 9-12
-->Bass Section Leader and Co-President, 11-12
-->All State Choir, First Chair Bass, 11-12
-->Soloist with distinction
-Founder/President of ********* Crooners: 10-12
-->Acapella group that performs informal concerts and benefit concerts for various charities and places around the city
-Black Student Union/Diversity Club: 9-12
-->Elected freshman class representative, 9
-->Vice-President, 12
-Ecology Club: 9-12
-->Recycling Project Coordinator, meaning that I helped with the effort to have recycling bins in every classroom and managed the pick up system, as well as organizing various paper, plastic, electronics, and athletic shoe recycling drives
-Theater/Drama: 9-12
-->Variety of principal actor and stage managing roles in six school wide musical theater and drama productions (4 lead roles, 2 stage manager roles)
-Special Olympics Volunteer: 9-12
-->Worked at Special Olympics Track & Field meets and Bocce Ball tournaments, worked my way up to Event Coordinator
-Teacher's Assistant: 9, 11
-->During the summer, worked teaching underprivileged children the basics of music, performance, and dance, as well as academic enrichment subjects, for 40 hrs/wk, unpaid
-School Website Assistant Webmaster: 10
-->During the summer, managed databases, servers, and website maintenance, as well as creating presentations and implementing new features for the school's website, 40 hrs/wk, paid
-Administrative Assistant: 12
-->During the summer, worked in an OB/GYN's clinic and shadowed the doctor, 40 hrs/wk, paid
-Music Program Coordinator, Children's First Preschool in Kisumu, Kenya: 12
-->Mission trip to Kenya through a nonprofit organization, where I was put in charge of developing and coordinating an intercultural music program for the three weeks I was there, for about 30 hrs/wk, unpaid (volunteer)</p>

<p>Awards:
-Honor Roll every year
-National Achievement Semi-finalist (and hopefully finalist)
-Voted Best Actor two years running by school theater department
-Outstanding Junior in the Music department
Yeah, not very many...</p>

<p>Essays:
-Common Application essay is very strong, according to everyone I've had review it so far (English teacher, counselor, etc.). It's on a very unique topic, I think!
-I'm not quite sure what the supplemental essay is as it hasn't been released yet, but I think I should do fairly well with it, as I'm a strong writer.</p>

<p>Recommendations:
-One from AP Government teacher, who absolutely loved me and has written great recs for people who have gotten into Ivies, so this should be very good
-One from Spanish 3 teacher, who was also quite fond of me, so hopefully this should be very good as well
-Counselor rec should be best of all, because he knows me probably better than my own parents.</p>

<p>So, that's me in a nutshell. I'd appreciate any helpful responses!</p>

2

<p>From what I know of LAC’s (and I’m thinking of applying to Swarthmore and Amherst as well), they put considerably more weight on your EC’s and essays. I’m sure as long as you nail the Essay, you will have a solid chance. Albeit, I’m rather unfamiliar with Lac’s atm… I might comeback to post again after I researched a bit more.</p>

3

<p>Okay, thanks! :slight_smile:
Anyone else? I realize that I’m not a 4.0/2400 student, but surely someone else would like to help me out :D</p>

4

<p>You appear to be a very good applicant and it is okay to apply to some reach schools (which you are obviously doing). The fact that you are a hooked applicant gives you a bit of a boost. Test scores and EC’s are really where you shine. Your GPA is the “weakest” component of your application for the more selective schools on your list. </p>

<p>Are you an “auto-admit” at UTexas based on your decile? If not, I would include a financial safety to your current list-- just in case. While I do not believe you will be admitted to all the schools on your list, I think you will get into some of them. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Thank you for your input! I really appreciate it.
Unfortunately, my school does not calculate rank at all, so I don’t think I’m eligible for UT’s auto-admissions. I do have a financial safety in Trinity University in San Antonio and T A&M, though.
While I’m at it, does anyone think I’d be a good shot for the QuestBridge match program? I fit the income bracket.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, I would definitely go for it. You have a lot of very interesting activities.</p>

7

<p>Thank you! Bump?</p>

8

<p>Your GPA is the least impressive aspect. Your ecs are very good and I am willing to bet you’ll nail the essay. How interest/passion for the schools you apply to, give good interviews and cross your fingers. Maybe grab one or two more safety schools. Its very good that you are an URM, I think that will make your chances much better, you lucky duck</p>

9

<p>Yeah, I realize that my GPA does kind of suck compared to a lot of people on here. :frowning: But thank you for your input, and I am looking at more safety schools.</p>

10

<p>You are a shoo-in. Don’t worry about your test scores, and GPA</p>

11

<p>Your test scores are decent but not super high. Your GPA is a bit low but you have taken challenging courses.
However…You are African American…This WILL help you! Don’t forget to check the box for your ethnicity.
Plus your extracurriculares show interest in many different areas. Admissions committees will note that and pay less attention to your “imperfect” GPA
Pomona College- You’re in
Claremont McKenna College- Probably but they take a small amt of students
Carleton College- most probably
Amherst College- likely
Swarthmore College- you’re in
Columbia University-Maybe…(apply early if this is your top choice!)
Duke University- probably</p>

<p>Emory University-of course</p>

<p>UT Austin-definite…
Good luck with the admissions process!
Hope you get in to all of your tops!</p>

12

<p>Wow. Thanks, both of you! I didn’t think being black would count for all that much, honestly xD</p>

13

<p>I agree with most of the responses you got: you’re clearly a very talented applicant who has a lot going for him. However, I think that jayzers94 might have been a little hasty to declare “you’re in” at Pomona. It’s one of the top 10, if not 5 LACs in the country, so guaranteeing admission is completely ridiculous. It’s also more selective than Carleton, and, based on admission rates, Duke as well. You have a better shot than most (and yes, being black does help) but honestly, you’d be surprised how many brilliant students get rejected from ALL of the above colleges. If you’re looking for other safeties, have you considered Pitzer? You obviously are interested in the CCs (since you’re looking at Pomona and CMC), but Pitzer is way less competitive. Anyways, best of luck to you, and I’m sure you’ll end up somewhere that will make you happy!</p>

14

<p>I was thinking that too, in reference to nobody really being an shoo-in at Pomona. It is my first choice school, though, so one can hope! xD I’ve looked into Pitzer, but I really don’t think I’d fit in with the whole kind of hippie feel, hahah. Thank you for your opinion!</p>

15

<p>I’d say you have a good chance at most of them but I wouldn’t go as far as considering you a shoo-in. For many of them (Columbia/Duke) especially your SAT and GPA are way below the average, so the people that are saying you will get in for sure are probably giving you false hope. I expect you’ll get into a couple on your list, but add a couple safeties as well just to be sure. </p>

<p>Chance? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1208758-chance-international-brown-georgetown-tufts-etc.html#post13190963[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1208758-chance-international-brown-georgetown-tufts-etc.html#post13190963&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>Your EC’s are very good and for LAC’s those will help you distinguish yourself from the other applicants. I would suggest taking harder classes next year to show that you want to push yourself - so even if your GPA is on the lower end, it won’t turn the admissions officers away.</p>

17

<p>Sat’s are on the low side, but pretty decent. I say dont worry about them but that’s just me. GPA is on the low side too. Great EC’s though! With great essays and good rec’s i think you have a decent chance in most of them.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1208634-chance-me-vassar-ed.html#post13189986[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1208634-chance-me-vassar-ed.html#post13189986&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

18

<p>Okay, thanks, all three of you! And boy1994, I am taking the hardest curriculum possible at my school – they tell us that each of our classes would be considered an honors class at the average school, and I’m taking 3 AP classes, which is the maximum allowed. My school itself is pretty rigorous even without adding the additional stress of APs. But thank you!</p>

19

<p>Bump? Anyone else have comments or suggestions?</p>

20

<p>Bumpity bump</p>