<p>Eek, yeah. Especially because I have a Princeton legacy through my relatives (and both parents) I’ll have to be careful with that.</p>
<p>They tell me they’ll support wherever I go, though, which is good.</p>
<p>Carleton does have a Jewish population, they have a rabbi regularly on campus, they have a Torah study group meet weekly, and they have Reynolds House, a Jewish interest house. I won’t kid you though - it’s predominantly not Jewish, but I wouldn’t say it’s lacking support.</p>
<p>I looked it up on the Hillel site, and it says it has about 200 Jews, which is I guess just barely ok for such a small school.</p>
<p>I do like the school, though, but it’d be a big reach…</p>
<p>I’ll look into it :)</p>
<p>Most colleges will actually recommend sending in a resume. It should be fine.</p>
<p>And…something about Carleton seems a bit “off” from what you want. I’m not sure what it is, but something about it just doesn’t seem to fit you as well as your other schools. I don’t know.</p>
<p>Great then.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ll accept that kind of reasoning 
Thanks for thinking about it beyond just the surface level.
What I want in a college is hard to describe for me too, so it’s actually kind of reassuring to hear that.</p>
<p>One other question–</p>
<p>If I retake the SAT to raise my CR and M scores, but I don’t do as well as I did on the first take, it won’t hurt me, right?
They won’t average my scores or anything?
There’s no reason NOT to take it again (other than it taking up some time and work), right?</p>
<p>World Changer has given you very good advice with regard to expressing your ECs in a more compact manner. Several activities listed as ECs are really better suited for a “What I did last summer” essay. Very little depth, passion or committment. On the other hand, your academics and SAT I scores are outstanding as is your list of colleges. A quick reread of your initial post reveals only two ECs – literary magazine and chorus-- and that is enough. Your laundry list of what you did over the summer or of one time activities hides & diminishes the significance of your real ECs.</p>
<p>What about all the spanish-related things? I thought those were good too..</p>
<p>I’ll cut out the summer trips, but what else specifically would you not mention?</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I understand how listing a bunch of insignificant stuff would diminish the things that really are important.</p>
<p>And are you suggesting that I leave out those other extra activites alltogether? Or are you simply saying that (like World Changer said) I should combine like activities together into “Chorus”, and then express those in more detail in a resume?</p>
<p>One way to view your listing of ECs is as a method of letting admissions folks know who you are as a person. They will know your numbers, and maybe your class rank. But a laundry list of ECs does not give any reader a sense of your true interests and passions. If you are fluent in Spanish, that is a plus. You are a strong candidate; you are a stronger candidate, in my opinion, if you have the courage to focus on two ECs and one or two special talents/abilities. Just try to work with that advice as there is no absolutely correct answer; just educated and experienced opinions. I cannot tell you what is important to you and, more importantly, after reading your post, I cannot understand what is important to you. Stop worrying about making a long list of activities to impress colleges, it just gives the reader a headache if it is not presented in a crisp, clear and concise manner. I have read your initial post four times and all that I “see” is chorus and literary magazine. And that is enough if it is presented well. Remember that your application may be number 356 for that reader in that week.</p>
<p>Ok, I understand that a laundry list doesn’t do anything for anyone.</p>
<p>You are suggesting that all I say for my ECs are “chorus” and “literary magazine”, and leave it at that?
How do I elaborate on the different choral experiences I have? Surely that is important.
Could you please explain how you suggest I present my information clearly, crisply, and concisely?</p>
<p>I’m not interested in just impressing colleges, I’m interested in acurately showing colleges the person I am, which I truly think is the kind of person they want.</p>
<p>Also, you think I should leave out all of the community service activites? I think 120 hours (will be at least 200, 250 by the time I graduate) is relatively significant..</p>
<p>Two headings, one for chorus and one for literary work. As I wrote, this is not an exact science. I gave you my honest and experienced opinion, you are bright enough to work on the rest. You can ignore my advice, and I could be wrong. As a young adult, this is your decision and your responsibility. What you presented in your original post is a great first draft that needs to be refined. And by “refined” I mean culled, organized and shortened. Typically, applications have a space for volunteer community service activities. Do as you think best. Offer a judge a concise and well written one page motion and a quick and favorable response is much more likely than a three page, convoluted, overly detailed pleading of a first or second year in practice attorney. The first will be read with every word scrutinized, the second will be given to a motions clerk who will let it sit until a hearing is demanded, or the opposing attorney responds with an experienced writing in a concise fashion that will enable the judge to rule in favor of the attorney who presented the concise pleading. This is a real life parallel to your application; the young, less experienced attorney thought every thought, word and idea he had was important. The experienced attorney had all the same info., thoughts and ideas, but he knew what was important to the judge. And so he won. In your case, you are the young attorney and the admissions officer is the judge. Make him like you and make him like your application. Crisp, clear & concise is my best advice.</p>
<p>Ok, I understand.</p>
<p>I’ll work on it- thanks so much!!</p>
<p>Your record and accomplishments look great–best of luck to you in your college search. Perhaps Skidmore College as a safety? Also, you may want to consider Muhlenberg College.</p>
<p>You might consider Rhodes as a safety. People on this forum have good things to say about it.</p>
<p>I second the recommendation for Skidmore.</p>
<p>I was considering Skidmore as a safety a while ago, actually.
Ok, it’s back on the list!</p>
<p>And thank you Momonthehill!! I’ll look into Muhlenberg.</p>
<p>And Rhodes.</p>
<p>Don’t severely cut the list down to 1-2…5-6 would also be fine (I think the Common App has space for 6, not sure - could be 7). And each ‘space’ could encompass a whole list of activities…for example under ‘Music’ you could put chorus+a capella, under ‘Community Service’ you could put down all that stuff…basically, you only need to narrow down the major topics, but each topic can be fairly broad - I don’t think a lot of involvement is ever a bad thing :)</p>
<p>Ok, I don’t think I could narrow it down to 1 or 2 if I tried :)</p>
<p>Thanks all!!</p>