<p>Asian. Female. New York. Large public high school. Will apply for financial aid.</p>
<p>SAT: 1700 - 2000
SAT II: high 500's - high 600's (not submitting if possible)
ACT: 25 - 28
GPA: 90 - 95 out of 100 (weighted)
Class Rank: Top 25% at least
Courseload:
- Courses at local college
- 6 AP classes in 4 years
- All honors classes
Recommendations:
- Guidance Counselor: okay / generic
- Teacher #1: okay / not that great
- Teacher #2: okay / not that great
Extracurriculars:
- Varsity sport (4 years, co-captain 1 year)
- Clubs (5 - 6 clubs, some leadership positions)
- Volunteering (over 500 hours)
Awards:
- Honor Roll
- National Honor Society
Essay: I feel my essay was honest, but I am worried it does not show the Admissions Committee my true development / how I have matured.
Prospective Majors: Classics / Linguistics</p>
<p>I have given myself the largest leeway margin possible.
And by largest, I mean really really large.
Please honestly chance me at Top LAC's. :]</p>
<p>you have a good chance at most LAC’s. LAC’s are of course a bit less oriented on solely academic work than national universities. You have a great GPA and decent SATs. Your ECs are quite exceptional. I’d give you a great chance at almost any LAC (may the top 10 might be reaches, but still, you have a chance). I think you should check out the top 15 rated LAC colleges on US NEWS and see which one seems appealing. Just make sure the school fits what you want. Try to not be so open to any school, find a school you like/want to go to, and pursue it. </p>
<p>I might be crazy but I have my heart set on the top 10. Haha.
The thing I’m really worried about though, is my Common Application essay.
I was rereading it after I submitted and I dont feel it is “enough” anymore.
Or maybe this is just me worrying?
And don’t Top LAC’s want “good writers” or “exceptional essays” along with top grades?
I’m worried my application won’t really be showing the true “me”! (Even though I thought it did when I submitted it.)</p>
<p>Well, for the top 10 you should really get your SAT over 2000 if you want a decent shot. Right now I see acceptance very unlikely. There’s a couple factors working against you… Asian…New Yorker (the majority of the top 10 are in the Northeast)…only decent class rank…and below average SATs/average. Obviously this is only true for the top 10 ones.
Best of luck though!
Of course, LACs love good writers</p>
<p>Your grades are good, but will help a lot more if connected to strong teacher and counselor recommendations. Pick teachers who have seen you grow and flourish and can offer compelling perspectives on you. Hopefully, they can speak to to the schools’ high standards, which might make up for any perceived inadequacies in the GPA.</p>
<p>Retaking the SATs/Subject Tests/ACT would be very useful. Try working with a private Kaplan tutor. They’re expensive, but worth it. My SAT climbed 80 points math, 60 points critical reading, and 20 points writing after working with one. </p>
<p>What do you do as a volunteer? What clubs are you in? You need to be specific and passionate about it. Make them see your character in what you do, if you can.</p>
<p>Make sure to interview wherever you can and be able to explain why classics/linguistics. It’s an amazing major, but you need to be able to explain it in context with your life. LACs want whole characters, not just numbers, so these interviews will crystallize their idea of you and improve your understanding of the schools. </p>
<p>Best of luck. I hope this helps. Can you chance me? The link is below. Thanks. Peace.</p>
<p>I would think that the combination of lower (for top schools) SAT/ACT scores and “not that great” recommendations will keep you out of any top school (including LAC’s).</p>