Chances class of 2013

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bowdoin College
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<p>SAT I: 800 CR/760 M/790 W (1560/2350)
GPA: upward trend ~3.8 UW/4.2 W
SAT IIs: 800 Literature 700 Math IC 750 World History
ECs: student government, varsity cheerleader, youth coaching, Key Club
APs: World Hist 5, taking 3 exams this yr (Eng. Lit, Calc AB, US Hist) and probably 4-5 next year</p>

<p>Grades:
Freshman:
History I Honors: A
English I Honors: A
Physics Honors: B
Algebra II Honors: C+ (bad, I know)
French II: A
Latin I: A</p>

<p>Sophomore:
AP World History: B+
English II Honors: A
Chemistry: A
Precalculus Honors: B+
French III: A
Latin II: A</p>

<p>Junior (predicted, it’s nearly the end of the year):
AP US History: A
AP English Lang. : A
AP Calc AB: A
Biology Honors: A
French IV: A
Computer Art and Graphic Design I: A
(my school requires an art class so I couldn’t do Latin but I’ll do it next year again)</p>

<p>Senior Classes:
AP Calc BC
AP French
AP English Lit
AP Government and Politics
AP Econ</p>

<p>I am an intended History major and I’m going to England to study this summer and then doing an independent study in Euro. Hist senior year since my school offers no AP. Also I hope the upward grade trend will help? I know freshman year was veryyyy rocky.</p>

<p>Chances for Bowdoin? If I apply ED or regular?</p>

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<p>anyone????</p>

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<p>. I was accepted ED for fall. Your stats are great. (My SATS were similar in verbal but lower in math.)I think freshman year counts least of all, and the upward trend is impressive, if anything. I'm no expert but heres the thing: Lots of my friends had even more impressive stats than both of us put together and were rejected from Bowdoin and even more competitive ivies. Why? Because there was nothing about them that stood out. Good academics and high test scores do count, but are, alas, not uncommon. Without something to distinguish you from the pack, you are in a very big and, frankly, boring pool. At least to the admissions committee peeps. So, What is unique about you as a thinker, a person in your family and community? WHy'd you do less well as a freshman? What turned you around? What are you passionate about? How can you show it? I would focus here and less on a list of acalades. YOu already have tons of what you need in that dept., which is a good thing. Hope you get in where you dream of going. If its Bowdoin, see you there! Good luck and it will all be over soon!</p>

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<p>Thanks. I plan to apply some form of ED to Bowdoin (I or II, not sure yet).</p>

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<p>I was accepted to Bowdoin for the class of 2012 and also plan on majoring in history. My grades were similar to yours and I too did an independent study in Euro History since my school didn't offer it. What I tried to do was emphasize my passion for the subject by writing about history for the app essay, talking about it during my interview and participating in ec's that paired up well with the subject: mainly through work on political campaigns and journalism (I was editor of the school newspaper and did freelance reporting for the local paper). Of course, the importance of such factors is relative to where you go to school; my high school had never sent anyone to Bowdoin and very few students end up going out of state for college, much less a liberal arts school (the last grad who did went to Amherst four years ago). Nevertheless, if your school has a better history of sending kids off to lac's, or any very selective schools, then all it means is that you should put that much more emphasis on showing a talent and passion for a certain field of study.</p>

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<p>govman, I am editor of my school newspaper too. However, my school sends a decent amount of people to LACS but for some reason most top students don't apply to Bowdoin in large numbers...</p>

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<p>I also love Bowdoin and think I'd like to apply. In terms of "standing out", I've definitely spent a lot of time in high school studying global human rights...i'm doing an independent study on it, ive done conferences about it, and i have a huge volunteer job with a biiig national anti-genocide coalition. its something im really passionate about, and I hope to emphasize that in my app.</p>

<p>**My GPA is lower than one would expect of a student applying to top-tier schools, but that is because my school is incredibly difficult and has absolutely no grade inflation. The GPAs of accepted students from my school are always lower than the average accepted GPA of the colleges because colleges know how rigorous my school is.</p>

<p>Stat profile...sorry its long, its the one that college confidential provides!</p>

<p>Gender: Female
College Class Year: 2013
High School: Private</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>GPA - Unweighted: 3.50 (upward trend from freshman to junior year)
Class Rank: top 10%
Class Size: 50
I'll have taken 6 APs (pretty much the max for my school) and all the honors classes available for my subjects</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>ACT: 33 (hopefully 34 or 35 on the second try)
SAT IIs in June, SATs in the fall</p>

<p>EC's </p>

<p>Significant Extracurriculars:
-Class president (senior and freshman years)
-Part-time employment at real estate office
-Significant leadership position in prominent national anti-genocide coalition,
-Editor of school newspaper
-Photography Club
-Student admissions representative
-School representative on national diversity conference
-School representative on regional community service board
-Peer leader of Operation Snowball (local youth outreach group)
-Summer internship with an immigration justice organization</p>

<p>Leadership positions:
-2X class president (Freshman and senior years)
-Significant leadership position in prominent national anti-genocide coalition, organizing six states worth of high schoolers
-Editor of school newspaper
-Founder/head of school's first anti-genocide group
-Peer leader of Operation Snowball (local youth outreach group)
-Senior leader (American Youth Foundation)</p>

<p>Athletic Status - list sport and your level:
Field Hockey
JV Captain '07
Varsity Field Hockey '08</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work:
-Regional high school leader for a prominent anti-genocide coalition; I organize about a hundred or so chapters within six states
-Monthly volunteer work, serving dinner, at local soup kitchen
-Occasional volunteer work with mentally disabled children
-Community Service Club
-Regional community service board
-Youth outreach program (peer leader)
-Big Brothers Big Sisters (one year)
Honors and Awards:
-Scholarship for Excellence (merit scholarship)
-Academic All-State Field Hockey
-Leadership Award (American Youth Foundation)</p>

<p>College Summer programs:
-Accelerated academic program at Amherst College</p>

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<p>caronant, try starting up a new thread</p>

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<p>okeyydokes</p>

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<p>Caronant- You seem like a really excellent candidate. Lots of EC's that seem substantial, not the padded stuff. and great Stats. Write good essays I would love to see you at Bowdoin. Good Luck</p>

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<p>hmm anyone else for me (or, apparently, caronant) ?</p>

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<p>pinkpineapple: If most of the student body doesn't apply to Bowdoin but many do go to LAC's (and the college is aware of such a phenomenon) than it would most likely work in your favor. A school like Bowdoin is going to want themselves represented at a competitive high school where there is a good chance they'll get future applicants/students. I would stress the fact that you're choosing Bowdoin over other LAC's (even if you're considering others) that kids at your school are applying to. If other students are questioning your choice of Bowdoin, write about it and explain why you still feel Bowdoin is a good fit. The point is to basically let the college know that you're serious about attending and aren't just another name with good stats. It'll help, but the academics, of course, are all on you.</p>

<p>caronant, I would say you've done a great job at showing a pattern of interest and passion for a particular field. Without knowing the competitiveness of your high school, its hard to say if your GPA and rank (10% is great but you seem to have a small class size) will help or hurt.</p>

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<p>Would an arty theatre major who is a farm loving hiker find a community at Bowdoin? She is afraid it is too preppy Any thoughts?</p>

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<p>Pinkpineapple, I was accepted RD for the Class of 2012 and couldn't agree more with ekmom. You need to demonstrate to the Admissions Office that you will contribute something to campus life other than academic excellence. The majority of people who apply to Bowdoin are intelligent and have GPAs that suggest they can handle the courseload.</p>

<p>I would recommend applying ED I or II. I applied ED at another school and was deferred, thereby limiting my Bowdoin application to RD. I did, however, try to send as many supplements as possible. I mailed the adcom a 20 page paper I wrote for my Junior Year American Lit class with a letter explaining my interest in the subject and how this interest encouraged me to put forth my best work. I also mailed another letter a few weeks later with updated stats and a list of unconventional ideas I could use to gain admission (living with polar bears Jane Goddall style then asking for their support of my application, among others). I believe that this particular committee admires any creativity and quirkiness you can work into your application. The more you can set yourself apart in this way, the better your odds of admission are, I believe.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

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<p>in terms of 'standing out'</p>

<p>would doing well in a really big essay contest count? or is that too conventional?</p>