Chances ED

<p>White Male from Millburn NJ
G.P.A.: 3.4/3.86 UW/W - Very competitive public hs (top public sat score in NJ)
(Junior year APs - U.S. History (5), Gov (5), Stat (5), Spanish Lang (3))
(Senior year APs - Euro, Calc AB (self study BC), Econ Macro/Micro, Psych)
S.A.T.s - 740/740/710 M/CR/W (8 essay) bleh...retaking, will aim for 800 math (had two 80s on psats), 750 writing
760/710 Math 2/US History
National Merit Semifinalist
Two time qualifier for AIME (will go for third straight this year)</p>

<p>E.C.:
Baseball, all 4 years, 1 yr letter, 2 years AAU
Habitat for Humanity (will be going to Costa Rica to build a school in feb)
Tutoring (took a kid from a D to the second highest grade (midterm to final))
Guitar (not for school)</p>

<p>Jobs:
This past summer I was a sleepaway camp counselor, was the rock wall instructor.
I just got a job at the local YMCA as a rock wall instructor, work 9 hrs a week after school.</p>

<p>Recs: Excellent...but doesn't everything think theirs are?</p>

<p>So...what are my chances ED, especially knowing Swarth loves the EDers?</p>

<p>Unless youre being recruited by the baseball coach, chances are 50/50</p>

<p>Not really enough info to give solid predictions. For example, how's your class rank compared to kids from Milburn High who have gotten into Swarthmore, Williams, Amherst, Brown, Dartmouth, etc.? Researching that will go a long way towards helping you evaluate your chances.</p>

<p>Your test scores won't keep you out of Swarthmore; nor would increasing them guarantee acceptance. All of your "stats" appear to be "in the range", so it will really boil down to how effectively you can present a cohesive application that makes you attractive to the school and provides a compelling argument in your Why Swat essay.</p>

<p>I think it's a real plus if you can emphasize something that makes you stand out from the crowd. Baseball might be it. The Swarthmore coaches could best answer that. The AIME math might be good, too. The tutoring and Habitat are pluses, but probably not going to stand out from pack at Swat. The guitar and the rock climbing could be potentially interesting things to feature in an essay. You should sit down with a list of what makes you you and figure out how to distill some of your varied interests down into a clear identity. It's hard for us strangers to help much because it has to be authentic.</p>

<p>Frequently admit liklihood questions like yours are accompanied by passionate statements about why the prospect is dying to attend Swarthmore and/or why he/she believes they are a perfect fit. If you can't wow them with a killer app (and even if you can) you have to find a way to demonstrate how your presence would enhance Swat and why you are the kind of person who would thrive there. Why do you want to attend Swat? Truthly, you have some gpa issues, though ID's comments seem to indicate that Millburn is indeeed very competitive, as you state. My S was not in the top 10% of his class (for various reasons), but had middle 15** SATS, was a national caliber debater and had a home run interview yada yada, so grade issues can be overcome. Essentially, you need a legit hook that will make Swat want you and that you can effectively communicate. NJP, you are obviously a very acccomplished and capable young man and will very likely succeed wherever you attend college. My qualifying comments are only intended to emphasize that most Swat applicants have a hill to climb.</p>

<p>Regarding G.P.A., I'm bottom of the second decile (we only do decile, an averaged decile range from the past 10 yrs).
The class of 2003 (the only one I have currently) had these schools for the second decile. The list in its entirety:
B.C.
Brandeis x 2
Brown
Bucknell
Columbia
Cornell
Duke x 2
Emory
N.Y.U.
Northwestern
Occidental
Princeton x 3
U Chicago
U Mich x 3
Notre Dame
Penn
Vassar
Wellesley
Yale</p>

<p>Nobody that year went to Swarthmore, but I don't feel like my G.P.A. is out of the range when given like schools. That year also sent people from each of the top 4 deciles to Duke, Williams, and the top 5 deciles all sent to Cornell.</p>

<p>The rigor and variety of your classes might be an issue. It doesn't look like you took any science classes. Are you sure you want to use your ed opportunity on a long shot? Unless Swat is your absolute dream school, you might want to think twice. Ds school is very emphatic about not wasting that precious opportunity unless you have a strong shot at it.</p>

<p>I took honors sciences all 4 years, had the highest grade in my chemistry class junior year (and tutored a fellow student from a D to an A), and I currently have the highest grade in my physics class...I have the second toughest courseload in my class (9 AP tests, everything else honors)...I didn't feel like it was such a longshot that I shouldn't apply ED...but maybe it is?</p>

<p>NJPitcher:</p>

<p>I don't see anything in what you have posted that would make Swarthmore an extreme longshot.</p>

<p>I'm not a believer in "wasting" and ED application unless you are at least a solid, plausible applicant. I think that you fall into that category.</p>

<p>My advice would be to learn as much as you can about specific programs at Swarthmore that tie into the stuff you want to "pitch" on your application. For example, if you want to emphasize your tutoring, learn about the Student Academic Mentoring (SAM) program, the science tutoring programs, etc. </p>

<p>If you want to emphasize your guitar playing, arrange an overnight when there is a Swat band playing the Olde Club so you can connect with the music scene.</p>

<p>Or, go meet with the baseball coaches, attend a game or two. You are less than two hours from campus, so you could become very familiar with the place and have some fun in the process.</p>

<p>All of that, or whatever else fits with what you like to do, will make it easier to present an application that lets the admissions office see you as a successful Swattie. That's really the name of the game.</p>

<p>BTW, it's a bit easier for males than females, just due to the demographics of the applicant pool.</p>

<p>Thanks interested. I'm playing in a fall baseball league, so I'm going to make a video to send to the baseball coach, as well as try and meet with him (I scheduled an interview for this saturday online, but they haven't gotten back to me yet). Again, thanks all.</p>

<p>Interesteddad gave you some great ideas...based on the additional info, you sound like a strong candidate & a great kid. Go for it and best of luck to you.</p>

<p>I just visited (no interview, that's Oct 15), and let me say...it's amazing. By far the most beautiful campus I have ever seen.</p>

<p>That's what most of us think, too. It's really a stunning campus. The more times I visit and discover little nooks and crannies, the more I think so.</p>

<p>The nice thing is that you get the best of both worlds -- the idyllic campus setting, but without being out in the boondocks. A mall/Target/Best Buy half a mile away and downtown Philly just 11 miles away by commuter train.</p>

<p>It is very difficult to find that combination in small liberal arts colleges and many of the other suburban LACs (Davidson, Claremont Colleges, Carleton, etc.) require a car to get around.</p>

<p>Bryn Mawr and Haverford offer similar access. Wellesley is in a similar Boston neighborhood, but the rail access isn't quite as easy.</p>