<p>My dd is very much interested in several of the women's colleges for Class of 2015. Since she is quite busy with her many activities I help a bit with research etc. like many parents.</p>
<p>Basic stats: SAT(first take) 2060 combined</p>
<p>GPA:3.8</p>
<p>Class Rank 5/184 at competitive catholic high school</p>
<p>AP's:US History, Calculus, English Comp, French; All others honors level.</p>
<p>EC's:Primarily student theatre with leads in at least three plays/musicals; also Chorus, French Club, NHS, Film Club(Pres); contributor to Literary Magazine; Yearbook next year.</p>
<p>Peer Minister</p>
<p>Part-time job as hostess at local restaurant</p>
<p>Excellent writer so I look for strong essays.</p>
<p>Reccs. likely to be very good.</p>
<p>I think she would excel and thrive in a small-college, liberal arts atmosphere. Your thoughts?</p>
<p>I’m not an expert but I got in to Smith ED with significantly weaker GPA/class rank and slightly stronger SATs (2180 but only a 610 in math). If she shows interest in Smith I would say definitely a great shot. If Smith ends up being a serious option I would strongly recommend attending one of the Simply Smith days if at all possible. I found it very enjoyable and informative. Best of luck to your D
-'!4er</p>
<p>Bossf51, sorry to take so long to reply but those of us on the Smith forum have been focusing on answering questions from the class of 2014, and here you are, johnny-on-the-spot, already asking questions for a 2015 student! I remember doing the same for my daughter! I’m not in admissions but I think your daughter has a very good chance of being accepted to Smith. She’s got a strong GPA, she’s taken rigorous courses, and she has an interesting variety of ECs. I see that she’s been Film Club president; has she had or will she have any other leadership roles? That would be good to focus on, if possible. I encourage you and your daughter to visit Smith, take a tour (Friday afternoons with my daughter, the tour guide :)), at some point have her do an overnight, sit in on some classes, and explore Northampton a bit to understand the whole picture.</p>
<p>My daughter is also very interested in Smith for 2015. She has a weighted 4.0 (don’t know what unweighted is - could be 3.3?). SAT very close to 2100, she’s retaking it. By the time she’s graduated HS she’ll have taken something like 8 or 9 AP classes, has also taken several Honors classes. Did really well on the AP tests she’s taken so far.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars – music (piano & voice lessons, choir, marching band); speech & debate, though just the club part and not so much the competition part; part-time job during the school year; volunteering summer and occasional school breaks with a local arts organization. Used to fence recreationally until a year or so back. Took an AP “seminar” (not for credit) after school in a subject that got dropped from the school’s curriculum, just for fun, will take the AP test in that, so I guess that’s extracurricular. Treasurer of the Gay-Straight Alliance for several years. Strong writer, voracious reader, wants to study Biology.</p>
<p>Chances? She’s in a school where the kids in all of her Honors and AP classes are getting 4.5, 4.6 GPAs, so it’s hard to gauge how she ranks compared to people in the larger picture.</p>
<p>I wish I had a crystal ball! Both of your daughters seem like good candidates for Smith, especially since Smith looks for both good grades and an engagement with the world; unfortunately, you can never tell in advance what the competition will be like.</p>
<p>The one thing that I <em>really</em> like about Smith’s admissions is their ability to identify young women with potential. Unlike the Ivies, which these days take only the “complete package” applicants, Smith accepts applicants who might have a slight weakness in one area provided that the rest of the application looks very strong. You can afford a weaker math SAT score – or no scores at all – or a B in an AP course as long as you show leadership or talent or passion elsewhere. My daughter met many Smithies over the course of her four years that were grateful that Smith “took a chance” on them – and they proved admissions right by excelling. But admissions didn’t take a chance, not really. Instead, they had a pretty good idea that those students were on an upward trajectory and would add something vital to the student body.</p>
<p>So . . . if your daughters show a bundle of strengths, as they seem to, then they have an excellent chance, even if they have a few glitches. But much depends on how other applicants look from the same area.</p>
<p>TTM, I like your D’s chances but I’m cautious because this year seemed to really competitive in admissions and some I thought were fairly safe were waitlisted. It appears that your D must go to an extremely competitive high school, so her relative grades may be cut some slack given the rest of her profile.</p>
<p>TTM - my D was in a similar situation- was a strong student in a very challenging HS so didn’t look as strong compared to some peers but Smith knew the school and understood the grading pattern there and I think took that into account. Got in EA class of 2013. </p>
<p>I will say to all don’t be fooled but the admit rate - once your in you have to work really hard - my D did not find Smith an even step contrary to popular folklore at her HS (where kids think it’s so hard college will be easier) she is working very hard this year. SOme of her friends who were top students in not very challenging HS are finding it a bit of and uphill struggle so be prepared to work hard if you want to do well.</p>
<p>To amplify on what OWM just said, your first year at Smith will be a test of how well your high school preparation was, not necessarily how well you will eventually do at Smith. To borrow a sports metaphor, the speed of the pitching is a lot faster and some profs throw nasty sliders as well.</p>
<p>D saw students who had near straight-A’s in high schools in shock…their high schools had come nowhere near in preparing them for the transition. Conversely some B+/A- students from strong high schools made the transition much more easily.</p>
<p>If I recall correctly, the biggest range of incoming ability was in writing skills. If you’ve lived your high school life via Scantron forms, be prepared for a few bruises along the way. Fortunately, both the Math Center and the Writing Center (or whatever the names are) have good reps. If you find yourself struggling on your first paper or two, go there <em>immediately</em>. Do not indulge in false pride, no not pass Go!, do not spend $200 on Starbucks in a frantic effort to work 20-hour days.</p>
I remember doing the same for my daughter! I’m not in admissions but I think your daughter has a very good chance of being accepted to Smith. She’s got a strong GPA, she’s taken rigorous courses, and she has an interesting variety of ECs. I see that she’s been Film Club president; has she had or will she have any other leadership roles? That would be good to focus on, if possible. I encourage you and your daughter to visit Smith, take a tour (Friday afternoons with my daughter, the tour guide :)), at some point have her do an overnight, sit in on some classes, and explore Northampton a bit to understand the whole picture.</p>