Chances for many schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

College list
Claremont McKenna (best experience) (ED1) #1 choice (99)
Occidental (89)
Bates(87)(RD)(30)
Whitman college(99)(RD)(30)
Pitzer(94)(RD)(28)
Tulane(EA)(99)(30)
Wesleyan(94)(RD)(30)
Colorado college(83)(EA)(29)
Washington and Lee(RD)(30)
URichmond(91) (RD)(29)
Bucknell(96)(ED2)(30)
Lafayette
Miami(87)
Bowdoin(99)
ASU(76)
Gettysburg college(94)
Santa Clara University(92)
Depauw(80)
Dickinson(72)
Middlebury(98)
Vassar (86)
St Olaf College

Please use the following scale:
safety -> low match -> match -> high match -> low reach -> reach -> high reach

GPA UW: 3.4 W: 4.06(There is context for low GPA)
ACT: 29 (Hoping to bring up to 31 or 32)
Class Rank: Top 20% in a class of 1,000 students
Freshman: Honors Algebra 2 B/B+ Honors English A-/A- Honors Biology A/B+, AP human Geography A/A, Spanish 2 A/A
Sophomore: Accel English B/B, Accel Chemistry A/B+, AP European History B-/A-, Accel Spanish 3-4 B+/A-, Honors Geometry A/B+
Junior courseload: Junior English Accl, AP Physics 1, Precalc Honors, APUSH, AP Spanish, Accel Anatomy and Physiology
Senior: World Masterpieces accl, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, AP gov, AP Calc BC
AP scores: human geo(4) euro (4)
Extracurriculars:
-Clubs/organizations
NHS (11,12)
Future Doctors of America(maybe a board position) (10,11,12)
HOSA (VP of Stevenson HOSA, Northern Area Vice President of Illinois HOSA) (11,12)
Debate team (9,10,11,12)
Math team (9,10)
Freshman Mentor Program (11,12) (Director Of Recruitment, Advisory Leader, Rookie Trainer)
Brain Bee(President and Founder) (11,12)
FBLA(11,12)
Peer Tutors (10,11,12)

Awards:
First place in Health Career Display Event at HOSA state
National qualifier for HOSA NLC
Sixth place in Public Health for HOSA state
Barbara James Service Award
Jefferson Award

Leadership in general:
Give a Thon classroom leader (10,11)
Project dance team captain (10)

Athletics:
Soccer(9,10,11,12)

Out of School:
Hosted an event with Alzheimer’s association (presenter and important part of fundraising process) (my own event)
Research at UChicago in neuroscience (somatosensory cortex) (soon to be published)
Research at Rush University(1 paper (not published), another paper (4th author on published paper)
Volunteer at local medical center (300+ hours)
Extraneous U-Give hours (164+ hours)
NSLC at UC-Berkeley
Presenter of Science at the Museum of Science and Industry (51 hours)
Shadowed a neurosurgeon for 127+ hours in the OR watching live surgeries at RUMC
Paid Internship at MSI-Chicago
Research at UCSF in neuro-oncology. (Activity that will be done this summer)
Various neurosurgery conferences
Attended Brain Awareness Day and DNA day events at Conte Center for neuropsychiatric genomics.
Attended Brain Awareness Fair at Northwestern University
ICCCTSO leadership conference

High School Type: Public, 5th in Illinois (US news), 2nd in the nation(k12-niche), 128 in the nation (US news), large student body (4,100 students)

Recommendation Letters:
AP Physics teacher: 8/10
AP Euro or APUSH teacher: 10/10
Counselor: 10/10
Additional Rec from Neurosurgeon I shadow at Rush: 9/10

2

As your grades and scores stand currently

College list
Claremont McKenna (best experience) (ED1) #1 choice (99): Low reach
Occidental (89) Match
Bates(87)(RD)(30) Match
Whitman college(99)(RD)(30) Don’t know
Pitzer(94)(RD)(28) Don’t know
Tulane(EA)(99)(30) Match
Wesleyan(94)(RD)(30) Reach
Colorado college(83)(EA)(29) HIgh match/low reach
Washington and Lee(RD)(30) High match/low reach
URichmond(91) (RD)(29) Match
Bucknell(96)(ED2)(30) High Match/low reach
Lafayette match
Miami(87) match
Bowdoin(99) low reach
ASU(76) safety
Gettysburg college(94) safety
Santa Clara University(92) don’t know
Depauw(80) don’t know
Dickinson(72) not sure
Middlebury(98) Reach
Vassar (86) Reach
St Olaf College not sure

3

@SternBusiness Why is Bucknell a high match while richmond is a match?

4

From my school, Bucknell is a harder school to get into than Richmond. Both are excellent, but Bucknell is more selective and looks for a certain student, rather than Richmond which generally accepted all students with good stats.

5

@SternBusiness Thanks. Which schools do you think I should get rid of? Everyone keeps telling me that Bowdoin and Middlebury are unforgiving of a low GPA. I really love those schools though. Can you give me a brief rundown of the student bodies at Wesleyan, Middlebury, Bowdoin, and Vassar?

6

@SternBusiness to be honest, I think I may be able to get into Bates since my interview was flawless there. He literally told my parents that I was the most impressive student Bates has ever interviewed. For Claremont McKenna, I know a student who works in the admissions office and he said he is vouching for me to my admissions counselor. I have emailed him 30 times in the span of 8 months(not in an annoying way,but we actually became really good friends; I’ve never had a connection with a student at a college like this one, very personal stories). I’ve been emailing Bucknell students in the admissions office too but they seem more focused on test scores and GPA sadly, but since I’m applying ED2, that boosts the acceptance rate to 47% so who knows.

7

@JHUSoccer, Just curious-what do the numbers after the schools names indicate? E.g., Miami(87), Bowdoin(99)

8

@Sue22 Student Happiness factor rated by the princeton review

9

@Sue22 Happiness is my number one factor

10

If your list is based on the Happiness index you may be in for a rude surprise. Bucknell might as well be on a different planet as Bates! Colorado College and URichmond, ditto. ASU and Whitman, ditto. They may all have happy students, but dollars to doughnuts, they are very different students. You can cut your list in half by defining what you are looking for a little more clearly. The question is not what colleges PR survey says have happy students- it’s what makes you happy.

Are you a soccer recruit?

11

I’d caution you against placing too much weight on your perception of interviews and email exchanges with students, even ones that work in the admissions office. I’ve known many alumni recruiters who complain that their recommendations (good and bad) were completely ignored and the students they thought were awesome were rejected, while students they thought were not got in. Work on your essays, especially your “Why College X” essays. For example, in your many chance threads you always list CMC as your first choice, but it is not at all obvious why that is so. You’re pre-med and CMC is best known for its strength in fields like government and economics. I’m sure it has a great pre-med program too but it is hardly a school that leaps to mind for pre-meds, so I think you need to be prepared to write a great essay about why CMC is right for you and vice versa. The same with Pitzer and many of your others especially the LAC’s. And particularly when your GPA and test scores are below the median, you need to not just have great EC’s but also communicate who you are and why you’re right for that school. Bringing your ACT up will help a lot. But it’s very unclear to me how you assembled this list of schools.

12

Responding to what you posted before, Bowdoin is definitely not out of the question for you. From my school, plenty of kids have gotten in with about 4.0 W GPA and similar test scores. I would definitely try to raise your ACT up just a little bit. As long as your HS is competitive then a 4.0 W is a great GPA.

13

@collegemom3717 basically, I made my college decisions on happiness, social life, academics. I really am open to anything. I just want a social life in college and really good academics. I am not a soccer recruit. I made my college list based on where I would be happy and based off of student reviews of the school. College.niche.org

14

@Corinthian I understand that, but it was different at bates. My interviewer literally told my regional officer that I was one of the best students he has seen. At CMC, I understand what you mean, but I mean I guess I just got that vibe that CMC understands. For why CMC, I want to become a better leader in the medical field and in general and CMC has a huge focus on that. I also have mad respect for the atheneum so I’m going to write about that as well. My counselor told me I need safeties so I added ASU(Barrett), Miami, Gettysburg, Depauw, and Dickinson.

15

@SternBusiness I talked to the dean of admissions at Bowdoin today and she did tell me to apply because Bowdoin loves students with career specific ECs. She said it will be very hard though.

16

@JHUSoccer, thanks for that update. Have you visited any colleges yet?

That site has a lot of good info, though somewhat dated. A lot of the schools that you have selected have a somewhat sporty/preppy/party vibe balanced with good academics. Some, imo, are more conservative and/or homogenous, and some are distinctly (even strongly) more liberal and/or diverse. I left out Miami, b/c I wasn’t sure which one you meant, and ASU b/c that is a real outlier. I would be interested to see how other cc’ers would group your list, so I will take a first cut:

Topic:

Looking at the following groupings of colleges, obviously there is a range in the selectivity and costs, but would a student who liked one of the colleges in these groupings be likely to enjoy the others? Discuss :slight_smile:

Claremont McKenna (best experience) (ED1) #1 choice (99)
Bucknell(96)(ED2)(30)
Gettysburg college(94)
Lafayette
Tulane(EA)(99)(30)

Depauw(80)
St Olaf College

Bates(87)(RD)(30)
Whitman college(99)(RD)(30)

Wesleyan(94)(RD)(30)
Vassar (86)
Occidental (89)

Pitzer(94)(RD)(28)
Dickinson(72)
Washington and Lee(RD)(30)
URichmond(91) (RD)(29)
Santa Clara University(92)

Bowdoin(99)
Middlebury(98)
Colorado college(83)(EA)(29)

17

@JHUSoccer, thanks for that update. Have you visited any colleges yet?

That site has a lot of good info, though somewhat dated. A lot of the schools that you have selected have a somewhat sporty/preppy/party vibe balanced with good academics. Some, imo, are more conservative and/or homogenous, and some are distinctly (even strongly) more liberal and/or diverse. I left out Miami, b/c I wasn’t sure which one you meant, and ASU b/c that is a real outlier. I would be interested to see how other cc’ers would group your list, so I will take a first cut:

Topic:

Looking at the following groupings of colleges, obviously there is a range in the selectivity and costs, but would a student who liked one of the colleges in these groupings be likely to enjoy the others? Discuss :slight_smile:

Claremont McKenna (best experience) (ED1) #1 choice (99)
Bucknell(96)(ED2)(30)
Gettysburg college(94)
Lafayette
Tulane(EA)(99)(30)

Depauw(80)
St Olaf College

Bates(87)(RD)(30)
Whitman college(99)(RD)(30)

Wesleyan(94)(RD)(30)
Vassar (86)
Occidental (89)

Pitzer(94)(RD)(28)
Dickinson(72)
Washington and Lee(RD)(30)
URichmond(91) (RD)(29)
Santa Clara University(92)

Bowdoin(99)
Middlebury(98)
Colorado college(83)(EA)(29)

18

I don’t know enough about all the colleges on the list to group them. But I wouldn’t group Pitzer with Washington & Lee. Pitzer is very liberal with an emphasis on social justice, environmental responsibility, sustainability etc (and no frats). I think of W&L as much more conservative, fratty, preppy, southern. Both are excellent schools but very different environments. CMC has the lowest acceptance rate on this list at 10%, lower even than Bowdoin at 12%. https://college-kickstart.com/blog/item/class-of-2019-admission-results. Pitzer is also test optional which would be good for the OP, but he needs to be able to explain to the AdCom why he is a fit there.

19

@collegemom3717 I don’t think those schools actually match up. The thing I want to avoid is super hippie schools. I’m more on the preppy side. I might get rid of vassar and wesleyan. Wesleyan is becoming less hippie everyday though. I have to go to a small school. That is a must. Do you think Depauw is a safety? Do you think ASU BARRETT Dickinson Gettysburg Lafayette Occidental and Tulane are match schools?

20

@Corinthian I don’t prefer pitzer but I want to get as close as possible to CMC if I can. Pomona and Harvey Mudd are out of reach. Plus, I hate Mudd. Scripps is all girls so no luck. I love Washington and Lee though and Richmond. I almost love Bowdoin and Middlebury.