Chances for ... me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hi guys. I posted two chances threads in the past but they've quickly gotten buried. I've since decided pretty definitively where I'd like to apply, too, so thanks to anyone who can offer advice and/or encouragement.</p>

<p>Currently (mostly) a prospective philosophy major, possibly with a minor in creative writing or a double major where available. I'll try to make this short and painless:</p>

<p>ACT: 33--35 English/35 Reading/32 Math/31 Science/8 Essay--yeah, I don't get that one either.
SAT I: 1330/2000--660 CR/670 M/670 W. I'm not going to willingly send this in anywhere. The only way anyone's going to see this is if I send in SAT II scores, but none of the schools listed here actually require them, I don't think. I might retake, might not. At the moment I'm content with my ACT score.
SAT II: will probably take in the fall (planning on Lit, Spanish, World History; possibly Math II).</p>

<p>GPA: I'm actually not positive, but I'm sure it's somewhere in the range of a 3.7-3.9 UW, likely towards the higher end. I've taken every honors course available, along with APs.
As far as I know, my school doesn't rank.
APs: Euro, 4; Art History, 5; US, 4; Lang, 4. Taking Econ, Psych, Spanish, Lit, Stat, and Bio as a senior.
Also taking French 4H and Military History this year, though I might drop that so I can (finally) have a lunch.</p>

<p>ECs/awards/volunteerwork:
- took several summer courses--one in Holocaust history, one in film analysis, and two in creative writing
- two gold medals from Le Grand Concours (national French exam); award for best score in my chapter this year
- teaching myself Russian
- French Honor Society (well, it's not official, but it's expected. I wasn't eligible this year because I hadn't yet taken the state test)
- Spanish Honor Society
- National Honor Society
- National Merit Somethingorother (don't know quite what yet)
- Art Club (3 yrs)
- Literary Magazine (2 yrs; will be co-editor as a senior)
- Film Club (1 yr)
- Russian Club (1 yr)
- volunteer regularly at a local fair-trade store; profits go to artisans, farmers, etc. in underprivileged countries to ensure that they get a fair wage
- painted doors that were auctioned off to benefit Habitat for Humanity (through Art Club)
- one season of JV indoor track, another of outdoor</p>

<p>I have 35-some community service hours from helping out at the main office when I was in seventh grade (not like that's anything to brag about). My only work experience is getting paid by the Landmark Society to weed my grandma's garden. :p</p>

<p>On to the schools:</p>

<p>Boston College
Barnard
Vassar (for Victorian Studies)
UChicago (the requisite reach, haha)
WashU (I'm interested in the IPH program--got an email from somebody there about it and I feel as though it'd suit me very well)
Oberlin (I'm not sure about this one--I have a friend going there for exactly what I hope to go for, though, so I'll talk to her some--in the meantime, any advice from others?)</p>

<p>I'm considering American and BU as safeties but I'm not sure how safe they actually are.</p>

<p>One more thing--I'm a fairly prolific writer and artist in my spare time. That said, I don't really make a big deal about either of these things--I am a part of the literary magazine but I've never attempted to get published anywhere else and while I do like to "show off" my art I don't really, you know, publicize it. Are these things still worth mentioning? I've got a huge collection of collages and digital art done outside school--probably 40+ pieces from the last two or three years--as well as loads of poems, a finished novelette, and numerous stories-in-progress. Is this the sort of stuff I should send in as supplementary material? I don't want to go overboard, but, you know, if it would help me in any way...</p>

<p>Well, that took forever. Thaaaaank you in advance!</p>

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<p>Oh, right--highly competitive (public) high school, best district in the region, nationally ranked, blah blah.</p>

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<p>Hello there! Just thought I'd say a few things before I chanced you. The first is that you should definitely consider sending in some supplements for both art and writing. It's important at selective schools like the ones you're applying to to really differentiate yourself from others, and those are two outlets through which you may be able to do so. Don't send everything--it sounds like you're pretty prolific and you don't want to freak out the admissions officer evaluating your application with too much paperwork--but be sure to send in a nice cross-section of both your art and writing. Most, if not all, of the schools on your list should have their own music and writing supplements you can get off of their admissions website to fill out as well as guidelines.</p>

<p>Now, on to your chances. I agree that you should definitely submit your ACT and forget about the SAT. Unless I'm mistaken, for all of the schools on your list, if you submit an ACT you don't need to have any SAT IIs; those are only required if you choose to submit your SAT I score. Other than that, you look very solid: your GPA is right where it needs to be for most of the schools on your list, it sounds as if you've challenged yourself throughout your high school career, and you look to have a nice mix of extracurricular involvements and awards.</p>

<p>Boston College... GOOD FIT.
Barnard College... GOOD FIT.
Vassar College... GOOD FIT.
University of Chicago... SEMI-REACH.
Washington University in St. Louis... REACH.
Oberlin College... GOOD FIT.
Boston University... LIKELY.
American University... SAFETY.</p>

<p>Let me also add that I think you've created for yourself a very nice and balanced list :). If you have any questions about Vassar, feel free to contact me either via PM or by posting a question in the Vassar College thread. I'm going to be a history major, so can certainly answer any questions you have about that aspect of the Victorian Studies program at Vassar.</p>

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<p>Whoa, thanks for the incredibly detailed post--I feel slightly more confident now. :) It's good to know that all my writing and art stuff is going to be useful somehow. Does anyone have any advice on how much is too much in regards to the supplementary material? I know some places have restrictions on art (i.e. 10 slide maximum) but few say much about curtailing any writing. I figure if I'm going to be sending samples of both things I should make it a pretty even split, but I don't want to overwhelm anybody.</p>

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<p>...bump. :)</p>

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<p>And another one.
Edited to say that I now know what my GPA is--a 92.03 UW, which I'm assuming is somewhere around a 3.7-3.75? This is including some grades from eighth grade, though, which I kind of doubt colleges will count. I kind of screwed up junior year and got my first B's ever (precalc and physics EW) but whatever--with the exception of ninth grade Spanish and APUSH everything else is an A, so we'll see what happens.</p>

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<p>why philosophy
i'm curious cause i also wanna major in philosophy (along with econ)</p>

<p>also maybe get a little gutsy and add another reach (somewhere between 8 and 20 on UNSWR) unless you'd rather go to the other schools, in which case your list is fine. i think that what littleatheist said made sense, although i am by no means an expert on adcom decisions</p>

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<p>google (GPA calculator)
it will take 5 minutes to do all 3 or 4 grades but that's an easy way to figure it out
and make sure that the courses have the same credit hours unless they are half year courses</p>

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<p>To be honest, my huge reach school is ~<em>Yale</em>~ but I didn't bother putting it on here because it's near impossible to give an accurate chance for a school of that caliber unless you're an astounding student. I don't think I'm a bad one, but I'm not one of those walk-on-water people either.</p>

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<p>kokokola this is soooooo funny. we are both prospective philosophy majors. my favorite school in the universe is yale (though of course it's basically impossible for either of us to get in). my 2nd favorite is tied (U Chicago and Rice), and i know you said that Chicago is your main reach. also i'm gonna guess that you're Jewish cause i just have this feeling that you are. maybe we were separated at birth!</p>

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<p>Okay, GPA is exactly a 3.75 using the scale where and A- equals a 3.7. Thank you Google.</p>

<p>Edit: Haha, I'm not Jewish, but I have loads of Jewish friends and have had people think I'm a Jew before... weird though!</p>

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<p>i just guessed because 1. a lot of philosophers have been Jewish and 2. New York= quadzillions of Jews</p>

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<p>Oh yeah, you're right about the fact that there are loads of Jews here--we as a state seem to harbor almost the entire American Jewish population. I live five minutes away from a town where probably 90% of the population is Jewish. They get the holidays off from school.</p>

<p>But as to your first question, which I totally neglected to answer ("why philosophy"), it seems like everything I like has really strong ties to the subject. That and the fact that I like to ask questions &c. I don't know how to describe it, really... I just think it's a subject area where I could really thrive.</p>

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<p>First off...thanks for chancing me! :)
In addition , I am SO envious of your ACT and I am taking your advice and trying the Act in September. Hopefully I will do as well as you! :)
As for chances...I think you have an amazing chance at ALL your schools. Your love of writing and art makes you really unique and I believe that will stand out with admissions.</p>

<p>Good Luck and I can't wait to see where everyone gets in!</p>

<p>P.S. Dont live with "What If's" APPLY to YALE!
You dont want to go through your life wondering..."I wonder if I could have gotten in?"</p>

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<p>Thank you kmitch! Good luck on the ACT. I hope it does you as well as it did me. :)</p>

<p>About Yale... I'm definitely applying; I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. Don't think I've got a chance, but I can't say it isn't worth a try. And they sent me something today, so my faith in myself is restored a little, I guess, haha.</p>