Chances for Pomona?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Please tell me how you think my daughter is doing. She's a junior at an average public high school.</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0</p>

<p>ACT: 35
English: 33
Math: 36
Reading: 34
Science: 36
Writing: 30 (8 on essay)</p>

<p>Freshman: AP World Geography, Biology H, English 9H, Algebra II, Studio Art, Choir, PE (4.0 on all)</p>

<p>Sophomore: French 1, Chemistry H, English 10H, Pre-Calculus, Dance Performance, Choir, Individual Voice, Health, PE (4.0 on all)</p>

<p>Junior: French 2, Physics, English 11, AP Calculus, AP US History, Dance Performance, Choir, Web Design, Commercial Art (4.0 on all)</p>

<p>Senior plans: AP Statistics, AP Psychology, AP English Literature, Dance Performance, Choir, Chamber Choir, Civics, Financial Literacy, Computer Tech (let's guess that she gets a 4.0 this year as well...)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Dance team president and secretary (different years)
Choir council, party planner and section leader
Math Club
National Honor Society
Science teaching assistant
National History Day participant (Utah state champion)</p>

<p>Outside of school she works part-time at Old Navy and volunteers at the library.</p>

<p>She's thinking of majoring in biology, but she's not sure what she wants to do with it. Couldn't take Honors English or Honors Physics this year because of the school's stupid scheduling...</p>

<p>What more does she need to do? She's taking the SAT on Saturday - I'm hoping her scores will be commensurate with her ACT scores.</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>Well first of all, there is no reason to take the SAT with an ACT of 35. It might even be detrimental since there is a better than good chance that she’ll score less than the equivalent SAT score (which would be around a 2340).
For Pomona she must take a lab science senior year (preferably AP Bio or Chem since she wants to be a Bio major) since Pomona requires 4 years of natural science.
Other than that her academics and ECs are pretty good. If she writes good essays I would put Pomona at a high match/low reach. </p>

3

<p>Her high school only offers three sciences… Do you think we could explain this to the admissions people?</p>

4

<p>I personally feel like she should have taken more challenging courses (unless her high school doesn’t offer a lot of APs) and I feel like Pomona is a reach for her just because Pomona’s admissions are insane. </p>

<p>The interview helps if your daughter went to one. </p>

<p>Your daughter seems like a qualified applicant, but I don’t know… Pomona is just crazy when it comes to admissions. My friend applied early decision to Pomona. He has a learning disadvantage (partially blind) and he had a 4.0 unweighted GPA and took 12 AP/IB courses and had like a 2270 SAT or something like that. He did many sports and was the head of a club and has good Extra curriculars, and might I remind you he applied early. </p>

<p>But sadly he was rejected. </p>

<p>I have no idea, but I guess he had a bad essay or something like that? </p>

<p>Anyways I wish your daughter better luck than my friend and I hope she has a strong essay. </p>

5

<p>Definitely a reach. While academics are there, the EC activities aren’t particularly intriguing/impressive. That being said, it’s a reach for most. She should still apply because she would have a great shot.
Also, it’d be much better to have FOUR years of language, FOUR years of lab science…
Did she not take a history class sophomore year? It just seems a bit weird.</p>