<p>I am a senior, and have just finished all of my college apps, but Reed and Hampshire are my top choices. If you have any input on my chances, I would greatly appreciate it.</p>
<p>School:
I currently hold a 3.65 GPA, but it's likely to raise after this semester ends. I have been in the Honor Society since sophomore year.</p>
<p>This year, I am taking AP French, AP English, and AP Environmental Science in addition to Statistics, String Orchestra, and Economics/Civics. </p>
<p>Stats:
SAT = 1970 (630 Math, 630 Critical Reading, 710 Writing)
French subject test = 600
Lit subject test = 630</p>
<p>ECs:
1. During the first semester of my junior year, I lived and studied in Adana, Turkey on a full diplomatic scholarship from the State Department. I took 8 hours a week of Turkish class in addition to attending a local high school, and received straight As (not included in my American GPA). I also taught English at my local pre school for about 2 months, and counted it as volunteer work.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I have been playing the viola for 8 years - 6 years of competitive audition-based youth orchestra (have toured internationally), participated in UC Berkeley Summer Symphony, and a 2-week chamber music program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.</p></li>
<li><p>I do large amounts of volunteer work in my community, mainly environmental. I've been a member of my school's BuildOn club for 3 years - a national non-profit, service-based organization.</p></li>
<li><p>During my freshman year, I was on a competitive archery team, and placed 3rd place for my age group in a statewide competition.</p></li>
<li><p>I have been a TA for my elementary school's after school art class since my sophomore year, and the teacher wrote me a 3rd letter of recommendation for my private schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Paid work = babysitting - I have been working an average of four hours per week since freshman year.</p></li>
<li><p>I am the organization chair for Lechem Oni, a club created by a fellow student, that focuses specifically on collectively cooking meals for Berkeley Mens' Homeless Shelter - have been a member since sophomore year.</p></li>
<li><p>During sophomore year I was in an audition-based choir, mainly to improve my knowledge/skills in music theory.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Essays:
My Personal Statement is about connecting different experiences in becoming an adult; I began with how I started drinking coffee, what coffee meant to me in America, and how learning about its origins made me want to travel. This connected to finding an affordable way to study in Turkey - there, I discovered the new significance of coffee and being a woman in such a different culture. I concluded with the idea that I began drinking coffee to make myself into more of an adult, and that this guileless motivation actually did help me grow and desire to gain international perspectives, education, etc.</p>
<p>My Hamp and Reed supplements are extensive, and I also wrote a sonnet about Reed in addition to my "Why Reed?" essay...</p>
<p>Thanks again!
-Isobel</p>