Chances for Reed?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Reed College
1

<p>Well, before today, I had always had an interest of some sort in Reed, but after today, I've fallen in love with it. I attended an information session, tour, and even an interview, and I thoroughly enjoyed the school. Other schools I've been considering are Middlebury, Vassar, Bard, Skidmore, Lewis and Clark, and Hamilton. My top choices are Middlebury, Vassar, and Reed, but now Reed is my all time top choice.</p>

<p>So, as if I cannot stress it enought, I LOVE REED! And I would deeply appreciate it if you could tell me what you think my chances of admission are! ^_^</p>

<p>I live in Arizona, attend a small, college prep private school.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.4
SAT/ACT status: took my SAT for the first time in March, recieved a horrible score. I plan to retake it, and take the ACT, and then send the better of the two.</p>

<p>Courseload:</p>

<p>9th
Geometry C+/B
Spanish II A-/A
Biology B+/A-
World History B+/A-
Computer Science PASS
Literature and Composition A/A</p>

<p>10th
Adv Algebra C+/B
Spanish III A-/A
Physics C+/B-
Art I B+/A-
Literature and Composition A/A
European History B/A-</p>

<p>11th
FST (Functions Statistics Trigonometry) B-
Spanish IV A-
Chemistry C+
Art II A-
American Literature A
US History B+</p>

<p>12th
Precalculus
AP Spanish
Creative Writing/Connections
Journalism
Adv Art
AP Brit Lit
Masterwork (a unique program my school provides in which a senior student, if he/she wishes to do so, may create a senior project of sorts. This masterwork project is an integration of a student's personal passion and an accumulation of the things he/she has an interest in academically. I will create a 150-200 page graphic novel in which I design the characters and story, draw it out, so on.)</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Student Recruitment Commitee for all 4yrs of high school
Vice President of class in freshman year
President of class in sophomore year
Computer Science --> contributed to creation of school website
National Art Honor Society
Advanced Art and things
Took japanese language class in sophomore year outside of class
Study abroad in Tokyo my summer before senior year</p>

<p>Race: Caucasian</p>

<p>Hook: masterwork, Japanese studies and travels, art interests, being from AZ?</p>

<p>In Need of Fin Aid?: No</p>

<p>So...Not a stellar GPA. Not a wealth of ECs. But I personally think I've got the "individualistic hook." I can also write excellent essays, and my teacher recs/counselor recs will be good. As you can see, my strong suits are English, Spanish, and History..sort of. Math and science are not my best areas. So, do you think I have a shot at Reed?</p>

2

<p>Well i certainly hope that you can get in, means that more than likely I could. Is you GPA unweighted or weighted, and exactly how bad on the sat?</p>

<p>your hook seem like a great idea, I could sure use one of those, but im sure my 4.4 gpa will hold itself up.</p>

3

<p>You seem light on APs/Honors for a private college prep HS. For the 2006 matriculated class, the average weighted GPA was 3.9 and the average SAT was 1370; your chances go down if you're significantly lower on both. The data is from <a href="http://web.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds0607/cdssecc200607.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://web.reed.edu/ir/cds/cds0607/cdssecc200607.html&lt;/a> from which you can get a better idea of your chances. The numbers will likely be higher for 2007.</p>

4

<p>Understand that my HS is small and private, and does not offer very many APs:</p>

<p>AP Literature
AP Spanish
AP US History
AP Politics</p>

<p>Then we have Adv Physics, Adv Chemistry, and a Calculus course. However, my interests and passions lean towards the humanities and things of that sort, not math and science. And a masterwork in itself is quite rigorous. My HS does not offer any honors courses.</p>

<p>My first SAT score was in the 1700 range, so not too stellar. Remember that I, as a potentially strong candidate, am a work in progress, lol. While I think Reed likes bright applicants, according to my interviewer, "We'd rather have a B or B+ student with an intense passion for something, like the arts, than an ace student who was president of his class. Reedies are intellectual thoroughbreads who embrace individuality." My interview herself stated that she was no straight A student, so there truly is a sense of diversity in who is admitted.</p>

<p>Still, my stats are NOT very competitive, but they will get better. They'll have to be since I'm applying early decision...</p>

<p>Thanks for your thoughts. Any other opinions?</p>

5

<p>OnliLawliet, I am going to repeat some of what I said in response to your "what are my chances thread" on the Vassar board here. I hope you will consider what I have to say seriously.</p>

<p>For now, I would build lots of match and safety schools into your list. You can always drop one or two later on if your test scores and grades do go up. Right now, I don't see any safeties on your list.</p>

<p>Vassar, Reed, Hamilton and Middlebury will be very high reaches for someone with a 3.4 GPA and 1700 test scores scores. Yes, your test scores may go up, but until they do, build a safety net into your list. Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Lewis & Clark and Skidmore might be realistic reaches or reachy matches, but are not safeties or solid matches. Doesn't mean you shouldn't give these schools a try, but I can't stress enough the importance of making sure you also have some more solid matches and safe bets in the mix. </p>

<p>Sure, Vassar or Reed or Middlebury or Bard might take a risk on someone with a lower GPA who is "individualistic" but they also get tons of applications from students with high GPAs/high test scores who are ALSO "individualistic" so the chances of getting in on that alone without the whole package are not high. </p>

<p>So, do be cautious at this point. Think of building your college list like building a house. You don't start from the roof and work your way down. The house won't stand. You start from the foundation -- the schools your grades and test scores are great for -- then add in the structure -- the schools your grades and test scores are pretty good for -- and then you add the roof - the schools where you may not have the grades/test scores but want to give a shot anyhow. But, always, always, put the structure and foundation in place first. That way, no matter what happens with the reach schools, you'll still have plenty of good choices next spring. The best way to avoid stress in the process is to build in a safety net you can live with.</p>

6

<p>PS, If there is any chance you could bring your GPA up significantly during first semester of senior year, it may be to your advantage to not apply ED. That would also give you an extra shot at the SATs and/or subject exams.</p>

7

<p>I also find it very interesting that the Reed interviewer appears to have told you the exact same thing, in the same words, as you said the Bard interviewer told you. I will repeat what I said in that regard again: Take such input from an admissions counselor who has not seen your transcript, test scores, essays, recommendations, and applications with a very BIG grain of salt. It is to their advantage to encourage as many students as possible to apply.</p>

8

<p>WAAAAA!!!</p>

<p>My apologies, I commonly confuse Bard and Reed, I did not at all mean to lie or intertwine opinions. Please forgive me in that respect.</p>

<p>Wow, I feel like a fake at this point...I really truly apologize.</p>

9

<p>Carolyn, do you think that if I finished my junior year strong and first semester mid-term strong that I would have better chances with early decision?</p>

<p>And that 3.4 GPA is unweighted.</p>

10

<p>No problem, Onilawliet. These things happen, and I have done the same thing! But, the advice is still the same: Take whatever an admissions officer who hasn't seen your application/transcript/essays/recommendations says about your chances with a big grain of salt, and make sure you have a safety net. </p>

<p>I know a lot of people think that ED is the way to go if you're below the school's average GPA and test scores, but, in my opinion, it really depends on how FAR below you are. ED is really best for those who are either just below the medians (for Reed, that would be 3.9 unweighted, and math/reading scores in the high 1300 range), or just at the medians. In some cases, ED can also work for students who are quite a bit below the medians on ONE of the measures, but Students who are significantly below both medians are usually the ones who end up either rejected on the first go-round or deferred then rejected in the RD round. Not always, of course, but typically. I <em>know</em> the standard thinking is that ED "adds 100 points to your SAT" but, in truth, schools don't choose students SOLELY on test scores -- </p>

<p>So, IF a student has had an upwards trend in their grades, and believes they will do a bang-up job on those first semester grades, and could possibly benefit from an extra try or two on the SAT, I usually discuss the possibility of waiting and applying RD for the most highly selective schools. </p>

<p>But, that's just my opinion, and I admittedly tend to err on the side of caution more than most people. You really should discuss which strategy might be best for you with your guidance counselor. They are the ones who will be best able to advise you, and tell you which way to go, especially if you attend a private college prep school.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>