Chances, pretty please?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>I've recently decided that I've very inclined to apply to Dartmouth, but do I have any chance of getting in? I know there's no definite way to determine whether or not I'll be accepted, but I feel that hearing from actual Dartmouth students would help give me a idea at least.</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>Weighted GPA: 4.625 (currently but will be raised because I'm taking 2 more AP classes this year)</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.85</p>

<p>Currently ranked number 8 in a class of 507</p>

<p>I've taken all honors (except classes like Spanish where you can't take honors at my school) and by the time I graduate, I will have taken 5 AP classes (including taken AP Senior English [or AP English Literature] in my sophomore year.) I will also have taken Statistics and Life Management Skills at a community college.</p>

<p>AP Scores:</p>

<p>AP English Literature - 5
AP English Language and Composition - 5
AP U.S. History - 5</p>

<p>SAT I score was 800 Writing, 740 Critical Reading, and 600 Math (overall, 2140), but I'm retaking it in November.</p>

<p>SAT II - U.S. History (710); taking Literature in October (expecting high 700's or an 800)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>1.) Scriptwriting (created and have been writing scripts for an original television series for the past 6 years, began scriptwriting when I was 8 for a different original series)</p>

<p>2.) Creative writing (written at least seven novellas, five short stories, and one in-progress novel)</p>

<p>3.) Playwriting (one play written)</p>

<p>4.) Songwriting (have a small portfolio of lyrics I've written over the past four years)</p>

<p>5.) Poetry (larger portfolio of poetry I've written)</p>

<p>6.) Affinity Independent Film Company (freshman - senior year)
-Acting (starred in one full-length independent film and a cameo in another)
-Cinematography (two full-length independent films)
-Creative consulting (three full-length independent films)
-Directing (one short film)
-Writing (one short film and another in-progress feature-length)</p>

<p>7.) Animation Appreciation Club (freshman - senior year)</p>

<p>8.) Newspaper Club (freshman year)
-Staff writer for the school newspaper</p>

<p>9.) Senior Class Council (senior year)</p>

<p>Community Service:</p>

<p>1.) Drama-coaching middle school students for play productions for two summers (35 hours)</p>

<p>2.) Assisting teachers and students at an elementary school (about 200 hours)</p>

<p>3.) Participated in two episodes of a local television program called "Today's Family" as a guest speaker (5 hours)</p>

<p>4.) Junior Honor Guard <a href="10%20hours">top 10 students, assisting with graduation ceremony and senior banquet</a></p>

<p>Special Events:</p>

<p>1.) Junior Honor Guard</p>

<p>2.) Won third place in Voice of Democracy competition</p>

<p>3.) Won local poetry competition four times</p>

<p>I think that's about it. I feel I may be forgetting something, but...anyway, I'd really appreciate any feedback about my chances of getting in and any advice you have to offer! Thank you so much for your time. :)</p>

2

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<p>Are you saying that you have written scripts and a play that have actually been produced, possibly on some kind of local access channel?</p>

<p>If so, I think your EC picture is extremely strong.</p>

<p>You obvious weakness would appear to be in science and math. Is your GC going to be able to check the “maximum rigor” box? Have you taken the full series of sciences? (bio/chem/physics) Are you taking calculus? Any science/math APs senior year? If you have, it may help overcome your Math score, which is as you probably know is really, really low for D. Any chance of getting it up to the upper 600s?</p>

<p>On the other hand, your writing/film/theater ECs may be strong enough to overcome that weakness, especially if you’ve actually taken the classes.</p>

<p>I wanted to add that you need to display some actual reason to want to go to D. (Other than Shonda Rimes. :slight_smile: )</p>

3

<p>Thanks so much for the reply and support. :slight_smile: I’ll answer your questions now!</p>

<p>My scripts have not actually been produced because the series I’m working on is dramatic television series, purely fictional (not any kind of series that a local station could put on…requires a bigger budget and I’d have to have actual representation, producers interested in making it, etc [which I’m sure you know is extremely difficult for even industry professionals–let alone unrepresented minors–to accomplish]). I’d be majoring in Film Studies at Dartmouth if I got accepted and enrolled, if that makes any difference. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Even if my scripts have not been professionally produced yet, do you think the nine years of scriptwriting provides for strong EC since it shows concentrated and long-term dedication and passion about the field? </p>

<p>I’m not sure if my GC will check the “maximum rigor” box; it’s possible. I’ve taken 5 AP classes out of 9 offered and have taken all honors besides those. I think I have taken most of the rigorous classes offered at school, but of course, there are those who take all 9 AP classes (I’m guessing that would easily count as “maximum rigor”, but I’m not sure if my schedule would or would be the second-highest rigor level. Is there any way of knowing for sure?) Would Dartmouth immediately reject me if I didn’t take “maximum rigor”? </p>

<p>I have taken the full series of sciences (though my school offers them in reverse order: I took physics freshman year, honors chemistry sophomore year, and honors biology junior year.) I’m not taking any science/math AP’s because I know I would not perform very well in them and they do not complement my major either (hopefully this will show my judgment of my own strengths and capabilities, but I don’t know…:-/) </p>

<p>And yes, I know my math score is low for Dartmouth. I’m retaking the SAT I in November and will be studying my math every day until then, so I really hope to raise it into the high 600’s at least. If I were to raise this, do you think I would have a chance?</p>

<p>Also, when you say you have to display reason to want to go to Dartmouth, do you mean on the supplemental application? (Also, I didn’t even know who Shonda Rimes was until I looked her up just now…[Never watched Grey’s Anatomy! :P])</p>

<p>Thanks again for your time and advice. :)</p>

4

<p>I don’t know how they go about evaluating something like your script writing. You obviously have a passionate interest in film that you have pursued in many ways. On the other hand, you could be a screen writer of promise, or someone who is hopelessly bad and simply deluded and obsessed. :smiley: I would think that getting some outside assessment of your work in some way would help you at any school.</p>

<p>Re reason to go to D: a quick perusal of your resume would suggest that you should be looking at NYU or USC or some place that has a film school. Why would you pick a big LAC in the country? An Ivy League school of the kind that tends to go for the scholar-athlete, maximum rigor, good-at-everything types?</p>

5

<p>Consolation’s point is a good one if you are looking for a very strong film school. But there have been a good number of successful artists coming out of Dartmouth for a long time and in recent years, aside from Shonda Rimes, the following writers:
[Mindy</a> Kaling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindy_Kaling]Mindy”>Mindy Kaling - Wikipedia)
[A</a> team effort on ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ – latimes.com](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-meatballs13-2009sep13,1,3647146.story]A”>OK, it's raining hamburgers -- but make it believable)
[Aisha</a> Tyler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisha_Tyler]Aisha”>Aisha Tyler - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>See also: [Dartmouth</a> Alumni in Entertainment & Media Association](<a href=“http://alum.dartmouthentertainment.org/]Dartmouth”>http://alum.dartmouthentertainment.org/)</p>

6

<p>Thank you both for your replies. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>@ Consolation, I’m not entirely sure where or from whom I could get formal recognition of my scriptwriting abilities because I sadly don’t know anyone in the business. :-/ I do have a strong recommendation from two former teachers (my 8th grade English teacher with whom I took poetry classes during the summer every year in middle school, Latin class, and wrote for the middle school paper when I was still in 5th grade and my English teacher from sophomore year when I was the only sophomore admitted to take AP English Literature that year) who could vouch for my writing skills. Neither have actually read my scripts, but if I sent them copies and they wrote recommendations for that as well, do you think that would cover it?</p>

<p>Also, I am applying to USC and NYU, which are two of my top choices. :slight_smile: However, I very much like the idea of a very “academic”, traditional, old-school environment that an Ivy League school offers; I think I would also enjoy New Hampshire (the scenery, the weather, et cetera) and an Ivy League education would most likely get me far no matter what career I pursue (unless I’m mistaken! :P)</p>

7

<p>I suggest you apply ED if Dartmouth is your first choice :)</p>

8

<p>Another school like Dartmouth in size, also 'very academic", to consider is Northwestern’s School of Communication - again, not the same as NYU but a respected program. Again, you would probably want to present a higher math SAT.</p>

9

<p>What about the “Affinity Independent Film Comany”? Does it actually make films? Surely there must be someone there who coul evaluate your work. </p>

<p>If this is a completely student-run kind of thing, then see if you can sit down and go over your creation–the tv show–with a friend from that group, ask him or her to read some of your work, and then have them do your Peer Recommendation. That way they would not only be able to testify to your participation in films the group has made, but could talk about your scriptwriting endeavor for your “imaginary” tv show. (Not using imaginary in a negative sense at all. :slight_smile: )</p>

<p>Showing your work to one of your recommenders is a good idea also.</p>

10

<p>Yeah, it actually makes films, two completed full-length and two on the rise. It doesn’t sell the films though; instead it has showings and people’s ticket money is donated to the Invisible Children Association. </p>

<p>There is one guy who is involved with it that is a good writer and could probably do the Peer Recommendation. There’s also my brother, who is in charge of the company; can a family member do a recommendation for you? Or does that come off as illegitimate?</p>