Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Smith College
1

<p>I'm a junior in high school and was thinking of applying to Smith next fall. I haven't taken SATs yet, but based on this information, (let's assume SAT's are acceptable) what are my chances of acceptance?</p>

<p>-white, international female
-previously at competitive private school, before moving to US and attending competitive public school
-previous school worked ahead a year, I'm only a junior but am working on senior level courses</p>

<p>CUMULATIVE GPA over past 3 years, 3.8(unweighed)
-fresh GPA - 3.75 u/w
-soph GPA - 3.889 u/w
-junior(1) - 3.857 u/w
-estimate GPA for junior(2) - 3.8 u/w, 3.92 w</p>

<p>-COURSES FOR JUNIOR(2):
-English 12
-Dramatic Arts
-Gov't
-Trig/Math Analysis
-AP Chem
-Gourmet Foods</p>

<p>-SCHEDULE FOR SENIOR YEAR:
-AP US History
-French 4
-AP Lit
-Physics
-AP Bio
-AP Calculus AB</p>

<p>-EC's:
-Band ensembles: jazz, concert, senior level(9,10,11a)
-Alkahest Chem Honour Society (11b,12)
-Mu Alpha Theta (11b,12)
-Drama Honour Society (11b,12)
-Cooking/Child Care Club, treasurer(11b)
-participated in numerous theatre festivals
-private music lessons
-horseback riding, not competitively (9,10,11,12)</p>

<p>-HONOURS:
-Duke of Ed, bronze level(silver to be completed very soon)
-Proficiency Award (9,10,11a)
-Music Award (9,10)</p>

<p>-OTHER:
-school exchanges to Japan and England </p>

<p>At prev. school I took the highest level of courses possible, and they did not offer AP or honours classes. My main concern is the rigour of my courses will not look favourable to admissions officers, especially my junior year. Coming into a new country, not just a new school, we were unsure as to where I would be so we withheld on enrolling in more AP's and honours classes. However, do not get the wrong idea from my junior courses. I am an extremely hardworking student, and will get stellar teacher recs when I apply next year.</p>

2

<p>You look fairly competitive, more likely to get in that not, but short of a slam dunk. Though Smith de-emphasizes test scores, high test scores (2100+) would probably ice the cake.</p>

3

<p>Relax...
I am from PA and I just got accepted to Smith College Early Decision. Believe me I was a nervous wreck all during November and December. When I saw my acceptance letter I was sure they made of mistake. I can still you from first hand experience that Test score or GPA won't make or break your chances Smith definately looks at the whole picture. Both my GPA and Test Scores (definately take the ACTS not the SATs) were significantly lower then their average stats and I didn't take as rigerous a course load as you. If you really want to go the Smith I would suggest you apply Early Decision since that gives you a much better chance for acceptance (80% versus 48%). If at all possible go for an on campus interview because that way you can tell Smith College why you want to go there and make sure to be really clear in your Why Smith? response on the Supplement and really work on the essay. </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

<p>PS Make every effort to stand out in your classes, that way the teachers you select will be able to write glowing recommedations and try to meet your Guidance Counselor because does ask for a recommendation from them.</p>

4

<p>Regardless of admissions probability, I would not apply ED under any circumstances if Financial Aid is a consideration.</p>

5

<p>I’m aware this issue has been argued ad nauseum. Do you really believe it’s true? Or is your opinion based more or less on anecdotal evidence? I keep going back and forth on the issue. I realize the chances of receiving the Stride is greatly diminished but Smith uses a pretty straight formula. I should think her aid package would be very close, if not the same, as if she was accepted RD. I could be wrong too. Im sure you can argue and sometimes get a little more out of the financial aid office, but is the certainty of lowering your chances of being admitted worth it?</p>

6

<p>The issue is not whether you receive a different financial aid offer if you apply ED or RD but can you compare financial aid offers from different schools.
Ellen</p>

7

<p>Thank you very much for the above posts.</p>

<p>Financial Aid shouldn't be a problem. I'm looking forward to a campus visit, I spoke briefly to an admissions officer at my school. She was very interested in what I have to say, and has made a great first impression on me for Smith. I think I may be the only person in my year actually looking foward to college applications!</p>

8

<p>[RD but can you compare financial aid offers from different schools.]</p>

<p>Hi Ellen. You need to get your own ID. :) I’m never sure if it’s David or you. Not fair. Two against one.</p>

<p>I’m aware <em>comparing aid packages from different colleges</em> is an issue and a wise thing to do. What I was trying to convey also was, if Smith is absolutely your 1 st choice and dream college, maybe bypass the comparison ( if you’re financially able to accept possibly less than expected) in favor of being happy for 4 years. The admit rate for ED so much higher than RD. If the aid package is so bad you can’t attend, you can withdraw even from ED.</p>

9

<p>[Decision since that gives you a much better chance for acceptance (80% versus 48%).]</p>

<p>48% is the overall admission rate. If you factor in the 80% already admitted under ED, the RD admit rate is substantially lower than 48%. If you want to get real anal, you need to subtract the athletic recruits, legacies, Stride decision persuasion offers, etc., and the number shrinks even more.</p>

10

<p>Does Smith count that much for athletes or legacies?</p>

11

<p>Athletics are being taken more seriously. Well seriously for Smith. I still get a kick out of the equestrian team and the preppy Greenwich women who bring their prize horses to Smith to board for $62,000.50 a month.</p>

<p>Being a legacy won’t make up for bad stats but it will break a tie.
Paying full ride helps during certain years also. At the end of the process they determine how much aid has been allocated. If the total allocated has been reached, the last 5% admitted will have their “ability to pay” considered. Same with the waitlist.
Smith is not a need blind as they would have you believe. But some years there is no need to worry about full pay students. They have more than enough allocated aid to meet the need of those admitted and culling the admitted apps isn’t necessary. It’s a crap shoot. It’s like that at many colleges since their endowments were substantially reduced during the market downturn. Most colleges have recovered nicely. But………</p>

<p>And colleges are building and adding facilities at an enormous pace to keep with the completion.
Colleges have become a commodity and they have savvy kids and parents as shoppers. I still wish Smith would get a Starbucks on campus as many colleges do. The walk down the street to the town Starbucks in the winter or rain gets old and the parking sucks. Besides, parking tickets are my best friend That gets even older.</p>

12

<p>About stats, you must remember two things. First, Smith is a top Women's college and will always have a fairly high admit rate because they have less applicants than other top school and that if you are not well qualified you won't get in to Smith.</p>

13

<p>I didn't know. One of the best things about Smith was the lack of starbucks. You don't need someover priced coffee to be happy. FYI, they give out coffee at meals.</p>

14

<p>You don't need someover priced coffee to be happy]</p>

<p>The price vs. value is in the eye of the beholder. Besides, I didn’t say I needed it to be happy. I need it to calm withdrawals. :)</p>

<p>Since Starbucks is one of the most successful companies in America and continues to grow, apparently millions of people don’t have an issue with price. Econ-101</p>

<p>Personally I find moisturizing cream exorbitantly overpriced when Wesson oil works perfectly fine-- but that’s another matter</p>

<p>[they give out coffee at meals.]</p>

<p>I don’t have a meal card. They confiscated it when they discovered I was a guy in a kilt</p>

<p>They also give out free mugs (because they were tired of the cups from the houses being left all over campus) so you can take coffee to class</p>

15

<p>Funny Smith Starbucks story: during the visit after acceptance, we we were invited to a panel of STRIDE scholars talking about their reserach opportunities. They [Smith College] knew what they were selling and it was pretty impressive. But what sticks in my mind, of course, was the girl who said that she loved her STRIDE research but that that job had made her give up her plans to work at Starbucks, which had been a long-time dream.</p>