<p>Junior:
Honors Physics: A/A
Honors Spanish IV: A/A
AP European History: A/A
Honors British Literature: A/A
Alg. II: A/A</p>
<p>Senior year courseload:
AP Chemistry
AP Spanish Lang
AP Gov & Pol
AP English Lit & Comp
AP Art History
Pre-Calculus</p>
<p>ECs:
National Geographic Student Expeditions '13
Fingerstyle guitar (composer)/Classical piano
A few notable writing contests (winner)
Photography enthusiast (did some work with National Geographic)
Linguistics: Kalaallisut, French, Latin
Polar climate/research</p>
<p>School clubs:
Astronomy (president)
Quill and Scroll (president)
Spanish National Honor Society
National Honor Society</p>
<p>Volunteering:
ASPCA
United Way (reading tutor)</p>
<p>Wait, you haven’t sent in any standardized testing? Not even the SAT? Williams requires either the SAT/ACT. If you post those, it would be easier to let you know of your chances.</p>
<p>The one C hurts a little–do you have an explanation for it that your counsellor can use? ACTs or SATs will be important. Also what sort of high school – how competitive? Which writing contests–at what level-- regional/state or national? Where your photographs published in Nat Geo magazine?</p>
<p>Just took your PSAT? Oh, I get it…you’re in your Junior year. Sorry, I didn’t realize it earlier.</p>
<p>Is an SAT/ACT prep course an option for you financially? If not, I know that there a some good prep workbooks you can buy that certainly seemed to help my daughter. FWIW, my D took the SATs twice. On her second try, she scored over 200 points higher than her PSAT. I would advise not getting too bummed out about the PSAT. You can do better on the actual tests.</p>
<p>The 25/50 percentile scores for Williams are pretty high (1310-1530 in the 2010/2011 Common Data Set), but as is pointed out frequently, strong talent and abilities can also go a long way.</p>
<p>Etondad- well I struggled with OCD and depression, but finally got a hold of it and had a pretty nice rebound. Should I mention that in my essay? </p>
<p>My high school is fairly new, and it’s sort of competitive. The writing contests are at National level. And no, my photos weren’t published in NatGeo. I focused more on my writing and created a journal of my experiences in Alaska.</p>
<p>Lowden - thanks! I’m working on the ACT prep, since I’ve decided to pass on taking the SAT. Whatever score I get, I think that my ECs and maybe my GPA will make up for it. I don’t think that I’ll get under 30 though…at least according to the practice tests…
Standardized tests freak me out. I have a hard time concentrating under such a time crunch… Ugh</p>
<p>A 30 ACT will probably not be enough to get into Williams. Have you looked into other really good LACs? Bowdoin, Middlebury, Swarthmore? However, I would still apply to Williams because you never know.</p>
<p>The issue of mentioning mental illness is dicey. Some admissions officers may see “red flag” and decide that they don’t want to put you and the College in a difficult spot–that it may cause a “relapse”, another will be moved by your overcoming this disease. I would think 5-10x before going down that route and if you do, have a bunch of folks who know what they are doing in admissions read it first.</p>
<p>As an analyst it pains me that the stigma of mental disease still exists but you are betting your future and so wishing it would go away will not make it so. </p>
<p>Good luck on getting the ACTs and SAT2s to a level where you will be a strong Williams candidate.</p>
<p>I agree with Etondad. I would probably not address it in an essay. Why give anyone a reason to deny you admission. Everyone has their own biases and you don’t know if someone in adcom has any toward mental disease.</p>
<p>upennetc, I believe you could be a strong candidate for Williams. First, I would agree emphatically that you should pick a purely positive experience for your essay. You have a lot of interesting extracurriculars. Chose a small event related to one of your activities and write about how it contributed to who you are. </p>
<p>Are you hispanic? That will help a good deal. What is your financial situation? Can you apply ED? That would also help a good deal. Have you visited? That will also help somewhat.</p>
<p>The key in my opinion is to communicate who you are in your application. </p>
<p>I respectfully disagree with Etondad and believe that your scores and 10th grade C in geometry will not be obstacles. I’d worry less about your scores (in my opinion they may not get you in, but they won’t keep you out) and focus more on your essays, your supplemental materials (submit everything: music, writing and photography), your recommendations, your resumes. </p>
<p>The ideal Williams candidate is academically accomplished, sporty or outdoorsy and involved in the arts. Of course you have to demonstrate that you can to do the work, but you also have to offer an intellectual spark and a curious mind. Think about how to convey in your application what you will bring to the campus community.</p>
<p>MomofWilliams- well if the adcom is so ignorant to reject me because of the fact that I have OCD (and turned it into a learning experience), then good for them…and in that case, I’d rather not go to Williams. But I don’t think that’s the case… </p>
<p>Arcadia - so I can just submit SAT IIs and be fine? That’s it?</p>
<p>momrath - Thanks! I’m very passionate about all of my ECs. I’m a white female. I hope that my C in geom. won’t kill me…because I had a really hard time in that class. I did get 5’s on the AP Calc AB/BC exams (self-study)…would that make up for it?</p>
<p>I love learning…anything I can get my hands on… I want them to know that!!!</p>
<p>upennetc. You are missing the point. No one is saying that Williams or any college will reject a suitable candidate because of OCD, depression or any other treatable condition. Or that they are stigmas that you need to conceal. </p>
<p>What we are saying is that your opportunity to convince the adcom that you are a good fit for their school is limited to a few venues, your essays being among the most important. Use this opportunity wisely. Again, think about what you can contribute to the campus community.</p>
<p>Be aware that admissions committees read CC postings. You are highly identifyable. You might consider starting again under a more neutral name with more anonymous information.</p>
<p>Don’t fret about your single C. Focus on what you can control.</p>