<p>White, Male, Jewish, North Jersey Public High School. Class of 2008.</p>
<p>Statistics:
SATs (Projected): 2160 or so cumulative. 740 reading, 640 math, 760 writing.
PSATs: 210 (78 writing, 74 reading, 58 math)
ACT (projected): 33.
GPA: 3.8 weighted. Honors and AP classes (five by graduation in the APs, World History, Spanish Language, English Language, US History, English Literature) in everything but math and two years of science (physics and senior year...I'm taking a difficult anatomy class next year.) I got a C- sophomore year in Chem Honors and in Art II.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Gay-Straight Alliance Founder and President, Lit Mag EIC, Student Newspaper Editor and Staff Writer, Drama Club (active member, I've been in 5 productions so far), NSHS officer, Spanish Club. Possibly NHS and Peer Leadership, not sure yet.
I'm a very, very good writer (shameless self-promotion, huh?) and love to learn.</p>
<p>Haverford is my second choice after University of Chicago. What are my chances?</p>
<p>The C's and the lowish math score will hurt. How difficult is your high school. Do most students go to college? To competitive colleges? However, otherwise your transcript is strong. I think you have a reasonable chance, but this is by no means a safety situation. I would say Haverford is a high match/low reach for you.</p>
<p>I would say about 25% go to schools that are really prestigious.</p>
<p>I agree that Haverford is sort of a high match for me...but I also wouldn't call it a reach, knowing people who've gone there from my school and had no stronger transcripts (with the exception of the Cs), lower or comparable SAT scores, and lower or comparable ECs, and weren't as good writers. It certainly isn't a reach in the sense that Swarthmore or Yale would be, but it isn't a "safe match" the way Macalester is (knowing people from my school who've gone there recently) and it's going to be more difficult to swing than University of Chicago. I might not even apply if I get into University of Chicago EA. It's my second choice.</p>
<p>Sounds like you're a very intelligent kid and you'll definitely get into a lot of great schools with your stats.</p>
<p>A few things that are going to hurt. The C's obviously as everyone else has mentioned as well as the low math score.</p>
<p>However, I think you're going to need to focus on your essays and presenting something that will differentiate yourself from other applicants similar to you (white males from new jersey / other mid-atlantic/northeast areas).</p>
<p>There are a lot of kids who are applying who will also be good writers, so I urge you not to be overconfident despite your very good stats.</p>
<p>Haverford and many other small liberal arts schools are different from larger highly selective schools in that there is not a set formula that will necessarily lead to admissions.</p>
<p>Best of luck with your app!!!</p>
<p>To boston34redsox: I guess what differentiates me from similar people is the Gay-Straight Alliance presidency and all that, and starting one at my high school...along with the fact that I do have a genuine, academic interest in learning and yadda yadda yadda.</p>
<p>So you guys would still say a rational judgment of my chances at Haverford is about a "high match"?</p>