Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Pitzer College
1

<p>(I've posted this elsewhere on the board, but I think it might get a better response here. I apologize if that's annoying.)</p>

<p>Hey all, I'm a high school junior and I've been looking at colleges for about a year now. I have my heart set on attending either pomona, claremont mckenna, or pitzer of the claremont five, and I intend to apply early decision next year to one of them. It's extremely likely that pitzer will be that school - from my stats, do you think I stand a chance?</p>

<p>Here are the stats:</p>

<p>SAT I: CR 750, M 640, W 730 (Total of 2120, may retake)
SAT IIs: Will take Bio and Math in June (conservatively expect ~750, 680 for each)
GPA: 92.15 W (school does not provide UW)
Rank: top 25%
APs: AP Biology (5), AP Psych (5)</p>

<p>Junior Year Courses: AP Biology, AP Psych, Sociology (College Credit, 1/2 year), American History H, English 11H, Math 3, Anthropology (1/2 year), Public Speaking (1/2 year), Student Court (1/2 year), PE</p>

<p>Senior Year Courses: AP European, Physics H, Precalc H, Economics H (1/2 year), Participation in Government H (1/2 year), Creative Writing (1/2 year), Dramatics (1/2 year), Philosophy, Health, Advertising Design, PE</p>

<p>State: New York
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White (Caucasian)
Gender: Male
Parents' Income: Combined ~ $100,000/year</p>

<p>ECs and etc. (I know this goes far back - do you think this strengthens my application by demonstrating a sustained interest in a specific hobby, or should I cut it down to just HS?):</p>

<p>School Activities:
 </p>

<ul>
<li>Maintained fish tanks around the school during free periods (Grades 10-12)</li>
<li>Volunteered in assistant principal's office during lunch period (Grades 11-12)</li>
<li>Video Yearbook (Grade 12)</li>
</ul>

<p>Community Activities:
<br>
- Volunteered four hours every weekend at a local pet store.(Grades 3-10)
- With the help of my dad, I founded Death by Dyeing, an information oriented organization with the goal of educating people about the practice of injecting fish with harmful colored dyes for the purpose of increasing sales. I did this through the internet, with a site that I designed with my dad’s help, but
would later redesign on my own. It is still operational today, although it is now run primarily by a group of volunteers from all over the internet and is no longer hosted on a dedicated server. (DeathByDyeing.org)
(Grades 5-12)
- Interviewed about DeathbyDyeing.org in teen writing magazine alt.gen and internet radio show Pet Fish Talk (Grade 6)
- Worked with Practical Fishkeeping (a UK-based fishkeeping magazine) on a feature issue about dyed fish.
(Grade 7)
- Helped to design and maintain the website of the Long Island chapter of PAWS, the Pioneers for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS-LI.org)
(Grades 9-10)
- Volunteered several hours per week answering questions fielded to the crew of WetWebMedia, an informative fishkeeping resource that people write to for specific answers to fish-related problems. (search for MikeG on WetWebMedia.com)
(Grades 9-10)
- Twice a week over the summer, volunteered full time at the local aquarium, Atlantis Marine World (Grades 9-12)
- Managed the web site of Angel’s Gate Hospice, a local animal rehabilitation facility run out of the home of Susan Marino. (AngelsGate.org)
(Grade 10)
- Paid speaker at the Long Island Aquarium Society on behalf of Death by Dyeing about the practice of dyeing fish and its impact on the fishkeeping hobby.
(Grade 11)
- Volunteered every sunday from fall to summer for a local botanical survey (Grades 11-12)</p>

<p>Employment:
 </p>

<ul>
<li>Co-founded Findamentals, Inc. with my boss at the local pet store, John, who was moving to Florida to run a cookie company and wanted to start a mail-order aquaculture business on the side. I was responsible for designing and coding the site, setting up an E-Commerce storefront in the process, as well as hiring help and ordering stock. The online storefront opened on Halloween of 2005, and closed less than a year later due to a medical condition John was suffering from that was making Findamentals impossible to devote time to. (Grade 9)</li>
<li>Worked for my dad full time over the summer. He provides technical support and designs websites. (Grades 9-12)</li>
<li>Employed at the local pet store mentioned way above as a part time employee
(Grades 10-12)</li>
</ul>

<p>Additional Considerations:</p>

<ul>
<li>I am a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship, CMC and Pitzer are named as my top 2 choices.</li>
<li>I'm in the national honor society (but who isn't?)</li>
<li>I write VERY well.</li>
<li>I intend to fly to California this summer for the sole purpose of interviewing at Pomona, CMC, and Pitzer. </li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks for reading!</p>

<p>Mike</p>

2

<p>I'd say you have a pretty good shot at all of them, depending on how well you spin it.
For Pitzer you're going to have to explain how your marine interests relate to social/community engagement rather than just a pet hobby. For CMC you'll want to put your entrepreneurialism front and center. Both could be tough sells unless you pay attention to the culture of each school.<br>
More importantly, though, is finding out for yourself which school better fits YOU. If you can possibly visit while school is in session, do it.</p>