<p>GPA: 3.602- if you use the scale on college board. It's a 3.375 if you go by my school's scale. However, that is taking into account a slightly rough start. I was not a very good student in ninth and tenth grade- I simply wasn't mature enough. But I've grown a whole lot and my grades have gotten much better and I go to a really hard school.</p>
<p>AP's: none- my school doesn't offer them.
Honors: all core classes from Sophomore year on (save for Spanish and Math which didn't go honers until junior year) are honers. That is English 10, American History, Spanish III, Us History, Chemistry, Physics, Per-Cal, Statistics, Economics, Governance, English 11, English 12, and Conversational Spanish IV </p>
<p>ACT:28.
English:32
Math:27
A little low, I know but I'm taking it again in a few weeks and if the practice tests are right I should bring it up at least two points.</p>
<p>Extra Curriculars:
School:
Earth Club
SGA Executive Council
Mock Trial 2008-present
Helped found Quiz Bowl team 2009-present
Orchestra 2004-2008
Model UN 2005-present
Japanese Club (hosted an exchange student) 2006-2008
School News Paper Founder and Editor and Chief 2010-present<br>
Community:
Documentary Class 2009-2010
Young Democrats 2008- present
Theater Camp 2007
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop July 2010<br>
SAYF (Southern Appalachian Young Friends) 2009-present
Nurtures (SAYF leadership) 2010-present
Leap of Faith Productions 2005-2008
Writer on the Chattanooga Friends Meeting Newsletter
All Star Delegate at Southeastern High School Model UN </p>
<p>Volunteered with:
Chattanooga Area Food Bank (165+ hours)
Leap of Faith Youth group (480 hours)</p>
<p>Based just on your grades, current test scores and ECs, Grinnell looks like a reach for you. You can improve your odds by retaking the ACT (and/or taking the SAT) applying ED, making sure your teachers have all the info they need to write compelling recommendation letters, visiting and having an interview with the admissions staff.</p>
<p>Hey, current Grinnell student here.
Just wanted to say that I was admitted into the class of 2014 with very similar stats (29 ACT, 3.6 unweighted GPA) and some of the same extracurricular activities (newspaper, Young Dems, etc.), so getting into Grinnell for you is definitely a possibility!
I’m guessing that you were also like me in high school in the sense that you found a good number of your classes uninteresting and undemanding and decided to devote your time to extracurricular stuff instead. Some colleges will be okay with this if they see your potential for academic in addition to extracurricular success in you recommendations and essays, but some schools won’t. Some schools will also be willing to overlook “bad” scores and grades in some subjects if you’re really passionate about and talented in others. But, again, some schools won’t; Macalester didn’t like that my ACT math score was 10 points lower than my English score, but Grinnell and Oberlin seemed to be fine with that.
Because there are so many factors to admission and there’s no way of telling which are the most important, I advise you to apply to a variety of schools, including more than two “reaches.” As M’s Mom said, visit, interview, show interest and also take your time to write applications who reflect who you are. If you can get that ACT score up, that’ll help a lot, but if you can’t, don’t let that keep you from applying.
Hope this helps. If you have any questions, ask.</p>
<p>At the gathering of new parents on my daughter’s move-in day some years ago, past president Osborne said something I’ve never forgotten. He said Grinnell was committed to helping our child learn what it is they love, and learn how to practice their love in the world. And that has been so true for my daughter. </p>
<p>Our son is a first year who was admitted with far worse credentials than yours - grades and ACTs. Shortly after submitting his early decision application he received an urgent request to please explain his poor freshman and sophomore grades. And he did to their satisfaction (maturity, sports, learning disabilities). We so appreciate that Grinnell worked to understand the whole child. To help them, you need to work hard to understand yourself, and communicate it in your essays, insightful recommendations, and interviews. </p>
<p>Perhaps our family’s experience is atypical but we believe that Grinnell values a deep passion and excitement about “something” as well as potential more than a laundry list of top credentials. Why? They’ve got a community to build with students who excite and inspire each other.</p>