<p>Edit: This is a repost. HOWEVER I have switched my status from RD to ED 2.</p>
<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>Just 2 or 3 weeks ago I looked at my college list and realized that I wasn't applying to any crazy selective schools. I was looking at liberal arts colleges that offered my major and came across Claremont McKenna.</p>
<p>The reason I'm doubting myself when it comes to the admissions process is my academics. I have a 3.48 GPA BUT I jumped from a 3.2 GPA Freshman year to a 3.96 Senior year. I transferred from a large, predominantly all-white public school where I faced hardships (discrimination, financial, etc.) to a well-known Preparatory School after Sophomore year when I was offered a scholarship. My ACT English is a 32 and Math is a 27. My superscored ACT (CMC does superscore) is a 29. I am in 5 IB Classes and 1 AP (my school is technically "all-IB").</p>
<p>I have 2 pretty good recommendations and 1 average. I have spent summers at UC Santa Cruz (course on Logic), Roger Williams University (course on Psychology), Princeton University (course on Global Politics), and UC Berkeley (Civic Leadership Institute).</p>
<p>I am currently President of 3 clubs (Key, Pre-med, Sports Management), Captain of the football team, hold 2 Varsity baseball letters, and have received honors in both Band and Choir. I work upwards around 25 hours/wk helping my mom sell clothes at the local swap meet (I guess you can say I have a "Manager" role in this family business). I'm also a Eucharistic Minister and have 100 hospital volunteer hours.</p>
<p>I believe that my answers to my supplements are very, very good. I tell about being raised by a single, uneducated mother from Mexico and the abandonment of my abusive father. I also demonstrate my ambition to become a doctor in a setting where I will be able to utilize my skills to assist the underprivileged.</p>
<p>I'm Hispanic, First Generation, Low Income (<20,000). I have also contacted baseball coaches.</p>
<p>Hey fellow low income Hispanic! Idk much about the Claremont schools, but a girls from my school with similar stats as yours got in. I think it’s a reach but definitely possible! </p>
<p>Your odds are much better than for most - excellent scores and curriculum rigor, overcoming a swath of obstacles and difficulties, bringing diversity to the campus. It’s a good match for you but due to selectivity it’s an automatic reach. However I’d say 1:3 - do you have matches and safeties? Where else are you applying? Have you looked at Whitman?</p>
<p>I think you stand a strong chance for admission given your background, leadership, and performance in the latter half of your high school career. The GPA will be a huge concern, but given your background and upward trend, I think admissions may be more forgiving. </p>
<p>The concern with a low GPA is that it will continue into college – i.e. the candidate doesn’t have the work ethic and/or intellectual capacity for work at a highly selective school. However, you do have some extenuating circumstances. This does NOT get you entirely off the hook; your resiliency may be questioned. Nonetheless, I think your activities and senior grades show that you are certainly capable. </p>
<p>It’s still a reach, but it’s definitely a possibility. Good luck.</p>
<p>@carotid Did you gear your extracurriculars to match a certain major to get in? I have a lot of leadership positions but they’re a bit spread out, I’m not sure whether to focus my application on international relations stuff, or focus on music and animal welfare, both of which I have many leadership positions in. Thanks!</p>
<p>Nope. I had a pretty diverse set of ECs. I will say that I do think it’s important that you are able to back up your goals with real experiences in your writing supplements. </p>
<p>i.e. Talking about wanting to be involved in government with girl’s state as an EC. Alternatively, I don’t think this government point would fly if you spent your time in HS shadowing doctors and volunteering at hospitals. This is just a general piece of common sense for the college application process as a whole.</p>
<p>Football could be important, as CMC takes sport seriously. You were captain, but are you good? If so, can your coach give you some insight? I know several CMC alums (including one who works at CMC now) who came in with less-than-top (but still strong) academic records and who were recruited for their football skills.</p>