Convincing Parents

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey, guys!</p>

<p>I'm applying to Bowdoin early decision...However, my parents say I'm only applying to Bowdoin ED because I'm afraid I won't get into Dartmouth, Amherst, and/or Williams.</p>

<p>I know Amherst, Williams, and Darmouth are better "name schools," but are they really A LOT better than Bowdoin? </p>

<p>What I love about Bowdoin:
Science program
Campus
By the Coast (I am very outdoorsy and can bare the cold! I live in NH)
SMALL CLASSES (profs only teach two classes a semester! How cool!)
Outing club
Good food
Profs rated high
Students nice when visiting
Nice dorms
Close to Portland and Freeport
Great surrounding town (so cute!)
Car on Campus</p>

<p>Any advice to me? Parents? Students?</p>

2

<p>Tell your parents what you typed here...</p>

<p>Also consider their point. While you may not be ONLY applying ED for the reason they suggest, has it been part of your decision?</p>

<p>In the end, only you can decide what's right for you.</p>

<p>Don't forget that.</p>

3

<p>My reasoning would be if you think you are very solid to get into Bowdoin, why not wait and apply RD. Then you will have choices and if you get into one of those three and Bowdoin you can make an informed decision by going to 'days on campus', which will give you the best feedback you can get. I think all of those three have most of the benefits you named with Bowdoin (except the coast of course.)</p>

<p>Then again if you have visited all three (by visit I mean stayed overnight) and cannot imagine going anywhere else, apply ED.</p>

4

<p>I'm afraid I won't get into Bowdoin if I apply regular decision. Bowdoin increases its acceptance rate for its ED applicants significantly (from the 25% RD)...What do you think? Bowdoin is def. not a safety, I already know that.</p>

<p>Here are my credentials:</p>

<p>(My high school placed number one in New Hampshire testing)
GPA: 4.25 weighted
Rank: (4/180)
Difficult classes: Advanced placement, honors, or weighted classes in the following subjects: English 9-12, science 9-12, geometry, pre-calculus, calculus, French, US history</p>

<p>St.Paul's Advanced Summer Program (5 1/2 week residential program)- Biomedical Ethics/ Writing Workshop</p>

<p>Vice President of National Honor Society (2003-2004), President of National Honor Society (2004-2005), Publicity of French Club (2003-2005), Treasurer of Student Council (2003-2005), Debate Treasurer and Co-founder (2003-2005), and Curriculum Committee Council (NEASC) (2003-2004). </p>

<p>(V)Winter track (state Champions) (2000-2001), (V) Tennis Team (2000-2005) (number two singles and one doubles), (V) Cheerleading (2002-2003), </p>

<p>Awards: Wellesley College Book Award, HBHS “Interview Competition” (junior class – 1st place; 2nd place overall), Inducted into HBHS Poets Hall of Fame, French Honor Society, 10th grade Outstanding Science and English Student Award (one chosen out of graduating class), HBHS Public Speaking Contest – 1st place, Excellent Achievement in Algebra II, All proficient and advanced scores on sophomore testing</p>

<p>Leadership: Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY), National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine (10th grade summer, 10 days)</p>

<p>Work Experience: Gymnastics Stretching Instructor, Gymnastics lock-In Supervisor, Child/care baby sitting, including special needs children (autism, double amputee)</p>

<p>Volunteering: Graduation Staff Volunteer, HBHS Tennis instructor, Red Cross Blood drive volunteer (2003-2004), Freshman orientation Moderator (2003-2004), Co-Founder of Community Service Project (Courville Nursing Home and Children’s Home) – every Sunday. French tutoring</p>

<p>That's about it... SATs aren't strong (taken once) - 650 Math, 540 Verbal...but Bowdoin doesn't require SATs</p>

<p>Thanks, guys</p>

<p>Katie</p>

5

<p>I think you'll get in, but the big question is, if accepted where would you be the happiest? And it seems you really love bowdoin, so i say tell your parents how you feel about this school and how much you love it</p>

6

<p>Gosh, if you really love it, and don't need to compare financial aid offers, your parents should be excited that you've found such a great fit! (I know I would be.) The differences among these schools are really not that significant - they draw faculty from the same pool, their student bodies from the same pool, and you couldn't go too far wrong with any one of them (if you like one of them, chances are you'd be okay at the others.)</p>

7

<p>I've often seen Williams and Amherst rated #1 and #2 for Liberal Arts Colleges. Bowdoin is number seven. Compared to a Bowdoin graduate, will an Amherst/Williams student be better off when applying for jobs/grad school? </p>

<p>Have people heard of Bowdoin??</p>

<p>Katie</p>

<p>ps. I want to note that I am not OBSESSED with the "name of the college." However, my father (who is paying for my education) explained that he cares about two things: 1) the school is well-known and 2) (most important) I am happy</p>

<p>Thanks again for responding to my post. I look forward to hearing some responses.</p>

8

<p>Honestly with that rank and those SATs, I think Bowdoin is where you should apply RD. Anything below a 1200 at the other three is almost never heard of, even for the most amazing athletes. Bowdoin will ignore the SAT (and with your rank assume a 1250+), so I think it is without a doubt the right choice,</p>

9

<p>Sorry!! I meant Bowdoin ED!</p>

10

<p>"'ve often seen Williams and Amherst rated #1 and #2 for Liberal Arts Colleges. Bowdoin is number seven. Compared to a Bowdoin graduate, will an Amherst/Williams student be better off when applying for jobs/grad school?</p>

<p>Have people heard of Bowdoin??"</p>

<p>Where I live, folks have never heard of any of them. When I tell folks I am a Williams grad, most folks think I said "Whitman", and I don't disabuse them of the idea, as out here Whitman has a great reputation. The grad schools know the quality of all these schools, and will be more a a question of how well you do at any of them. </p>

<p>And, no -- with the possible exception of Art History at Williams, and Critical Social Thought at Amherst -- they are NOT "a lot" better than Bowdoin.</p>

11

<p>W and I visited Bowdoin on a swing through Maine many years ago. It remains a vivid and cherished memory of ours and set the standard by which all other campuses have been judged. We drove down whatever the wide street is named and we scattered the fall leaves. It was so cool. (Where we live we have 2 distinct seasons per year- drought and flashflood.) This was later in the day and I concluded from the fact that the leaves were still on the road that there wasn't a lot of traffic. (I'm quick that way.) The campus was picturebook perfect , and the students in the picturebook that day were wonderfully stereotypical of that time (L.L. Bean catalog). In short, it was an uninitiate's vision of what all "back East" colleges looked like. (Boy was I wrong. Cambridge? New Haven? Uggh.) I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on their academics, but you could not have picked a better looking place to spend four years.( W and I were so enamored we bought sweatshirts!)</p>

12

<p>Thanks for all your help, guys! Now that I know I will apply ED, I have to figure out how hard should I work on my other applications. I'm just recovering from mono and I don't feel like I have the strength to fill out a million. How many should I choose to apply to from this list: (assuming I don't get into Bowdoin, of course)</p>

<p>reach: Duke, Amherst, Dartmout, Williams (why bother, right? If I didn't get into Bowdoin, why would I get into these schools?)</p>

<p>match: Wellesley, BC, Vassar, Bucknell</p>

<p>safeties: Smith and Uconn</p>

<p>Thank you so much! I appreciate all your replies! It's great to have support during this stressful time!!! </p>

<p>Katie</p>

13

<p>Katie:</p>

<p>Bowdoin is an amazing college!</p>

<p>I attended both the Washington and Oregon prospective student receptions this past week. I learned alot about Bowdoin. And, I'm excited to apply. I did not have a good handle on the college before the presentation, but was impressed by their facilities and special programs (i.e. Kent Island and the Coastal Studies Center).</p>

<p>The Assistant Director of Admission, Wendy Thompson, was approachable as well as personable--smiling and answering questions with aplomb. I also got the chance to meet area alumni, who spoke of the many opportunities at Bowdoin, and were straight forward with their impressions. Bowdoin, I learned, has a 3-3 program with Columbia for Law school. Although I probably won't take advantage of it, the program is awesome for aspiring judges and lawyers.</p>

<p>In all, I got the impression that Bowdoin values applicants who are active learners, who use their education for social good. Wendy encouraged applying ED, I or II, if the college is a first choice...even if you have financial need, as Bowdoin does not give RD applicants a better package than ED. The average loan debt is about 12,000 to 13,000, while 40% get aid. Most awards, it should be noted, are heavily biased towards grants, rather than loans or work-study.</p>

<p>Bowdoin, compared to its near rivals, seems more diverse at least with respect to students of color. Currently, the admissions office is trying to attract more students who are socioeconomically representative of the general population. A definate plus in my book. Wendy did mention that some students do, indeed, shop at L. L. Bean for winter gear, however. And, it does get a bit cold. :) </p>

<p>There is a certain fresh-scrub, proactive, and friendly vibe about Bowdoin which I did not get from Wesleyan, Vassar and a few other liberal-minded schools. It was evident during both the Seattle and Portland receptions that Bowdoin students, alumni and administrators are quick to share their reactions (both good and bad) about their time at Bowdoin. Most bad reactions were to the cold and to the fraternity system that was in place before 2000 (there is no greek system at Bowdoin anymore). The good reactions to the college involved its small class size, reputation, friendships that developed, the journey of self-discovery prompted by peers and professors, as well as the location of the college in Brunswick. </p>

<p>In any event, the reception was a success--more personal and conversational than many of the other presentations I've attended for other colleges.</p>

<p>Hope this helps a little. :)</p>

14

<p>Pink - </p>

<p>Your SATs are a bit light for many of the schools you are applying to, though the rest of your credentials are excellent. Bowdoin ED is a good strategy, and Bowdoin is in the same academic category with Amherst and Williams. The do fill a good portion of their class ED and you look like a very good candidate.</p>

<p>It seems to me that Conn College does not require SATs either, so that is a good choice, too. You still may want to add some less-selective schools to your list (Kenyon? Dickinson?) however, and you will want to spend plenty of time on your RD apps, as a solid app with a strong essay will help mitigate the SAT score. </p>

<p>Finally, if you are planning on running or playing tennis in college, you might contact the appropriate coach(s) at the schools you are interested in. A coach could give your application a boost.</p>

15

<p>Camus23 wrote I've often seen Williams and Amherst rated #1 and #2 for Liberal Arts Colleges. Bowdoin is number seven. Compared to a Bowdoin graduate, will an Amherst/Williams student be better off when applying for jobs/grad school? </p>

<p>This ranking thing is so confusing to HS students with regards to employers. From the other side of the fence, employers are interested in finding bright employees. Going to a top 25 or even top 100 school is plenty good enough, so is going to the State school since its a sure thing a lot of managers at any larger company went there too.</p>

<p>But the more important things than the name of the school on the diploma are going to be things like GPA, internships, leadership, how well you interview, etc. These things far swamp the difference between #1 and #7!!! If you talk to employers you'll find a 3.3 GPA from a middle-of-the-road school coupled with an internship in the career field so that they believe you really know what you're getting into and recs from your old boss's that you could handle the work is going to get hired every day over a 3.9 from a top school with nada outside of the GPA and school name.</p>

16

<p>MikeMac,</p>

<p>I think you are very right! It's not so much which college you go to, but what you do to take advantage of your education. </p>

<p>How do I know if I'm good enough to play on a division III sports team? My coach played for Holy Cross and thinks I'm good enough; however, I'm not too convinced. Also, it's a big time commitment. Will it be difficult to handle the first semester of a college course-load and play in a sport as well?</p>

<p>How about applying RD to these schools: Bentley (sister goes), Wellesley, Boston College, Bucknell? Too few? Add more safeties (I figure Bentley is a safety because my sister got the same SAT and her rank was 50 or worse.)</p>

<p>Thanks
Katie</p>

17

<p>Camus, how about:</p>

<p>Mt. Holyoke
Smith
Bryn Mawr
Scripps
Trinity
Conneticut C
Lafayette</p>

<p>if you need more safeties. As for sports, Division III is more relaxed. I'd trust your coach, and contact the athletic contact in the sport you are considering. I would not sweat it. I have a lot of friends who were okay athletes in high school that got a push in admissions to highly selective LACs and NUs.</p>

18

<p>how about sarah lawrence? it's one of the colleges that don't require the SAT</p>

19

<p>I would agree with others that you might want to consider adding some less competitive schools. Your SATs really hurt you... I am in the same situation(4.5 w GPA, 4.94 u/w, toughest classes, enrolled at local community college, tons of ECs, BUT a 28 on the ACT (which is like a 1260)...)</p>

<p>I think that even if you have great recs, good essay, etc, those SATs will could be a problem.<br>
I would say this:
Really reaching:
Duke, Dartmouth, Amerst, Williams
Closer to match, but still reach:
Bowdoin, Bucknell, Wellesley
Match:
BC, possibly Vassar, Smith
Safety:
Ucon </p>

<p>Check out the average SATs at all of these schools- most are into the 1300s and even 1400s and you are over a hundred points lower than that. I am not discouraging you from applying but I would hate to be you if you weren't happy with any of the schools you got into(meaning you didn't get into any of your reach/match schools and had to resort to a safety) Find some good safety schools that you would be happy with.</p>

20

<p>Is Bowdoin still a reach if I don't have to submit my SATs? I had a really great interview-- two hours long!!</p>