Could you please chance my son?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wesleyan University
1

<p>Hi all,
My son is going to be a senior,will do senior year in a medical intro program, and take AP Bio, AP Calculus and AP English Lit and Language in his home school. His averages were 94 in 9th grade, 92 in 10th grade, and 89 in 11th grade, with an 81 in Honors Pre-Calc. (None of those grades were weighted, even though he has been in advanced or honor's subjects every year - we don't weight the advanced classes.) He has gone above and beyond what the school offers, skipping a year of history, taking the AP US History in 10th (he got a 5 on the test.)</p>

<p>His SATs were not great: 640 Language, 650 Math, 550 Writing, PSATs were mcuh better, I think the prep class got him thinking strategy instead of just taking the test (he is a good test taker.) SAT II in US History 770, Math I 690, Math II 610. </p>

<p>He took the ACT totally cold, got a 32 composite, English 30, Math 31, Science 34, Reading 33, Combined English/Writing 28. He may retake in September.</p>

<p>He wants to be a Chem major, possibly pre-med with another major in Govt/Political Science. He met a few professors when he visited, and they told him to let them know when he applies. They were very positive toward him. He is very outgoing, loves history, loves to talk to adults and other bright people. </p>

<p>Extra-curriculars:
-10th to 12th Skiing, will be Captain 12
-9th to 12th Soccer, will be Captain 12
-9th to 12th baseball
-Academic Quiz Bowl, 10th, 11th, and will do it next year: qualified for Nationals 10th and 11th
-Effective Schools 11th, 12th
-School Play 11th
-Band 9th, 10th, 11th, will do it 12th
-National Honor Society
-Spanish National Honor Society
-AV Media Club 9, 10, 11
-Area Ski Team 9, 10,12
-Volunteer 130 hours area ski team
-Volunteer math tutor 30 hours
- President Rotary Club, for 12th Grade
- Odyssey of the Mind, 9th, 10th
I know there are some more activities, but I cannot remember them right now.
Financial aid is definitely part of the decision but we could meet the family expected contribution as defined by the online calculators.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much,
Adigal</p>

2

<p>Well––that ACT score, as you know, is SO much better than the SATs. A 32 is a great score. However, since I don't see too much extracurricular achievement, and his GPA doesn't seem to put him near the top of his class, I would suggest retaking that ACT. An ACT score of 33 or a 34 will make his chances at Wesleyan much more likely. Wesleyan was really competitive this year, accepting only 24 percent of its applicants. Though your son seems like a smart kid, Wesleyan has a lot of 'smart' applicants, and I don't really see anything in his extracurricular resume that makes him stand out. He's participated in many activities, but doesn't seem to have really excelled in one. </p>

<p>Bottom line: Your son will be in the middle of the pack for the 2008 applicants. His extracurricular resume doesn't have anything that stands out, but clearly, he didn't sit around watching TV all of high school. Though a class rank would be useful, from first glance, his grades don't seem to be on top. It may be his test scores that make him stand out. If he studied a bit for the ACTs, he may be able to boost his score. Also, he should try to have a strong 1st semster senior year, as his Junior year performance doesn't seem to have been too great. As a result, I suggest that he apply RD assuming he can bring up his grades. </p>

<p>Your son certainly is in the middle of the pack.</p>

<p>I hope that helped.... :-!</p>

3

<p>I think fhimas has it about right: you son certainly has a shot, but he's not at the top of the pack (unless his GPA actually puts him really high in his class). If he's good with adults, have him get an interview if possible. And also make sure he works really hard on his essay, Wes is definitely a school that takes fit into some account, and the essay is definitely part of that.</p>

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<p>If making it to the Nationals of the Academic Quiz Bowl, from a very small school, two years in a row, is not an outstanding achievement, what is considered extraordinary??? If being captain of 2 varsity sports, and president of the Rotary Club is not an accomplishment, I wonder what is?? Is being able to take off all summer and volunteer for a research project, because you don't need to work for money in the summer considered outstanding? Because my son can't do that. He needs to work in the summer. We are middle class, not wealthy. Are all Wesleyan students wealthy Westinghouse winners?? </p>

<p>I am seriously out of my league on this site, it seems. And it appears my son would not fit in with the students at Wesleyan anyway. </p>

<p>I knew his SATs were low. I didn't realize about 30 hours of extracurricular a week were not enough for Wesleyan. Thanks for the reality check.</p>

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<p>I replied below, but I should have replied directly:</p>

<p>My question:</p>

<p>If making it to the Nationals of the Academic Quiz Bowl, from a very small school, two years in a row, knocking out schools that are prep schools and huge schools with 4000+ students is not an outstanding achievement, what is considered extraordinary??? If being captain of 2 varsity sports, and president of the Rotary Club is not an accomplishment, I wonder what is?? Is being able to take off all summer and volunteer for a research project, because you don't need to work for money in the summer, considered outstanding? Because my son can't do that. He needs to work in the summer. We are middle class, not wealthy. Are all Wesleyan students wealthy Westinghouse winners??</p>

<p>I am seriously out of my league on this site, it seems. And it appears my son would not fit in with the students at Wesleyan anyway.</p>

<p>I knew his SATs were low. I didn't realize about 30 hours of extracurricular a week were not enough for Wesleyan. Thanks for the reality check.</p>

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<p>His class ranking is about 7 out of 103 - some of those above never took any Honors or Advanced classes, as our school does not weigh for those classes. I know, I have complained over and over. </p>

<p>Yes, his junior grades were not great. But isn't ED easier to get in if it is his first choice? </p>

<p>Thanks for taking the time to help. I reread my response, which sounds unpleasant,and I didn't mean it. The kid barely had time to breathe with all of his activities, so I just don't know what more he could have done, coming from a rural school, miles away from any city, without the opportunities cities present.</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

7

<p>Adigal, you can't take these Chances threads so seriously. Nobody can predict whether your son will get into Wesleyan or not. Anyone who responds is just giving their impression based on their own experience with the admissions process. </p>

<p>The fact is that many students with SAT scores in the 700's are rejected by Wesleyan (and lots of other schools) just because there are so many highly qualified students competing for a much lower number of available places. There are many disappointed students on CC come March/April when the rejections come in. You've been around CC long enough to know that it only makes sense to apply to some reaches, matches and safeties and then hope for the best.</p>

<p>If your son really likes Wesleyan, he should by all means apply, and find a way to show what an interesting kid he is in his essays. I agree with whichever poster said that fit is especially important to Wesleyan. </p>

<p>There's a book called The Gatekeepers by Jacques Steinberg that is all about admission at Wesleyan. It is really fascinating and well worth reading if Wesleyan is high on your son's list.</p>

<p>I'd also recommend that you look on this site under Stats Profiles to see the scores of students who were accepted, rejected and waitlisted at Wesleyan. Scores and grades don't tell the whole story, of course, but they are clearly important. The profiles will give you a pretty good sense of how students similar to your son fared in admissions.</p>

<p>(The easiest way to get to the Stats Profile of a particular college is to click on College Visits, then Find College by Name. After you click on Wesleyan, go to Members Who Applied for 2011. I wish I had discovered this feature of CC a lot earlier than I did.)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

8

<p>I agree with Skie; no one here has a crystal ball. But, you should know that guys are given a definite break. One out of three men who applied to the Class of 2011 (ED+RD) got in. As opposed to, only one out of four women. Something to think about. :)</p>

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<p>adigal, I don't think people are belittiling your son's ECs but are instead explaining that such extracurricular activites are not going to be an anomaly among applicants to Wesleyan. In that sense, your son has a good shot. But the point of such replies was to explain that his achievements, which seem fantastic (and indeed are) by most standards, probably won't be wowing any adcoms at Wes or any top school. That said, his combination of good ECs, a very strong ACT score, and a good rank/GPA make him a well qualified applicant. It would be foolish for any of us here to say he's a shoe-in since Wes only took around 25% of applicants last year and focuses strongly on fit and the essays.</p>

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<p>I do see what these students applying to these colleges have to offer - some of these kids are just unbelievable!! I was really wondering if there is room for a good, kind kid who is very bright, and loves to be involved in many activities? I hope so, as he loves Wesleyan and I was very impressed by the professor's and the way they responded when he visited.</p>

<p>Thanks, again!!</p>

<p>Adigal</p>

11

<p>Thanks - that seems to be the case at many colleges - the poor girls, who work so hard all throughout high school, get rejected, while boys with the same stats make it in. Tough time to be a driven girl.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
was really wondering if there is room for a good, kind kid who is very bright, and loves to be involved in many activities?

[/quote]
</p>

<p><em>raises hand</em> That was me, and I got in :D Your son certianly has a shot, I never ment to say otherwise. I wouldn't be suprised at all if he got in, I just wouldn't be shocked if he didn't. But, in fact, he has a better shot than I thought given his class rank. He should def. apply, and if Wes is his first choice, do it ED.</p>

<p>And, let me say it again: essay, essay, essay! While I know some kids at Wes who had stats that would blow both your son and myself out of the water, I also know some whose stats were borderline at best, for whom Wes was an almost unthinkable reach, and they still got in. They are really great people and fantastic fits for Wes...I can only imagine that that must have come through in their recs and essay.</p>

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<p>I am not going to comment on your son's chances at Wesleyan because I agree with posters who said no one can really chance students. I am going to take a different tack. I found that having less selective schools on my son's list that he liked really helped take the pressure off the admissions process. In the end he did get into his first choice school, but during the tense process he was glad he had back-ups. Bard is desperate for science students and offers EA which can provide comfort. The other school I want to suggest is Ursinus which is a liberal arts college that is very much geared toward pre-med. Good luck with Wesleyan and the admissions process.</p>

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<p>^ Mythmom--posters CAN CAN CAN chance students. Though posts providing certain percentages, or comments suggesting shoe-ins should be taken pretty lighly, posters can take a look at the school's selectivity, the student's test scores, their rank, and their extracurricular accomplishments (awards won v. list of activities with no clear accomplishment) and give a rough estimate as to whether or not a student has a chance. </p>

<p>Regardless of that, Wesleyan has a really great science building/program and involves students in its projects. Quite often do students end up authoring papers that are published by their junior year. It's a great place.</p>

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<p>That is really encouraging. YOu do sound like a kind and nice young "Weskid." He would really like you!</p>

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<p>Thank you very much for the input - I met a kid this summer going to Bard as a science major, and I had forgotten about suggesting my son look into it. Thanks! :)</p>

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<p>That is one of the things he loved about Wesleyan. Even though it really is more like a LAC, it got the funding a university does, and it is used for the undergraduates. That was awesome about it!</p>

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<p>
[quote]
That is really encouraging. YOu do sound like a kind and nice young "Weskid." He would really like you!

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Aw, thanks. And best of luck to your son! I really hope he ends up getting in—I've found that the people that make Wesleyan what it is are not so much the people who had the most outstanding stats or even the people who are smartest, but are the people who really fell in love with Wesleyan form the start.</p>

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<p>I am an alum from the 80's. Came from a rural school with limited opportunities too (both academically and culturally). I agree with the interview comments, and definitely he should write an honest essay - be himself and explain what he did with what he had. The playing field was definitely different when I applied, but nonetheless don't be discouraged. He sounds like he has a good shot! (Don't try to guess odds though, it will only drive you crazy!)</p>

20

<p>I applied as a transfer for sophomore year. Another student with higher SATs (2300s) and a higher GPA (3.9) applied and didn't get in. I got in with my 2030 and 3.7 GPA. I'm convinced my essay and interest did it. It's always worth a shot.</p>