<p>I’m a Canadian/Czech citizen living in the Czech Republic for the last fourteen years, attending an international school and taking the IB diploma program [I’m a junior]. Our school is really rigorous and there’s none of that grade fluffing stuff. I think there’s like one or two people with a 4.0 GPA - the rest are below.</p>
<p>9thth Grade: GPA 3.6 [blah - does it matter that much since it was early in high school?]</p>
<p>10th Grade: GPA 3.8</p>
<p>11th Grade:
- IB Higher Level 20th Century History A+
- IB Higher Level English A
- IB Higher Level Theatre Arts A+
- IB Math Studies II B+ [89% but it should go up]
- IB Biology A-
- IB German 4/5 B+
- GPA 3.8
* This is a grade in progress I’m looking for straight A's or at least moving one of my two B+'s up to an A-/A by the end of the year which I think is attainable if I work my butt off.</p>
<p>Main EC’S + Service
- piano [my tenth year]
- Varsity Girls Soccer (probably captain next year)
- acted in most of the school plays - large roles.
- MUN in St. Petersburg, Russia
- Czech lessons
- Habitat for Humanity Poland, about 30 hours
- I worked with a Czech human rights foundation last year
- currently planning a career fair for our high school</p>
<p>I haven’t taken the SAT’s yet, but here are my PSAT scores:</p>
<p>Verbal: 78
Math: 54 [I know, absolutely terrible but I’m studying crazy hard to get up to a minimum of 650 and ideally a 700]
Writing: 61 [I’m not sure why this was so low but it should be able to get it up]</p>
<p>Recommendations: should be excellent
Essay: I will make sure it’s nothing less than excellent</p>
<p>Hi! I'm a junior and I pretty much know where I want to apply but I can't make up my mind about Dartmouth. It's different from the other schools on my list but somehow I think I would like it. So before I get really enthusiastic about it I'd love it if you could help me figure out if I have a chance of getting in :)</p>
<p>So does anyone have an opinion? I'm kind of in the dark here because I just started considering Darmouth. I would appreciate any information! Thanks!</p>
<p>I am a current Dartmouth senior, so my expertise in this field is limited to my individual experience here, but I would say you really need to get your SAT way up from your PSATs to have much of a shot. Unfortunately, I believe that it is tougher to get in here as an international student, and you are going to need great board scores in order to have a good chance. Your ecs look fine---but there is really no way of telling you whether they are any good or not--it would be an entirely subjective assessment that I don't think I am qualified to make. So again, work on your math--that was my weakness when I was applying (800v, 710m--up from low 600s) and writing, and I hope you get in!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the opinion. I didn't realize it was harder to get into Dartmouth as an international student... do they only take a certain amount? I agree that I really have to work on my math score so I'll be spending a lot of time on that - thanks again!</p>
<p>Being international can work for you or it can work against. Most colleges have a general trend of how many applicants they take from the main foreign countries they admit from (UK, Korea ect.) but if you apply for a more obscure country, it can be helpful as your are considered a geographical minority, which, if they are looking for 'diversity' may help you.</p>
<p>Just a note: looks good, but currently Dartmouth IS NOT NEED BLIND for international students. If money is at all a problem, you might not get as much as you need and, potentially, you might not get in.</p>
<p>If finances are tight but doable, don't apply for financial aid. It's a screwed up system, but I have a feeling your chances are better if you can foot your way.</p>
<p>I'm embarassed that Dartmouth is this way, but you'll have to make that decision for applying for financial aid with your family.</p>