Deferred from WUStL ED: any parent advice?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My name is Hakan, and I was recently deferred ED from Wash. U. class of 2010. I'm hoping there are some Wash U parents on the board who could give me a spot of advice. </p>

<p>I still desparately want to go to WUSTL. I visited in October and fell in love with the campus and the style of the curriculum there, particularly the ease with which WUSTL allows students to pursue double majors across schools and their emphasis on the importance of a solid liberal arts education regardless of prospective careers or majors; I've tried to find WUSTL's Common Data Set to determine whether or not I fall in the middle 50% for the Wash U student body, but cannot seem to find it anywhere on their site (or online, for that matter). </p>

<p>I've called roughly half a dozen times since October to try and obtain an interview, but have on each occassion been told that I would be unable to get one due to "Time contraints" (I believe this means there isn't a Wash. U. alumni interviewer in my vicinity). I'm calling tomorrow to schedule an on-campus interview mid-January since ticket prices drop immediately after the holiday season. </p>

<p>I plan to send supplementary materials, like an additional letter of rec or a statement reaffirming that they're still my number one choice. Does WUSTL look at supplementary materials you send them? What would be the best way to get this across to Wash. U.? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer any advice!</p>

2

<p>My parent advice is to be sure to apply somewhere else. </p>

<p>Good luck in your applications this year.</p>

3

<p>HVSahin, it would be easier to evaluate you if you posted your GPA (both weighted and unweighted), SAT scores for each part, and class rank, and noted some of your more notable ECs.</p>

4

<p>Thank you for your comments. My rank is horrid, this I know. Top Quarter of my class (something like 19% out of a class of a thousand). My school is also one of the most well-known public high schools in Texas, and the nation.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.48uw <--This is what did it.
SAT: 2270 (740V / 780M / 750W )
SATIIs: 760 Bio / 710 Phys / 700M
Trilingual: English, Turkish, Spanish</p>

<p>AP Courseload:</p>

<p>AP Human Geograpy (10) (4)
AP English III (11) (4)
AP Chemisty II (11) (3)
AP Comp Sci A (11) (5)
AP US History (11)(3)
AP Latin III (11) (Not taken due to curriculum change)</p>

<p>Projected semester grades:
AP English IV (12) (A)
AP Biology II (12) (A)
AP Physics C (12) (B)
AP Calculus BC (12) (C+)
AP Comp Sci AB (12) (B+)
AP Latin IV (12)(A)</p>

<p>INDEPENDENT STUDIES
*Self-Educated in Latin II, Obtained Credit by Exam (4 hr/week, over 6 weeks).
*Auditing School Scientific Research Course (Study of Mechanics and Robotics) (9 hr/week, over 8 weeks).
*Fall Internship SMU Mechanical Engineering Department, study on Robotics, Bionics, and Telemedicine (30 hr/week, 2 week / year).</p>

<p>WORK EXPERIENCE
*IT Networking Technician USATax Services, 2002 – Current
15-20 hr / week August through May concurrently with school. Hours can vary greatly in weeks preceding April 15.</p>

<p>*Co-Founder 3 Brothers Productions (We do a lot of digital media editing, that's about it), 2005 – Current
<4 hr / week over 40 week / year.</p>

<p>*Technical Specialist Continental Foods, Inc., 2003 – 2005
Regular 40 hour weeks during all available summer time since 2003.</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR
*National Latin Honor Society / Latin Club (10-12) ( 2 hr/week, 9 week / year)
Chapter President (12), Events Chair (11)
*University Interscholastic League (UIL) Science Team (11, 12) (Hours vary).
*Technology Club / Computer Club (9-12) (1 hr/week, 35 week/year)
*Students Organizing Community Outreach (SOCO) (11, 12)
(1 hr/week, 6 week/year). Elected Officer both years.
*Peer Tutoring Society / West Tutorial Foundations (12) (Hours vary).
*Turkish American Association of North Texas (TURANT) (9-12)
(38 hr/week, 1 week/year).
*National Honor Society (NHS) (9-12)
Roughly 120 hours community service over four years.</p>

<p>HONORS / AWARDS
*National Merit Commended (Skill Index: 216, Semi-Finalist cutoff for my state was 217).
*National Latin Exam (2004, 2005): Gold and Silver Medalist
*NJCL Latin Competition (2005): Placed on both regional/state levels in my respective fields.
*NJCL Latin Competition (2004): Placed on both regional/state levels in my respective fields.
*US BEST Robotics Competition Region champions, State semifinalists. We were disqualified due to a technicality but our robot was picked up by ITT Tech for sponsorship to US FIRST Robotics competition.</p>

5

<p>Personally, I think you will get accepted in the regular decision; however, your GPA is a bit lower than they normally accept .</p>

6

<p>Yeah, I figured my gpa would be bottom 50%, if not 25% for the school. Thank you for the words of encouragement. =)</p>

7

<p>token adult is right, do youself a favor and apply to a few other schools with a reasonable range of selectivity.</p>

<p>Your SATs are good and would probably net you merit aid at schools a little lower on the selectivity food chain.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

8

<p>Perhaps more than most schools, WUSTL is a school which evaluates the totality of what your application says about you. The admissions office is open to receiving supplementary materials which give them a more accurate picture of what you are like. Your GPA appears to be in the context of a challenging curriculum, and you have good test scores and interesting activities, so I think you still have a decent chance of being accepted in the RD round.</p>

<p>If you send a letter, use it as an opportunity to clarify your interests and personal characteristics as reflected in your activities to date (looks like they have robotics/technology and language/culture as foci) and be as explicit as possible (identify any particular programs, professors, etc.) about why you see WUSTL as being particularly well-matched to the academic and non-academic interests you hope to pursue. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

9

<p>I am surprised that you did not get accepted. My neighbor's son was accepted ED. His stats are very similar to yours. You are taking a competitive courseload. The only difference I noticed is that my neighbor's son plays a sport (not good enough to be recruited at all).</p>

<p>Make sure you apply to some safety schools, but I think you have a reasonable chance in the RD round.</p>

10

<p>Test Scores
Middle 50% of
First-Year Students Percent Who
Submitted Scores
SAT Reasoning Verbal: 660 - 740 86%
SAT Reasoning Math: 690 - 780 86%
ACT Composite: 30 - 33 48%</p>

11

<p>Hakan: congrats for earning such a fine HS record. Many colleges would love to have a hard working talented and trilingual kid from Texas. Many fabulous schools may overlook your GPR lagging behind your tests. I also congratulate you for the lack of self-pity and for your constructive "I am still in the game " attitude. That is the attractive energy force which is absolutely needed to face your RD deadlines with..and sometimes pays off. But the odds at RD are still dicey at Wash U, a school with a sometimes dubious reputation among applicants who attach and find no room at the inn. Not because you don't deserve the spot but because they generate so many applicants who all deserve a spot.</p>

<p>Wash U admits kids like you all the time and kids like you also wind up on their waitlist. Your GPR is a problem for a school with tons of applicants but you are highly desired other places..if they think you really mean it. Admission or deferral is not always rational, so you have to abandon being Rational and take chances on other schools that you might not know as well as Wash U now. You have to "spread the love" and take what comes in April. Are you prepared to be denied at Wash U in April? If not, use the next two weeks to put your best self forward on other college apps. You can fret over supplementals to Wash U next month but this month is about those other RD applications! It is fine to send in a couple well chosen things to Wash U but you can think about that in January.<br>
Don't hyperfocus. As a parent, I personally think that 18 year olds get a little rigid about one school or another based their inner qualities which are GOOD qualities but misapplied in college admissions (loyalty, crushing, attachment, devotion). "Attachment" is a key psychological strength we parents try to do well when you are tiny children..but this is not where you show your attachment strength..too soon!! Detach and open up. You are not "fickle" for instance if four schools start looking like wonderful outcomes and if you are in conversations with four adcoms and visiting classes more than one place. You really don't want to pick your life partner now when the decision is not in your hands..you are "dating" a series of fine worthy individual schools. You have a shot at Wash U but you really need to mentally and emotionally OPEN UP. You are a desirable student at many campuses and there are at least 10 Nirvana schools out there for you! I know filling out those applications is tough..but shirk something else this month, stay home, work on Why College X essays and churn out soulful applications. Talk to your references and make sure their letters reflect your high motivation and give them a bulleted point on each school that you like so that it might be possible for them to see why each school is "fit" for you. Send in a supplemental reference if you like that is specific to Wash U, but truly..this level of attention is needed at all your colleges especially if you have not visited or corresponded with anyone. Find local Alum and chat them up and refer to points learned in those informal contacts in your essays since it is too late to get formal interviews. Attend classes if you can (which means getting email permission from each Prof to sit in a class..they won't take you on exam days and sometimes have reading days), but decisions are going to be made in a month or two.<br>
Your rank is not horrid in such a large HS. You need a list of other great universities where Texas is actually a plus. Have you considered William and Mary in Virginia..or the University of Virginia? Have you considered Wake Forest? Have you looked at Case Western? You are very competitive and interesting also for some of our finest smaller Liberal Arts Colleges that are keen to have ethnic and foreign language prowess in the student body. I am talking about those wonderful schools in Maine, Middlebury in Vermont, Washington and Lee and Davidson. If you want a city, think about Swarthmore, which is a Reach but no more really than Wash U. Emory in Atlanta?<br>
Open up. You are an attractive candidate, and you will be very happy in April.</p>

12

<p>Wow, thank you for the long and detailed post! Some really good advice in there.</p>

<p>The thing is, I'm applying to UT Austin and UT Dallas; my parents believe that, beyond a certain point, it's not worth paying out-of-state tuition for college. Thus I end up applying only to my reaches. I have two more schools I'd like to go to, and one interviews after January and the other doesn't interview at all (that I've been able to find). </p>

<p>I myself would not mind going to UT Austin if I get in, but getting into Wash. U. would be nice. =)</p>

13

<p>sent you a PM</p>

14

<p>Have you considered Rice? I think it would be an excellent fit for you, and it would be easy for you to visit.
You are a strong candidate with a good chance of getting into Wash U RD. If you visit some other schools, you will find other attractive options.</p>