<p>First off, I realize this list is probably top heavy. I have some safeties lined up, and I wanted to throw my hat in at a few private schools with good financial aid to see if I could manage one or two. What do you guys think, do I stand a chance?</p>
<p>Anyway, my stats:
34 ACT, with perfect English and Reading scores.
3.0 UW GPA, with extreme upward trend from 2.7 freshman year to 3.9 senior year.
17/50 class rank.
Hardest schedule offered, though my high school offers no AP classes
Polyglot: know 2 foreign languages with near native fluency and studying two more.
Mediocre ECs. I do 5 or more hours of volunteer work a week and am involved in a few clubs, but I don't have the laundry list that seems standard on CC.
Excellent essays.
One glowing teacher recommendation and another one that's just alright.
White
Small rural public school
Low-income and applying for financial aid</p>
<p>I'm applying to:
Beloit
Vassar
Grinnell
Hamilton</p>
<p>Also applied to Middlebury ED, but was rejected.</p>
<p>You look good, especially if you are male. If you are female, Vassar is probably a reach. Consider adding Hendrix, Rhodes, Colorado College, Macalester and/or Oberlin. And if you can handle preppy (sounds like it, if you applied to Middlebury), consider Bates and Colby.</p>
<p>Have you interviewed? Demonstrated interest is important at all the schools. (I believe Vassar won’t arrange an interview until after your application has been submitted unless you are a legacy applicant.)</p>
<p>Yes, I’m male. Anyway, thanks. I was feeling pretty down about my chances after an outright rejection at Middlebury while everyone else on CC seems to have gotten deferred at worst.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions, but I’m done applying to more colleges. These four bring me up to eight applications total, with a couple safeties, a couple matches, and a few that, even if you say that, still seem like reaches with my abysmal freshman/sophomore GPA. I heard that some colleges don’t count Freshman grades, though?</p>
<p>I’d like to interview to show interest, but the deadline to request an interview has already passed at most if not all of these schools, and I’m terrible at interviews anyway. From the impression I got reading their websites, it seems like not being interviewed will hurt me at Grinnell the most, but none of them say it’s mandatory for regular decision.</p>