Do I belong at Mac?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Macalester College
1

<p>Male- Illinois Resident (caucasian)
-first generation college student
-first generation american
-attend low-income school (about 50% go to a CC after high school and over 50% get free/reduced lunch)</p>

<p>Academics</p>

<p>CLASS RANK: 18/416</p>

<p>GPA Weighed : 3.92 </p>

<p>ACT: 28</p>

<p>Possible major: Local and global healthcare</p>

<p>FRESHMAN YEAR S1/S2 grade</p>

<p>Honors English A/B
Algebra 1 A/A
Honors Biology A/A
Health A/A
Spanish A/B
Honors World History A/A</p>

<p>SOPHOMORE YEAR</p>

<p>Newspaper A/B
Zoology A/A
Honors English A/B
Chemistry A/B
Honors Geometry B/D (KILLER)
Spanish B/A</p>

<p>JUNIOR YEAR</p>

<p>Newspaper A/A
Spanish C/C
AP English L&C A/A - scored a 3
AP Us History A/A - scored a 3
AlgebraII B/A
Anatomy/Physiology A/A</p>

<p>SENIOR YEAR/First QUARTER GRADE</p>

<p>AP English Literature/ A
Ap Bio/ A
Ap Chem/ B
Honors Government/ A
AP Statistics/ A
Pre Calculus/ B </p>

<p>COURSES TAKEN AT LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Sociology(Summer before sophomore year) -A
Psychology (Summer before junior year)- A
Composition/Creative writing (during junior year) -A
College Algebra (Summer before senior year)- B
Speech currently taking. Anticipate an A</p>

<p>-I know my S2 grades of sophomore year were rocky, and there is a reason for this. This was the semester I "came out of the closet" at my school and it did not go over smoothly with students along with my family.. I know I take full responsibility for my grades, but I explained this in my interview..</p>

<p>ECS</p>

<p>-Newspaper- sophomore, reporter; junior, opinion editor
-Student Council- freshman, secretary;sophomore, member;junior, member
-Key Club- freshman, member
-Cross Country- freshman thru senior, runner
-Job- since sophomore year, in fast food. I work about 15-20 hrs a week
-Volunteer 1-4 hrs a week at the local hospital's emergency room
-NHS- junior, member; senior, vice president
-GSA- sophomore, member</p>

<p>Hook: As I've stated before I think it is to my advantage to be a first generation college student and American. I also think that it helps that I'm gay (not for admissions reasons specifically, but to help "diversify" the student body)</p>

<p>Essay: About growing up with Polish parents.</p>

<p>Counselor Rec: Really good. She marked me top 1% for personality/character and top 5% for extracurriculars/academics. Also said I took "most demanding" courses.</p>

<p>Teacher Recs: One is really good (AP US teacher) and the other one I have not read (AP English teacher, junior year)</p>

<p>Mac Specific: I visited once and interviewed. I would say the interview went very well!</p>

<p>Do you think I have a chance?</p>

2

<p>I think anything you can do to highlight your relationship/experiences with a different culture (eg your essay and any visits you made to the country) is a good thing. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I'd say you have a chance...I don't presume to know enough to predict how good of a chance, but I'd say a chance reasonable enough for you to apply and that it wouldn't be a crazy high reach for you. Local and Global Healthcare is a new program being introduced this or next school year, if I remember correctly, so if you it in your "why Macalester?" essay, that'd be good, I think, or at least not bad; plus, it's the sort of program that isn't that common for schools to have yet, I think particularly liberal arts schools, so you could use that as part of showing why Macalester and not some other, similar school.</p>