Do I have a chance at Whitman?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Whitman College
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<p>I posted this under I different forum but I am not sure if anybody saw it so I am doing this just in case.
Kenyon College is my dream school, but I also love Whitman College. I would be one happy camper at either of these institutions. I apply this fall, and with only a few months left before I send in my applications, I want to know if there is anything I can still do to up my chances or at least leave me feeling I did everything I could. Your feedback would be much appreciated!</p>

<p>State: California
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Gender: Female
I go to a public school but I am in an extremely rigorous humanities program and try and take the other challenging classes offered. </p>

<p>Grades:
Unweighted GPA: 3.89
Weighted GPA: 4.29
Ranking: 38/535, making me in the top 7%</p>

<p>I have been promised glowing recomendation letters from two of my teachers who know me best.
I am confident in my ability to write my essays. </p>

<p>SAT
Critical Reading: 670
Math: 650
Writing: 650
Composite: 1970</p>

<p>Should I take SAT subjects tests or the ACT? </p>

<p>AP Scores
AP Spanish: 3
AP Biology: 3
AP Calculus AB: 5</p>

<p>9th Grade
Honors Lit/Comp: A, A
Geometry: A, A
Molecular Biology: B, B
Honors World Civ: A, B
Spanish 2: A, A
P.E.: A, A</p>

<p>Also, for this year, I tested out of Spanish 1 which gave me an A for two semesters worth of Spanish 1. (I was in a Spanish Immersion Elementary school since I was 5).</p>

<p>10th Grade
Honors World Lit: A, A
Algebra 2/ Trig: A, A
Dance: A, A
HP Chemistry: A, B
Honors World Cultures: A, A
AP Spanish 4: A, A
Honors Critical Thinking: A
Honors Creative Writing: A</p>

<p>11th Grade
Honors American Literature: A, A
AP Biology: B, A
AP Calculus AB: A, A
Ceramics: A, A
Honors U.S. History: A, A
T.A.: A, A</p>

<p>Junior year I also took a night class at the local city college for one semester in Spanish, in which i received an A. I also took a city college morning class for two semesters in English Composition, and received an A for both semesters.</p>

<p>This summer I am in a Microeconomics class at the local city college and am confident that I will get an A.</p>

<p>12th Grade
Newspaper/Publishing
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP U.S. Government
AP Lit & Comp
AP Psychology
Physics</p>

<p>Other activities:
Eco-Club 9th-12th, I plan on taking a leadership role this fall
National Honor Society 10th-12th
Softball Team, JV in 10th, Varsity in 11th-12th, will most likely be a Captain
Speech and Debate Team 9th-12th, Treasurer, I have won around 20 awards at tournaments throughout the years
My quilt won 1st Place at the California State Fair
Around 60 hours of community service since I was in the 9th grade
I volunteer at Food Not Bombs often</p>

<p>These are my dream schools. I plan on applying to Kenyon Early Decision, and if I get rejected, I plan to apply to Whitman Early Decision II. Any thoughts you could share with my would be so helpful. If there is anything I can do still, please tell me honestly. Do I have a chance?
Thankyou so much for your time.</p>

2

<p>I’m also a rising senior looking into Whitman. I don’t know much about Kenyon but I can almost guarantee you would get into Whitman ED. Whitman’s ED acceptance rate is 80%, incredibly high for such a good school. Based on your credentials I would bet you could get into Whitman without ED, but if you’re sold on it that would definitely be a great move. </p>

<p>I’d be interested to hear why you prefer Kenyon to Whitman. Whitman isn’t my top choice (I currently prefer Vassar and Colby) but it’s up there and my go-to option if I decide to stay in Washington. It’s underrated but definitely one of the best LAC’s out there from what I’ve heard.</p>

3

<p>PrestonWA- Thankyou for all your kind words! I hope your right. I didn’t know the Early Decision acceptance rate was so high! Interesting. Perhaps Whitman lacks large numbers of applicants. If so, that’s too bad- it truly is a fantastic school
As for why I prefer Kenyon to Whitman, I simply love Ohio. I visited the school and instantly fell in love. It’s one of those schools I can really picture myself at. However, Whitman and Kenyon are, at their core, very similar schools. Small, liberal arts schools where I will not just be another number. Once I visit Whitman, I might feel that connection and decide that is the school for me. Good luck with your applications and classes senior year! I hope you end up at your favorite college!</p>

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<p>You’ll probably get in ED, but your SATs are a little low (especially for a Caucasian female). Might I suggest taking the ACT? I personally did a lot better on the ACT than the SAT.</p>

<p>Everything else looks really good.</p>

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<p>SgtDonut- I’ve heard that phenomenon from most of my friends. However, I’m worried about the science section. Science (clearly) is not my strongest subject. Do you mind suggesting any specific ACT studying books that could help me?
Thankyou so much for your time!</p>

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<p>I would definitely take the ACT. Even if science isn’t your strongest subject, the act really is easier than the sat in most the other areas (more essay time is hugely helpful). I’m no science guru and I took the act without having had any prep and got a 32 in science. I believe the curve is very strong and as long as you know how to wade through a bunch of accessory details to find the important ones, you shouldn’t have too much trouble. </p>

<p>Plus, it can’t hurt and gives you more options. </p>

<p>I did find the act math a bit harder but that could be a fluke.</p>

7

<p>PrestonWA- That’s a great point! Okay. It’s settled. I will take the ACT and hopefully score high enough to get a high enough score so that I can get into Whitman! Or Kenyon, for that matter.</p>

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<p>Whoops! Sorry about that weird sentence.</p>

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<p>Haha no problem. I took it to avoid having to do subject tests. All of my schools allow for the SAT plus ACT with writing instead of SAT plus two SAT subjects tests and I didn’t want to have to study intensively for the fact-based tests when I knew I would do better on the critical thinking test. Only real science fact I had to know on the ACT was what pH levels indicate (acidity vs. basicity).</p>

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<p>I think you will definitely get in if you ED, and still have a good shot if you RD to Whitman(I’m in Washington, visit Walla Walla frequently, and know people at Whitman).</p>

<p>Also the ACT Science section has very little to do with actual scientific knowledge. It has more to do with wading through piles of superfluous information to find a trend or relationship between variables. In my opinion they should rename the section to
“Graph and Chart Analysis”, or “Graphs and Charts with a hint of Science”.</p>

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<p>PrestonWA and JuanitaRebel- Okay, I definitely feel less nervous about the ACT science section. Thankyou! :)</p>