Do I have a prayer?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Oberlin College
1

<p>I'm from a small town in MA. Asian female, already graduated high school. Took a PG year at a secondary school, now at home, taking online classes. I'm planning on applying to Oberlin Early Decision I.</p>

<p>Weighted High School GPA: 4.519/5.00 (Highest you can get is a 4.8 though) Top 10% Rank 14 out of 220
Don't know my unweighted, but I have had straight As for the first three years of high school. Senior year my grades slipped to three Bs, two As, and a C+, because of personal problems (which will be explained from my counselor), which is why I did not apply to college senior year. Bounced back PG year. Don't have rank or GPA at my secondary school, but probably have an A average there taking nearly all the hardest classes--academically competitive school.</p>

<p>SAT I: May 2004: 1500/1600; 780 M 720 V
Oct 2006: retaking; 2200+ on practice tests, hopefully high 2200s to low 2300s on actual thing</p>

<p>SAT IIs:(taking in Nov) Chinese, Math Level 2, Literature (hopefully 700+)</p>

<p>PSAT: Oct 2004: 219</p>

<p>APs: Chem 2
US History 4
Bio 5
English Lit & Comp 5
Calc AB 5</p>

<p>Academic Honors
National Honor Society
College of the Holy Cross Book Award
President's Award for Academic Excellence
AP Scholar
National Merit Commended Scholar
Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery (tuition waiver @ UMass)
National Honor Roll, High honors, Who's who, etc.</p>

<p>ECs:
Chinese school (~3 years)
Piano: 12 years
Flute: 9 years
Chamber music ensemble (Pianist--9,10,11,12)
Concert & Marching Bands (flutist--9,10,11,(1st chair)12)
Varsity Cross Country(10,11,12)
Music groups @ school
Regional music club--website manager & active member (9,10,11,12)
National Honor Society (11, 12)
Piano accompanist for college chorus (10)
General accompanist (9,10,11,12)
~48 hrs Community service--will get much more</p>

<p>Awards
Regional District Auditions: 2nd flute (9,10) regional concert band, principal flute of regional orchestra (12,)
Piano: 1st & 2nd places @ regional piano competition (10,11)
3rd place CT Music Teachers Association Audrey Thayer Competition (Hartford) (12)
Host speaker for Chinese New Year's Celebration for Chinese school (10)</p>

<p>Summer
Kinhaven Music School (10,11)</p>

<p>That's it. What are my chances for Oberlin ED? Applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, possibly transferring to the Conservatory/double-majoring after a year or two. Current major undecided. I really want to get in; do I even have a shot?</p>

2

<p>I think you have an excellent chance for Arts and Sciences. It might be difficult to transfer into the conservatory. I don't know exactly how that works. You might want to contact them and find out.</p>

3

<p>I think it would be important to do a good job on your essay re: why you want to attend Oberlin.</p>

4

<p>Thanks, shennie and monydad. I'm pretty sure that you can apply to the conservatory from the College of Arts & Sciences; I don't know exactly how it works either, but I will find out;there's also a double-degree program that I will take a look at. The reasons I'm not applying to the conservatory this year is that I'm a bit rusty (let's just say that at the school I was at, I basically wasn't allowed to have music lessons), and I'm also not sure if I'm fully committed to music; still, a huge reason that I do want to go to Oberlin is that a musical atmosphere is a must. Plus, I'm into small, liberal arts colleges and a small town and liberal environment in general. And Oberlin has great academics, of course. I'm worried, though, because I don't have a 'unique' reason to choose Oberlin, only the ones I summarized, but I do think that it's a really good fit for me. </p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

5

<p>I don't think that you need to have a unique reason to attend Oberlin. I think that they just want you be able to articulate why Oberlin is the right college for you. They want to know that you have some knowledge of the college and are applying there for specific reasons, not just for the heck of it.</p>