Do I have a shot at these schools? (Mostly top tier LACs)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi all! I know my list is long, but I’m going to finish essays before school starts, so I won’t be overwhelmed. I’ve talked to my parents about costs, we’ve run all of these through a NPC. I know my stats are strong, but it’s my ECs that worry me.

Brown
Swarthmore
Amherst
Rice
Barnard
WashU
Wesleyan
Haverford
Vassar
Wellesley
Smith
Bryn Mawr
Mount Holyoke
Lewis and Clark (safety, along with my state school)

Objective:
GPA: 4.0UW/4.2W
ACT: 35 (35E/35M/36R/33S)
Class rank: top 2%
I’ve gotten 4 5s and 2 4s on AP tests, my SAT IIs are all 700+ but still kinda bad, but thankfully the schools I’m applying to don’t look at them.
Subjective:
Band (participated in a mentor program, performed well in local competitions that don’t really mean much, pit orchestra)
Debate (super involved, hold officer position, mentor students, won local and regional awards, national leadership committee)
I hold officer positions in two other clubs.
150+ volunteer hours through NHS, Key club, and then some on my own time at a poverty reduction organization where I have an internship and the food bank
I was on a city wide youth council, paged at the senate, and went to girls state (elected to high position)
I also work at a daycare.
I don’t wanna get too specific, but if you need me to clarify I’d be happy to! Thank you!

2

Heck yes, you have a good shot at all of them, and you definitely will get into a number of them. Your ECs are fine. Sure, you didn’t cure cancer, but most people haven’t. You’ve done a LOT.

It’s not certain exactly which of these schools would accept you, no one can know that, but several would. Probably the hardest ones to get into would be Brown, Amherst, and Swarthmore, but you have an excellent shot at each of them. Wash U and Rice will be just slightly easier, maybe, because you have a 35 ACT and those schools both love high standardized tests more than anything else as they try to climb in the college rankings game. A couple of the statistically less competitive ones will surprisingly reject you because they think you wouldn’t choose them if you got in (yield protection). And they probably are right about that.

Applying ED will improve your chances at all of these schools except perhaps Brown.

If I was in your position I would apply to Amherst or Brown early decision, depending on whether you want a closeknit LAC or a larger University atmosphere. Then apply to Swarthmore ED 2 (not many top schools have ED2) and fire off regular apps to the rest. You will be fine. (obviously, don’t follow this exact strategy if you have a personal preference for Wellesley or Rice or anywhere else on your list - they are all great schools.)