Do I have any chances at Wellesley?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wellesley College
1

<p>Howdy CC friends,</p>

<p>I would appreciate your opinion on my admission chances to a couple institutions including: Amherst, Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Smith, UVA, Washington and Lee, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Yale</p>

<p>I'm a female from Virginia...which is, in my opinion, the middle of nowhere. I’m mainly applying to Northeastern colleges because of the liberal slant.</p>

<p>I would eventually like to study Biology, possibly with a neuroscience concentration, and journalism. I used to think I was really strong with regard to my left brain, but it seems I’m pretty balanced.</p>

<p>Quantitative data:</p>

<p>Old SAT: 730 Math; 730 Verbal; 1460 composite
New SAT: 720 Math; 740 Verbal; 790 Writing (11 essay); 2250 composite
SAT subject tests: 750 United States History; 730 Math IC; 740 Math IIC; 690 Biology (Molecular) <em>**I took the Bio test at the start of my AP Bio course, before we had covered Photosynthesis and Respiration ;-(
AP: AP US History 5; AP Calc AB 4; AP French Language 4
GPA: 4.8 (weighted); 4.0 unweighted; I've maintained straight As so far throughout my high school career.
Class rank: Top 2% of large, competitive high school (~500 per graduating class)
*</em>*I attend a math, science, technology magnet center, which is located within the larger high school. With regard to class rank, however, I compete with the regular high schoolers.</p>

<p>Junior year courses:
AP US History
AP Calc AB
AP French Language (highest level at school)
AP Stats
Honors Physics
Honors English
Journalism</p>

<p>I'm taking 5 AP classes as a senior, including Calc BC, Biology, Environmental Science, English, and Government. This is a very demanding schedule for seniors at our school. Basically, the only APs that I have not taken at my school are ones for languages I have not studied (Latin, Spanish, German, etc.) and AP Chem and AP Physics. I am taking Bio and Environmental concurrently this year, however…</p>

<p>Extracurricular activities:
--Three-year involvement in prize-winning school newspaper; Staff writer; Front Page Editor; current Deputy Editor-in-Chief; requires more than 5 hours of work per week; We have a large staff and our newspaper is always very large…
--Four year member of French Club; current President; our club conducts regular French Club-esque activites such as Mardi Gras Celebrations and French movie nights as well as community service projects. We are doing a Salvation Army drive for hurricane victims.
--Multicultural club; four-year member; current President; outreach to minorities in school as well as fundraising for impoverished children in India
--Two-year member of Interact Club; active member; Angel Tree, Habitat for Humanity, local marathons, etc.
--12 years of classical piano (at least 5 hours per week); I have participated in local competitions as well as festivals and have received superior rating every year.
--Two years of competitive swim team (5-12 hours per week depending on time-consuming swim meets)
--Key Club, Robotics, track, colorguard, and FDA (Future Doctors Association) - (I participated in these for one year; Colorguard was a pain because it is a segment of the marching band of my school and required literally 30 hours a week; Robotics was not my thing, and Key Club was too big and unorganized).</p>

<p>Community activities:</p>

<p>--Gallery education/exhibit interpretation at local science museum; I have accumulated over 200 hours and absolutely love this job; I get to play with hissing cockroaches and liquid nitrogen; I wrote one of my college essays about my volunteer job and it how it relates to a future career.
--Volunteer at local nursing home (assisted with events, festivities, etc.); over 50 hours
--Volunteer at local botanical garden (horticulture, garden greeting, language translation, etc.)
--Volunteer at local university labs (over 200 hours of service); took care of lab animals and equipment; conducted lab experiments
--Piano concerts at local nursing homes</p>

<p>Work Experience:
--Job at local mall (~15 hours per week)
--Academic tutor at school (multitude of subjects); 1-2 hours per week
--Red-Cross certified babysitter (~10 hours each week); I love children and would like to become a pediatrician.</p>

<p>Awards and honors:
--First place in state-wide science fair; presented research to undergraduate-level fair
--Second place in regional science fair; progressed to state ISEF competition
--National Merit Commended Student
--AP Scholar with Honor
--High PSAT scores (3 consecutive years)
--Principal’s Scholar
--JHU Talented Youth
--National Honor Society (inducted as junior)
--Math Honors Society (inducted as junior)
--French Honors Society (inducted as freshman)
--Journalism honors society (inducted as sophomore)
--Beta Club (inducted as junior)
--Superior rating in annual piano competitions
***I have more, but they're kind of specific.</p>

<p>Independent scientific research is an important facet of my application. Since freshman year, I have undertaken research at local colleges and universities and have been mentored by accomplished professors. I have volunteered over 250 hours for this effort. My research revolved around alcohol tolerance and marijuana usage, which was pretty interesting. I now have a lot of experience dealing with various lab techniques and animals…I intend to continue conducting research in college. </p>

<p>For two summers, I have traveled abroad to participate in educational programs. I won't list the countries or the programs, but one was two months long and absolutely amazing because of the diversity of the participants. I actually wrote about this experience for one of my college essays.</p>

<p>Because of journalism, I have numerous publications; I have also written for the major local newspaper. I also was selected for a prestigious workshop this past summer. I was rated the best journalism student, so my work was nominated for advancement to the national competition level.</p>

<p>Essays: I think I'm a pretty decent writer, so they're okay. I'm not sure if they will POP OUT to the admissions office, however, since everyone that applies to Yale is mind-boggingly accomplished. Nonetheless, one's about my volunteer job and the other about my overseas camp experience. I enlisted the help of some older people, and they liked them a lot…</p>

<p>Recommendations: One from two-year Calc teacher; one from Chemistry teacher; I think they should be pretty good; the one from the Chemistry teacher will be better though because he thinks I'm a "poster child" and apparently likes me a lot. Whatever...I also submitted a supplemental recommendation from my newspaper adviser, which I thought was well-written and nice...He related me to "Emerson's Scholar," which sounds like a complimentary thing to say.</p>

<p>Supplementary materials: CD of piano playing (Chopin!), journalism articles; science project research abstracts</p>

<p>I also sent along a resume a month after I submitted my application. Hopefully, they'll look at it. ;-)</p>

<p>Alumni interview: Went really well in my opinion. The guy (who was very elderly) went to Yale undergrad and then Harvard. He literally spent 2 hours talking to me and seemed tickled by the things I said…meaning he laughed a lot. He also seemed quite tickled by things HE said...lol. He was just a really talkative guy and was EXTREMELY knowledgeable about EVERYTHING I brought to the table. Anyways, he was very interested in my culture and wrote me an e-mail later telling me that out of the 15 years he had served as an alumni interviewer, he had only encountered 2 or 3 individuals that seemed to offer all I have to offer. He also said that New Haven would be very lucky to have me.</p>

<p>I applied to Yale EA, but am realistically anticipating a deferral. Although I do have admirable accomplishments, my test scores are not bad, but sort of average. </p>

<p>What are my chances for:
Amherst
Brown
Chicago
Columbia
Dartmouth
Harvard
Smith
UVA
Washington and Lee
Wellesley
Wesleyan
Yale</p>

<p>Thanks guys! :-D</p>

2

<p>You have excellent chances at Wellesley.</p>

<p>And at Yale. And Harvard. And pretty much everywhere.</p>

<p>I don't work at admissions at Wellesley, but I've been around CC for a bit. Your post strikes me as one of those people who don't really need to worry, and just scare everyone else with decent stats. I almost want to puke, but on paper, people could feel that way about me, even though I knew my own reality felt a little different. However, one of the things that to me, stood out about your stats post, was the fact that you mentioned the science museum job, how cool it was, and oh, by the way, it's your essay. From the three sentences that you wrote about it, you'd have to write a really lousy essay to convey that you had no passion about what you were doing at the science museum. I read somewhere on this board that essays are huge in differentiating people with perfect stats, and while I didn't see much about your oversees experience, the other essay stands out. As does your scientific research.</p>

<p>While your test scores are "average" (at least for CC), I don't think this will be a drawback at all. Remember, the SAT scores are given 25% to 75%. As far as I know, you're in the midrange anyway, eg typical for students at the universities you want. If your application conveys what you have conveyed about yourself in this post, you'll be fine. Your recs are stellar.</p>

<p>MEANWHILE:
Do get some sleep. Hang out with your friends. Stop worring about admissions. You're an awfully active person for someone who lives in the middle of nowhere.
Research your college application choices. I bet you'll get in pretty much everywhere, so I would start comparing chem departments, meal plans, dorm life, and all the superficial things that make up fit. Visit places and see if you like the campuses. </p>

<p>However, since this is a Wellesley board I can tell you this:</p>

<p>We have free general admission tickets for the Boston Science Museum (very cool) for students (you have to pay for the Star Wars exhibit though).
On campus research with a professor is possible (and for you, probable). I have worked with one Professor over the summer, and another this school year, and I am a sophomore.
My friends have taken classes in Horiculture here.
I think our AP policy is changing a bit, but AP credit is good for course credit and acceleration here. Deparment policy differs, but AP helps a lot in French and Math.
There is a French House (off campus).
Babysitting in the town of Wellesley pays over 12 bucks an hour. I'm not kidding about this.
There are a lot of Chamber gropups here (not involved, personally).
The swim coach's name is Bonnie Dix. I had her for PE sailing, she's nice.</p>

3

<p>Hey WendyMouse, </p>

<p>Thank you for your reassuring response. Wellesley girls are always so nice! I kind of exaggerated a little...I don't really live in the middle of nowhere, although I sometimes feel that way. I live in a well-populated city/town which has its fair share of activities. The thing that bothers me, however, is the huge conservative slant and the proximity to acres of country land...arrgh.</p>

<p>From what I've read and seen about Wellesley so far, I love. I love the proximity to Boston, the gorgeous campus (!!!!!!), and the intelligent and motivated girls. I do love my boys, however...and I need to ask: how often do you girls actually go into Boston to hang out with other college kids? Are weekend Boston/Cambridge excursions a regular occurrence or are weekend chick-flick marathons more probable? </p>

<p>Earlier in my college search, I was looking at Bryn Mawr and loved the atmosphere there...it wasn't at all like high school (catty girls, distinct social castes, etc). I have decided, however, to apply to Wellesley because it is in Boston, which is definitely the most exciting city in New England, and is more rigorous academically. Would you say the competition between girls at Wellesley is very friendly or cutthroat? I have a friend who, after being accepted to both Wellesley and Brown, decided to go to Brown because she said the competition between the girls was really personal...whereas with guys, it's not. What do you think about that?</p>

<p>Oh, and I'm sure I would love the Boston Science Museum :-)</p>

4

<p>I do love my boys, however...and I need to ask: how often do you girls actually go into Boston to hang out with other college kids? Are weekend Boston/Cambridge excursions a regular occurrence or are weekend chick-flick marathons more probable?
It depends entirely on your personality. One of my roomates is from way high up the mountain, and rode an hour to school every day. She doesn't mind the Boston bus ride at all, and goes on average three times a week for dance classes and other dancing things, not to mention visiting her boyfriend who goes to Olin another two times a week. I rarely go into Boston, maybe four times a semester, and spend my nights in. People spend their weekends both ways. It depends on what you are invovled in, really. There is no stigma against weekend movie marathons.</p>

<p>Would you say the competition between girls at Wellesley is very friendly or cutthroat?
I have a friend who, after being accepted to both Wellesley and Brown, decided to go to Brown because she said the competition between the girls was really personal...whereas with guys, it's not. What do you think about that?</p>

<p>Most people here compete with themselves: they have standards from High School that dictate where they need to stand academically to feel pround of their accomplishments. At any of the colleges your applying to, people aren't used to being average academically, and it gives students the desire to do more work and more activities than they would be comfortable and happy doing, because they feel they aren't doing enough. If anything, the biggest competition is who is more screwed for the next day.</p>

<p>Wellesley does have a now two years old policy that dictates that the average in large, non 300 level classes be a B+ max unless the professor fills out some form, which drives most humanities majors insane, because they believe the professors rank papers or grade people down. </p>

<p>I'm involved with Physics here, and as for the homework, half our class meets to do it all together, and collaborate. It's the norm for the Physics department, but I can't say much about the other science departments in terms of friendliness.</p>

<p>As for "cutthroat", I've heard schools described as such, and horror stories about sleeping with projects in labs to protect them, and not sharing lecture information for those who didn't attend. I've known none of that here.</p>

<p>I also can't say much about comptetion between the sexes, because my High School's top ten had 9 girls in it. (The year before was 8 boys, and I'm curious if there would be a correlation). I honestly think I would take competing with boys to be more personal, just because girls would feel that they have something to prove, but that's just me.</p>