Do I have what it takes to be an Obie???

<p>Hello! </p>

<p>I'm a RD applicant to Oberlin and I'd really appreciate a little insight on what you think my chances are. </p>

<p>OBJECTIVE</p>

<p>STATS/GENRAL INFO</p>

<ul>
<li>Nationality: Lebanese, Polish, and American</li>
<li>Gender: Female </li>
<li>Location: Beirut, Lebanon </li>
<li>Cumulative GPA<a href="with%2011th%20grade%20weighted">/color</a>: 3.943</li>
<li>[color=blue]Program: IB Diploma</li>
<li>Rank: School doesn't have one</li>
<li>SAT I: 2160 (M 710, W 710, CR 740)</li>
<li>SAT IIs: (670 Literature, 700 Biology)</li>
<li>Community Service hours: 240 </li>
</ul>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES</p>

<ul>
<li>President of the Student Council<a href="class%20rep%20grades%2010%20and%2011">/color</a></li>
<li>[color=blue]Secretary General of MUN<a href="member%20grade%2010,%20head%20organizer%20of%20annual%20conference%20grade%2011">/color</a></li>
</ul>

<p>I've taken part in 7 conferences so far, and was selected as [color=blue]one of five finalists out of 1200 delegates in a national MUN competition* and, consequently, attended the UNA-USA conference in New York free of charge :)</p>

<ul>
<li>Have been playing the piano for 8 years</li>
<li>Volunteered as a Part-Time music teacher in a public school (gave weekly lessons) and started a music program there for beginners </li>
<li>Co-founded a school-wide "Help Haiti" Campaign<a href="raised%20$6000%20for%20medical%20supplies">/color</a> </li>
<li>Have been [color=blue]horseback riding for 3 years</li>
<li>NHS member and head of the media committee</li>
<li>Joined a Global Routes 5-week Community Service and cultural immersion program over the summer</li>
<li>Took two 4-credit college-level courses at the Harvard Summer School Program</li>
</ul>

<p>SUBJECTIVE</p>

<ul>
<li>Teacher recs: haven't seen them but I'm pretty sure they're amazing (one teacher actually asked for more time to make it as "perfect" as possible :))</li>
<li>Essays: the general consensus was that they were amazing (I tend to disagree) so let's just assume that they were average/good :p</li>
</ul>

<p>What do you think??</p>

<p>You are in the ballparkin terms of stats for Oberlin.But I guess the most important aspect will be the deciding factor–particularly the Why Oberlin essay.You have solid chances though,your stats are impressive. Your musical activities make you a good match for Oberlin though.</p>

<p>Thanks, macmill!!!</p>

<p>Hmm well I hope admissions enjoys my Why Oberlin essay (I talked about the fact that Oberlin has more pianos on campus than schooldays per year [yes, I counted… :p] and how that attests to Oberlin’s firm integration of art and academia, which is something I truly value and am deeply interested in…etc).</p>

<p>Would anyone else mind sharing their opinion? Please? :)</p>

<p>Interesting idea and, perhaps, original, but a gigantic stretch to think the number of pianos is connected in any way to the number of school days per year. I sincerely doubt the pianos were acquired all at once, with a plan to make sure they exceeded the number of academic days. Nevertheless, your idea is cute.</p>

<p>@lebagone Might I direct you to a blog post by Elizabeth Houston '06 about chancing?</p>

<p>[Oberlin</a> Blogs | Blog Entry: “What are my chances?”](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/applying/selection_process/what_are_my_cha.shtml]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/applying/selection_process/what_are_my_cha.shtml)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Haha well thanks, Plainsman :D. I know the topic was a little off-beat and perhaps a little logically unsound but I gave an honest answer to the prompt (I wasn’t trying to be overly atypical or unique - it really was its number of pianos that first attracted me to Oberlin:)) so hopefully admissions will see that.</p>

<p>@KYHI2010:</p>

<p>Thanks for the article (it’s one of the few on the oberlin blog site that I haven’t actually read) but, at the risk of having Elizabeth Houston come on here and figure out who I am based on my stats :p, I have to say that she makes a few assumptions in her article, the most obvious of which is listed below: </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes, anyone <em>could</em> go on here and post their opinions, but the vast majority of people on this forum are students (or parents of students) who have applied, or are applying, to college. A student with similar stats, interests, or backgrounds as mine could conjecture (based on their [yes, often fallible] inductive reasoning) my “chances” by referring to his/her successes, failures, or impressions of the student body at the college he/she attends.</p>

<p>Is this process fallible? Sure. But, as an only child living in a third-world country with essentially no alternative options or points of reference, I’d like to know where I stand generally as an applicant.</p>