Hi everyone! Middlebury is my dream school, and I would love to major in Environmental Studies and minor in English or Journalism! I know I don’t have any particularly interesting ECs, but I’m hoping that my leadership qualities could be my hook. Any advice? I am a white male from Massachusetts in a class of 350 students in a wealthy suburban town.
GPA: 4.1 (weighted)
Class Rank: Top 10%
SATs: 1350
Classes:
•AP English (2 yrs)
•AP History
•AP Environmental Science (not taken yet)
•AP Prob & Stats (not taken yet)
•AP Psychology (not taken yet)
•Honors History
•4 years of Spanish
Volunteering:
•Youth Tennis Instructor (1 yr)
•YMCA Volunteer (6 yrs)
•Relay for Life (3 yrs)
Work Experience:
•Highschool Summer Maintenence (3 yrs)
•YMCA Gym Supervisor (2 yrs)
(I have taken all normal classes in science and math, up to chemistry and trigonometry. History and English have been my focus points. I am also planning to take Graphics 2, Intro to Acoustic Guitar, and Photography.)
Should I wait to get my GPA up with the AP classes or should I apply ED?
ED. You are unlikely to be rejected. If you are deferred to RD, you’ll be just where you would have been had you not done ED. Except they’ll know they are your first choice, which can only help.
I’m afraid that attesting to Vegetarianism won’t give you “a leg up” at Midd. Seriously.
You need to apply ED, it will double your chances, and then study your A** off and get those scores up. They are NOT going to help you. Consider a test optional school like Bates or Bowdoin.
I don’t think you’ll be accepted unless you have very strong essays and recs, and a clear and compelling reason why Midd is your best choice. Saying that, your best chance is at ED. Did you take the ACT? You might do better…
Yes! It makes your application human. It looks like you’ve had a lot of leadership roles in your sports. This is a way for the traits your teammates (and prospective classmates) like to be apparent. At schools of that size, the students are what give the school its vitality, so you are basically showing what you offer the community. Good luck!
Will you be playing tennis or running track in college? If so, that hook will be most helpful.
Contact the coach.
What is your unweighted GPA? That is going to be important.
If not an athlete your GPA unweighted and SAT score most likely will be competitive but not exceptional. @OldbatesieDoc is always the voice of reason.
When my boys were applying to Midd, they were both told that a score of 700 on each section was what admissions was looking for.
I too would suggest you apply ED as it will increase your chances. Look back at last years threads to see who got in,who got deferred etc and what their GPAs and SAT scores were. I think you will be surprised at how high scores need to be without any hook. 16/17 percent acceptance rate makes it difficult for everyone.
Best of luck
Unfortunately, I don’t believe I will be participating in any athletics if I attend. My unweighted GPA is about a 3.85. Your advice with scores is very helpful, I’ll make that a goal to achieve 700 on each section. Do you think that the amount of leadership positions I have held (i.e. 3 years of captain, 2 years VP, 1 year NHS president) will help with my chances? I’m a strong writer so my essay should be stellar especially after revision from some teachers, two of whom will write great letters of rec for me. Again, thank you very much for your help!
Yes, your leadership positions and a good ood essay will help. Issue is that every student who will apply will have very similar top stats. At top schools it really is a crap shoot. Just remember that regardless of outcome you are qualified it is just a numbers game. Best of luck
Just another question for you guys since you’ve been so helpful: should I apply ED 1 or 2? I’m afraid that having only completed 2 AP classes my junior year I may not be competitve compared to other candidates who have taken harder classes. However, my senior year is very rigorous. Any suggestions?
Look, everyone had leadership positions. It doesn’t really help. The main thing is to excel at something unique, to have a passion supported by classes, activities, extracurriculars or artistic output. It’s much more impressive to be doing something to improve your community than to be head of NHS and do the “community service” of providing coffee on exam days…
If Midd is your first choice, apply ED1. Best chances. They can always get those grades if you are deferred.
To repeat what I just scribbled on another thread here:
"Having just completed my ED alumni interviews, so much of what is debated on here is strikes me as being of rather tangential relevance.
You’ll of course have competitive scores and have taken demanding classes- so have 95% of applicants.
So ask different questions: why should the Admissions team take you? What makes you different and your perspective unique? What will you contribute to the Midd community for four years now and 50+ years afterwards?
And don’t over-think it or over-complicate it. At 17 or 18 you’re unlikely to be the finished article, so we’re looking for potential as well as achievement.
Be your best self and see how it goes: the only way to guarantee you won’t get in is not to apply."
There are lots of alums all over the world doing interviews (I’m in England), so you should be able to get something sorted out, even if it is phone/Skype.