What are my chances at getting into Barnard, Mt. Holyoke, Wellesley, and Smith? (currently a junior)
I am junior of mixed Japanese/European descent. It’s also important to note that I am gay (and totally okay with it!)
ACT superscore: 32
GPA (UW): 3.9
AP Classes and scores:
-AP Human Geography (5)
-AP World History (3)
-AP Language Arts and Composition (taking it now)
-AP Psychology (taking it now)
-AP AB Calculus (taking it now)
Extracurriculars:
-Varsity Cross Country Runner since 7th grade. Competed at the Minnesota State Cross Country Meet 5 times. (captain and MVP) I have been an all conference runner since 9th grade.
-Cross Country Skier since 7th grade. Varsity spot since 9th (competed at state since 9th grade) (captain since 10th grade)
I have been an all conference skier since 9th grade
-Distance track runner from 7th grade to 10th grade. Competed at state in the 4x800 in 9th grade.
-Earth group since 10th grade
-Outdoors club since 9th grade
-GSA since 11th grade
-National Honors Society member
-Students in Action Club (volunteer group)(10th grade)
-Key Club (volunteer group)(10th grade)
-Volunteer with Minnesota Youth Ski League teaching kids how to cross country ski (once a week)(since 9th grade)
-Racer in the Junior National Ski competitions
-Volunteering with setting up a St.Paul/Minneapolis queer youth prom.
I’m confident in my essay writing abilities, which could give me a push in the right direction.
However, I’m scared that my ACT score isn’t good enough. (without the superscore it falls to a 30)
It seems like you have as good of a shot as anyone if you keep up your current level of academics and extracurriculars. Keep working hard, and make sure you show interest in the schools. Mount Holyoke and Smith are also test optional, so if you are concerned about scores, that’s an option to consider.
Out of curiosity, have you looked at Bryn Mawr? You listed all of the other remaining seven sisters.
You have a really rigorous and focused set of courses and extracurriculars which is good, make sure to demonstrate interest in a hobby, class, or whatever but do it in a way that showcases your different strengths. So if you really like nature and all that, take AP Environmental next year. Or if you are super into your school’s GSA, go outside of school and try to get a leadership position in a youth LGBT community in your area.
Wellesley superscores at a data entry level, so unless a reader is really looking to waste their time, they won’t go looking for all your scores.
Writing an amazing essay that demonstrates your knowledge of yourself and the world around you and how they interact is good to strive for. And your interview can really give you a leg up! I’m talking about Wellesley here considering I didn’t apply to any of the others. But all are amazing choices!
Hurray for you for being out and proud! Way to go. You may want to also consider Scripps and Mills. Since you’re in the middle of the country, you may want to look west. Also Sweet Briar and Agnes Scott have a lot to offer and aren’t on as many people’s radar. Agnes Scott has teensy classes and cross registration with Emory. Sweet Briar’s classes are also almost tutorials and a gorgeous campus. It also has an ABET-accredited engineering program. ABET-accredited engineering at a liberal arts college is extremely rare. I just found out also that they provide pink bikes for the students to use to get around campus. Mills has cross registration with Berkeley. Scripps is part of the consortium. Mills is nicely close to Silicon Valley. the Dot-comers live in San Fran many of them (just across the bay using BART) and there’s great opportunity for internships.
FWIW this was written on another site that I’m afraid to name because: moderators–
“Sweet Briar College has remained open despite the mismanagement and the so-called financial challenges described by the previous president and board of directors.The amazing alumnae, faculty and staff raised more than $21 million in pledges and donations to save the college, which is now regrouping in the aftermath of the previous administration’s decisions. With a new president and board, I am happy to return to the college after a brief respite. As President Phil Stone tells us, we plan to be open for another 114 years! — Paulette Porter-Stransky, Program Co-ord:”
