Getting scared!!! (chance me for LACs)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I’m getting really anxious about the next few weeks. Most of my friends have gotten into one of their top 3 choices or are committed, and I’m really unsure I’ll be able to get into one of my top 6 choices.

I got waitlisted ED1 at Wesleyan. (yes, waitlisted). I’m feeling like I should have found and visited some more safety schools, and I’m very happy with the schools that I am in right now, but I’m still nervous I’m going to get 12 rejections. I’ve gotten into Beloit, UVM Honors, Dickinson, and Whitman (all with a lot of merit aid).

here’s a little information about me:
White female from NY
33 ACT (36 E, 36 R, 32 S, 29 M)
93.37 GPA (eeeeek, out of 100),
Class rank: top quarter at a small HS
AP scores: APES (5), AP Comp Gov (5), AP Gov (4), AP World History (4), AP Human Geo (4)
Subject tests: 740 World History, 760 Literature
Major - Political Science

Extracurriculars - Started (and am president of) a civic engagement club, president of quiz bowl, co-president of Model UN. Also involved in theater and chorus. Had important role in a local political campaign as lead HS intern. I self-studied 6 ap’s throughout HS and have passed the 4 I have taken so far.

I’m still waiting on Barnard (top choice, but a crazy reach), Pitzer (top choice, but a crazy reach), Oberlin, Bates (top choice, but a crazy reach, especially with application increase), Scripps, Macalester, Skidmore (thought this was a really good match, but seems like it’s more reachy now), Kenyon, Bryn Mawr, ConnCollege (didn’t interview), Brown (literally for fun), and American. I think most of these schools will be waitlists/rejections except American, in which case I will go there. Am I right? How anxious should I be?

2

first, let me say you already have some great choices! you’re very lucky to receive merit aid at all of those schools.

second, i think you stand a good chance at oberlin, macalester, scripps, skidmore, american, and bryn mawr.

  • pitzer really, really likes to see community service and extracurricular involvement. i'm not saying your extracurriculars are weak, but it does list extracurricular involvement and volunteer work as "important" on its data sets.
  • kenyon, conn, and bates (especially bates since it received a lot more applications this cycle) LOVE to see demonstrated interest, so not demonstrating interest (if you didn't) may hurt you. bates lists demonstrated interest as "important" on its data sets.
  • the only schools i'm not sure about are brown and barnard.

your GPA is a tiny bit low, but your test scores and the fact you’ve self-studied SIX APs are both very impressive. i think you’ll get into quite a few of the schools you listed.

3

@kalons thanks! I do have more community service/extracurriculars and have heavy involvement in local politics. I also have registered several hundred voters, which is what I wrote my pitzer supplement about!

4

OP here - I should also mention that my grade hit is very obviously due to math classes (I have a little bit of a learning difference in that department).

5

@kalons I also have visited Bates and Kenyon and interviewed on campus for both! I also visited Conn, but was not within their age limit to interview on campus (visited my junior spring), and was too geographically close for an off campus interview.

6

Did you get accepted into some colleges already? if so, then you will be fine!

7

I wouldn’t stress too much, you have some good acceptances already. One of my kids turned down a couple schools on your preferred list for Dickinson, and had a great experience. You ARE going to college in the fall — you can relax a little.

8

@intparent That’s true! I myself would likely turn down Dickinson for Whitman or maybe Beloit (social fit), but am not sure!

9

I’ve visited all 3. :slight_smile: Dickinson doesn’t seem socially to be very different from your top choice, Bates, which is one of the schools my D turned down for Dickinson. I’m curious how you perceive the social differences.

10

@intparent Bates really seemed more quirky and less preppy to me, but maybe that is not the case! With the application increase at Bates, I think my chances are limited anyways.

11

I was admitted ED to Pitzer, and I know that demonstrated interest is really important. How did you demonstrate your interest?

12

@butuoxy emailed them very often, did an interview, and did the webinars. I’m on their email list too.

13

Do you have 4 years of math, science and foreign language? That will help. I say you will be getting a few more acceptances.

14

@wisteria100 5 years of lab science plus two years of science research, 5 years of math, 4 years of foreign language.

15

bump

16

I’ve been admitted to Macalester with merit aid!!!

17

How did they notify you of merit aid. My son got email to go to portal and it said he was admitted with no mention of merit aid.

18

Update 2 - I (somehow) got into Bates!! Waiting on Pitzer today!!

19

Congrats on Bates! I’m an alum and it’s a great school. I would highly recommend going if you’re ok with cold and snow - surviving Maine winters is something Batesies wear like a badge of honor. Very fun and diverse group of people attend Bates and I think it makes it a better fit for many people who don’t 100% fit the preppy mold (though there are plenty of all types). My daughter is at Oberlin and loves that too, in case you get in and are thinking of it. I was surprised at how much I loved Oberlin and had never thought about it much.

Lots of great choices!

20

Congrats on Macalester and Bates!