Give this junior a chance!

Colleges and Universities A-Z College of William and Mary
1

<p>I'm currently a junior, I'm trying to get into some schools like Duke, UVA, W&M, George Mason, VT, Georgetown, and I'll possibly try for Brown and Stanford. So I know I haven't taken some of the tests...like the SAT...but please chance anyways!</p>

<p>GPA: UW-4.0, W-4.348
SATs: will take in June
ACT: 29
Sex: Female/African American
State: Va</p>

<p>8th:
Algebra I (A)
Spanish I (A)</p>

<p>9th:
IBMYP English 9 (A)
IBMYP Biology (A)
IBMYP Geometry (A)
IBMYP World History (A)
IBMYP Spanish II (A)
IBMYP P.E. (A)
Chorus (A)</p>

<p>10th:
IBMYP Chemistry (A)
IBMYP English 10 (A)
IBMYP Spanish III (A)
IBMYP AlgII/Trig (A)
IBMYP P.E. (A)
AP Government (A)
Chorus (A)</p>

<p>11th grade:
IB History I – HL (A)
IB English I – HL (A)
IB Biology I – HL (A)
IB Math Methods I –HL (A)
IB Spanish IV – SL (A)
IB Environmental Systems (A)
Digital Input Tech (A)</p>

<p>12th grade:
IB History II – HL
IB English II – HL
IB Biology II – HL
IB Math Methods II – SL
IB Spanish V – SL
IB Theory of Knowledge
Physics</p>

<hr>

<p>Extra Curricular:
- National Honor Society
- Spanish Honor Society
- Mu Alpha Theta
- Science Honor Society
- Key Club
- Ecology Club
- Tennis
- Chorus</p>

<p>Leadership:
- Junior Class Treasurer
- Key Club Secretary
- Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Ambassador
- Sophomore Class Representative
- Freshmen Class Representative</p>

<p>Awards:
- Academic Letter
- International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program Certificate
- Outstanding IBMYP Spanish III Student (Student of the Year Award)
- Outstanding AP Government Student (Student of the Year Award)
- All County Chorus
- Principal’s Top 10 Student Award
-Perfect Attendance Award
- Outstanding Performance in IBMYP Geometry
- PWC Classy Award for Exemplary Achievement in the Arts
- 3rd Place in School Science Fair, Category: Biochemistry
- Principal's Honor Roll</p>

<p>Community Leadership Positions and Activities:
- Volunteer, Hospital Junior Volunteer Program
- Team Captain (11th Grade), Recreational Basketball (GBA)
- Member, GMU Early Identification Program
- Volunteer, PWC American Red Cross Youth Corps
- Church Nursery Volunteer, Church
- Member, Manassas Church
- Tutor, Middle School Spanish Club</p>

<p>Programs/Research/Volunteer:
- 2010 Virginia Girl's State (selected to attend)
- Local internship program at college (8 weeks, 40 hours a week, program modeled after NIH)
- 200+ Community Service Hours for IB Program
- Pre-IB Personal Project (Exploration of Careers in Medicine: Including shadowing different medical professions, learning terms, hospital experience, etc.)
- CDC Disease Detective Camp (applied for, haven't heard back yet!)
- Local Soil & Water Conservation Aide Intern (will begin in summer 2010)
ibNervous is online now</p>

2

<p>ibNervous, you look excellent on paper. Obviously, you have all the stats and even if you didn’t retake your ACT (which I’m sure you will), your score is within the Middle 50% range for acceptance at W&M. You have the grades, the awards, the leadership and all the “fluff”. However, one thing that I’ve seen W&M do this year is decline admission to “very qualified” students. I’m not sure why that is because I’m new to the school. My daughter will be a freshman there in the fall. Many, many, many of her friends were waitlisted or denied who had stats like yours…some of them did get into UVA and Duke, however. The consistent element that I see from those kids admitted to W&M is that they each have a passion for something and have spent a great deal of time pursing that passion. I don’t see that on your list. Make sure you make your passion evident in your resume. Whittle it down so that YOU make sense to them, so that you sound interesting and so that it is obvious that you will bring something unique to W&M. Good luck!!</p>

3

<p>What area of Va? Obviously those in Northern VA have a more difficult admit than those representing the rest of the commonwealth.</p>

4

<p>Thanks tering. What you said about having a passion for something, I mean I do do a lot of activities, but my passion is in community service and helping others. I’ve been in Key Club since my freshmen year and I’ve been volunteering at the Red Cross and Hospital for a while. Is that the kind of stuff that they’re looking for or just involvement in one activity? Also, do you think I could see your daughters stats to see what they are looking for?</p>

<p>And to momray, yeah I’m from Northern Va. I live right near Fairfax and I know a lot of the schools there are competition.</p>

5

<p>You’re definitely going to want to show a particular concentration in a specific area, not just community service. Volunteering for the local hospital is an excellent idea, make sure to incorporate your passion for it into your essays. Many colleges actually deny people who look like they’re padding their resume without any significant focus (a lot of involvement in a lot of areas might be an indicator of someone sort of searching for some EC to mention). </p>

<p>All of the schools you mentioned are quite good, but they’re definitely different. Make sure only apply to the colleges you have toured/researched and feel are a right place for you (not just the top 10-20 USNWR etc.) I think you have a good chance at WM and VT etc. </p>

<p>Fortunately, you are African American which is a blessing for applying to the “best” schools. If you’re REALLY passionate about a subject, have a high GPA and high SAT/ACT you have a decent chance at Stanford. It’s always a crapshoot but that seems to be a common thread among Stanford admits. Currently you need to show your passion (e.g. state level recognition/effort or something) and bump that ACT to a 34+ if possible for more selective schools. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, a good amount of people going to those schools are padding their resumes/apps without genuine interest. Tour a college/talk with students and your gut-feeling will tell you where you would succeed. If you’re planning on grad school definitely consider WM over the others, in state tuition is a bargain and you’ll have excellent undergrad opportunities relative to a larger school like UVA (which I sort of see as a more graduate focused school) The exception to this is if your family makes less than 100k a year in which case Stanford is free. My friend currently goes there and it’s not as personal as WM but free tuition at a top university would be hard to pass up. </p>

<p>Wow I wrote too much.</p>

6

<p>My D’s stats were something like…</p>

<p>ACT 30-ish
Didn’t submit SAT because they were very average
SAT II French 700-ish
SAT II English Lit 700-ish
GPA: 90 unweighted, they don’t do the 4 point GPA at her school
They don’t rank at her school either
Governor’s School for French and participated in a French Exchange Program, National French Honors, French Tutor
National High School Institute for Theatre (Northwestern University)
Campus Ambassador (tour guide) for her School (Admissions Prefect)…private all girls boarding school</p>

<p>Her passion was Music and Theatre…lots of community theatre, summer stock, regional Governor’s School for Theatre, she submitted an arts supplement to the W&M Theatre Dept. showcasing her musical theatre background, Head of an a Capella singing group that performs throughout the community, wrote her essay about her experience at Northwestern as a Theatre Cherub and how this changed her perspective on Theatre and herself.</p>

7

<p>You certainly sound like a competitive applicant. As W&M is selective we are not able to admit all of the qualified applicants who apply but it certainly sounds like you have some strong academic and personal qualities to add.</p>

8

<p>Wow, thanks so much(:</p>