<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I’m a high school junior and avid golfer. I have been wondering since my stats, particularly my gpa, are rather low, if talking to the golf coach / applying ED would help my chances. Bowdoin is for sure my top choice and I know that could not hurt my chances. I generally can shoot in the low 80s (8.4 handicap.) I know there are much better players out there but on the athletics website, the number six player averaged high 80s.</p>
<p>Here are some of my stats:
GPA: 3.4 UW
SATs: around 2100
took APEuro & APUSH, next year taking APStats, APCalcBC, & an AP science</p>
<p>ECs:
staff of newspaper
tour guide
cross-age tutor
mentor at The First Tee
service trip to Spain
caddy at local golf club</p>
<p>So I guess I am just wondering whether or not golf is a big enough influence on my admissions chances especially for someone of my playing caliber.</p>
<p>Let me know if there is anything else that I forgot,</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Max</p>
<p>If you were a non-athlete, you’d have little chance, but given your ability and your test scores, it’s not impossible to see them letting you in if they decide to use one of their athletic slots on you. That’s the key, they’re going to have to want you, but given that it is in Maine, and most of the better golfers probably prefer to play in places they can play most of the school year, it’s not an impossible dream. Contact the coach and see what they say.</p>
<p>“Generally low 80s” is a bit underwhelming. Are these just casual rounds/high school matches, or is this tournament play? Are you playing warm or cold weather golf? Pressure and climate are major factors. Also, keep in mind that small schools aren’t looking to use up spots on sixth men…</p>
<p>College golfers in general are given much less leeway when it comes to academics, especially at top LACs.
A 3.4 GPA puts you at the bottom of the pack.
If you want to get a leg up in admissions, play AJGA and FCWT and shoot in the 70s. </p>
<p>These rounds are mainly competitive but some noncompetitive. I understand that I’d be a fifth or sixth man. Plus, since our team made it so far into the PA championships (our school is in Pittsburgh) many rounds were in the thirties. The rounds aren’t just school related either. Many of them are at local tournaments (which I do much better in, maybe its less pressure.)</p>
<p>So, given my current scores, with all summer and fall for improvement and rounds in which I can prove myself, do I at least have a better chance than if I applied ED not intending to play golf?</p>
<p>Also, our team came in third in the state ¶ in our section. I was a sixth man there.</p>
<p>If that makes a difference…</p>
<p>You will have virtually no chance at Bowdoin if you do not play golf, ED or no ED. That is the harsh truth - Bowdoin does not accept a 3.4 for non-athletes, and they may not accept it from anyone other than a stellar athlete, so you may still not have a chance. Your only chance is to contact the golf coach and get the secret nod from him - failing that, you’ll have to look elsewhere.</p>
<p>@MrMom62 Thanks for the reply. From all the scattergrams I’ve seen Bowdoin only accepts 2-3 students below a 3.5, so I recognize my slim chances. However, it can’t hurt to try.</p>
<p>OP, you have all summer to work on your game prior to applying ED, so I’d say that’s your best bet. And without knowing your game, I’d guess that you’d drop your handicap most easily by concentrating on your short game. Best of luck!</p>
<p>I don’t think the fact that you golf will have any influence towards ED admission. Bowdoin’s golf team is very low key compared to other sports and made up of walk-ons for the most part. Also, you may be surprised at how much harder even DIII golf is than high school so it’s difficult to compare your scores to current Bowdoin players. My son played all four years in the top five and enjoyed it but as I mentioned, as far as I know there were no recruited players on the team. Best wishes.</p>
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<p>What those scattergrams don’t tell you is who those kids were who had under a 3.5. I can tell you those are not normal applicants, they are either athletes, developmentals, URMs, legacies, or some combination of the previous. They had a hook. Anyone below the 25% line at Bowdoin, or any NESCAC school ,is also in all likelihood, in the same boat.</p>
<p>I believe someone stated in another thread that NESCAC schools get 60 or 80 athlete slots, to admit people who would not ordinarily get in on academics alone. The class size at Bowdoin each year is only about 450, so there’s a substantial part of your 25%. As noted above, it’s possible that golf gets no athlete slots, they can put together a decent team from academic admits. </p>
<p>If you add all this up, your chances aren’t slim, you’d be wasting your ED chance. Talk to the coach, but if you don’t get a green light, either find a school that’s a better match, perhaps one of the other NESCACs, or just apply RD. The ED numbers at Bowdoin and other schools are deceiving, because that is how they get the athletes in. If you don’t get the athlete hook, and you don’t get that by just applying, you have to compete on the normal Bowdoin academic standards, which you appear not to have. Take a look at the acceptance threads if you don’t believe me, a whole lot of academic superstars don’t make it.</p>
<p>I happen to know something about this. Prior posters are right, the Bowdoin golf coach will tell you he has little to no influence on admissions and “zero” admission slots for golfers. My son went through this exact process. If an applicant is a stretch for Bowdoin admissions, even great golf talent is not likely to make a difference. And sorry to say an 8.0 handicap will not catch anyone’s eye. You might try Wesleyan, Bates, Colby?</p>
<p>Yeah, thanks for all of the responses! Sadly, I’m slowly coming to the realization that my chances at Bowdoin are slim to none (a slim just left town. lol) But, given that golf has been at Bowdoin for awhile, I would think that they give it extra consideration. I guess not.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity @Illinois79, was your son at about my playing abilty or lower/higher by how much? Thanks.</p>
<p>His handicap index is more like a 3. </p>