Good Academics, Bad ECs - chances for small private schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi there! I've been seeing and hearing a lot about how some selective schools are willing to overlook average academics in light of incredible extracurriculars. I'm nervous because I have the opposite situation - I'm wondering how much my lack of ECs will affect my chances of getting into schools and if I should be doing a lot of catching up over the summer in order to get into the schools I'd like to.</p>

<p>I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know my chances for the following: Wesleyan, Carleton, Whitman, Kenyon, Macalester, Brown, and Brown and RISD's Dual Degree program. If you've had similar experiences with these or similar schools, I'd really appreciate hearing about them as well!</p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>ACADEMICS</p>

<p>-2330 SATs - 800s on math and reading, 730 on writing
-National Merit (PSAT score of 222)
-UW GPA of 3.98
-I won't know class rank until next fall, but based on last year's senior class, I'll likely be somewhere between 10-20/500</p>

<p>-3 Honors classes Freshman year
-1 AP (Euro), 2 Honors classes Sophomore year
-3 APs (Calc BC, lang, and APUSH), 1 honors class Junior year
(prospectively) 5 APs (Stats, com sci, lit, art, and physics) and one college credit course (Japanese) Senior year</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS</p>

<p>-Part time job - 9-14 hours a week at a local grocery store
-Girl Scouts (12 years)
-Youth Advisory Board member for music museum in nearby city
-Piano lessons
-Garage band with friends
-Self-taught guitar
-National Honor Society</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Any except Brown would be a match if EC were (considerably) stronger. There is a good book out on Wesleyan’s process; probably 8-9 on their academic scale, 3-5 nonacademic depending on essay. 9/5 should do it, 8/4 tough. Read the book and see how you would score yourself.</p>

3

<p>Thanks! Do you have any suggestions on ways to make extracurriculars stronger?</p>

4

<p>Hi! Your academics are good, and your extracurriculars are not that bad. You can improve them, however, by expanding on the interests you already have. For example, leading a big Girl Scouts project, or getting your band some gigs at local venues. </p>

<p>Good luck, and if you have a moment, please chance me!</p>