<p>I know admissions is a crapshoot, but I was wondering if it was reasonable to set my sights on Swarthmore at all.
URM female from Texas (ugh, I know)--rising senior
GPA: 3.9-ish--this is the only GPA I have, but we don't have a crazy 5-pt. weighting system or anything like that
11 AP's by graduation, including physics B&C, bio, and chem
Rank: top 10% out of about 700 (I had a bad freshman year :()
SAT: CR:720, W: 710, M: 620--I don't intend to retake as my math mistakes, both in practice and on the test were silly misreads and things like that. I don't think I can remedy that, and I've not improved much on practice tests. Believe me, I've tried.
SAT II's: US History: 790, MathIIC: 660 (I'm retaking--that I know I can improve on) I will take lit in October as well.
Oh yeah, my high school goes from 10-12 grade, so that's why I don't have many EC's freshman year (middle school EC's were subpar at my school).</p>
<p>EC's--Not that great.
Theatre (10-12): I do school and community theatre during the school year and the summer, and the time commitment is so great that my choices for other EC's are limited. I'm a council member in my theatre club at school (officer-ship is a popularity contest).
International Thespian Society
NHS (10-12): lower-level officer
Church youth choir (9-12)
library volunteer (summers 11&12 and 12 school year): I like books a lot :)
pediatric hospital volunteer (12--summer and year): I'm a sitter for the patients and volunteer 8 hours per week during the summer and will do 4 per week during the year. I didn't start until this year because this is the first year I heard of the opportunity. :)
This isn't really an EC, but this year I'm doing a medical internship organized by my school district that takes up 3 periods of the day. It is highly regarded in my district.</p>
<p>The eventual goal is to go to medical school, but I'm considering majoring in physical sciences. I'm not 100% sure, though....
Tell me what you think :).</p>
<p>I think you've got a definite shot. Very strong transcript except for the MATH SAT and your URM status will get you some slack on that. </p>
<p>I like that you have multiple activities along the same theme (medical stuff) and that one of those activities involves volunteer service. This makes for a strong application because everything fits: one activity with another and both tieing into your potential majors/career plans.</p>
<p>I agree that you have a shot. You don't need a lot of ECs, all you need is to be serious and passionate about the ones you have (which, I think, you are). I don't think you need to worry about your SAT I scores, especially if your Math IIC goes up. URM status will help as well.</p>
<p>Oh, I'd love to visit/have an on-campus interview, but it would be impossible to drag my family from TX to PA anytime before I apply. I think I'll just have to settle with an alumnus interview.
Thanks for the positive feedback--I've always felt inferior about my EC's, but I'm glad they don't look too bad. I really have just tried to do what I like and nothing more (which explains my lack of clubs, such as SADD and Key Club).</p>
<p>Contact the admissions office and tell them that you would like to have an interview. They have admissions officers who travel and conduct interviews in the fall. These kind of interviews are much more meaningful and helpful then an alumni interview, since the person that conducts the interview is the one who will be reading your application.</p>
<p>Even if you can't go visit, you can show them you care, through your "Why Swat" essay. It's the most beautiful campus anywhere so you'll not be disappointed in that. Good luck.</p>
<p>To be honest, the clubs and many of the ECs students list here in their "stats" don't count for much of anything in terms of getting accepted to selective colleges. </p>
<p>It's far better to have an interest that unifies several activities and, even better, ties in some way with your academic goals. It just makes it so much easier for an adcom to read your app and think, "ya, we know this girl."</p>