Help me sort through my own transience...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So about me... I'm a very... fleeting person. My interests shift way too often for my own comfort. My friends all make fun of me for how much my mind shifts... Haha, I've heard the line "So which college do you want to go to this week?" More than a few times. </p>

<p>Maybe I'm a little too open-minded, but if I hear a decent presentation about a college, and I find a few things that I like about it, I'll genuinely like it. I'm the kind of guy who always buys the "rewards" card if the cashier asks me about it... just because I know they're putting forth an honest effort to sell it.</p>

<p>There are only a few things that really turn me off to schools... the main thing would be pretentious people. I can't stand them. I love being around intelligent people, but I hate it when they have to rub it in the faces of everyone around them. I don't have a bleeding heart, and I'm not interested in international politics, but it doesn't make me any less of a person. My ideal school would not have 20 pseudo-intellectuals sitting around in a cafe discussing the problems in Darfur. I'm more of a "Let's lay out in the quad, stare at the stars and just enjoy the beauty of life" kind of guy.</p>

<p>Anyway, these are the colleges I'm applying to. I have a nice mix of "small LAC" and "Big university". Maybe from what I've said you guys can help me add a few and hopefully cut a few off.</p>

<p>Amherst
Brown
Colgate
Dartmouth
Middlebury
Northwestern
UF
Vassar</p>

<p>I'm also applying to, and promised acceptance at UCF and Rollins, but they are too close to home... I really do want to see a different part of the country for 4 years.</p>

<p>I have no idea what I want to do after college, and frankly I'm sick of thinking about it. I want to study eithier Philosophy, Sociology, or English... Then we'll see where I go from there.</p>

<p>Here are the stats....</p>

<p>Academics:
Cumulative GPA: 4.279
Class Rank: 30/580</p>

<p>Exams:
Advanced Placement:
English Language-5
Spanish Language-3
World History-4
Music Theory-4</p>

<p>International Baccalaureate:
Biology-4
Spanish-5</p>

<p>SAT 1:
Math-730
Critical Reading-750
Writing-720</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math I-710
Literature-690
Spanish-670</p>

<p>Honors:
Commended National Merit Scholar (11)
National Merit Scholar Semifinalist (12)</p>

<p>Competitions and Awards:</p>

<p>District Marching Festival, Superior (11,10,9)
District Jazz Festival, Superior (11)</p>

<p>Athletics:
Lacrosse (will do 12, but I got in trouble for listing it since it's a spring sport, and technically "hasn't occured yet")
11-Varsity
10-Junior Varsity
Soccer
10-Junior Varsity
Activities:
Seminole High School
Marching Band (Bass Guitar, Timpani, Chimes)
12-Percussion Captain
11-Pit Section Leader (most improved section award)
10-Pit Section Leader
9-Pit Member
Jazz Band (Bass Guitar)
12-Vice President
11-Member
Show Band (12) Bass Guitar
Student Congressional Representative (11)
Sophomore Class Council Representative (10)
Wind ensemble (9) Bass Clarinet</p>

<p>Community
Church Band (12-8) Bass Guitar
Newspaper internship/column (12)</p>

<p>Volunteerism:
Pre-IB Summer Program, Teaching assistant (12)
Installing roofs on the houses of impoverished people (11,10)
Teaching Spanish an Elementary School (10)</p>

<p>Thank you very much for your time. I just want to get my mind sorted out before I go any further in this application process...</p>

<p>Oh, and if it's of any import, I'm a male WASP... hahaha.</p>

2

<p>Oh and:</p>

<p>I'm an IB diploma canidate...</p>

<p>That explains the lower-than-normal ranked... I think I am the highest ranked that's actually zoned to go to my school (inner city in the projects) but whatever. I always made sure that my passions came before my school work and that I was never too stressed. If that cost me 20 ranks, so be it... I'll live.</p>

<p>UW Gpa is 3.7/4 Probably 3.75 after this semester.</p>

<p>Oh, and I was recruited for lacrosse at Vassar, if that means anything...</p>

3

<p>Based upon your stats, you will have a hard time getting into Dartmouth and Amherst (reach) and Northwestern and Brown are slight reaches.</p>

<p>You have good chances at the rest of the schools on your list (matches).</p>

<p>As far as which of these would fit you based upon your comments--I suggest you consider Colgate and Brown, and possibly Vassar.</p>

<p>Colgate not only has a very easy-going student body (that still works hard), but it is also probably one of the three most beautiful campuses in the country (I personally rank it #2 in beauty for US campuses).</p>

<p>Brown (where I applied and was accepted myself many, many years ago--though I unfortunately couldn't afford to go there) has a great Rhode Island location, prides itself on its students being able to mold their own schedules (so if you change your mind all the time on what you want to take in the way of courses--great, go learn about whatever strikes you this semester), and is known for sending lots of students on to grad school.</p>

4

<p>I'd don't completely agree with Calcruzer. I think you have a fair shot at both Dartmouth and Amherst (still reaches though) but I'd put Brown farther up in the reach-y category. Your statistical achievements won't keep you out of any of the colleges on your list. What will get you in will be your ECs (especially if you are recruited for lacrosse), your essays and your recommendations. Being a White male will work against you so you need to compensate by putting together a knockout application.</p>

<p>You really don't need another reach but you certainly sound like a Williams kid and I think your musical interests would give you a major boost.</p>

<p>Have you had a chance to visit these schools? Brown and Vassar are vastly different in ambience from Amherst, Dartmouth and Colgate. Just wondering what your criteria were?</p>

5

<p>Yup, I've visited them all except Middlebury.</p>

<p>I went to Williams, and I liked it... but I liked Amherst better, ha. I still might apply there too... it was just a bit more isolated.</p>

<p>I really do love the Colgate campus... it is gorgeous. I would definitely not have any reservations going there if I got in only there... Vassar is the school I probably like the least on the list... that's probably why I didn't follow through with the recruitment. I was offered an official visit, but I didn't want to commit that strongly to a school I wasn't that in love with.</p>

<p>Haha, I did like Brown a lot... and once again, if I got in there I'd have a hard time not going there.... as with most of the schools on my list.</p>

<p>I secretly hope I only get into one, so the choice isn't too difficult.</p>

<p>Thank you both very much for your input!</p>

6

<p>Upppp to the top.</p>

7

<p>Hah, come on guys... feed my curiosity...</p>

<p>Northwestern and Amherst are my favorites... how do I stand for those, specifically?</p>

8

<p>If you liked Colgate's campus, then you'll be equally impressed with Middlebury's campus.</p>