Hi, I’m a junior from Bay Area of California, and I’m kind of freaking out about college apps!!! I’m afraid a lot of the schools on my list, like Middlebury, Pomona, Williams, Wellesley, etc. are too competitive and wouldn’t accept me.
Some facts:
UW GPA: 3.97
W GPA: 4.55
ACT: 33 (9 Writing) (so far, may be bumped higher to a 34)
SAT: N/A
PSAT: 1440
SAT Subject Tests: Will be taking Biology, English and Math Level 2 at the end of this year
AP: Taking 4 AP’s right now (AP Biology, AP French Language, AP English Language, AP Environmental Science), will be taking 8 by end of graduation.
Summer Work:
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Institutes in Psychology (9)
Columbia Summer Program in Molecular Biology and Genetics (10)
Extracurriculars:
National Charity League VP Philanthropy
Youth and Government (YMCA Organization) Community Liaison (also won my mock trial!)
Science, Engineering and Technology Club Member
Student Sports Club Publicity Officer
Club for Patient Comfort Co-President
National Honor Society Member
California Scholarship Federation Member
Organized a discussion for solutions to social issues with school administration
Elected as an alternate for Girl’s State
Taught a Career Explorer Course at a local underprivileged elementary school
I am white, come from a wealthy background, and can’t really think of a hook other than my involvement with my community.
My main areas of interest are: Environmental Science, Biology, English, Political Science, or International Studies.
Any insight into college apps, hooks, different schools not on my radar, etc. would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
If you were to consider all of the NESCACs, you would find one or two matches and another one or two high matches or low reaches, as well as maybe a school that would be a safe admit for you. Mt. Holyoke might be another possible addition, as might Kenyon.
Dickinson in Central PA is very strong in both environmental sustainability and international relations. Likely a match as long as you demonstrate interest, and you could be a candidate for merit award. St Lawrence in upstate NY would also be a match, with possibility of merit money, and is strong in environmental, though a tougher call for poli sci internships etc. during the school year, since it is in a small, Adirondak community and not near major cities. St L does have a semester in D.C. option, I believe.
In Ohio, in addition to Kenyon which has been mentioned, Oberlin is very big in sustainability, and would be more of a reach category. Denison would be a match, with possibility of merit money, and has the Bio Reserve just off campus, a several hundred acre preserve used for science research, and has the Lugar Program in Poli Sci which has both American and International tracks, involving internships etc. These are all schools (though I don’t know any current students at Oberlin, so can’t speak to that directly), that are collaborative communities, not competitive among students.
You didn’t seem to mention a school you might be interested in applying ED too. Although not a classic hook, with your stats as long as you craft a solid application with a very strong essay, you can gain admission through ED to a strong school. If rejected apply ED2 to a school a notch below. A lot of the elite unis and LACs have very high ED acceptance rates. Below is a link I found for ED acceptance rates, although it should be proof checked on multiple sites.
I agree that you should consider applying ED somewhere especially since you presumably don’t need FA. I’m assuming you’re from CA, and an unhooked white female CA applicant to Pomona is a very tough demographic to be in. Here’s a list that CC member spayurpets is assembling about 2017 admission rates (it’s incomplete because some schools like Amherst, Smith etc haven’t released their stats yet). This chart backs out the ED admits when calculating the RD acceptance rate. Note that some schools like Williams and Amherst only have one ED round but others have ED2.
I think you’d have a realistic shot at getting into at least one such colleges in the RD round (if you submit well-prepared applications to several). Middlebury would be one of my top choices for environmental science (as long as you’re ok with the cold climate and relatively isolated setting).
Nevertheless, you also need some “target” schools.
Colorado College has a one-course-at-a-time Block Plan that is good for majors that benefit from field work (like environmental science, biology (botany/zoology), geology) or for flexibly scheduling study abroad. It’s also a need-aware college where it might play to your advantage to be a full-pay student. And it offers a non-binding EA option, so you could delay applying to less selective colleges until after the new year (in case the early results don’t go your way).
Other “target” possibilities include Kenyon, Macalester, and Whitman.
If you’re full pay you have an advantage at need aware colleges.
Also, look at Grinnell, Macalester, saint Olaf, saint Lawrence, Skidmore . Show interest starting now (folklore put the request info form) because they don’t like to be treated as safeties.
(See:
“U.S. institutions that are not need-blind for U.S. applicants and meet full demonstrated need”
and
“U.S. institutions that are need-sensitive and do not meet full demonstrated need”)
You have a shot at all those schools, but they are all reaches, so you can’t really count on any of them. You need some solid matches too. Some ideas: Scripps, Smith, Macalester, Kenyon, Oberlin, Lafayette, Skidmore, Conn College