How does my list look?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Background - I'm a white male from St. Louis, Missouri. I got to an elite college prep school, that is ranked #25 in the nation. My sophomore year in high school I was suspended for a drinking incident with my wrestling team (near death experience), but since then I have proved through academics, athletics, and by starting a club to promote a sober student body, I have shown that I have grown past this incident. </p>

<p>Grades - My GPA has a huge upward curve. It started off low freshman year (2.9) and has grown to a 3.72. I have taken all honors and AP courses. My teachers harp on the fact that I am a great debater, and a driving force in class discussions. My two recommendations are going to come from my adviser, who has taught me in World History I and AP European History. (He is a graduate of Kenyon College). My other rec is from my Drama teacher, who has directed me in numerous plays and has watched me become one of the school's strongest actors.</p>

<p>Test Scores - On the ACT I got a 28 (31 reading, 29 English, 28 Science, 24 Math). I have also taken two subject tests. On Literature I scored a 680, and on US History I scored an 800. (I plan on majoring in History)</p>

<p>Common Application Essay - I am an extremely talented writer, and the topic of my essay is going to be about my transformation. The summer in between my Sophomore and Junior year I lost 105 lbs., and this change on the outside masked the metamorphosis that occurred on the inside. </p>

<pre><code> Extracurriculars
</code></pre>

<p>Sports - Two years of Football (had to quit due to concussions), two years of Wrestling (had to quit due to concussions, and for earlier mentioned reasons), two years of Cross Country (two varsity letters), and four years of Track and Field (2 varsity letters)</p>

<p>Theater - By the time I have sent out my application I will have been in 7 productions. I have had my share of small ensemble parts, but I have also been able to play some large roles in plays such as The Elephant Man, The Curious Savage, and soon to be The Tempest. </p>

<p>Clubs - I am the founder of Campus Libertarians. I am also a co-founder of the Dream team (the student body sobriety group I talked about earlier). I serve as the school's newspaper Sports Editor, and I also am a member of the school news station and the Debate team. </p>

<p>Summer Activities - The summer in between my Sophomore and Junior year I worked at film making camp for elementary school aged kids for several weeks. This summer I am going to a screenwriting camp at the University of Tulsa.</p>

<p>These are the schools I am looking at</p>

<p>Kenyon College
Wesleyan University
Claremont McKenna College
Vassar College (maybe)
Illinois Wesleyan University
Truman State University
Eckerd College
Tulane University
Trinity University
Occidental College
Loyola Marymount University
Pomona College (maybe) </p>

<p>I plan on majoring in History, and then complimenting it with a major in English/Literature or Film Studies (depends where I go). Your thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Wow. What a character arc! It would be nice if your standardized tests were higher. And, it would be nice if you were recruitable (I guess, that’s off the table.) But, there is something compelling about your story and the the schools on your list look look like a reasonable balance between matches and reaches. I’d concentrate on getting into Kenyon, especially if money is not an issue.</p>

3

<p>^ Ah, but that’s a great question. What can the OP afford?</p>

4

<p>I’m very affluent. My family does not qualify for financial aid, but it would be nice to get merit aid. </p>

<p>I’m taking the ACT for a third time on September 11th. I have already taken twice, and have gotten the same score twice. I took some ACT prep before the second test, and had gotten my score up to a 32. I don’t know what happened on the second test.</p>

5

<p>Congratulations on losing so much weight. I hope you keep it off.</p>

<p>I vote for Kenyon and Claremont McKenna. You might also want to look into Denison. I know someone who went there and loved it. He was really into theater and wrote and directed some plays there. Wes is another good choice, but I think they’re more into the sciences than English.</p>

6

<p>You face a few uphill battles. A rough GPA start, a suspension and not the highest scores. I would guess Wes, CMC and Pomona are out of reach.</p>

<p>Will Vassar look at you with a few more ACT points? Possibly. Merit aid? Only where your stats are top of pool.</p>

7

<p>Good to see another Libertarian here. Ever thought about George Mason University? They have a huge libertarian slant and their history department has wide ranging courses. You’ll also be in the top quintile for your ACT. Maybe a match/safety?</p>

8

<p>I’ll take a look at George Mason. It hasn’t come across my search thus far.</p>

9

<p>Anybody else have any thoughts on my list?</p>

10

<p>Kenyon is a reach. Look at Denison or College of Wooster instead.</p>

11

<p>But Kenyon is my favorite…I think I have a legitimate chance to get in there. They value writing; I’m good at writing. I have a rec from an alumni of that school, I display interests in programs that are strong at those schools. I have great extracurriculars, so no I’m not going to take Kenyon off my list.</p>

12

<p>I understand. In that case you might want to just add one of the other schools mentioned.</p>