How Far Can a Good Essay + Writing Supplements Get You?

<p>Hi, this is my first post on here. Mostly because I decided to wait until a few weeks before finalizing applications to actually start caring about college. Yay.</p>

<p>Anyhow, my question's as follows:</p>

<p>I hear a lot of talk about how colleges are mainly looking for passion from their students, but how exactly are these admissions offices weighing words to concrete numbers and EC activities?</p>

<p>I had a pretty pathetic high school run to be honest: 3.7 GPA taking Honors and 4 AP courses at a not-so-rigorous private high school in the bronx, ranked top 10%, along with an 1870 SAT (1230 m/cr), though I'm retaking it next week and actually practicing this time around woo. ECs are also pretty unimpressive. Mainly hobbies. I'm a runner, creative writer(ish) and a growing pianist with babysitting duties. Along with minimal volunteer hours at a day care and a library. My first choice is U of Rochester, followed by Skidmore, Brandeis, and Binghamton.</p>

<p>My 2 reach schools are Vassar and Tufts-I obviously don't have the scores for these but I'm quite confident my written supplements and essay were just oozing with passion. Famous last words. Or something. Anyway, what sort of shape should I expect to be in assuming I score at least marginally higher on my SAT? A bit of guidance would be much obliged. :]</p>

<p>Cheer up, it doesn’t look so bleak. And great essays can only help, right? I read one admissions officer said only one out of 20 was any good AT ALL, so you will get noticed. List all those hobbies/EC’s and the babysitting esp if that is home duty you are speaking of.</p>

<p>But really your GC should have a better idea than anyone here because he has school data to go on.</p>