i hate to ask but...what are my chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vassar College
1

<p>I visited Vassar and fell in love...I would really like to know my chances of actually getting in.</p>

<p>HIGH SCHOOL: private, roman-catholic, jesuit, college-prep school
GENDER: Male
ETHNICITY: white
FAMILY INCOME: somewhere between $100k and $110k I think....I'm not really sure
FAMILY SIZE: I live with both of my parents, and I am the oldest of four children. One of my siblings will be attending a private high school while I am at college.
PARENTS' EDUCATION: I will be a first-generation college student.</p>

<p>GPA: As of the end of my junior year, it is at 3.73
SAT: combined 2070 (CR 660 MATH 660 WR 750)
SAT II: US History - 660 Spanish language - 680 Math level 1 - 690
AP: European History - 4 Spanish Language - 4, will be taking EnviSci, English Lang/Comp and Spanish Literature my senior year</p>

<p>SCEDULE
*Freshman Year
-Biology I - B
-English I - B+
-Christian Thought (Religion I) - A
-Spanish II Honors - A-
-Algebra I - A-
-Global History - A-
-Health and Wellness - A
-Concert Band - A</p>

<p>*Sophomore Year
-Chemistry I - B+
-English II - B+
-Scripture (Religion II) - B+
-Spanish III Honors - A-
-Geometry Honors - A-
-US History Honors - B+
-Health and Wellness - B+
-Concert Band - A</p>

<p>*Junior Year
-Physics Honors - B
-English III - A
-Ethics/Social Justice (Religion III) - A-
-Spanish Language AP - A-
-Algebra II - B+
-European History AP - B-</p>

<p>*Senior Year
-Environmental Science AP
-English Language and Composition AP
-Models of Leadership (Religion IV)
-Spanish Literature AP
-Precalculus
-1st semester: Philosophy 2nd semester: Government</p>

<p>EC's
*Concert Band (glockenspiel) all 4 years, elected as a Band Leader at the end of my Freshman year
*Jazz Combo group (vibraphone) my sophomore year, auditioned to get in
*Jazz Big Band (vibraphone) freshman year
*Marching Band (marimba/vibraphone) fresman year, played at my local public high school because my high school does not have one
*National Honor Society</p>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE
*sophomore year: took part in a service/immersion program in the Dominican Republic during my april vacation
*junior year: 60 hours of volunteer work at a city hospital</p>

<p>RECOMMENDATIONS
My junior year english teach and physics teacher as well as my guidance counselor have all promised to write "stellar" recommendations for me. I am very close to my counselor so I know her's will be excellent, and I did very well in english class. In physics, I was not at the top of the class in grades but I had excellent effort. </p>

<p>WORK EXPERIENCE
I have been a busboy for a year now at the same restaurant. Nearly all of the money I make goes towards high school tuition bills, car insurance, cell phone bill, and school supplies. A few months after I started working there I got a $2.50 hourly raise. </p>

<p>AWARDS
*silver medals on the National Spanish Exam freshman and sophomore years
*bronze medal on the National Spanish Exam junior year
*excellence in english III junior year
*outstanding participation in Jazz Big Band, Concert Band
*Honor Roll or High Honor Roll each academic quarter
*I've been awarded a few more academic awards I just can't remember them right now</p>

<p>INTENDED MAJOR: possibly social work, maybe english...I might want to do pre-law studies</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I forgot to mention I also did 40 hours of volunteer work at a local preschool for mentally/physically handicapped children.</p>

3

<p>…anyone?</p>

4

<p>Hard to say. You can really only chance yourself. the average GPAs and SAT scores are available online. If you’ve done your research, you’ll know that Vassar is female heavy, so being male is a plus. 1st gen college student is a good hook you should play up. If you have any other special traits, I’d list them and play them up in your admissions packet. If you are from a typically under represented state, this will help. If you have any awards you’ve forgotten to list here, like National Merit Commended, or state level musical awards, they would be good to include.</p>

<p>Just going by the information you’ve posted, I’d say your grades and scores are within range, but don’t standout in any way. One thing I need to point out - colleges do not care if you aced Religion in Catholic School. They don’t can about your grade in Health (a B+? Really?). Strip all of the grades out for Religion, Gym, Health and your grade-inflating electives, because that’s what the colleges will do, and recalculate your GPA. That’s the grade they’ll deal with. </p>

<p>I’d re-take the SATs and perhaps some of your lower SAT IIs. If Vassar is your top choice school, I’d typically recommend you apply ED, but you may benefit from sending in your 1st semester senior grades.</p>

<p>One thing is for sure - if you don’t apply, you have no chance of being admitted. </p>

<p>Good Luck.</p>

5

<p>Thanks so much!
Yea, the B+ in health was because the grade was based solely upon a binder we were supposed to put handouts in, and I was missing a couple of them.</p>