I need help with chances so I can figure out what school is right for me. please read

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>First, some info on me and my high school career:</p>

<p>'m a male, graduating this year, attending a small, rigorous, college preparatory school in Arizona.</p>

<p>ACT: 27 (retaking in September, and perhaps October, aiming for a 30)
GPA: 3.4
Rank: school does not rank
Race: caucasian
School offers approx 7 AP courses, but given the rigor of my school, many students do not take more than 3 by the time they graduate. We have had students attend stanford having taken only 3 APs. Just keep that in perspective when looking over my information below.</p>

<p>Class list:</p>

<p>9th grade
Geometry
Computer Science
Forms in Literature
Spanish II
Biology
World History</p>

<p>10th grade
Advanced Algebra
Visual Arts I
Literature and Writing
Spanish III
Physics
European History</p>

<p>11th grade
Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry
Visual Art II
American Literature
Spanish IV
Chemistry
U.S. History</p>

<p>12th grade
Precalculus
Advanced Visual Arts
AP Literature
AP Spanish
Journalism
Creative Writing 1st sem, Philosophy 2nd sem
Masterwork</p>

<p>ECs and other activities:
9th grade
president of class
worked on student life website of school
student recruitment committee
summer: Summer of Art program in downtown Tucson; work was later displayed in art show</p>

<p>10th grade
Became member of National Art Honor Society
Helped set up spring art show at school and displayed work.
student recruitment
Indepent study of Japanese language
summer: Summer of Art program in downtown Tucson; work was later displayed in art show</p>

<p>11th grade
National Art Honor Society
Helped set up spring art show at school and displayed work
Further independent study of Japanese language
student recruitment committee
summer: Study abroad program in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan. Stayed at an international university campus, taking Japanese language classes and art/calligraphy classes</p>

<p>12th grade
National Art Honor Society-->Running and will most likely become Vice Pres.
Plans to set up spring art show-->will have larger exhibit for own work
Taking Japanese language course at college level at the community college
Art work will be displayed in Tubach art show (a artsy town in AZ)
Writing for school newspaper
student recruitment committee
MASTERWORK-An optional program for seniors in which they create a project of sorts by integrating a passion of theirs with academic interests. I plan to create a graphic novel, about approx 100 pages in length. It will be an integration of my interests in graphic novels/comic books and my academic interests in writing, philosophy, and art. It's still being created, but I'm excited to present it at the end of the year ^_^</p>

<p>Ok, yeah, long list...Um, my GPA is pretty low, I know. I excel in history, english, language, and art, while math and science bring me down...I'm not sure what I plan to major in, but am interested in international relations, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology.</p>

<p>I will have excellent recs from english, spanish, and art teachers.</p>

<p>I honestly have no idea what my major will be, but I figure the idea of a liberal arts education is to expand one's mind and broaden one's horizons. I'm afraid to say what I want to major in, for who knows, I may decide in college that I love neuroscience, or economics, or the classics.</p>

<p>As such, I'm now just in search of a school that offers one of the best liberal arts education programs in the nation. A depth and variety in majors and courses is important, but I know that while I don't want to major in it, I want to continue studying Japanese and maybe Spanish in college, studying abroad in Japan too. Below is my current college list.</p>

<p>Reed College
Middlebury College
Whitman College
Oberlin College
Bard College
Skidmore College
Grinnell College (my dad went here, ive done some research, looks to be an excellent school.)
Lewis and Clark College</p>

<p>In general, what do you think my chances are at these schools? Which would you consider the best in a liberal arts education? Based on my interests, which do you think I would like the most? Which, IYO, should I apply early to? I'm personally thinking maybe Oberlin, Grinnell, Reed, or Whitman...</p>

<p>Please tell me your thoughts!</p>

2

<p>bump</p>

<p>please?</p>

3

<p>I'm not very familiar with LACs, and don't know much about Grinnell or L&C, but the others will be a reach for you. Your grades and SAT scores just aren't up to par. But definitely apply, and let your passion and personality shine through, you never know what will happen.</p>

4

<p>Reed College--Reach
Middlebury College--Huge Reach
Whitman College--Slight Reach
Oberlin College--Match to Slight Reach
Bard College--Slight Reach
Skidmore College--Slight Reach
Grinnell College (my dad went here, ive done some research, looks to be an excellent school.)--Slight Reach
Lewis and Clark College--Match</p>

5

<p>.....</p>

<p>Are my chances really THAT dismal? </p>

<p>T_T</p>

6

<p>bump 10char</p>

7

<p>I think you might be able to get into Skidmore. Play up your interest and activities in art. Skidmore has an excellent art department and has a considerable artistic community. If it's true that your school is regarded as very rigorous, then I think you might be a match for Lewis & Clark too. The others I'm not familiar enough with. Work on bringing up the ACT score. If you interview well, try to get in front of some of the admissions reps. Good Luck!</p>

8

<p>I can tell you that I've visited all the schools on my list minus Oberlin and Grinnell. I may go visit those in October.</p>

<p>I've had good interviews at Reed, Whitman, and Lewis and Clark, even having my interviewer from Whitman and Lewis and Clark write to me hoping I apply and wishing me luck in the college process.</p>

<p>Further thoughts?</p>

9

<p>With the interviewers who have contacted you, stay in touch with them. If you win an award or are written up in the school newspaper or your town's newspaper for one of your achievements, email or mail it to them with a quick note. If you have real questions about any of the college's courses or college life, send them a quick email.</p>

10

<p>could you also chance me for macalester?</p>

11

<p>bump 10char</p>

12

<p>Macalester is a slight-to-mid reach. All of the top LACs are going to be reaches with a 27/3.4, and your course load isn't particularly rigorous.</p>

13

<p>"School offers approx 7 AP courses, but given the rigor of my school, many students do not take more than 3 by the time they graduate. We have had students attend stanford having taken only 3 APs. Just keep that in perspective when looking over my information below."</p>

<p>Not to mention the masterwork program...In fairness, you need to know my school to get an idea of its workload, but I can assure you that mine is plenty rigorous.</p>

<p>Further thoughts?</p>

14

<p>The problem in a nutshell is that while the ECs are good, you have few honors courses taken to move your W GPA up above the current 3.4 UW GPA.</p>

<p>Most students applying to the schools you mentioned will have taken a lot of honors courses--and gotten their W GPA up to at least 3.5 or 3.6--and probably closer to 3.7. This puts you at a disadvantage relative to them.</p>

<p>You may have some students getting into Stanford with only 3 APs--but I'll guess that their UW GPAs are higher, and that they took these APs in junior year, not senior year.</p>

<p>I'm not saying you shouldn't apply to these schools--just that you need to be realistic about your chance at acceptance. Apply to some easier schools to get into also (other LACs)--and hope that at least one of your "preferred" schools comes through for you.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

15

<p>Lewis & Clark: match
Bard: match to slight reach, although I think if you demonstrate enough creativity in your app, they'll let you in. grades aren't a big deal there.
Oberlin: I don't know. Probably reach, but not to big.
Reed: Reach
Middlebury: Definitely a big reach.
Whitman: They take a really holistic approach to applications, so i think you're in there if you show that you're unique and you want to go.
Skidmore: match
Grinnell: Small reach, though ditto to whitman</p>

16

<p>I had meant 3 AP courses by graduation, not in junior year. And my school does not offer honors courses. Granted, those Stanford accepted students had a higher GPA than me, but a senior from last year was accepted into Cornell with a 3.0 GPA having taken only...2 AP courses? i think. But he had shown interest in their unique hotel mgmt program.</p>

<p>Anyway, thanks for chancing me.</p>

<p>Further thoughts?</p>

17

<p>bump 10char</p>

18

<p>bump 10char</p>

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<p>bump 10char...</p>

20

<p>bump 10char</p>