<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I will apply Early Decision to Dartmouth, since it is my number one choice.</p>
<p>This is what my portfolio will look like as of next fall:</p>
<p>White Male
Midwest</p>
<p>GPA: UW: 3.6 W: 3.7
ACT: 31 (will retake)
SAT: 2150 (750/700/700)
SAT IIs: Literature:750 Biology:650-700 (projected)</p>
<p>APs taken w/ projected scores:</p>
<p>Biology: 4/5 (A-)
Literature: 5 (A)
Language: 4/5 (A-)</p>
<p>Next Year will be taking:</p>
<p>Spanish
Macro
Micro
Government
Physics</p>
<p>ECs:
4 years varsity swimming, section qualifier 2 yrs.
Year round swimming during offseason
Will have attended prestigious summer science program
Science Research
Entered in Siemens and Intel
Volunteering: 300+ hrs at hospital and helping underprivileged kids w/homework
Piano: 5 yrs
If published, one research paper...</p>
<p>Essays should be good, as well as recs...</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>You certainly have a chance, but it is not a strong one at this point. To distinguish yourself further you need to raise your test scores (34-36 for ACT and 2250 and above for SAT.</p>
<p>Your science interest and research will provide your best forum for standing out from the crowd, especially if you do well in either Siemens or Intel.</p>
<p>The swimming will only help if you are recruited. Have you contacted the coaches at Dartmouth to see if there is any interest?</p>
<p>Be advised that Dartmouth caps the number admitted through early decision to about 400, and many of those will be recruited athletes, which really masks the difficulty of ED without a hook of some sort. Best of luck, my daughter loves Dartmouth.</p>
<p>i just got a six on my ACT essay so i will probably have to retake that for sure, or i might not send it.
hmm... so i'm not sure if my application is strong enough for the ED pool...
would it perhaps be better to apply regular decision?</p>
<p>What state are you from, and what is your class rank (or percentile) ?</p>
<p>^ You will never have WORSE chances when applying ED than RD.</p>
<p>our school doesn't rank, so i'm not sure...</p>
<p>but maybe if i applied RD i would have a chance to bring my GPA up and retake my SAT a couple more times?</p>
<p>what state are you from? (it makes a big difference)</p>
<p>Yes. that could make a difference for you, but since the midyear report will not re-calculate your GPA, that wont make a difference. That's just a check-up to make sure you are on the right track. Also, don't take your SATs too many times! Take them in June, and then study hard for October if you didn't do well. After that, I think it looks bad.</p>
<p>ok thanks, dartmoose. I'm going to retake the sat saturday and hopefully i can break 2200. I'm from wisconsin, by the way.</p>
<p>just do well on your CR & math, D does not really consider writing scores.</p>
<p>Midwest Dad has given you very good advice. Reach out to the swimming coach now. Visit with him if you can. Make sure your essays are distinctive. Help your teachers to get to know you better so as to ensure they write recommendations that reinforce your distinctiveness. Tie your passions and interests to aspects of Dartmouth that you find unique and, perhaps, only they offer.</p>
<p>Remember high grades and scores are simply tablestakes to get in the game; winning requires standing out from the crowd. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>alright i see your point. that was a really good post balletgirl. i just recieved news that the paper will be published sometime next year. oh and i retook the sat today.</p>