Hey guys. So the time has come to finalize which colleges students are applying to. Like most students, I want to give myself all the chances I can to get into good schools, but if I applied to all 8 and sent multiple test scores, it would amount to hundreds of dollars. So I’m asking if you guys could tell me if I have a shot in the dark of getting into these schools, or if I should not apply and save some money( I’m applying RD to all).
Colleges I’m thinking of applying to:
Bates
Bowdoin
Northwestern
Middlebury
Holy cross
Amherst college
General stats:
Senior, class of 2017
Rank 7 out of 242
GPA unweighted 3.9, weighted 4.45
I attend a medium sized school in one of Massachusetts’ “inner cities”, and to my knowledge only a small handful of students have even applied/looked into any of these schools. I don’t know if it matters, though.
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
ACT- superscore 33, highest composite 32
SAT (new)- 1370, 22/24 writing
AP tests- Biology (4), AP Lang and comp (4), APUSH (3)
Senior course load
Total APs and honors taken- 7 APs, and 22 honors collectively (no CP classes junior or senior year)
EC’s- 3 season athlete, all varsity this year and last year, and I’m captain of my gymnastics team. I am first chair trumpet in my school’s wind ensemble, jazz band, and marching band as well. I volunteer at my local animal shelter on weekends and I work as a lifeguard some weekdays after school. I also am a member of my school’s chapter of the national honors society and the tri-m music honors society.
Essay- I think it’s pretty well written! Not about a general topic like parents divorce or being adopted.
Recs- pretty good as I understand. They’re probably going to highlight my perseverance and exponential progress in music and academics. I haven’t read them, though.
Other info:
I am a legacy applicant at Bowdoin (Dad), Middlebury (both paternal grandparents and aunt), and MAYBE Amherst (great grandfather)…? All alumni are very active and have contributed a fair amount of their income to their endowment.
Not alumni at bates or northwestern, unfortunately
I plan to interview at all schools as they are within a 3 hour radius of me and have an alumni interview for northwestern in January. I interview very well, and my bates interview was awesome. Thank you guys so much in advance! If I’m missing anything, please let me know and I will add it.
First off, your ACT is a stronger than your SAT, so don’t send the SAT and you can save some $ there.
I don’t think you qualify as a lecacy at Amherst, so unless your great grandfather has a building named after him, that may be the school to cut, if you are looking to trim your list. I think because of your connections and/or stats you have a shot at all, with NW being the reachiest. But I do think you need to add a safety. Maybe Hobart or U Vt?
Make sure legacy advantage is extended to you in Middlebury and Amherst. Many colleges say legacy advantage applies only if your parents, siblings or grandparents went to that college. It varies by college, but it may not apply if your uncle, cousin, great grandfather, etc. went.
NU does not superscore the ACT, just as an FYI. I think it’s unlikely you will be accepted to NU even with a superlative interview, but it can’t hurt to apply.
Hey my dad also went to Bowdoin and I’m applying RD…good luck!!! I think you should maybe cut Amherst if you’re looking for one, I’ve heard it can be super unpredictable.
Would people consider these ECs good? I’m just wondering because my resume is pretty up to par but I feel like my ECs are pretty weak. Two Varsity Sports(basketball and soccer), Health Club/Future Health Professionals, Volunteer every weekend at a hospital. I don’t really have an official “leader” role. I’m only a junior though—any good/enjoyable ECs I can do over the summer or something. During school, from the beginning to around March, I practice Monday to Saturday for 2-3 hours daily almost on a weekly basis. This pretty much takes all of my time from joining any other school clubs.
@ScN2018 my ECs are pretty average when it comes to applying to top-tier schools. The trick to EC’s is to be well rounded obviously, but have a specialty EC where you hold a leadership role and are very good. Mine happens to be the trumpet, and I do a lot of other activities. As for time, I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of sleep and relaxation time to get where I am; if you do the same, I’m sure you can get into a good school with your ECs.
@ScN2018 Just ignore what elizajanebh said if you have read already, as she made a very misleading statement.
@elizajanebh You have made a VERY inaccurate statement when you said “The trick to EC’s is to be well rounded obviously.”
Please be aware that colleges do NOT like well-rounded students, but like students who are angular and focused on a few clubs/areas that are related to their future major. I do not know where you got that false “trick,” nor can I find it anywhere, but you will be easily able to find that colleges do NOT like well-rounded applicants. Please do not misinform others by telling them information you are not well informed of next time.
I do think the key in ECs is to demonstrate genuine interest, passion and leadership in the EC. In the case of varsity athletics: it’s very impressive that you perform at that level, which takes discipline, skill and a lot of innate talent and perseverance. All good. Even better: Leadership roles-- whether its team captaincy, or running the community outreach efforts (like school sports mentoring or weekend programs at schools without full time coaches)-- would be great, for you and for your team.
While I do think well-roundedness plays a role–I’m always impressed when a varsity athlete also is part of music or theatre programs-- leadership/‘owning something’ is more important.
My concern is that some candidates try to compile lengthy lists of memberships, and the length of the list flattens out every item-- robbing the impressive ones of their power. I saw one “chance me” entry where the student was the Editor in Chief of the award-winning school newspaper, but that important position occupied one line of a 10 item list that gave equal weight to “French Club-member” and “Prom Committee”.
You have a very good shot at Bates, and Holy Cross, they are matches for your stats. Why not then just pick one reach, either Amherst or ? (I’m not familiar with Northwestern). I’d leave Bowdoin off your list, it seems a bit different from your other choices. Congratulations on your UMA Honors acceptance, its nice to have one in your pocket before the holidays!
@mayorshinn In the summer I play and help run a recreational league that my family friends operate. There is a wide range of ages and I help out with the kids a lot and might even coach a team for fun over the summer. Does this count as something I can put on my application.
It seems like all of your schools are very similar to each other except for Northwestern. Maybe think about why NU is on your list and maybe cut it since it doesn’t really seem to go with your liberal arts college vibe…? It is a large/medium size school with D1 sports next to a big city which the others are not.
@waddiwasi17 I want to go there because they meet 100% of need, there’s band, it’s an amazing school in general and for pre med, and it’s near family. Also, I’m a New Englander- already used to the climate
