Is there Anyone out there? Please, Gimme a Chance...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Williams College
1

Hi, at this point who even knows. Williams has a strong connection with Oxford and an interesting self designed major, and is in New England. Someone out there please validate me or give me some coherent criticism to latch onto.

Maybe I’ll just move to Mongolia and become a shepard, what’s the ED acceptance rate with that, are my extracurricular strong enough for sheep herding?

How does one herd a sheep?

In America all zebras are in the zoo and we’re ok with that. You’ve never seen a free zebra.

Thanks!

GPA: 4.4 weighted, ~3.75 unweighted
(highly competitive school; #1 public school in state) (multiple students get into to each ivy regularly, including Columbia)

Tests: ACT 34C: 36 reading, 36 English, 34 math, 29 science, 12 Writing (wrote an essay about how football allows for and facilitates eugenics, I honestly believe like a neo-nazi graded it the whole thing was a joke because I got an 11 the first time)

770 SAT Subject WH, InDuS RIver VAlLeY cIvIliZaTiOns
800 SAT Subject US History, MANIFEST DESTINY > Destiny’s Child

Born in Europe, live in the south; white male (hope my diversity is a hook), Judaism is my only hope

AP scores:
(Sophomore year)
World History: 5
AP Stat: 3, and I cheated thanks to a fire alarm. Jesus I’m bad at math.

(took these junior year, obviously a very humanities skewed student, I know…
Science scares me)
Human Geo: likely 4
Apush: likely 5
Gov: likely 5
Art History: likely 4
Language: Could be anything
European History: likely 5

Taking AP Psych and AP Lit next year

I took all APs my junior year so I hope that stands out. I have no intention to take calculus (does that hurt?), that’s why I took stat sophomore year after taking precalc.

Number confuse and haunt me.

“Mason What do the numbers mean” but that’s me everyday.

Extracurriculars:

Sports:
Varsity Lacrosse and Varsity Soccer (2nd in state and 4th in state respectively), might try to walk on for soccer
Club soccer for 10 years

Writing:
Wrote a play that got selected along with 100 others, out of 800, to be performed at a festival
Short story published in a literary magazine
Write for School newspaper on mostly political and global things, had an essay about Zionism rejected, wonder why
Clubs:
Co-president quiz bowl, selected for National All-Star Academic Tournament to represent my state, placed highly at nationals with school
Member of history bowl, finished 2nd in state history bee, qualified and participated at national tournament

Internships:
State Legislative Page (taking them down from the inside)
Intern with state democratic party doing data management (Yep)
Internship with non profit in New York City that dealt with connecting policy makers with policy experts (Also yep)

College Essay:
Topic: Expressing myself through my writing, I’m a strong writer and feel confident about my essay (Wrote it in Aramaic to demonstrate my advanced IQ and intelligence)

Recommendations:
Both very good, from my European history teacher and my civics teacher; both knew my quite well and were close to me (but like everyone they eventually left)

Potential major: Political Science, History, etc – still mostly undecided, either/or isn’t an option, thanks Kierkegaard

2

Congratulations on your accomplishments and scores to date. Williams would be a great fit for you, exposure to so many interesting classes and tutorials, one on one engagement with great faculty, etc. They have a contract major where you can combine different departments in a multidisplinary way. The Oxford program is very unique and allows for full Oxford student status and privileges unlike most study abroad programs. Even though you do not like Math, try to balance your strength in writing with some hard skills in economics, stats or science. The data work for the state democratic party sounds interesting, maybe you can take a course on data analysis at your local community college. Williams is very competitive to get into right now in particular, so try to stand out with a unique combination of interests that will be compelling.

3

Welcome to College Confidential, @NC15847 !

You clearly have a quirky and off-beat sense of humor. That could help add to your appeal as a candidate, if you work hard to demonstrate that through your essay in a way that will make admissions officers smile rather than turning them off by sounding a bit too bitterly sarcastic. Be sure to get several readers before you submit it and see how it plays.

Chance threads are unreliable, because all of us on CC are just parents, alumni, fellow students, etc., and our guess is as good as yours! Obviously you have a high school record, test scores, and extracurricular accomplishments that are typical for Williams students. There is no crystal ball to tell the future, but you are a solid applicant.

Good luck!

4

I enjoyed reading what you had to say. I am sure when you do the same for you college AP and essay whoever reads it will feel the same way…

You have so much time invested in soccer you should contact the coach and go to one of there camps this summer. You may get a offer for advocation. My daughter did that last summer. The only downside is they will want you to do ED only, so Williams will have to be your clear cut #1 choice to go this route.