LACs keep kicking me in the teeth and I'm scared for the rest

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

what’s up guys! I’ve been flat out denied at three places already (Tufts ED, Williams, despite legacy, and Bowdoin), and I’m still waiting on:
Wellesley (applied EE and got a possible, but they hadn’t gotten my midyear transcript if it matters),
Brandeis,
Vassar
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Hamilton

I got into Macalester last week, but with no merit aid, and I’m really scared I’m not going to get into any of the rest of my schools. Do I have a chance at any of them? Here are my stats if it helps.

ACT (breakdown): composite - 34 - 36E, 34R, 32M, 32S, 10W
SAT II: US history- 740, Literature- 720, BioE- 720
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.7 (low I know- I got a c+ in math freshman year, but I worked my way up from a 30%)
Weighted GPA: 4.15
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): school doesn’t rank
AP/IB: Full IB, bio, topics, and English HL, math studies, anthro, ESS, music SL (6). I also take band and jazz band.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Not a lot, I’m pretty dumb. I’m a member of NHS, English honor society, and music honor society.
My essays were solid, my recs were probably fine but not stellar because I go to a big public school.

Extracurricular :
Music- I play the tuba, and I’m decent at it (member of all-district band 4 years, 11 superior solo ratings, section leader in marching band). I also play euph but badly, and trombone for jazz band
Science olympiad- I’m a medalist if that counts for anything?
Volunteering- about 60ish hours for Girl Scouts, 15 for the dog rescue organization I work for occasionally
Colorguard- Not captain because I don’t spin in the fall because I play the tuba, but have participated since inaugural season sophomore year
writing center tutor since 10th grade.

I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s a huge time investment, I’ve spent most of my free time for the past four years in back to back rehearsal from august through late April.

no hooks :frowning:

2

anyone?

3

I’d take you just because you play the tuba. And you have a sense of humor.

4

It’s impossible to say without reading your essay and the rest of your package but maybe Vassar and Wesleyan. Both of those seem to prize people with a different take on life, which you seem to have.

What worries me, though, is that Vassar doesn’t give merit, I don’t think. I think it’s just need-based aid. Wesleyan gives a tiny fraction of people (2%) non-need merit-based aid.

If Wellesley takes you they do give merit and they say on their website that they will make sure that everyone they accept can attend. You may want to check in with them and see if there’s any way that you can improve your application and re-state your interest in that school.

Best of luck to you.

5

Definitely Weslyan, W says if you pass a certain threshold for stats, everyone above that gets an admission. You don’t have a hook, so doubtful for elite LACS. For those, you need more than just excellent stats, essays and ECs. Good Luck!

6

Fortunately you have one nice acceptance in hand. Nobody can predict the outcomes for the other schools you applied to. Good luck.

7

“Definitely Weslyan, W says if you pass a certain threshold for stats, everyone above that gets an admission”

What’s your source for this, @preppedparent? I’ve never heard this before and do know the college fairly well.

8

You are not dumb!!! I think your stats are pretty impressive.

It makes me so sad to see kids beating themselves up for a “low” UW GPA <4.0.

9

Maybe @preppedparent means Wesleyan College, or one of the state Wesleyans (Ohio / Kentucky / Illinois / Texas)? Have first hand knowledge that you can have the stats for Wesleyan University & not be accepted, and it seems unlikely that 82% of the applicants don’t have the stats (implied from an 18% admission rate).

10

There’s nothing wrong with Macalester, but what other matches and safeties are on your list? Your list is pretty reach heavy.

11

@NEPatsGirl I didn’t include them- I already got into all of my safeties (JMU, Mary Washington, UVM), and initially I thought Brandeis was a high match, but I’m not necessarily sure about that now.

12

No, I’m talking about the LAC. Admissions Director came to our student’s boarding school and gave a talk to parents on how they work.

13

@illiteratemoron Is Macalaster affordable? Do you have any other safeties that offered merit? The elite LACs get oodles of high stat kids. Hard to get in unhooked.

14

the problem with elite LACS is that they have so few seats, and by the time they fill their “ear marked” spots for URM, Posse, Questbridge, first gen, recruited athlete and legacy, there are just two few spots for unhooked students with stellar GPA, scores and ECs.

15

mac is a very good school. is it affordable without merit aid? if it is, that’s already one great acceptance right there. i think you’ll definitely get into brandeis. the liberal arts colleges are tricky (especially schools like vassar where men hold a significant advantage over women) because you’re a girl.

16

@kalons @gearmom
I don’t know if it’s affordable yet- I’m a twin and it also depends on where he’s going, too, and it could be tight. It makes waiting harder. UVM is giving me 72K, but I didn’t like the fit (way too big for me)

17

“No, I’m talking about the LAC. Admissions Director came to our student’s boarding school and gave a talk to parents on how they work.”

Perhaps his/her words applied to your child’s school only or you misunderstood. A look at Naviance, CC results, or any other form of tracking admissions would show this is not the policy overall. High stats students do receive rejections from Wesleyan.

That said, OP I wish you success and I’d be surprised if you got shut out at all the schools on your list. I have hope that a few, perhaps Wellesley and Brandeis, will be acceptances for you. Sounds like $$ might be an important consideration in the final decision, though. Does your family qualify for any need based aid?

18

@preppedparent wrote:

And…? What’s the threshold?

19

Update: Just got denied from Wellesley (got a possible EE). I get three more decisions over the next three days and I really don’t think any of them are going to be acceptances.

20

Is Macalester affordable? Because it’s a terrific LAC.
if you don’t get into your next 3 colleges, do you have a place where you can deposit till the NACAC list comes out? (There WILL be 3-4 Excellent LACs on that list).