<p>Well, I think I've settled on Vassar as my #1 choice. I'll be applying ED this fall :)
I'd be applying as an English/Russian lit major</p>
<p>Hook: My grandma was in the class of '42 and my brother was in the class of '09</p>
<p>GPA - 3.6 UW (I'll elaborate later)
SAT: 710 CR, 770 W, 660 M
2140 total.
SAT 2: 750 Literature 800 World History</p>
<p>Classes: My freshman year, I did not care about school at all. I got a big fat F in algebra 2 first semester. The class average was a D in a class of juniors, seniors, and me. So frustrating to me now that I was such a slacker last year. This year, however, I have a 4.0.</p>
<p>We don't have honors courses, just 'accelerated'.</p>
<p>Freshman year - 3 accelerated
Sophomore year - 2 accelerated, 1 AP (world history)
Junior year - 2 accelerated, 1 AP, and audited 1 college course at Gettysburg College
Senior year - don't even know my schedule yet since it will all be in Poland (and Polish)</p>
<p>Extracurricular:
-Rotary International exchange to Poland for my senior year. It would be Russia except their exchange program is pretty lackluster so Poland is close enough
-Principal cellist of school orchestra - 4 years
-Principal cellist of school string ensemble - smaller group that does mostly chamber music. We play shows around the community mostly for community service; last year we on a playing tour of Southern Germany and Austria for a week - 2 years
-School string quartet - co-founder, 1 year, this is the first year we've had it
-Chess club/team - one year
-Amnesty International (which is combined with Gay Straight Alliance) - 1 year
-Volunteer on local judicial race - 2 years. I worked on both the primary and the general election
-Boy Scouts of America - 3 years. I reached the rank of Star Scout and was a patrol leader
-Volunteer summers at an arts festival in my town</p>
<p>Over the summer last year and this year I worked on an apple orchard thinning out the apples that weren't up to standard. Also, between my fresh and soph years and soph and junior years I went to the International Music Institute and Festival (a music camp at Mt. St. Mary's University).</p>
<p>I would be in Chess club, Amnesty, and string quartet for more than one year, but I'll be out of the country all next year so obviously that can't happen.</p>
<p>Recs - I think they will be very good. Two of them are from teachers whose classes I did well in and have strong relationships with and the third is from a religion teacher at Gettysburg College whose class I audited last semester and got an A in. I made it clear that I wanted to be graded as another college student even though I couldn't afford the credit, and he wrote to me after the class that he thought I was one of the strongest students he's ever had and that he will gladly write me a letter of recommendation when I need it. This professor taught at Swarthmore and at the Princeton seminary.</p>
<p>Essay - I think I'm a good writer, and I have some good potential topics, so I think the essay will be good. I could write about inequalities I witnessed while working in a white work group in the apple orchards amidst migrant workers, reading Russian literature on my back porch all Spring last year (and consequently applying to Rotary) or maybe even my first day of school in Poland when the time comes..</p>
<p>Awards: I don't know if this counts for anything, but sophomore year I won a Scholastic Gold KEY for a short story that I submitted.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!</p>
I retook it sophomore year and got a B though…and my trig/precalc grade junior year was like 96% or something.</p>