Legacy ED Chance?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
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<p>So this is my first time posting on this website.
I applied ED to Dartmouth and I am a legacy (my dad is an alumni).
I think that Dartmouth is definitely a stretch for me and that I will probably be deferred if not just flat out rejected.
But i figured that I should post some stats and see what you guys all think.</p>

<p>I live in Arizona which maybe helps a little bit especially because I'm a legacy.
I do two varsity sports and am the captain of both sports. I have been doing both sports since 9th grade. I am not being recruited to Dartmouth but I could probably walk on.</p>

<p>I go to the top private school in Arizona. only around 65 kids per grade. Although kids do not get into the ivies as much as kids from east coast schools such as Dalton and Horace Mann do, kids still do generally well and go to the best colleges in the country.
Last year eight kids applied to Dartmouth from my school and two got in. Five years ago, six kids applied to Dartmouth and 4 got in. </p>

<p>Gpas are not weighted at my school and if anything grades are deflated. The average gpa to get into Dartmouth from my school is a 3.7.<br>
I have a 3.4 gpa unweighted.
I took AP US history last year and got a 5.
I am taking two ap classes this year.
All classes are considered honors classes and most kids only take one to two APs starting in Junior year.</p>

<p>My SATs are not great. 2050 for Sat I.
730 in US, 680 in Literature.</p>

<p>Besides having done two varsity sports and being captain, I am also the president and founder of the Young Democrats chapter at my school and writer for the school newspaper.</p>

<p>I have also been very involved in art. I have done a month-long summer art program for the past three summers. I sent my art portfolio to Dartmouth. </p>

<p>Last year the acceptance rate for legacies was 29.7%. This is combining early decision legacies and regular decision legacies.Dartmouth did not release the results from how many legacies applied to Dartmouth early decision.
However, for the Dartmouth class of 2008, five years ago, 45% of early decision legacies were accepted versus around 31% of regular decision legacies who were accepted. </p>

<p>So basically although I have a lower gpa than average to get into Dartmouth from my high school, 3.4 vs. 3.7, and my SATs are about 150 points lower than the average SAT scores that get into Dartmouth from my school, considering that I am a legacy, have solid leadership, and extracurriculars, what do you think my chances are?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>I think legacy helps a great deal. But I wouldn't look at admission rates from 5 years ago as an indication. As I think it's been said, this year has more ED applicants than ever at Dartmouth -- up something like 12%. This is on top of this being the largest graduating class in the country. And for better or worse, being a white girl isn't gonna make it any easier since more qualified girls apply than boys and Dartmouth keeps things very 50/50.</p>

<p>All of this said.. when we look at the scattergrams kept in the counseling office at my son's school the numbers are all over the place and suggests legacies, athletes and students of color have a distinct advantage over the "smartest" kid.</p>

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<p>From scattergrams at my kid's schools, legacy is a boost, but not in the league of recruited athlete or URM. Based on 3 school's scattergrams I have for the last 4 or 5 years, the legacy with the lowest stats was 30 points (SAT) below the median but had the average GPA. For one school I have clear numbers (highly competitive NY private): 17 legacies applied in last 5 years. 8 were accepted. All but 2 had higher than average school stats, 1 10 points below median SAT and slightly lower GPA, 1 30 points below but strong GPA. There are some generous donors in this bunch too. </p>

<p>My hunch, legacies need the stats but the soft stuff has give which I've found to be the case at Penn where I've done alumni interviews for many years..</p>

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<p>Thanks for the responses. I think it probably does not look like I will get in. My dad has already told me I should be prepared to get flat out rejected. I'm thinking I will probably get deferred but who knows maybe I will get rejected.</p>

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<p>while I am sure URM has something to do with political correctness, what does it stand for?</p>

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<p>Under-represented minorities? I think. That's my guess at least, at least I'm not the only unsure person! : )</p>

<p>And Becca, don't let your dad pull down your hope. I'm sure he is just giving you his honest opinion, but that is no reason to be sure of rejection/deferral.</p>

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<p>last year i saw a kid rejected Dartmouth ED with: </p>

<p>straight A average at private that sends 10% of class to top schools. people with worse grades than him got into duke, penn, princeton, columbia, etc. </p>

<p>2230 SAT 1.</p>

<p>760 avg for 3 subject tests. </p>

<p>captain varsity swim team, had one of the top scores on national latin exam in the country</p>

<p>and on top of all this, LEGACY</p>

<p>Don't take D lightly, guys.</p>

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<p>Dartmouth shouldn't be taken lightly. But Dartmouth also has taken people with below average looking stats, which means that no matter where you are on the spectrum you have a some chance (within reason).</p>

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<p>^ i bet those kids were URM and possibly athletes or even celebrities.</p>

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<p>Definitely celebrities.</p>

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<p>I highly doubt Dartmouth will reject you. The admissions officers will be reluctant to potentially **** off an alum.</p>

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<p>I have never seen a legacy rejected from Penn ED, always deferred.</p>

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<p>I think it all depends on the alum. Some are highly involved and let's face it, some have brought legal action against the college. I am thinking the former's kid may have an advantage over the latter. And there's always the story of the perfect kid on paper who was completely rejected. And I am not saying this was the case in the previous example, but it also should be considered that maybe the kid was just not "Dartmouth Material." As we all have seen, schools have personalities and since attrition is something to avoid (D's is extremely low), there is probably some effort to assess how happy a student will be and the odds of them completing an education in 4/5 years. You would probably need to hedge your bets on a home-schooled mormon succeeding and being happy at Dartmouth. You know? :-)</p>

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<p>I think I would do well at Dartmouth. My interviewer said that she would very highly recommend me for Dartmouth and that she could see me there.
It was really cool because my interviewer and I share a lot in common. </p>

<p>I don't even want to start daydreaming about Dartmouth though because I really do think that I will be disappointed next week.</p>

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<p>Is the 3.7 average from your school also unweighted? How does your SAT break down?</p>

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<p>yeah 3.7 is the avg gpa unweighted that gets in to Dartmouth from my school. (i know this from naviance)</p>

<p>my SAT is
Math: 640
Verbal: 700
Writing: 710</p>

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<p>Since they don't publish legacy stats, we really don't know. Good luck and come back and report this so future legacies can get a sense.</p>

<p>DS, when asked only has a few anecdotal data points....friend tells him legacy parents get letter saying 70% of their kids will be rejected and that his first year seminar (770CR minimum to take this term) has a double legacy and several others.</p>

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<p>^Confirmed</p>

<p>Lots of legacies in my First Year Seminar.</p>

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<p>I thought the exemption level this year was CR 780...</p>

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<p>780 or...
770 if you got at least a 720 or something in Writing.</p>

<p>I still don't understand why. It seem so arbitrary, they give you a leeway of 10 more points as long as you have decent writing too. I was actually below 720 on writing, but had a 780 in Cr... lol.</p>