<p>How accurate is the Counselor- O- Matic supposed to be? So few factors are known that it does not seem to be an accurate gauge.</p>
<p>Not very. For one, it is not based on current information and for another it tends to wildly over estimate chances. It's main use is as a way to identify schools you may not know have heard of before. But I wouldn't rely on it as an estimate of chances, especially for someone like your friend who has an unusual transcript - that simply isn't factored into the program. It's based on grades and SATs alone --- and college admissions to selective schools involves more than that.</p>
<p>I've already mentioned quite a few potential match schools, even a few schools she could probably consider safeties. </p>
<p>But I agree with CrewMom - she really needs to get in to see the guidance office at your school. They will be better able to advise her about which schools have taken people with similar transcripts in the past. She doesn't have much time to get things together in order to apply for next fall --- and she really needs to be managing the process herself, as much as you would like to help her. </p>
<p>You may also have to accept that some people really don't WANT to act - they just want to talk about acting. If she hasn't done any research on her own (and there are tons of resources out there - she could even be here on CC asking all of these questions herself ), hasn't visited the guidance office, didn't push herself to take classes she doesn't like in high school in order to improve her chances for getting into college, and complains that schools "like Earlham" are beneath her, then she may be one of these people and NOTHING you can do or say will get her to take control of the process for herself. Sometimes the best thing a true friend can do is let someone figure things out for themselves.</p>
<p>If she could find a way to take Algebra II this year through independent study, a tutor, or a class outside of school, how would this list be (it would be narrowed down and safeties would be added?</p>
<p>Matches
-Clark
-Mount Holyoke
-Eugene Lang (maybe a safety?)
-Bennington
-Goucher
-Skidmore (reachy match)</p>
<p>Realistic reaches
-Bard
-George Washington
-Sarah Lawrence
-Smith</p>
<p>Reaches
-Oberlin
-Reed
-Carleton</p>
<p>The problem is - she's already a senior. She'll be applying in the next two months. While some schools (although I doubt most on the list would fall into this category) might look favorably on a promise to "make up" Algebra II, she will still be behind the majority of candidates applying to: Oberlin, Carleton, Smith, Skidmore, Mount Holyoke, George Washington, Reed. The majority of candidates to those schools will still have 4 years of math, many through calculus. All of those schools, in my opinion, should be considered reach schools. More importantly, It is NOT just the math where she is lacking: she has no AP classes, no honors classes, only two years of language, few extracurriculars - the typical accepted student at these schools will have all of these things and more.</p>
<p>A secondary consideration: it seems like you are just "grasping" at schools -- has she ever visited any of these schools? Looked at their web sites? Looked at their admissions statistics? Asked for their catalogs? SHE needs to be the one deciding WHICH schools are right for her, not you. Give her a list if you want, but SHE needs to be the one doing the work at this point, not you.</p>
<p>She REALLY needs to go see the school guidance counselor and get their specific input on how students with similar transcripts/ec's/etc. from her school have been accepted in the past.</p>
<p>She actually suggested most of the schools on her list. She has visited Bard, Sarah Lawrence, and Vassar. She also saw Mount Holyoke, Bennington, and Smith before she was seriously considering them. She has looked at the admissions statistics for most (if not all) of these schools, and will talk to her counselor again tomorrow. Thank you so much for your help.</p>
<p>Where would Beloit and Hampshire be on the list?</p>
<p>I think that both Hampshire and Beloit would be a match, though the math thing may still be a hang up. I would suggest that she contact the admissions offices of any school she may apply to in order to ask them how seriously they would consider an application which does not abide by their recommended high school class curriculum</p>
<p>For someone from New York with a 4.2 gpa (3.7 uw), with 1400 SAT scores and very good recs/essays, how realistic are both Carleton and Oberlin?</p>
<p>If extracurriculars are good with leadership shown & proven, then both Carleton & Oberlin look good, especially if there are a couple of AP courses in that GPA.</p>
<p>I agree with collegeparent. And, if you like Carleton and Oberlin, you may also want to take a look at Macalester in Minn.</p>