McKenna Achievement Award

<p>nope, unfortunately no "runner up" prize, it was simply a letter that told me "On behalf of the selection committee I am sorry to inform you that you were not among the group of 95 finalists chosen to continue in the scholarship competition." It appears to have been hand signed though.....</p>

<p>ije28 - when did you receive this letter? I applied and haven't received any communciation from them - either way</p>

<p>i just recieved it yesterday so you'll probably get it tomorrow or sometime this week</p>

<p>lol, ethanrt. My parents were threatening to come, but in a joking way, lol.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Definitely alone. I think it's just for us. Like the letter doesn't mention bringing along parents, and they're certainly not getting their transportation/lodgings paid for.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm assuming as much. They're not going to just fly us out and leave us at the Ontario airport for 3 days ; )</p></li>
<li><p>I agree with wd90 that we should explore! Plus, there's always Monday for classes! </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Speaking of which, have you guys picked any classes that you want to see yet? There are so many choices!!</p>

<p>I haven't received a letter either way, either - I'm guessing this means that I didn't get one, and they send out acceptance letters before the "rejection" ones. I wasn't too hopeful, but I did want the chance! (I mean, even if I didn't want to go to CMC, which I do, I'd love to leave snowy upstate new york for a few days in cali!)
Congrats to all you who were selected!</p>

<p>here is what the letters says (the rejection one that is)</p>

<p>Dear ****,</p>

<p>We are writing to you about your application for a seaver scholarship anda mckenna achievement award. The competition for our 95 finalist positions was especially keen this year- we received 1,239 merit scholarship applications. we looked carefully at school records, recommendations, essays, achievement in extracurricular activities, leadership, and other factors. On behalf of the selection committee, I am sorry to inform you that you were not among the group of 95 Finalists chosen to continue int he scholarship competition.</p>

<p>We are still very appreciative of your firm interest in receiving a CMC education. pelase understand that our decision not to select you for the Seaver Leaderhsip Scholarship and the McKenna Achievement Award Finalist Program has no bearing on your chances of admission nor your chances for need based financial aid (if you applied). If you have not already done so, please be sure to have your mid year high school transcript sent to us this month. In addition, if you are seeking need based financial aid, please be sure that your FAFSA and CSS profile have already been filed or will be filed very soon. We plan to notify you of your decision on your freshman admission application by April 1.</p>

<p>if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.</p>

<p>Sincerely,
Richard C Vos
VP, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid</p>

<p>sadly i didnt get one :(
but those of you who did... what are your stats like because i consider myself a good applicant so im just wondering what they thought was worthy?</p>

<p>i have no idea what criteria they use to decide who goes and who doesn't, but i'm going and here are my stats for you:</p>

<p>GPA-UW: 3.97
GPA-W: 4.13
SAT: 1510/2230
SAT II Lit- 750
SAT II Math 2- 740
SAT II US History- 740
EC: President of MUN, Thespian, Co-Pres of Young Republicans, volunteer at the public library, plus I've done a lot of campaign work for various politicians. I think it was probably the MUN that they liked. I helped found it two years ago and we're going to the NHSMUN in NY (actually i leave for that six hours after i get home from claremont) this year.</p>

<p>Another thing might be the section on what other schools you applied to. It was optional to fill it out but I did anyway. Maybe they looked at where else you were applying and used that as part of how to decide? No idea though. it's all guessing.</p>

<p>Yeah, I got confirmation from Ye Olde Mr. Sapp that it's not designed for parents at all.</p>

<p>Phew - time to get out of the house and go somewhere by myself for once :-p</p>

<p>3.685 GPA
2260 SAT
780 Math II/740 Chem/700 Math I/660 Spanish/650 W History
president of school's debate, academic decathlon, model un, and NHS
-2006 D III national champions, state champs in academic decathlon
-2007 D III national runners up, state champs in AD
-a lot of medals in AD over last 3 years
-a lot of medals in debate over last 4 years; 4th in state last 3 years
-1 of 7 americans to make US all star team in World Scholar's Cup
-2nd place team in World Scholar's Cup</p>

<p>Annak I don't think stats played a huge role in it, I think that it was more about fit and what you could bring to CMC after they saw that you had the academics to back that up. I for one do not have amazing stats. I considered CMC a slight reach, but my ecs are really focused on International relations and my passion for economics really showed in my application. I think I got invited because I am a good fit for the school more than a stellar applicant. CMC is also my top choice and I clearly showed them that.</p>

<p>95/1239 = .077</p>

<p>harder odds than getting into harvard...</p>

<p>I totally agree with fit. My stats, while really good in comparison to the general populace, are average on CC. But I think because of my clear interest in government/economics and because I had the extracurriculars/essays to back that up, I got it.</p>

<p>I think that you are 100% right about fit and focus. I am interested in CMC because of the government/econ specialization, but I have to say that my high school focus has been more general than those of you who are finalists (stats below). I still hope that I have a chance of getting in - congrats to those of you who are finalists!</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: 2210 (800W, 720 CR, 690 M)
SAT IIs: 750 Am History, 740 Bio, 690 Math II
APs: World History 4, Am History 4, Bio 5, Art History 5
GPA: 4.8w
Rank: unknown
Other stats: Senior year courses - AP Eng. Comp, AP Stats, AP A Gov/Econ, Honors Physics</p>

<p>Subjective:
Essays: Strong
Teacher Recs: Strong
Counselor Rec: strong
Hook (if any):
-very active in school community (ASB 4 years; Varsity Volleyball; Soccer; Lacrosse)
-School Press Commissioner 4 years (write a school column in the local paper)
-part-time work 15 hr/wk
-summer 2007 intern at OC Register (regional newspaper)
-summer 2006 language program in France
-volunteer at local animal shelter for 4 years (over 150 hours)</p>

<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: California
School Type: public school in OC
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female</p>

<p>thanks! i bet your right about the whole "fit" thing... im definitely more of a science girl so that might have come across in my application...
well good luck with the interviews!</p>

<p>Ewwww, stats. Yet all of these memories will fade, like tears in rain.</p>

<p>Let's just go have some fun.</p>

<p>I think essays had a large part in the scholarship selection process as well. I have quite mediocre stats (2160 SAT/only one SAT II > 700), but my analytical essay about Benny Goodman was one of the best I've ever written.</p>

<p>And acadec, that's funny! I'd like to see how many of us McKenna Achievers get into HYPS when April comes around.</p>

<p>So would the rest of us who applied, believe me :-p Princeton and Harvard having the best financial aid in the country is a slight added incentive to wait and worry...</p>

<p>I still haven't heard, does anyone know whether or not most of the people/few of the people who got in ED are finalists? Just curious if it has any bearing either way...</p>

<p>^^i agree exactly with the thoughts of ethanrt.</p>

<p>but i doubt the "fit" concept a little bit. although my anticipated major was Int'l relations/PPE, and that field is my passion, i didn't really discuss that passion much. my analytical essay was about the Unknown Rebel at Tiananmen Square, and i don't think it came off with as much passion as you guys suggest was necessary. the title of the scholarship is the "achievement" award; i believe that its names betrays its criteria.</p>