Will incorporating my experience of moving around a lot in my admissions essays to the elite schools help mitigate the damage from having substandard ECs if I otherwise have competitive stats? My father is in the military and Im a rising junior. Im on my third high school and plan to graduate early. I was also advanced a year when I was younger and will be sixteen when I matriculate to college. So far, Ive used drama and dance as my hooks for meeting new people when Ive moved and have managed to get somewhat involved in other ECs, but next fall will be the first time I will have been in one place long enough to get involved in student government and hold offices in clubs. I took the SAT on Saturday and feel like I did really well and I have so far made all As in honors and AP classes since Ive been in high school. Im planning to major in theatre and colleges Im looking at are Brown, Vassar, Emory, UNC Chapel Hill and College of Charleston. Help or advice?
<p>Any advice at all???</p>
<p>Do a good job in your essay and don't come across as "whiny" or explaining. The GC at your "final school" the one who writes your letter, whould do some of the explaining about lack of offices held - discuss this issue with her. The colleges will know what your parents occupation is, and they will read the moving in your application. Your job is to clarify what YOU have done with the opportunities that you do have, hopefully you have been consistent in your ECs, even if you haven't been able to take a leadership role. There are many ways to write this - using drama to meet new people, that's one, dance as consistency, hard to have friends, but the consistency of routine in the dance studio is comforting, that's another. What you have that kids who stayed in place don't have is a number of interesting anecdotes - you may not think so, but they have even fewer anecdotes, just do some thinking over the summer.</p>
<p>Kellster - I second what Cangel said - use your experiences as a 'bonus' on your essay - let the school know the value of your experiences - and that will set you apart from others in a very positive way. I am sure you have many great experiences/lessons from your 'life situation' that would make a great read on an essay - that is one place you can expound on some things that may not be as evident in the rest of your application. You sound as tho you have followed some of your passions - under some unusual circumstances - and taken good lessons with you as you have moved around. We live in a military town also - and many of the kiddos here are in a similar situation as you are - use that to your benefit.</p>
<p>Thanks. This is definitely a military town so I guess my GC will know how to word things. I just don't know how many recommendation she has done for the elite schools. So many places, so little space in an essay. I think I can incorporate it without it sounding like I'm making excuses.</p>
<p>Kellster - just make sure to put the positive spin on your experiences in the essay - how you may have overcome some adversity along the way, or how you have taken all of this to enhance who and what you are - how it has all effected you - I am sure when you think about it - you will come up with the right words.</p>
<p>haha my own DD's best essay was on our 'whirling durbish' college trip - 8 schools in less than 6 days and 2 flights and a 1500 mile race with a hurricane - and how she went on the search of the perfect school - actually it was to the one that was at the very bottom of her list - which actually flew right to the top during a drive-by that ended up as a whole day visit - but it was actually quite comical and convincing at the same time - believe me - you will come up with a great essay that will show them who/what you are made of and whatever else you want to convey to them.</p>
<p>Kellster - I just noticed that you mention College of Charleston - a very beautiful school - my own DD was also accepted there - her very good friend also (she is going there too) - they have an on-line application that you can do fairly early in the process and get a pretty quick answer also - non-binding - they were great to deal with on the phone also.</p>
<p>We ended up missing our tour/etc at CofC because of a hurricane and some 'minor' flooding - lol - but they were very accomadating when we asked if some stuff could be left out for us - for whenever we did arrive - they left us a wonderful packet of info - including a walking tour of the school and of Charleston itself - including some nice coupons too lol. Their regular tour is pretty extensive - and very helpful to the student and the parents. </p>
<p>Good Luck there - are you an east coast kinda kiddo?? I ask that because of the schools you are considering - what are you considering studying???</p>
<p>Jeepmom, I'm a "bicoastal kiddo." :) I was born in North Carolina and have been back once, lived in California twice, and I'm on my third time in Virginia. Yes, I'm a Marine officer's brat. I think I like the College of Charleston. I plan to major in theatre performance and their Theatre and Dance department is recommended in the Arco Performing Arts Major's College Guide. I checked and their recent graduates have gotten into a some awesome grad schools in theatre. Thesbohemian and I discussed them on the Theatre/Drama Colleges thread recently. She had been using them as a safety and I checked them out and liked what I saw.
Kel</p>
<p>Kel - well you certainly have a broad base of schools you are interested in - CofC probably being on the safety? end of the list - but a wonderful place to be also. Haha - I would think that Brown and Vassar are on the higher and quirkier end of the list - and UNC/CH being a toughy as an out of stater - but you seem to have some very good choices there. Not sure about this - but I think CofC has ?rolling admission? Can't remember - but I do recall DD applying there by Nov 1st and being notified in about 3 weeks of admit.</p>
<p>You sound very mature and pretty grounded in what you want to pursue and seem to really have your act together - I am sure you are going to find the right 'home' in your search. From what I hear of CofC from my about to be DIL's sister - she absolutely loves it there - my own DD ended up making it her 2nd choice - she goes to school in NC and loves it there - gotta say - perfect choice for her.</p>
<p>Jeepmom, I HOPE CoC turns out to be a safety for me. The drum rolls until the 20th when I can find out my SAT scores. CoC's average is a 1208 on the old scale. I looked at Princeton Review and they rank #19 on the Happy Students list just below Princeton and are #14 for Great College Towns. haha It is also easy to do a double major or a minor or graduate early if you bring in enough AP credit. If I didn't do as well on the SAT as I think, I will drop Brown, Emory, Vassar and UNC and add the BFA theatre programs you have to audition for at U. Evansville, SMU and maybe VCU. I would LIKE to audition for NYU and Boston U, but there is no way my dad would let me go to either one of those. CoC might climb the list if I really love them when I visit next fall. It would be nice to get this whole college search thing over with as soon as possible. Too many headaches. It could just end up being CoC and Brown since it doesn't matter where you did your undergrad for the MFA schools as long as your audition is good enough! haha</p>
<p>Kellster - It will be interesting to see where you land lol - I am sure your SAT's are gonna be just fine. And I totally agree with your wanting to get this process OVER ASAP lol - we were in the same boat here - both my kids knew where they were going very early on in the process - my son by ED by mid December and my DD by mid November -taking early action as to where she wanted to go and did rolling admits to her top 3 choices - one put her off til spring - but she was accepted there tho wanted nothing to do with it lol - but she was determined to be in the south somewhere and where she 'landed' was perfect - she goes to ECU in NC.</p>
<p>One thing for sure - you are way ahead of the game - and have a good sense of what you have to do - and what you want. </p>
<p>BTW Charleston is an awesome smallish city - absolutely beautiful - the campus is right in the middle of the city - definitely a walking campus - but absolutely beautiful - very historical - and cross town from the Citidel lol - I will be keeping an eye on your progress - I will want to know where you 'land' - good luck</p>