<p>I am going into my senior year and i am thinking about Amherst here are my stats
SAT 2160 (780m 660cr 720w) SAT II Math II 770, Bio 730, USH 730
ACT composite 31
GPA: 4.79 W / 3.9 UW
APs Bio -5, US History and Statistics (scores not posted yet)
APs senior year - Euro, Gov, Calc, Brit Lit, German</p>
<p>White Female from public high school
ECs - competitive swimmer (it basically consumes my life) (20+ hrs a week)
- swim coach and instructor
- tudor
- volunteer for Democrats of Morris County (looking to volunteer for Obama this summer)
- art classes
(i know that my ecs aren’t that strong but my swimming doesn’t leave me much time for anything else - and i am talking to the coach about swimming there)
THanks Bunches!</p>
<p>Statwise, not much else to improve. While no one would complain if you raised your other scores, it most likely won't be a difference maker.</p>
<p>Besides those APs, are the rest of your courses similarly challenging? Your 3.9 UW looks much better if you've been taking the most rigorous courseload possible at your school than if you've taken 3 AP's and underwater basketweaving. How good a swimmer are you? Good enough to get recruited? That could make a difference.</p>
<p>Your biggest focus should be on essays and recommendations. Put a lot of thought into your essays. Have them read and critiqued, preferably by someone who knows you well enough to see if your essay paints a portrait of the real you but is not so close to you that they will have close personal stake in the outcome. An aunt/uncle, parent of a close friend, or a teacher who knows you well would all be good choices, as long as they will be able to give you thoughtful and thorough feedback.</p>
<p>Speaking of teachers who know you well, recommendations are also very important. Start asking for recommendations a couple weeks after school started. Emphasize that Amherst (and other colleges) value concrete examples of your fine character than broad platitudes.</p>
<p>D3 means that you can't get an athletic scholarship. It doesn't mean coaches have no pull in admissions, just that they likely have less pull than they would at a D1 school.</p>
<p>Lets put it this way - with regard to my schedule - i couldn't have done any more - it was almost impossible to fit 3 APS into my schedule because i go to an 800 person high school
with regard to recruiting - DIII recruits but instead of money the reward is the amazing education - like the Ivies recruit but they don't give you money - i have some recruitable times so hopefully that will help</p>
<p>As long as your counselor confirms that in some way on his/her recommendation, your transcript should be fine then. Like I said, worry about your essays and recommendations now. Retaking to try for a 700+ in every section of the SAT wouldn't hurt, but it probably won't be a deal-breaker.</p>
<p>NVNC - coaches at NESCACs are assigned a certain number of "tips" for athletes. These serve to give athletes an extra bump in the admissions process. If your times are such that you are a potential varsity swimmer at Amherst, you should be eligible for a tip. (Tips range from C-band to A-band tips, with the C-band slots reserved for a small number of high-impact athletes who fall well short of normal admissions standards; the A- and B-band tips are reserved for good athletes who have strong academic credentials but probably would not be admitted if they were not athletes). You might want to go to the Amherst website and look at the times of the swimmers who swim your specialties - that should give you a sense of where you fall. </p>
<p>Anyway, at some point in the process, be certain that you know what the coach will do for you. If he or she is willing to use a tip on you, you may also be asked to apply early decision (that's how most (but not all) athletes are admitted to the NESCACs).</p>