My dog wants YOU to chance me for Dartmouth.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>Please help. My nerves are going to implode. Yes.</p>

<p>Please chance me for Dartmouth!! :)</p>

<p>Academic</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Rank: 25/435 (top 6%)
[/ul]
[ul]
[</em>]"Cumulative GPA": 3.833
This is the GPA that LAUSD reports. It's a mix between unweighted and weighted. This includes 9th grade through first quarter of 12th grade. It will go up to about 3.9 when my second quarter is completed.</p>

<p>I have had straight As since the summer after 10th grade, with the exception of one B this quarter in AP Calculus. My 10th grade was a difficult year so I had a couple of Cs and Bs. We didn't have a place to sleep etc (see essay info below).
[/ul]</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]SAT:[/li]Take 1: 740M, 670CR, 670W (10 essay)
Take 2: 730M, 690CR, 680W (9 essay)
Super-score = 2110
[/ul]</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]Subject Tests:[/li]French 800
Math IIC 750
Math IC 750
US History 730
[/ul]</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]AP Tests:[/li]AP Euro: 3
AP US: 4
AP Psych: 5
AP French: 5
[/ul]</p>

<p>[ul]
[li]Senior year course load:[/li]AP Macroeconomics (A)
AP Government (A)
AP English Literature (A)
AP Calculus BC (B)
AP Physics B (A)</p>

<p>I am taking the most rigorous course-load in my class. Total APs taken by graduation: 9
[/ul]</p>

<p>Background info on me</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]White caucasian male
[/ul]
[ul]
[</em>]Income: $20K/year. No real assets
[<em>]First-generation college graduate hopeful. Single mother household. Mom is widow.
[</em>]European and Middle-Eastern background. Fluent in French and dual citizenship.
[/ul]
[ul]
[<em>]Permanent address is still in UT since my mom still lives there, but I'm currently/temporarily living back in Los Angeles with Grandma. My permanent address on applications is in UT, while my temporary address is the one in CA.
[/ul]
[ul]
Descriptions of my high schools:
[</em>]I spent 9th and 10th grade commuting to a very reputable upscale public high school.
[<em>]I spent 11th grade in Utah.
[</em>]New 12th grade High school is very urban and predominantly hispanic (9% are caucasian). AP classes are offered but most kids end up at CC or no college at all. In the school there is only one classroom of about 30 for Calculus.
[/ul]</p>

<p>EC Activities and Leadership</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Cross Country (3 years) "MVP", Varsity
[</em>]Track (4 years) 1600m, 800m, long jump; "Most Improved", Varsity
[<em>]French club (3 years) (President, Treasurer) Organized events; in charge of coordinating dates, finances, trips...
[</em>]Service Club (2 years) We raised over $15,000 for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Also was the "Respect Campaign Organizer", raised awareness for drunk driving, raised funds for leukemia, held raffles, assemblies, invited guest speakers.
[<em>]Debate Team / JSA (2 years) Oratory speeches; head defense attorney for Mock Trial.
[</em>]FBLA club (1 year) 3rd Place in State competitions
[li]Church youth leader (5 years) Organized camping events, movie nights, service opportunities...[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Awards and Honors</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Questbridge Finalist
[</em>]Questbridge CollegePrep Award Recipient
[<em>]Cross Country: "MVP"
[</em>]Track: "Most Improved"
[<em>]3rd place in FBLA State competitions (UT). Team event: "Business Decision Making"
[</em>]High School Academic Letter I; and consistent Honor Roll.
[<em>]AP Scholar with Honor
[</em>]Nominated by high school teacher for "Keys to Success"
[/ul]</p>

<p>Work Experience</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Educated an autistic boy for a family (1 year) I educated a 9 year old autistic child, Spencer during all of 10th grade on my own time twice a week. I taught him how to speak correctly, write, think and express himself.
[</em>]Organized neighborhood project. (2 months) During the summer after 11th grade, I scanned over 2000 old 35mm picture slides to CDs for people in my neighborhood.
[li]Designed, created, and maintain the e-commerce website located at earthcrossroads.com.[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Essay and subjective matter</p>

<p>I talk a little bit about my first "business" selling wasted chestnuts in France when I was a small kid and relate that to helping the autistic child that I taught to reach his potential.</p>

<p>I mention my experiences tutoring that autistic child during 10th grade. I juxtapose this with how my father helped an autistic child when he was a teenager, but how I didn't know about this until afterwards. I compare the autistic child's obsession with a train set to my obsessions of helping him.</p>

<p>During 10th grade I slept in family friends' houses, and in our car with the family for a couple of times. 11th grade was stable. Then during the beginning of my senior year, we spent 3 weeks with no running water. We sustained ourselves by filling containers with the neighbors' hose water, and used that to shower etc.</p>

<p>I briefly mention that my dad took his life in college before my mom knew she was pregnant with me... and it connects to the other stuff and how I am taking my life forward etc etc... (My essay is extremely optimistic and I don't dwell on negative things at all. It's not a sob story.)</p>

<p>My counselor and my two teachers wrote very good recommendation letters.</p>

<p>----> I can chance you back if you put a link. Thanks! <----</p>

2

<p>I think you have a chance given your situation but your grades are a bit low in my opinion. I think your essay can make you a strong candidate as well as where you go to school though. I think you have a shot at it!</p>

<p>Chance me? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/dartmouth-college/832315-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/dartmouth-college/832315-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>great thanks I chanced you back</p>

4

<p>You have a beautiful story and have gone though so much to reach where you are. I got deferred with a 2120 and ranked in the top 3rd percent, which is all just OK for Dartmouth. I think your personal achievements despite all that has been thrown at you will make you an excellent candidate, even with slightly low scores(barely) and GPA. However, even if you don’t get in, just remember that you stand a shot at other top schools, so, either way, you will walk out of the college admission process with a happy face. :slight_smile: Good luck!</p>

5

<p>wow man
usually i just stalk chance threads and dont post a comment
but really
you’re gonna go far in life man, the fact that even while facing so much adversity, you are still brilliant
even if you dont get accepted(which is unlikely in my mind), dont let that bring you down!
just my 2 cents lol</p>

6

<p>Yeah I mean on personal qualities you definitely shine. Dartmouth is crazy selective though so its not a sure thing at all. Anyway regardless any school is lucky to have you.</p>

7

<p>thank you guys so much for the replies, i really appreciate it
and rmadden15: good luck for RD!!</p>

8

<p>My dog was impressed with your stats, but he reminded me that nothing is certain in Ivy League admissions.</p>

9

<p>bumpp. please chance me :)</p>

10

<p>Wow…you’ve been through a lot. I think that given your situation, you have impressive stats. If you communicated well in your essays, I could see you being a very competitive applicant. But as pretty much everyone says, nothing is certain with ivy league admissions. Regardless, you have an impressive work ethic if you can pull all of that off. Good luck to you!</p>