<p>tkb6: Yes, please send me your resume! I know I am REALLY going to be impressed by it! My resume for skating will be more like passion/hard work/dedication/committment more than my athletic ability! LOL. As you know there are different levels for competing with synchro - my team competes in Open Juvenile. </p>
<p>Also, if you wrote an essay on skating, I would love to read it. For my college essays, I am not writing about my skating (but of course will include it in the "what else we should know about you section". Although very passionate about skating....I feel that I am better off using my essays to discuss my other passion.....Latin American Studies. I am in my 7th year of Spanish and for the past 2 summers, attended Spanish school in one developing country and one third world country. I went to these places on my own - no foreign exchange program, no family or friends went with me, no family or cultural connection to those places what so ever. Besides attending Spanish school for 5 hours a day and learning the culture; I taught English to poor litte kids. Prior to leaving for my trip, I collected school supplies and toys to give them and continue with my non-profit organziation bringing awareness of the sad situation of the kids there and obtaining donations (non-cash) for the kids there. I know some people go to a third world country and build houses and stuff, but usually they do that with a group, their church or go because that is where there origins are. None of this was true for me. I just went on my own using frequent flyer miles and money I saved up from my job. Anyway, this is something dear to my heart and the kids really touched me. They had nothing, but still always had smiles on their faces. An enriching experience to say the least. Where I stayed had no heat (got cold at night in the mountains); no hot water, no oven/stove and a sink outside to wash your clothes (no dryer of course). When I returned to the states I felt like my house was a palace. Needless to say, it was very enriching for me. I only did this for 2 years (yea, spent the better parts of my 2 summers going again to school) but it has had such a huge impact on me personally and of course wanting to further my studies of Latin American Culture. I plan to return next summer for more Spanish school and teaching English to the kids. I hope to bring even more supplies with me this round especially since I have my local chapter of the National Honor Society involved in obtaining non-cash donations. Unfortunately, any supplies have to be brought in person because if they are mailed, they will be stolen by the government. I am not bragging here because if you knew my SAT scores, I have NOTHING to brag about! I am just a hard working, passionate girl with a big heart - no genius or athletic star here!!!</p>
<p>Regarding Dartmouth ... do they not require inteviews for admission? Unfortunately, due to competitions, SAT II tests and finances; I am unable to visit the school in person. I have only visited 3 schools thus far: UVA, William & Mary and Princeton (Princeton was my fav and I want to skate on their team really bad but my SAT scores are like 10-20 points under their 50% range. Yes, they take kids with SAT scores 25% below their range but I think that is mostly legacy students and recruits. Of course, I barely make the cut for W & M and UVA. Those latter two schools do not have synchro teams (nor ice skating for that matter); but maybe I will start a team!!! My safety school is a small, liberal arts college that costs $40K a year, but they are very generous and I am a legacy so that should be okay. My mom's financial situation will help out a lot with obtaining financial aid. Was thinking about Penn (another one out of my league); but have legacy there too so it may be obtainable. Basically, I have no 'real reach schools' and will probably find myself in big trouble come spring. However, if I get all rejects (I will not be surprised); my plan is to do a gap year (go back to Central America and go to Spanish school and teach English for 6 months, come back, retake my SATs and apply again! As you can see, I am very determined. Hey, they have to give me credit for that, right? Bad thing about going back to Central American - NO ice skating rink!!!</p>
<p>If you're fine with taking a gap year, then it's fine to only apply to reach schools if that's all you're really interested in attending. One of my teachers only applied to two schools, both ivy-league caliber, because he had no interest in attending college if he didn't get in to one of them. He got into both, and, though it was a slightly drastic move, he honestly felt it was for the best.</p>
<p>No, Dartmouth doesn't require interviews, though they do help. My interviewer was really nice and I actually learned some stuff about the school that I hadn't known before. It's really helpful, especially if you don't otherwise have access to current students. Even if you can't visit, you can do an alumni interview (and one the skaters at Dartmouth told me she thinks that interview is the main reason she got in), though these aren't required either.</p>
<p>Are you going to apply to Dartmouth? If so, it doesn't really matter what level you are, since at collegiates, everything below intermediate is pre-intermediate, and it gets the same points as senior.</p>
<p>And the central America thing really distinguishes you. I have stuff other than skating -- a few national MUN awards, orchestra, and I take Arabic at University of Pittsburgh this year -- but nothing nearly as interesting as you. And yes, my essay (supposedly the shorter one, though mines about three times the word limit) is about skating. I'll send that and my resume to you tomorrow (I have to get up at 4:15 tomorrow to get to the rink, so I'm going to try to eventually get to sleep), and I'd be happy to help you in any step of the process.</p>
<p>Thanks tkb6! I think your skating + orchestra + Arabic is a HUGE plus, plus, plus! Interesting hook for sure. </p>
<p>As far as applying to Dartmouth....I am not sure, I would have to look more into it and see if it meets my needs, other than the skating portion. Looking for diversity within the study body as well. Would rather a school of 5000 undergrads or fewer, suburban campus and of course a study abroad program. Dartmouth would be a stretch with transportation and another definite "reach" school. The only semi-safety I have is the private liberal arts college close to my home (but is a great schoool ranked high for being a small LAC). Actually a lot of people would not consider it a safety and I should not either - I guess is what I meant was it was probably the most realistic of the colleges on my list. I don't want to come off saying "well, if I don't get in to my college of choice, then I am not going anywhere". I just feel that I can better myself as a person and improve my SAT scores if I take a gap year and then reapply and hence be a more competitive candidate! Hey, it's only one year! Only downside is that I won't be skating.</p>
<p>I plan to study chemistry and Spanish which is an interesting combination. But it is true, I am not using it as a gimmick. And what about you, what do you plant to study in college? </p>
<p>And Dartmouth does seem to fit some of your criteria -- it's around 4000, and while I'd characterized Hanover as a small town, it basically has all the pros of a suburban campus and none of the cons -- it's gorgeous, there's a ski mountain really close by, and there's enough restarants/shops there that it doesn't seem completely isolated. The student body does seem to lack some diversity (especially in socieoeconomic status), but the study abroad and language programs are really good.</p>
<p>I'm planning to study environmental science or neuroscience and take a lot of language classes -- mainly in French and Arabic if I go to a school that offers t. I want to go into international healthcare, so language is really imporant -- I'm already decently fluent in French (ie, I went to France and stayed with a French and family and got along, just not terribly gracefully), but I just started Arabic this year and still have half an alphabet to learn!</p>