<p>Dr. Pepper Guy-it’s great to hear that a regular guy with no hooks got in. Congratulations to you! That must be rare from what is being posted. My son is from Texas too with no hooks just a great candidate, great grades and test scores. He has some different things he’s interested in but nothing huge! Can you tell us about your statistics, activities, grades, test scores? What set you apart besides being from West Texas? We are all interested!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Before looking at this thread, I did not know anything about hooks and Bowdoin. That might be a good thing; it might have scared me away from applying. Let me know if there is anything else y’all are interested in knowing. I think that I covered everything.</p>
<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (by section): 2270. CR: 760. M: 720. W: 790. (That was the second time. First score: 2030)
[</em>] SAT IIs: None
[<em>] ACT: Composite: 33. English: 32. Math: 35. Reading: 34. Science: 29. Writing: 8.
[</em>] APs: English Language & Comp, Score: 4. Currently taking AP Chem, AP Cal AB, AP Bio. I may also take the Government and Economics tests.
[<em>] IBs: School does not offer any
[</em>] GPA: Weighted, 5.208/6. Unweighted: ? No idea.
[<em>] Rank: 2/89
[</em>] Other stats: Commended National Merit. All A’s through HS.
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] ECs listed on app: Math/Science UIL Academic Competition, Texas Association of Community Schools Academic Competition (State Champion Team), Band (1st Chair, Drill Instructor), National Honor Society (President), Community Service (approximately 50 hrs.), Yearbook (Editor and Photographer), Drama Club (Part of “Grease” cast), Student Council and Student Government (9th/10th grades)
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: Tax Prep/ Bookkeeping
[<em>] Essays (subject and responses): Common App: Person with significant influence. (My Math/ Science UIL coach) Common App Short Answer: Capturing photos of local culture/diversity. Supplement: Intellectual Engagement. (Working after school)
[</em>] Teacher Recs: One from 11th AP English teacher and another from AP Calculus/Pre-Cal/ TACS coach. They both say that they wrote amazing recs.
[<em>] Counselor Rec: Probably good. She’s the NHS sponsor.
[</em>] Hook (if any): None. Not a minority, athlete, or legacy.
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: Texas
[</em>] School Type: Public (small, around 350 students)
[<em>] Ethnicity: White
[</em>] Gender: Male
[/ul]General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I submitted both my SAT and ACT scores. I am also currently taking Government and English Dual Credit classes with a local college. Listed Math, Computer Science, and Physics as majors that I am interested in. I have taken the most advanced courses available at my high school.</p>
<p>Update: I got accepted! Turns out the letter was just late, I’m just unbelievably happy right now - I was sure I’d been deferred/rejected earlier today.</p>
<p>Stats</p>
<p>SAT I: 2270
790 CR, 690 M, 790 W.</p>
<p>SAT II/AP:
740 Lit, 730 USH, 670 Math II, 5 on APUSH</p>
<p>School doesn’t rank. I’m currently taking AP Calc BC, AP Lit, AP Euro.
GPA = roughly 95%(?) weighted.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars
Captain of Fencing Team
Captain of Debate Team, placed highly in several tournaments
Proctor (resident student leader)
Work on yearbook
Work on newspaper, write a political column
100ish hours volunteering at veteran’s hospital
Tour guide at school</p>
<p>Essays and Recs
Common app main essay talked about how I adjusted to living at school, using an experience where I helped a new student in a similar situation this year.
Short answer was about how I started the debate team at my school, and why I think debate is important.
Bowdoin essay was connection to place, I talked about the value of growing up in a close-knit community (small island in Washington state.)</p>
<p>Teacher Recs: one from my U.S. history teacher last year, who is also our school’s headmaster. He’s a Bowdoin alumnus. The other was from my physics teacher last year, and he writes good recommendations. I got to know him fairly well because we both live on-campus.
Counselor rec: I think it was probably pretty good.
Hook: family-friend who is a pretty active Bowdoin alumnus sent a letter to admissions on my behalf. I don’t think this really “makes” my application, but it helps.</p>
<p>Location/Person
State: Washington
School: small boarding-school in New Jersey
Ethnicity: white
Gender: male</p>
<p>Comments
I decided to submit all my scores, despite weak SAT I math and luke-warm subject tests. Definitely spent a lot of time on essays though, so hopefully that paid off. Interests I selected were Political Science, English, and History. </p>
<p>To all who have been rejected/deferred - please don’t give up. The college admissions process is just kind of random, and you all have profiles that will get you an acceptance somewhere else you will love!</p>
<p>I’m pretty tired and can’t remember everything perfectly at the moment, so message me if you have specific questions.</p>
<p>Thank you Dr. Pepper Guy! You look fantastic on paper and I know you’ll do great at Bowdoin. Btw, I was born in Midland, Texas. I love West Texas and I’m proud and amazed that a guy from way out there wanted to go to a school in Maine!! Love that. Are you from Midland by chance? How did you find Bowdoin and did you interview up there?</p>
<p>So are the acceptance letters in a big, fat priority envelopes? and rejections are in small skinny business envelopes?</p>
<p>accepted 
not a minority or athlete or anything</p>
<p>answer me please! bowdoinhopeful what was the envelope like!!</p>
<p>it was a large white and red priority mail envelope</p>
<p>@Bella5 No Problem and Thank you! I’m not from Midland, but I do have a lot of family there. I was actually born in Odessa and lived there for a few years before moving to a small town between Midland/Odessa and Lubbock.
I found Bowdoin by searching the Internet for Liberal Arts Colleges. I did some more research and requested some information from them. That really cemented my decision. Although I really wanted to visit and interview at Bowdoin, time and money prohibited it.</p>
<p>Did y’all get a chance to visit and interview at Bowdoin? I hope you and your son get the letter soon! Let us know the outcome!</p>
<p>Dr. Pepper Guy- my son was deferred. It was very disappointing but he’s got a great attitude and will get in where he’s suppose to go. Who knows it could end up being Bowdoin but now he’ll wait til March/April to know. He’s applying to some other great schools and hopes he has some great choices in Spring. He also researched the Liberal Arts Colleges and discovered Bowdoin. My husband took him to visit so he did see the campus. He also visited Amherst, Williams too. He liked the feel of Bowdoin better. It seemed more laid back which matches his personality better. I think you will really like it too. It is so far away and that is one of the draw backs. I have strong faith and truly believed that if my son didn’t get in then there is a better plac for him. He’s a great kid like you seem and I think he can very happy at many colleges. </p>
<p>Btw, I was born in Midland and my father was born and raised in Ralls, Tx and Lorenzo, Tx. I grew up going to see my grandparents. It was a long drive from Dallas. I really have such great memories of Midland. People are good people from that area!!</p>
<p>Good luck Dr. Pepper Guy! Go do great things!</p>
<p>@bowdoinhopeful that very exciting to hear!! I plan on applying RD.</p>
<p>Accepted!!!
So excited to be a polar bear! Good luck to everyone still waiting, and to those who were deferred/denied…Chin up! You’re all undoubtedly brilliant and will get into other incredible schools. I’m rooting for you all!
Stats:
GPA: 4.798 (weighted) —school doesn’t rank, but top 9% of 650 seniors.
SAT I: 2280 (800-W, 760-CR, 720-M)
SAT II: Bio (molecular)-800, United States History-800
APs: European History -5; Biology-5; United States History-5; Psychology-5
Senior year courses: AP Lit, econ., Gov. AP, Stat AP, French 4 AP, Physics B AP
Other: NHHS, Commended National Merit Scholar </p>
<p>ECs:
Founded and am president of a service club
co-founded and co-president of a National History Honor Society
Study Abroad
200+ hours of community service
Photography and singing
other little things… </p>
<p>Location and such:
Rancho Palos Verdes, California
White, female
large public school </p>
<p>Yay Maine and Bowdoin! :)</p>
<p>@ryantoe sorry to hear that. I was rejected from Williams. It’s a bit of an ego blow, but it just wasn’t meant to be. To all those rejected, good luck with the test of your search. We’ll end up somewhere.</p>
<p>I got rejected…
Oh well</p>
<p>Sorry to hear that BMuddy. I had 2 siblings go to Bowdoin and I was rejected too. I bet you’ll end up somewhere great!</p>