Official Middlebury 2021 Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z Middlebury College
1

It would be great if we could all share our stats to those who applied ed/regular. This could really help prospective students.
Good luck!

Template (remember to remove spaces):

Pick one:
[ size=+2][ color=green][ b]Decision: Accepted[ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ size=+2][ color=orange][ b]Decision: Deferred[ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ size=+2][ color=red][ b]Decision: Rejected[ /b][ /color][ /size]

[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown):
[ *] ACT:
[ *] SAT II:
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] Senior Year Course Load:
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
[ *] Job/Work Experience:
[ *] Volunteer/Community service:
[ *] Summer Activities:
[ *] Essays:
[ *] Teacher Recommendation:
[ *] Counselor Rec:
[ *] Additional Rec:
[ *] Interview:
[ /list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[ *] Applied for Financial Aid?:
[ *] Intended Major:
[ *] State (if domestic applicant):
[ *] Country (if international applicant):
[ *] School Type:
[ *] Ethnicity:
[ *] Gender:
[ *] Income Bracket:
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
[ /list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[ *] Strengths:
[ *] Weaknesses:
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
[ /list][ b]General Comments:[ /b]

2

Pick one:
Decision: Rejected (ED1)

[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown): 1400
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.4? School doesn’t calculate gpa (late bloomer)
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis): English
[ *] Senior Year Course Load: hon physics, hon span, normal everything else (no ap’s senior year except math)
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Varsity Soccer (2 years captain), Tufts youth orchestra, Lab assistant @ boston university biophysics lab for one month every summer for two summers (30 hours a week), Film Club (2 years president), Poetry Club (2 years founder/president), Production Assistant on indie film, Freestyle skiing on usasa competition team (7 hours a week for 14 weeks), Club soccer, Film School (2 years)
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: Canvassing for Hillary, Taught disabled children soccer
[ *] Essays: Very different, written with almost no help, 8/10
[ *] Teacher Recommendation: History 10/10, Chem 8/10
[ *] Counselor Rec: idek…
[ *] Additional Rec: Soccer coach 10/10
[ *] Interview: Very good
[ *] Applied for Financial Aid?: no
[ *] Intended Major: Biochem/History/English
[ *] State (if domestic applicant): MA
[ *] School Type: Private
[ *] Ethnicity: Hispanic
[ *] Gender: Male
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): ED, ethnicity?
[ *] Strengths: Extracurriculars, very strong demonstrated interest
[ *] Weaknesses: Grades, Sats
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: My upward trend didn’t kick in until junior year (Freshman/sophmore gpa: 3.04, Junior/senior gpa: 3.82). Got into Colby ED2 and their acceptance rate will be lower than midds this year, so the whole process is a deep long crap shoot
[ /list][ b]General Comments: Midd is a great school, but there are many amazing similar LAC’s who could want you more. Upon applying ed1 I started to get a very competitive and distant vibe from midd, and their rejection letter was garbage. I found a school which I believe is a better fit. And to all you people like me who stressfully search CC for their admission chances, contrary to popular belief, people CAN be admitted to these amazing schools without 4.0 gpas, and curing cancer. Good luck to all

3

[color=red]**Decision: Rejected **/color

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 2250 superscored, evenly distributed
[] ACT:
[] SAT II: 800 chem, 780 USH, 690 literature
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Unsure. My average weighted is over a hundred; school does not give unweighted or total.
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 (most likely, possible 2)/73
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): Chem (5) USH (4) (School only lets us take APs starting junior year and there are only ten offered in total)
[] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[] Senior Year Course Load: Physics (regents), AP Calc AB (BC not offered), AP Literature, AP Gov, AP Bio
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Minor things, national merit finalist
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): There’s a lot, but my main was Science Olympiad (7 years) where I mentor the middle school and am also captain of the high school. Also 4 years varisity bowling + 1 year (senior) varsity soccer. Too lazy to list the others.
[] Job/Work Experience: Pediatric office, 3 years
[] Volunteer/Community service: Habitat for Humanity, 2 years (sorry I didn’t join sooner) about 10 years at local women’s club
[] Summer Activities: working at office and homework
[] Essays: Midd has no supplements, which definitely hurt me. I took a risk with my essay because while being about me it was more about something I love. With supplements at other schools, I could better balance this, but no such luck.
[] Teacher Recommendation: We aren’t allowed to see ours but both are from teachers I’ve had for several years and spent a lot of time with who I greatly respect (and are known for their good recommendation letters)
[] Counselor Rec: Probably average? He’s a very nice guy but we don’t know each other exceptionally well.
[] Additional Rec: N/A
[] Interview: I was the person’s second interview, both that day and ever. It was actually my favorite interview and made me really like Middlebury. It lasted an hour and was a very positive experience.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
[] Intended Major: Undecided
[] State (if domestic applicant): NY
[] Country (if international applicant):
[] School Type: small public
[] Ethnicity: white
[] Gender: female
[] Income Bracket: ~150k, sometimes lower depending.
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Woman interested in science (?)
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: Solid scores, grades, letters, unconventional varsity athlete. Also I visited the campus though they may or may not give a rat’s patootie.
[] Weaknesses: Somewhat odd essay (most that read it liked it but one councilor read it and hated it LOL)
[] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: See: weakneses
[/ul]General Comments: I’m happy Midd was my first rejection. I’ll probably get more. I mean I’m not HAPPY to be rejected. But it was the furthest from my home and while I liked the school the idea of traveling 4 hours to see my parents and get home was just a liiiiiiittle too much.
Ah, the eternal brightside

4

**Decision: Accepted (RD, Class of 2021) **

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 730M, 670V, 23-Essay
[] ACT: N/A
[] SAT II: 750 Spanish, 630 US History (Pretty bad lol)
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 95.20
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Spanish (5), AP Psychology (5), AP Macroeconomics (4), AP English Lang (4), AP US History (4), AP World (4).
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
[] Senior Year Course Load:
AP Physics 1
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP English Literature
Spanish Independent Study
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Don’t feel like listing, but pm if you want to know.
[/ul][ b]Subjective:**[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Don’t feel like listing, but I devoted most of my time to only five clubs.
[] Job/Work Experience: Tutoring, Waiting, Supermarkets.
[] Volunteer/Community service: 300 hours of Community Service
[] Summer Activities:
University Summer Program for High School Students
Over 90 hours of research at university.
[] Essays: Common App essay- I devoted like 3 months to get it just right.
[] Teacher Recommendation:
AP Spanish Teacher: 9/10
AP Macroeconomics Teacher: 9/10
[] Counselor Rec: 6/10
[] Additional Rec:
University Summer Program: 8/10
[] Interview: it was over the phone, but it was pleasant - we shared a few laughs.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
[] Intended Major: Economics
[] State (if domestic applicant): New York
[] Country (if international applicant): US
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: Hispanic
[] Gender: Male
[] Income Bracket: 150K-200K
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, divorced parents (maybe?)
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: GPA
[] Weaknesses: SAT
[] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: No idea, still wondering myself.
[/ul]General Comments:
The college process is a TOUGH one to say the least, however, don’t worry too much about it! Just make sure you work your hardest and try your best - everything else should fall into place.

5

[ b]Decision: Accepted**

**Objective:[ /b][ list]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 1440 (750 CR/W, 690 M)
[] ACT:
[] SAT II: 690 Lit, 730 US History
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.8x? (93.17 out of 100)
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 5%
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): US History (5), Seminar (5), English Language (5), Psych (5)
[] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc BC, AP Capstone, AP English Lit, Accelerated Physics, AP Gov
[li] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Finalist, School Scholarship for Academics, nothing really major[/li]
[/list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Varsity Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track team captain, Dorm Council, Student Proctor, Student Ambassador
[] Job/Work Experience: Sleep-away summer camp counselor
[] Volunteer/Community service: Three week trip to teach at a school in Ghana, various NHS activities
[] Summer Activities: aforementioned counseling
[] Essays: Personal 8/10 about gaining self-esteem through working with kids at camp and deciding that I want to be a teacher
[] Teacher Recommendation: 8/10 English teacher and assistant XC coach, 7/10 USH teacher
[] Counselor Rec: 9/10 (I’m very close with my counselor)
[] Additional Rec: N/A
[] Interview: Good, we didn’t really connect but it was fine.
[/list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: No
[] Intended Major: Poly sci/History and Education minor
[] State (if domestic applicant): NH
[] Country (if international applicant): USA
[] School Type: Independent
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: Male
[] Income Bracket: Upper Middle
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None
[/list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[] Strengths: Courses, personal essay, counselor rec
[] Weaknesses: SAT, lack of awards/hooks
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think I showed passion for teaching in my essay.[/li][/list][ b]General Comments:[ /b]
I’m honestly surprised to get in because I don’t really have anything to distinguish me from every other white, male, New Englander, but I’m so happy. This was the first school I visited and I don’t know if I’ll go yet, but it’s definitely a top contender.

6

Objective:

SAT I (breakdown): 1470
ACT (breakdown): 34. 35SS
SAT II: 790 M2. 720 US History.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.8. Competitive Magnet Program in a decent school. Send about 20 kids to top 20 uni per year. Most of the 20 kids get into multiple top 20/ivy.
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 13/770+
AP (place score in parenthesis): 10 AP up until senior yr. No AP senior year due to IB.
IB (place score in parenthesis): 7 IB classes total taken over 3 years.
Senior Year Course Load: HL English Lit, HL History, HL Psych. SL Bio and TOK. Marine Bio Honors online. Information Tech. and Intern period.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National AP Scholar, Commended Scholar

Subjective:

Extracurricular (place leadership in parenthesis):
Ran a small business with revenue about 30k.
VP of Financial and Investment Club
Secretary of UNICEF Club
Founder and President of ACT Prep Club
Competitive Computer Science summer program at local uni.
Self-taught coding and created a trading bot for my business.

Job/Work Experience: The small business as well as working as a freelancer on the internet as a writer and a translator.
Volunteer/Community service: 150 hours at a place that I am very passionate about. 50 hours at local library.
Summer Activities:
Essays (rating 1-10, details): 7/10. Writing is meh but it is passionate, has my voice, and genuine.

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: Legit 9/10
Teacher Rec #2: Never read. probably very average
Counselor Rec: 7/10? Not super close but closer than many students.
Additional Rec:
Interview:

Other:

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Econ
State (if domestic applicant): FL
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Vietnamese
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: <$30k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First-gen immigrant

Strengths: Passionate. No filler bs.
Weaknesses: Not the best writer in the world.
Why you think you were accepted/rejected/waitlisted?: lol. beat me

Other schools you applied to and their decisions:
Accepted: Williams, Colby, UF, Rollins, FSU, Swarthmore
Waitlisted: Uchi, Washu(possibly bc I need too much money)
Rejected: None yet
Waiting to hear back from: Ivy except Brown/Cornell, Stanford, Duke, Vandy.

7

Decision: Waitlisted

Objective:[ list]
[] SAT I (breakdown): did not submit
[] ACT: 34 composite, 35 superscored
[] SAT II: 780 USH, 730 French
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0 UW
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 4%
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 APUSH, 5 AP Human, 5 French, 5 Lang, 4 Micro
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC, AP Lit, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Gov, Choir
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Commended Student, AP Scholar with Distinction, HOBY, Girls’ State
[/list]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Forensics (Captain), Choir (Section Leader/ made it to All-State choir for past two years), Lit Mag (Editor), Scholastic Bowl (Varsity), NHS, Rho Kappa History Honor Society (President), French Honor Society (President), National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Foreign Film Club (President), Girl Scouts, caving
[] Job/Work Experience: I’ve worked at a local ice cream shop for the past 3 years.
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: volunteering with the caving organization (hosting/ planning a 25 hr event, volunteering at the library with its summer reading program, tutoring/ hours for honor societies
[] Summer Activities: Virginia Girls’ State, HOBY, VA French Governor’s School, working, volunteering at the library
[] Essays: 10/10, I wrote it about caving and feel that it truly shows a part of me not reflected in the rest of my application
[] Teacher Recommendation: 10/10 from APUSH/ AP Human teacher --> she knows me really well, and I loved her classes
9/10 from French teacher, she also knows me super well
[] Counselor Rec: 7/10 I feel like this was more generic
[] Additional Rec: N/A
[] Interview: I had my interview over Skype. I think it went fairly well, but it wasn’t my best interview 8/10
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: heck yes
[] Intended Major: not sure… maybe international relations or anthropology
[] State (if domestic applicant): Virginia
[] Country (if international applicant):
[] School Type: Suburban public
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: Female
[] Income Bracket: $80k
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): I’m a triplet… idk if this is a hook
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: extracurriculars/ leadership, grades/ test scores, essays and recommendation
[] Weaknesses:lack of diversity? There really isn’t anything that special about me, anything that would make me really stand out to a university.
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Honestly, I have no idea. After getting waitlisted from Kenyon yesterday and now waitlisted today, I’ve lost all confidence in what I thought I knew about the application process.[/li][/ul]General Comments: I’m disappointed but not overly shocked. I really love Middlebury and view it as one of my top choices, but I knew that admission was tough. At this point, I’m feeling as if nothing is going to turn out how I was hoping… after all, I’m still waiting on colleges like Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton, and Williams! We’ll see what happens. To all who were accepted, you are a very lucky bunch :slight_smile: Middlebury is a special school.

8

**Decision: Accepted as a February admit **

[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown): 2060 (690 English, 710 Writing, 660 Math
[ *] ACT:
[ *] SAT II: 700 US History
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.85 UW, 4.3 W
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 10% (highest ranking school reports)
[ *] AP (place score in parenthesis): APUSH (5), AP Lang (5), World History (4), Biology (3)
[ *] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[ *] Senior Year Course Load:
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP scholar with honors, National Hispanic Scholar, POSSE finalist, CSF Scholar
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
[ *] Job/Work Experience:I have great extracurriculars, I’ve interned at the Jewish Journal, for Congressman Tony Cardenas, Planned Parenthood, have a job at the Hollywood Bowl, started two clubs at my school, tutored low-income students, am a stage manager at my school etc etc.
[ *] Volunteer/Community service:
[ *] Summer Activities:
[ *] Essays: I really felt proud of my essays! They were very fun
[ *] Teacher Recommendation: No clue, but 8/10’s for both?
[ *] Counselor Rec: 10/10 she loved me
[ *] Additional Rec: 9/10
[ *] Interview: It was OK. At the time, I didn’t really want to go to Middlebury and thus I didn’t put as much effort as, say, my Tufts interview.
[ /list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[ *] Applied for Financial Aid?: yes, but knew I would probably not get any
[ *] Intended Major: something in english, media etc.
[ *] State (if domestic applicant): CA
[ *] Country (if international applicant):
[ *] School Type: Public, highly-competitive performing arts school
[ *] Ethnicity: White/Latino
[ *] Gender: M
[ *] Income Bracket: $200,000
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
[ /list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[ *] Strengths: My writing, URM
[ *] Weaknesses: test scores
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I am elated. Even as a february admit, it feels really good to get in as I really never thought I would.
[ /list][ b]General Comments:[ /b]

Accepted: Fordham, Tulane, UCD, Case Western, Kenyon
Waitlisted: UCLA
Rejected: Tufts (EDII), Northwestern, Colby
Waiting to hear back from: Vassar, Wesleyan, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon

9

Decision: Accepted
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2210 superscore (770 CR/760 W/680 M)
ACT (breakdown):
SAT II: 780 USH, 680 Math I, 690 Math II, 650 & 640 Spanish (took twice)
**If schools allowed score choice/only recommended SAT IIs, I sent the 780 USH and 690 Math II
GPA (out of 4.0): 3.97 unweighted, 4.36 weighted (as of first semester senior year)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): I was Cum Laude so at least top 10% (but school doesn’t officially rank)
AP (place score in parenthesis): US History (5), English Language (5), Human Geography (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc AB, AP Lit, AP Biology, AP Spanish, Honors International Relations, East Asian Studies, various arts classes
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Cum Laude, AP Scholar, 3x Silver Medal on National Spanish Exam

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): mental health awareness club (founder & leader), Amnesty International Student Group (member 9, 10, 11; leader 12), editor in chief of student newspaper, theatre all 4 years of high school
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service: infrequent (animal shelter, music therapy, etc.)
Summer Activities: educational camps, family travel
Essays (rating 1-10, details): probably 8/10
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1: 10/10 IR teacher, loves me
Teacher Rec #2: 8/10 APUSH teacher, probably very good
Teacher Rec #3: Where I could I sent a third rec from my 10th grade English teacher, 10/10 (I read it, it was incredible)
Counselor Rec: 7-8/10
Additional Rec: For some schools I sent a peer rec, probably an 8/10 my best friend who attends Stanford (class of 2020) wrote it for me
Interview:

Other

Applied for Financial Aid?: no
Intended Major: International Relations
State (if domestic applicant): NY
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: private
Ethnicity: caucasian
Gender: white
Income Bracket: high
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none!

Reflection

Strengths: LAC-personality, strong grades and strong IR focus
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I was expecting a rejection honestly! No idea
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted at Georgetown and Lewis & Clark EA

10

Decision: ACCEPTED

GPA- 4.3 Weighted (out of 4.7), not weighted 3.92 (to give some perspective here, my schools is extremely competitive and the Valedictorian W GPA is 4.4, I have all A’s)
ACT- 35 C
Class rank- probably top 10%, not reported though
Italian Subject SAT- 770
APs- World History (4), Psychology (5), Biology (5), English Lang (5), US History (4)
Honors- Chem, French (3 yrs), US History, Calc

Senior Course load: 4 APs and 1 Honors

Honors/Awards:
National French Exam- Silver Award: won Sophomore year 2015, one of 2 people to win it
some decent local awards for my projects below
High Honor role- all of HS
AP Scholar
National Merit Commended student

Sports: JV Tennis 2 years, Varsity Tennis 2 years, V Golf 1 year

Leadership: Major one is a grant of $4,000 I applied for and was awarded Junior year to do a project on Healthy Eating for it in my school district (I organized 6 assemblies, 2 parent workshops, and a HS cafeteria tasting, also made a survey, successful impact which added organic and healthier options in the cafeterias, continuously adding more this year to improve the cafeteria food at all schools)
Started the Animal Rights club (president of it for 2 years, not currently)
Pres of Environmental Club
VP of French Club
Applying for 2 more grants on similar topics (one 10K the other 2K) for sustainable gardening and composting

Volunteer: my grant project also gives me hours (at least 40, Junior year), Pony Power Therapies (Soph year 25 hrs), I help kids with disabilities (Soph-Senior, 20 hrs per year)

Summer: into Junior year I did a two week college camp at JHU and took a class, into Senior year I took a summer online course at my local community college in Abnormal Psychology

Recommendation Letters: one 10/10 (said gave me the highest rec he’s ever given), the others I’m guessing 9/10, also an extra one from my superintendent who worked with me on the grant (7/10)
I had another extra one from my teacher who is a Midd alumn so that probably helped (9/10)

Interview- Great! I think it really demonstrated my interest and my intellectual passions, also my leadership and involvement in ECs, and the guy graduated with my Midd alumn teacher so that connection probably helped and my teacher told him about me

Essays- pretty good, my main essay is a 9/10, shows my personality/voice, unique interests/qualities, and passion

Extra- I’m bilingual (Italian and English), Dual citizenship with Italy, US citizen/resident

Applied for Financial Aid?: yep
Intended Major: Psych or Neuro
State (if domestic applicant): NJ
Country (if international applicant): US
School Type: Public, top-rated
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
Income Bracket: middle class
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): the opposite of a hook

Strengths: probably ACT scores, increasing trend in grades, leadership in the grants
Weaknesses: lol gender, whiteness, maybe essays could have been better, more focused (point) ECs and academic interests (I’m kind of all over the place on my application)
Why you think you were accepted/rejected/deferred? Not really sure, I was pretty much expecting a rejection so at least I still have a (marginal) chance.

Other College Decisions: Deferred ED Brown, accepted early write at Amherst with Schupf Scholar, waitlisted Bowdoin and Pomona
Waiting for- Tufts, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Brandeis, Harvard, Carleton

11

@nmocha567: Your credentials are outstanding, and you should be proud of them. The fact that you were waitlisted at Kenyon and Middlebury does not mean you will be rejected or waitlisted by the other schools that you applied to. In some ways, the admissions process is random. Schools like Middlebury get applications from so many well-qualified students. If Middlebury is your top choice, you should be proactive in trying to get off the waitlist. You probably already know this information, but I want to share some advice with you just in case you don’t. I know I had no idea that I could even be proactive in getting off a waitlist when I was your age. Now that I am a professor, I know a little more, just a little more, about how things work. For Middlebury or any other waitlist school that is at the top or near the top of your list, write the admissions officer in charge of your state (or high school) to let them know that you remain very interested in attending that college. If the college is your first choice and you would definitely enroll there if you got off the waitlist, say that in your letter. Explain why you see yourself as a student at that college in a detailed way, including what professors you are dying to take classes from or what courses you are anxious to take. Reference things that are unique to the school and draw you to that school. Why are you a perfect fit for that college? What would you add to that community? If there is someone who can write a recommendation letter that will tell the college something about you and the contributions you would make to the school that was not already a part of your application, include that recommendation when you send your letter. If you live near by or are going to visit another college that is close by, go ahead and visit or re-visit your dream school. Before you go there, send a quick email to the admissions officer in charge of your state or high school; tell him or her, “I know you are busy, but can I have 10 minutes of your time?” Make sure you give advance notice of when you are coming. I fe or she says yes, meet with the admissions officer, and be your normal impressive, charming self (If you are incredibly shy and do not come across well in person, do not do this. If you don’t how you come across, ask a friend to be brutally honest with you.). If the admissions officer meets with you, tell him or her again how much you love the school, etc. Again, be yourself. If there is a professor you admire at the school, try to meet with him or her. Tell the professor you are waitlisted and tell him or her why you would be so excited to take a class with him or her or work on a research project with him or her. Who knows? A professor who is impressed by you might send an e-mail about how wonderful you are. I have done that a couple of times (because I truly was impressed by the student), and it helped. Congratulations on a great record! Congratulations on your acceptances and also your waitlists! They are really impressive.

12

Decision: Accepted

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 770 M, 750 CR+W, 20 Essay
[] ACT: 36 Composite, 35 English, 36 Math, 36 Reading, 36 Science, 11/12 Essay
[] SAT II: 800 Math II, 760 Chem, 760 Physics
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98 UW
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 4th out of 230
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Chem (5), AP Physics 1 (4), AP World (5), AP US History (5), AP Calc BC (5), AP Calc AB Subscore (5)
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): None
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP US Government, AP Literature and Composition, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP Physics 2, AP Biology, Multivariate Calculus, Linear Algebra
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Academic awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Scholarship Program Letter of Commendation, Excellence in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences from the Society of Women Engineers (CT Section), Presidential Scholars Semifinalist. Dance awards: Dance Teachers Club of CT Scholarship Winner (2010, 2012, 2013, 2015), DMA National Jr. Mr. Dance Most Talented Non-Finalist (2012), DMA Jr. Mr. Dance of CT (2012), Sophisticated Production’s Highest Scoring Solo (age 15 and under) (2013), DMA Teen Mr. Dance of CT (2014), DMA Tap Class Audition Scholarship 1st Place Recipient (2016), Numerous First Overall Solo and Group Awards (2010 – Present)
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Competitive Dancer (Senior Competition Captain) [Tap: 10 Years, Ballet: 9 Years, Jazz: 9 Years, Hip-Hop: 7 Years, Contemporary/Modern: 7 Years], Nutcracker Ballet (I’ve played the role of Prince and Cavalier these past 3 years), National Honor Society (Tutoring coordinator/tutor), French Honor Society (Executive Officer), Seaperch, Math Team, Varsity Tennis (4 singles, 3 dubs), Offered to produce music for small fashion lines
[] Job/Work Experience: None
[] Volunteer/Community service: Assistant Dance Teacher Ages 9-14, Nutcracker Ballet Student Rehearsal Assistant, NHS Tutor, all subjects, Writing Center Tutor, Math Center Tutor
[] Summer Activities: 4 Weeks of Dance Intensives/National Competitions, Helped build a dance studio/gym in my basement, Dance training, College Tours, tennis
[] Essays: I had my AP Lit teacher read it over, as well as a few friends. They all said it sounded really personal and unique while being memorable, but I couldn’t judge myself accurately.
[] Teacher Recommendation: Calc and chem teachers. Both know me and appreciate my sociability/humor as well as my work ethic, independent style of learning, humility, and intelligence.
[] Counselor Rec: I don’t speak to her much and this is her first year but she used to go to my dance studio so maybe that helped?
[] Additional Rec: nope
[] Interview: Not good.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: nope
[] Intended Major: Physics
[] State (if domestic applicant): CT
[] Country (if international applicant): na
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: M
[] Income Bracket: idk
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Male dancer?
[/ul]Reflection[ list]
[] Strengths: Test scores, extracurriculars, strong commitment to dance, national dance awards, rigorous course schedule, 3 independent studies in physics (shows initiative)
[] Weaknesses: Interview
[] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Male dancer with national recognition, test scores, rigorous course load, good essay, good recs
[/list]General Comments: Did not expect to get in based off my interview, especially considering there isn’t an extra supplement…

13

@GIAmom Thank you SO MUCH for your kind, thoughtful, and detailed letter. Middlebury was definitely one of my top choices, so I am certainly considering accepting my place on the waitlist. Your advice is extremely helpful. If I do accept my spot, I will certainly heed your advice to emphasize my interest in Middlebury. You’ve boosted my spirits immensely; thanks again!

14

[size=+2]Decision: Accepted/size

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 770 M, 750 CR+W, 20 Essay
[] ACT: 36 Composite, 35 English, 36 Math, 36 Reading, 36 Science, 11/12 Essay
[] SAT II: 800 Math II, 760 Chem, 760 Physics
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98 UW
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 4th out of 230
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Chem (5), AP Physics 1 (4), AP World (5), AP US History (5), AP Calc BC (5), AP Calc AB Subscore (5)
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): none
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP US Government, AP Literature and Composition, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP Physics 2, AP Biology, Multivariate Calculus, Linear Algebra
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Academic awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Scholarship Program Letter of Commendation, Excellence in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences from the Society of Women Engineers (CT Section), Presidential Scholars Semifinalist. Dance awards: Dance Teachers Club of CT Scholarship Winner (2010, 2012, 2013, 2015), DMA National Jr. Mr. Dance Most Talented Non-Finalist (2012), DMA Jr. Mr. Dance of CT (2012), Sophisticated Production’s Highest Scoring Solo (age 15 and under) (2013), DMA Teen Mr. Dance of CT (2014), DMA Tap Class Audition Scholarship 1st Place Recipient (2016), Numerous First Overall Solo and Group Awards (2010 – Present).
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Competitive Dancer (Senior Competition Captain) [Tap: 10 Years, Ballet: 9 Years, Jazz: 9 Years, Hip-Hop: 7 Years, Contemporary/Modern: 7 Years], Nutcracker Ballet (I’ve played the role of Prince and Cavalier these past 3 years), National Honor Society (Tutoring coordinator/tutor), French Honor Society (Executive Officer), Seaperch, Math League
[] Job/Work Experience: none
[] Volunteer/Community service: Assistant Dance Teacher, Nutcracker Student Rehearsal Assistant, NHS Tutor, Writing center tutor, math center tutor
[] Summer Activities: - 4 Weeks of Dance Intensives/National Competitions, Helped build a dance studio/gym in my basement, Dance training, College Tours, Tennis
[] Essays: I had my AP Lit teacher read it over, as well as a few friends. They all said it sounded really personal and unique while being memorable, but I couldn’t judge myself accurately. 9 or 10 if I had to pick.
[] Teacher Recommendation: Calc and Chem teacher: 10. I assume it would be very good as they know my intense schedule in and out of school, my work ethic, my sense of humor, and my sociability.
[] Counselor Rec: Unknown, but she used to attend my dance studio? So maybe that helped. This was also her first year, so personal details may have been rough.
[] Additional Rec: None
[] Interview: Bad bad bad
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: No
[] Intended Major: Physics
[] State (if domestic applicant): CT
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: M
[] Income Bracket: Upper Middle Class
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Male dancer?
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: Test scores, extracurriculars, strong commitment to dance, national dance awards, rigorous course schedule, 3 independent studies in physics
[] Weaknesses: Interview
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: test scores, strong essay, unique[/li][/ul]General Comments: Surprised because the interview was not very good

15

Decision: Accepted

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): Didn’t take
[] ACT: 35C: 36 E, 36 M, 34 R, 34 S (28 W)
[ ] SAT II: 790 Bio, 790 Math 2, 790 US history, 780 Chem (sent all)
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): ~3.9 (school doesn’t give official)
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 10% (towards the bottom of it)
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): two 5s, four 4s
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): none
[] Senior Year Course Load: AB Calc, Advanced Spanish (post AP level), Ap physics C, English, Econ
[li] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None[/li]
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Head editor of school literary magazine, president of model UN, member of a few others
[] Job/Work Experience: Just a no skill low wage summer job
[] Volunteer/Community service: Organized one community service event for my school, but really not that much
[] Summer Activities: Work, did some travel programs after 9th and 10th grade
[] Essays: Common app was decent, well-written, but nothing special. 7/10
[] Teacher Recommendation: One was head of model UN and English teacher and he thinks I’m awesome- 9.5/10
Other is my APUSH teacher- I did the best in my class and got a 5 on the AP, so she also really likes me- 9/10
[] Counselor Rec: We have a decent relationship, but I go to a small private school and his job is basically to write good recs because he only has 15 kids he counsels so probably like 8/10
[] Additional Rec: None
[li] Interview: We had a good conversation, nothing special though. 7/10[/li]
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: No
[] Intended Major: English
[] State (if domestic applicant): CT
[] Country (if international applicant):
[] School Type: Private
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: Male
[] Income Bracket: Very high
[li] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): nothing[/li]
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: Scores, GPA, recs.
[] Weaknesses: Just another pretty smart rich white dude. Also haven’t really done any community service in
HS which is never good.
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Stats were good, I was the highest ranked kid in my grade that applied to Midd, and I think applying as an English major is probably a little easier than some other ones.[/li]
[/ul]General Comments: I’m very excited. Probably going to attend next year unless I get in to Williams

16

Decision: Accepted

Objective:[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 770 M, 750 CR+W, 20 Essay
[] ACT: 36 Composite, 35 English, 36 Math, 36 Reading, 36 Science, 11/12 Essay
[] SAT II: 800 Math II, 760 Chem, 760 Physics
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 4th out of 230
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Chem (5), AP Physics 1 (4), AP World (5), AP US History (5), AP Calc BC (5), AP Calc AB Subscore (5)
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): Not offered
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP US Government, AP Literature and Composition, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP Physics 2, AP Biology, Multivariate Calculus, Linear Algebra
[li] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Academic awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Scholarship Program Letter of Commendation, Excellence in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences from the Society of Women Engineers (CT Section), Presidential Scholars Semifinalist. Dance awards: Dance Teachers Club of CT Scholarship Winner (2010, 2012, 2013, 2015), DMA National Jr. Mr. Dance Most Talented Non-Finalist (2012), DMA Jr. Mr. Dance of CT (2012), Sophisticated Production’s Highest Scoring Solo (age 15 and under) (2013), DMA Teen Mr. Dance of CT (2014), DMA Tap Class Audition Scholarship 1st Place Recipient (2016), Numerous First Overall Solo and Group Awards (2010 – Present).[/li]
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Competitive Dancer (Senior Competition Captain) [Tap: 10 Years, Ballet: 9 Years, Jazz: 9 Years, Hip-Hop: 7 Years, Contemporary/Modern: 7 Years], Nutcracker Ballet (I’ve played the role of Prince and Cavalier these past 3 years), National Honor Society (Tutoring coordinator/tutor), French Honor Society (Executive Officer), Seaperch, Math League, Varsity Tennis (4 singles, 3 doubles), Offered to produce music for a small fashion line
[] Job/Work Experience: NA
[] Volunteer/Community service: Assistant Dance Teacher Ages 9-14, Nutcracker Ballet Student Rehearsal Assistant, NHS Tutor, Writing Center Tutor, Math Center Tutor
[] Summer Activities: 4 Weeks of Dance Intensives/National Competitions, Helped build a dance studio/gym in my basement, Dance training, College Tours, Tennis
[] Essays: 9 or 10. I had my AP Lit teacher read it over, as well as a few friends. They all said it sounded really personal and unique while being memorable, but I couldn’t judge myself accurately.
[] Teacher Recommendation: 10. Chem and calc teachers. I assume it would be very good as they know my intense schedule in and out of school, my work ethic, my sense of humor, and my sociability.
[] Counselor Rec: Unknown, but she used to attend my dance studio? So maybe that helped. This was also her first year, so personal details may have been rough.
[] Additional Rec: None
[] Interview: Yikes
[/ul]Other[ul]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: Nope
[] Intended Major: Physics
[] State (if domestic applicant): CT
[] Country (if international applicant): NA
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: White
[] Gender: Male
[] Income Bracket: Upper Middle Class
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Male dancer?
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: Test scores (ACT in particular), extracurriculars, strong commitment to dance, national dance awards, rigorous course schedule, 3 independent studies in physics, music producer, take initiative for dance/tennis/music
[] Weaknesses: The interview.
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Dancer, test scores, strong essay, unique, good recs, lots of tutoring[/li][/ul]General Comments: Surprised for sure. The interview was really a poor description of who I am outside of school. Interviewer didn’t seem interested in dance background at all, focused mainly on sports which are less important to me. Guess I made it work.

17

Decision: Accepted

**Objective: **[ul]
[] SAT I (breakdown): 1460 (750 reading 710 math)
[] ACT: 33
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Don’t know… 3.8 fresh/soph and 4.0 jr/sr
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 10%
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Gov (5), AP English Lang (5), AP Psych (5), AP Physics (4), AP US History, AP English Lit, AP Art History, AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Spanish Lang
[] IB (place score in parenthesis): N/a
[] Senior Year Course Load: AP English Lit, AP Art History, AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Spanish Lang
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Excellence award for most AP scores of 5, Distinguished Honor Roll, Model UN best delegate, Excellence award for highest testing scores, etc
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[ ] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Lacrosse (captain), Cross Country, Model UN, Calculus league, lit mag, art club, debate club, debate team (founder/president), ski club
[] Job/Work Experience: Intern at the McCormick Literary Agency, lifeguard, swim instructor
[] Volunteer/Community service:
[] Summer Activities: Lifeguarding, travel, internship
[] Essays: Writing is kind of my thing
[] Teacher Recommendation: Good, from AP teachers I got 5s from
[] Counselor Rec: Don’t know
[] Additional Rec: Had letters of rec from alumni
[] Interview: Good I hope…
[/ul]Other[ list]
[] Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
[] Intended Major: Literature / political science / pre-med
[] State (if domestic applicant): NJ
[] Country (if international applicant):
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: Caucasian
[] Gender: Girl
[] Income Bracket: >$250,000
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Double legacy
[/list]Reflection[ul]
[] Strengths: Writing and focus on literature
[] Weaknesses: Lower GPA in first two years of HS
[li] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I had a good essay and good AP/ACT scores. Took a heavy course load. Also a double legacy, though that didn’t help my older brothers who were rejected. [/li][/ul]General Comments:
I was actually an ED applicant and I got deferred the first time around, so if you get deferred DON’T PANIC! I had those who wrote personal letters of rec (from Midd alumni) follow up on their letters, and I mailed a letter to my admissions representative stating my continued interest in the school. Just keep pushing my dudes.
Also applied to Hamilton, Wesleyan, Kenyon, Oberlin, Tulane, Cornell, Barnard, George Washington, Bowdoin, and Amherst.

18

Decision: Accepted
~
SAT I (breakdown): 1390 (670M 720R, didn’t send)
ACT: 34C (36R 36E 35S 30M)
SAT II: N/A
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.86
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 8/344
AP (place score in parenthesis): 4s - art history, calc bc. 3s - gov, english lit
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: ap - chem, comp sci, psych, english lang. honors - spanish 4. teacher aided for calc ab.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): none
~
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
assemblies of god bible quiz since 7th grade, at one point i was the first-place player in the northeast region, and i’ve gone to nationals twice so far for it (was on a team that placed 6th one year and 5th the next year).
varsity speech/debate team, i was captain
varsity track
mock trial
nhs (not an officer)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service: not much, but i’m on my school’s tech crew–basically we set up for almost every event at the school, from plays to band concerts to board meetings to graduation. i often stay after school from 2:30 to 6/7 working on things like that.
Summer Activities: pretty much nothing tbh outside of bible quiz (nationals are in july)
Essays:
common app was 7/10 i think. i wrote about the rough transition from cyberschooling to public school during junior year, especially bc i’m 15 and had a difficult time adjusting to a new environment.
Teacher Recommendation: all pretty much 9-10/10. they were all teachers who had watched me grow as i became used to my surroundings in a brick and mortar school and knew of my academic achievements, and all of them told me that i’m one of the best/most unusual students they’ve seen in their careers.
Counselor Rec: probably 8/10, he personally helped me adjust to public and knew of my weird academic background. we have a fairly good relationship although i don’t know him super well.
Additional Rec:
my quiz coach (8/10), he’s known me for 5 years and has seen me grow up from a shy, cyberschooled 11-year-old to me now, and he probably focused on strength of character and leadership ability. however, his writing skills aren’t the best.
my quiz teammate (10/10), he’s one of my best friends and is a member of the stanford class of 2020. he and i both shared similar goals, both in quiz and academically. i read this letter and he discussed my strength of character and positivity, alongside my ability to balance the daily 3ish hours of study that quiz takes and the hardest courseload at my school.
Interview: N/A
~
State (if domestic applicant): PA
Country (if international applicant): USA
Intended major(s): neuroscience or comp sci
School Type: public (~1500 students)
Ethnicity: taiwanese/jamaican
Gender: female
Income Bracket: ~$150k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): ethnicity, legacy (?), black girl interested in stem
~
Strengths: strong-ish grades and stats, my being fifteen and a former cyberschooler (not sure if this is actually helpful, but i figure it made me stand out), and strong recommendations
Weaknesses: my extracurriculars are weak because i’ve only had a year and a half to build them up. i’ve also been told that my age might make me unattractive to colleges.
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: guessing it was decent grades + ~fluent~ writing in my common app essay and good character reviews from my recommendations.

General Comments:
honestly shocked. i checked midd one off on common app last-minute without knowing much about the school besides its prestige, and now that i’ve been looking into it, i’m in love. i didn’t think i had much of a shot after getting rejected from my dream school (pomona, edii) but i’m happy i was proved wrong!!
other results thus far:
accepted: penn state, northwestern, washu
waitlisted: bowdoin, colby
rejected: pomona, harvey mudd
waiting on: williams, amherst, lafayette, scripps, claremont mckenna, stanford, wellesley, wesleyan

19

Is being selected for February admission mean that an applicant was “second tier?” Or is there no difference, that it is actually a compliment and honor that they think you are qualified but have the tenacity, independence, and motivation which differentiates you as a February admit?

I did not prefer February admission and I want to play soccer at Midd and want to do premed. I feel that I’m at a disadvantage because I would have to take a year off of soccer before being able to join the team. Plus I heard premed is difficult as a Feb because you have to wait an entire year later to attend medical school. But then again being a Feb could be to your advantage, since your course of program differentiates you from the typical medical applicant that’s attended a straightforward four year university program.

20

Could someone clarify?