<p>My daughter has put together her list. I think that it is still a bit top heavy but the gc at her school has really tried to lower expectations for this years students and keeps telling the kids they don't stand a chance anywhere. We all feel stressed out about our kids getting in anywhere! My daughter scored a 35 on her ACT a 34 on writing. SAT cr790 math750 writing700. SAT2 French760 English800. She has takin the hardest classes enriched and AP. This year she is in AB Calc BC, AP Physics, French 7, AP worldhistory and AP World Lit. She is very involved and has some wonderful outside interests. She is outside the top 10% which is why her GC keeps telling us she will have a hard time getting in. She is 75/550 her WTgpa is 3.97 and unWt is 3.80. her list is as follows: Washington and Lee, William & Mary, Vanderbilt, Kenyon, Denison, Haverford, Earlham. I don't want to sound like a jerk but that GC really has everyone worried about her not being at the top of her class.</p>
<p>It's a big shock to see W&L and Earlham on the same list. Has she visited?</p>
<p>She has gone to visit W&L. She is really thinking that the frats will wash out if everyone is in them. Her main thing is that she wants to know all of her profs. She will be able to host radio shows at either school.</p>
<p>midwestandcrazy-
Your D sounds like a great kid. Her scores are excellent; her courses are rigorous. In my opinion, should her essays reflect that great writing ability and her outside passions, she's in good shape. There are never any guarantees, of course, but that disclaimer out of the way, I believe she has a good shot at most, if not all, of the schools on her list.</p>
<p>Shame on the GC for fanning the anxiety flames. Yes, our kids should be realistic. Maybe the 10% issue will be a problem some places. But a careful reading of the stats published by each institution will likely set your minds at ease. Something the GC could have done, as well.</p>
<p>So, check the stats (USNWR or elsewhere), if you haven't already, and go from there.</p>
<p>--Mafool</p>
<p>Her gc told her about Earlham and really thought she would like it there. It seems on paper to be a place that has things she is looking for. A place to work with profs, host a radio show for fun, small enough to make a difference, Play in the orchestra& wind ensemble and they have an anthropology major</p>
<p>Ithink that the school is all in a funk because one boy last year applied to a bunch of name schools and got turned down by all even though he was really super. He even had a 36 on his ACT</p>
<p>Earlham happens to be my favorite liberal arts college in the country, bar none (including the one I attended, and the one my d. is at.) But it is very, very different from W&L. Earlham is officially dry (there are kids who drink, but if they catch you with it, they pour it down the sink.) To call W&L a "wet" school is an understatement. Earlham students tend to be very liberal, and walk to a different drummer. W&L students tend to be heavily pre-professional. Earlham has no frats or sororities, and is extremely informal, with faculty and college pres, in the Quaker tradition, all being called by their first names. Clothing styles will be very different. W&L has one of the lowest percentages of students receiving need-based aid in the country - the student body is, in the main, extremely well-heeled; at Earlham, well over 60% receive need-based aid. The list could go on - but the point is that, as LACs go, these two schools are at the extremes of a bunch of continua.</p>
<p>Well, the HPY of the world are ultimately a lottery for highly accomplished students. There are many more of them than there are slots to fill. My opinion, of course.</p>
<p>Maybe the boy did a slipshod job on the applications. These days, kids polish them, make sure they express a point of view, have parents or consultants check them, etc. It seems to me that your daughter should be accepted at half of her list.</p>
<p>seconding mini's high opinion of Earlham. Social-justice issues rank high, integrity isn't just a concept to be discussed. Interaction with faculty is collegial in the best sense of the word. Fine overseas opportunities....the list goes on.</p>
<p>The quaker traditions are one of the draws.. She began her search with wanting an honor code. She doesn't drink. She doesn't plan to in college either. She is one of the few in her high school who doesn't get drunk each weekend and she believes that will be the case at college too.</p>
<p>If you have specific questions about Earlham, feel free to PM me. I am a Quaker, and have visited over the years, and spoke there as well, and know some of the faculty (and the admissions director is a friend.)</p>
<p>She was drawn to W&L by its class size, beautiful setting, liberal arts, 12-12-6 terms, honor code, music, radio, study abroad.</p>
<p>The other thing she wants is a student body that is collaborative in nature. She ruled out anyplace that she read about that had cutthroat kids</p>
<p>I would guess she's in at Kenyon and Denison - with money at Denison, but probably none at Kenyon (unless you qualify for need-based). Those guesstimates are just based on my own son's experiences. Has she visited?</p>
<p>We will not get need based. We think being out of the top 10% will keep her from getting merit money at Denison. We've seen Denison but not Kenyon.</p>
<p>List doesn't look too top heavy to me.</p>
<p>Is she out of the top 10% because of grades in Freshman and/or Sophomore year? If yes...and she has an upward trend...this will be viewed favorably by most schools, especially with her excellent test scores. Also..if this is the case...I would add a super reach or two...if there's somewhere else she'd really like to go.</p>
<p>(If grades keeping her out of the top 10% are from Junior year....it's a bit more dicey.)</p>
<p>Would she consider any of the eastern women's colleges (former 7-Sisters)? Most have their own radio stations....</p>
<p>No, that absolutley will not keep her from getting money at Denison. My son's school doesn't even rank.</p>
<p>We come from a long line of Kenyon alumni and all liked it a lot. Son is at Denison and loves it. They felt different when we visited. Not only did my son prefer Denison, but it came out A LOT cheaper. Maybe you should see if you can get to Kenyon (not that it's on the way to anything though, ha).</p>
<p>I can answer any Denison questions you might have (private message me). Kenyon questions are a little harder. Although we visited, husband graduated from there in 1977, so it's been awhile.</p>
<p>She is out just because of a few b+s along the way. 9th grade is not in our high school. Her school does not weigh honors classes and the honors classes turn out to be harder than AP.. AP teachers cut the kids some slack now and then. Honors teachers try to knock the kids down a peg. The really smart kids enjoy being in classes together so they all take honors classes anyway. It is funny that you bring up all girls schools because I keep bringing them up too. Her best friends are boys and she worries that she'll miss that too much.</p>
<p>Merit money would be wonderful.. We could retire someday!</p>