Pomona EDII?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, I’ve posted this before but I didn’t get any responses, so I thought’d I try again.

Demographics: I’m White/Pacific Islander (Samoan). Technically in-state California, however attended School in India/Canada/Thailand/California.

Major: Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Academics:

GPA- UW: 3.95 (It dipped for a semester in my junior year, my mother (who didn’t live with me) was homeless), W: My school doesn’t do it, but my UC GPA comes to 4.26

SAT I: 1890 (will re-take, will likely score 1400+, based on practice)

AP: WH-3, Bio-4, Lang-4, taking AP Stats-AP Physics C (My schools never offered many APs)(Self-studying for Macroeconomics/Microeconomics, USGov, Comp.Gov)

ECs:

Student Council Rep. for 2 years in Thailand; lobbied owners for FIOS (in rural Thailand), new bus, repainted Gym, designated STUCO room (the owners didn’t invest anything until the STUCO I was part of took action)

MUN-3 years

World History Bee: 4th place in Thailand, advanced to the Asian Championships, but couldn’t go due to financial reasons
Varsity-Soccer/Basketball/Futsal, JV-Volleyball(captain, Team MVP lol)/Basketball/Soccer/Futsal

PADI Advanced Scuba Diver with 150+ dives (if it matters at all)

Minor community service projects across SE Asia (8 hours each)

Will be volunteering at SPCA

UWC-USA Davis Scholarship Finalist

Essays:

My strong suit, have had issues in life or experiences that are good to talk about
Recommendations:
My AP Bio teacher and Honors English teacher, mediocre due to being International school with high turnover (I didn’t know the teachers long)

Questions:
Could I get in Pomona EDII with the presents stats, and if I raised my SAT score which schools would be a good choice? Preferably on the coasts (although I am applying to Northwestern). Also, only either matches or light reaches, I am at a position in life where a gap year is very viable.

2

I think it’ll be pretty hard with your current stats, though not impossible. Being Pacific Islander will definitely help you, but the low SAT and lack of strong recommendations will hurt you significantly.

Your essays and life story do sound compelling, and Pomona may push you in to diversify their class- but even students with great diversity profiles tend to either have stellar test scores, stellar recommendations, or both. I’d encourage you to talk to/email your recommenders and get to know them so that they can write you fantastic LORs. Or see if you can have a current teacher vouch for you. I think this may be the make it or break it factor.

Getting the SAT up will only help.

3

@nostalgicwisdom I’m trying to get an interview with alum and I might be getting a rec from my AP Stats/AP Physicd teacher. How much would both of these help?

4

I think they can definitely help if they add more to you than the boring LORs might. With your Pomona alum interview, they score you on your academic potential, extracurricular activities, and fit for the school, so be sure to prepare and highlight these things if you can.

5

What is your ED (1) school?

6

@londondad I just moved from Thailand and didn’t have time to prepare an EDI application. If my SAT retake goes as planned (1400+), I’ll be applying UCB (in state, my mother lives there), Northwestern, Columbia (mother attended), Reed, Stanford (I know it’s a longshot, but I trust my essays and It’s the dream school), McGill, UMass-Amherst and Claremont McKenna. McGill is my safety (fluent in French/English), plus I have dual citizenship (Umass-Amherst is my American safety). If for some reason I don’t get in, I’m in a position where I could take a gap year.

7

@nostalgicwisdom thanks! When you say they score you on these things, does it literally mean that they score you on your academic potential/etc…? Or is it more fluid, and just a conversation?

8

It works as a conversation, but after you leave, they fill out this sheet and score you on those categories.

9

With an 1890 SAT some programs at McGill are not a safety for you.

10

@TomSrOfBoston I wouldn’t be submitting my SAT. Also, I’m not going into engineering…

11

Did you graduate from a US high school? if so test scores are required, if not, they are not required.

12

@TomSrOfBoston I’m graduating from a Canadian high school :slight_smile: