RD Chances Please? (Int'l, High SAT, Low GPA, Good ECs)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Claremont McKenna College
1

<p>Hi all, I'm a long-time lurker and an occasional poster. CMC is my first choice after my ED school, which I was rejected from, fyi. Here are my stats:</p>

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<p>Beijing, China
Male, Mixed Race (British Caucasian & Bangladeshi)</p>

<p>Full IB Diploma Curriculum (most rigorous at my school)
Higher Level English, History, Music
Standard Level Math, Chemistry, Spanish
Mandatory "Theory of Knowledge"
plus 150 hours mandatory "Creativity-Action-Service" hours</p>

<p>GPA:
9-10 = about 3.5 unweighted
11-12 = 3.9 - 4.05 IB weighted
School doesn't rank</p>

<p>SAT I:
Superscore = 2230 (800R, 670M, 750W)
Highest Single = 2180 (800R, 670M, 700W)</p>

<p>SAT II:
Literature = 780
Math I = 690</p>

<p>ECs:
+ Managing Editor of Newspaper
+ Features Editor of special Model United Nations Newspaper
+ Forensics/Public Speech, 3rd place for Impromptu and Debate at two international competitions
+ Photography - winner of school's High School Art award, sophomore year
+ Guitar - classical/electric, 2nd place at school talent show, sophomore year, Performing Arts letter</p>

<p>I'm one of the best writers in my school, and I'm guessing that quality is at the center of my 2 teacher recs, and I hope it comes out in my essays. Also, CMC seems to be accepting fewer and fewer applicants from my school, admitting 5/5 applicants in 2003, 1/3 in 2006, and 0/3 in 2007. 5 people including myself are applying this year.</p>

<p>I'm new to this - is there anything I'm missing? If not, thanks a ton for chancing me, I appreciate it immensely.</p>

2

<p>It's hard to say, but with what info given, you'd have a decent chance of getting in. Definitely not a shoo-in, though, even with good writing skills. What are you planning on majoring in?</p>

3

<p>Thanks fa-la-la-lena! is there any other info that would be pertinent? like I said, I'm new to this. my tentatively declared major was International Relations. </p>

<p>would you mind elaborating on what makes it "hard to say"? perhaps my sub-par GPA? I was hoping to offset that with my SATs and curriculum, and the fact that the courses I don't do as well in (sciences, math) won't be so central to what I'll study, though of course they're important in a liberal arts education. I'm not sure CMC will see it the same way, though..</p>

4

<p>I just mean, I can't really say "in" or "not in," because I haven't read your essays, seen your recs, etc. to make a real judgement (even then, there's really no real way in predicting yes or no-the silly nature of these chances threads). Your GPA isn't an automatic rejection at all, but it'll certainly be harder to stand out among some other applicants with both high SAT scores and high GPAs. But I have heard that more than one student has written their way into CMC. All the same, good luck</p>

5

<p>well, thanks for the evaluation! anyone else willing to chance me? I'd appreciate it.</p>

6

<p>From which school were you rejected ED?</p>

7

<p>Northwestern. My counselor asked the international rep why I had been rejected, and he said straight-out that they loved everything except my GPA, so I'm a little apprehensive about that factor.</p>