<p>International student, female, applying RD, need a LOT of aid</p>
<p>Stats
Freshman year GPA: 3.1
Sophomore year GPA: 3.0 and then HUGE leap </p>
<p>British O-level results: 8 As in all 8 subjects (4.0, if converted to GPA)
Junior year GPA: 3.9
British AS-level results: Eco = A Bio = A Chem = B (3.67 if converted to GPA)
Senior year GPA (first semester): 4.0</p>
<p>Got lots of Bs and Cs in first two years of high school (class of 50 students). Old school offered only till O levels. </p>
<p>Changed schools to do A levels. New school has 290 students in my batch. Very competitive. Have mostly As in new school, except for a B in chemistry. Have toughest course load in class 5 A level subjects</p>
<p>Class rank = 4/290 (top 1.4%)</p>
<p>SAT II
Lit - 670
Math I - 630
Math II - 550
(will retake in dec)</p>
<p>ECAs:</p>
<p>MUSIC
over 10 years of training in Indian classical music + Rabindrasangeet
performed in school events
sang on television twice
won numerous awards outside school
consecutively won the Certificate of Achievement in Music for 3 years in high school</p>
<p>DEBATE/ HOSTING:
best speaker in semi finals in school debate in 9th grade
runners up in finals in school debate 9th grade
participated in many interschool debates
parliamentarian in winning team in EFA finals 9th grade
participated in 1st International Debate Workshop in Bangladesh 2004 11th grade
parliamentarian in National Bangladesh Television English Debate championships in 2005
nationally ranked as one of the top 5 debaters in Pre-worlds School Debate 2005
general secretary of my schools debating society
was the emcee at numerous events held on national days outside school
hosted the Edexcel International Conference in 2005</p>
<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE:
raised funds for flood victims in 9th grade
organized a fund raiser in neighborhood to collect money for the treatment of a child suffering from polio
treasurer of schools community service club 11th and 12th grades
raised funds in school wide food sale for a childrens ward in a local hospital 12th grade </p>
<p>WRITING/OTHER CLUBS:
contributor, school yearbooks 9th and 10th grades
essay got commended by the royal commonwealth society in 10th grade
Associate Editor of school newsletter 11th grade
Editor-in-Chief of school newsletter 12th grade
member of Brine Pickles, a creative writers group
recently was the youngest playwright to have a play staged at the British Council, Dhaka
founded the first ever A level yearbook in my school (we have over 650 A level students in all the batches). Editor-in-chief of the yearbook.
chief coordinator of the schools reading club, which I founded
completed a photography course from the South Asian Institute of Photography in 12th grade</p>
<p>ACADEMIC/ NON ACADEMIC HONOURS
won the Certificate of Achievement in Economics in 9th grade
won the Certificate of Achievement in English in 10th grade
won the Daily Star Nation Builders of Tomorrow Award (given to candidates getting 6 As or above in their O levels) for 8 As.
chosen by the school to be the Closing Assembly Speaker for the Class of 2004
chosen by the class to give the speech at graduation</p>
<p>WORK EXPERIENCE
executive feature writer of Rising Stars, the most popular weekly supplement of a national English newspaper (average circulation figure of 50000)
tutured a middle school student in 11th grade</p>
<p>APPLICATION
expecting good recommendations
want to major in English and International Studies
essay should be ok/good
will mention that I want to be a writer
SAT I: will give on Nov 5th: possible score:
Critical Reading ~ 700
Writing ~ 650
Math ~ 650-ish? (pessimistically speaking)</p>
<p>I'd just mention that you probably don't want to submit SAT II Math 1 and Math 2 - choose one of them to submit, in terms of taking 3 SAT IIs, I would think Writing, Math ___, and something else. I had Writing, Math IIC, Biology and Latin.</p>
<p>I'm not exactly sure how international aid works, but I know there's information on the bowdoin website.</p>
<p>While Bowdoin is looking for diversity, I would be more likely to question WHY you want to go to Bowdoin, specifically. What Bowdoin wants is people who WANT to be there. Do you want to go because it is in the top ten, OR for some really legitimate reason? If the latter, then that is what should be made clear from your application.</p>
<p>thanks oliver and nedad for your replies...</p>
<p>oliver: i will be retaking my SAT Subject Tests in december: i'm thinking math 1, lit and bio... u probably know that writing is no longer offered as a SAT subject, since it got integrated into the new SAT... i think a math, a science and lit (since i want to be an eng major) should be alright... what do you think?
(and do u happen to be from bowdoin? :) )</p>
<p>nedad: while i am ED-ing to a different college (vassar bcoz i'm so deeply in love with it :D)... bowdoin is there among my top RD colleges... i know a guy from my school who's studying there and he loves it!... he says its artsy, food's great, ppl are friendly and that i would love it there :) i won't deny that the fact that it's in the top ten doesn't hold any appeal... it does... but i wouldn't choose a college just for its rank_ bowdoin, as u probably will agree, is a great college... i also like maine from the pictures i've seen... too bad i can't visit :)</p>
<p>if any1 has any info to share abt bowdoin, pls do so :)</p>
<p>The food is astoundingly good for a college. I've eaten there with family members, and it was like being in a good American restaurant - so many choices, even sushi! Of course, if you don't like what Americans like - which is lots of stuff from other countries :-) you might not like it --- but there is lots of EVERYTHING and you can make an entire vegetarian meal from the awesome salad bar alone - one of the best I've seen anywhere.</p>
<p>Anyway, when you write your essays, or in a cover letter, just make it clear why you want to go to Bowdoin - what it could do for you and you could do for it. Good luck!</p>
<p>thanx nedad... but i'm concerned abt my stats... (low freshman/sophomore gpa)... i'll be retaking SAT II so that (hopefully) shouldn't be a problem by jan... what do u think of my chances?</p>
<p>Well, as you must know, Bowdoin does NOT require SAT IIs so I wouldn't send them in unless the math goes up. They don't even require SAT Is, and yours are a bit low.</p>
<p>But I think your class rank and junior-senior grades should make up for the earlier years... colleges love to see IMPROVEMENT! You are definitely in the ballpark, but since there are no guarantees, pick a safety you can love!</p>
<p>thanks nedad, i'll be taking SAT I for the first time in... uhh.. 2 days. and i'll be retaking my SAT II... hopefully i'll have bigger numbers than the ones up there... :)</p>
<p>congratulations on your wonderful test scores and good luck in this difficult process of college applications. Now put your personality and soulfulness into your essays and find out where you can contribute to each campus.</p>