Reach + Match LACs

College Search & Selection
1

Self:
Asian male from SoCal

Major: English

GPA: UW: 3.81/4.0 (all my B’s come from math or science classes… 3.86 Freshman, 3.57 Sophomore year, 4.00 Jr year)

RANKING: likely top 30% at competitive public (technically no “rank” but lists gpa ranges for each 10%…ranking is determined by UW GPA)

SAT: 2320 (800 CR, 800 M, 720 W)

SAT II: Math II 770, USH 800, Spanish (reading) 770, Chemistry 710 (not sending)

APs:
5 - Calc AB, Lang, USH
4 - Chem, Stats

APs taken/will take Senior year: US History, Chemistry, Biology, Calculus AB, Literature, Government, Economics, Spanish, Statistics

ECs:
Co-pres of Art Volunteering Club
VP of club for new students
Selection Editor for Literary Magazine
Staff Writer Science Magazine
Debate (Parliamentary - no notable results)

Outside School ECs:
Teen Library Council member at local library
Volunteering at autism center, retirement home
Junior Editor for international lit mag for teens, poetry reader for another one
English tutor
Writing poetry – have been published in some journals (they’re not prestigious journals, though – but at the same time not ones just for teens, I am published alongside adults)

Summers:
Summer writing workshops (the top ones for high schoolers)
Dog walker (paid)
English tutor (unpaid)

*for privacy reasons, some stuff omitted or altered

I hope to ED somewhere.

2

Hello?

3

Give it time. Don’t bump after 30 mins. You’re competitive for just about any school. Make sure you have some UCs (UCB and UCLA would be good reach/matches). Do you want a small or large school?

4

Do you care about location?
What about budget constraints?
Are your parents able and willing to cover the Expected Family Contribution for expensive private schools?

If you’re willing to travel as far away as Ohio, check out the English department at Kenyon College. Other possibilities: Bates, Colby, Colorado College, Grinnell, Macalester. These could be either match or reach schools depending on how they interpret your GPA and rank. Slightly less selective possibilities: Whitman, Sewanee, Skidmore, Connecticut College. New College of Florida may be a safety if you can cover the net out-of-state cost. If you aren’t in your high school’s top ~15%, then the most selective LACs (Pomona, Amherst, Williams etc) may be out of reach.

If cost is a concern (as it is for most families), be sure to run the online net price calculators for these or any other schools that interest you.

5

What type of school are you looking for? Large university? Small liberal arts college? Near a city or rural? Greek life or big sports a preference, or something to be avoided? Are you full pay, and your parents can write $65,000+ check a year, do you need merit aid to make college affordable?

6

Their title said LAC (just saying). :slight_smile: The financial question is important, though. I think you can aim a little higher than some of the suggestions so far. Carleton, Swarthmore, and Wiiliams are reaches I’d look at. My kid with similar stong test scores & only slightly higher class rank (and lower GPA) got into Carleton & Swat. Hamilton is another low reach with good English. Kenyon has great English, I think it would be a match (or even low match) for you (Asian male is a bit of a hook there).

I would not ED anyplace you have not visited.

7

@intparent my bad, didn’t remember the title when I responded.

Depending on geographic preferences, Washington & Lee could be a match, requiring demonstrated interest. Sewanee could be a match/safety. Both have strong literary traditions.

8

I’m looking at Wes Vassar hamilton or midd to ed. @intparent

9

@GrandBudapest , I think you’d have a good shot at any of those. I hope you can visit while they are in session. I suspect that you would find the vibe a Wes and Vassar to be one thing and at Hamilton and Middlebury to be something quite different, so figuring out which “fit” is right should be your priority this fall.

10

If you don’t ED, or don’t get in ED, at those schools, then strongly consider @tk21769 's list. You would likely hit some good merit aid at several of them.

You have the potential to be accepted at many terrific LACs. Don’t ED unless you’re over the moon in love with a particular school. Give yourself the luxury (and possible financial benefit) of having colleges try to woo you next spring.

11

I’m applying to sewanee ea and kenyon bates Skidmore Whitman and possibly macalester are on my Rd list

and yes I’m visiting all 4 ed candidates

@Otterma @tk21769

12

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Middlebury, home of the Breadloaf writers conference and School of English. Check it out.