really nervous rising senior...chance me, please :)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wesleyan University
1

<p>Hey, okay, here goes:</p>

<p>White
Female
Washington state - Seattle
Catholic school</p>

<p>GPA UW: 3.8
GPA W: 3.9
<em>MY SCHOOL DOES NOT WEIGHT HONORS CLASSES, ONLY AP CLASSES</em></p>

<p>9th Grade
Science: Biology 1st semester: A- 2nd semester: A-
Math: Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry 1st semester: A- 2nd semester: B-
English: Honors English 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
Language: French II 1st semester: A+ 2nd semester: A+
Religion: Freshman religion 1st semester: A+ 2nd semester: A
Elective: Acting /Health 1st semester: A+ 2nd semester: A</p>

<p>10th Grade:
Math: Honors Geometry 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
English: Honors Sophomore English 1st semester: A- 2nd semester: A
Language: French III 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
History: A.P. European History 1st semester: A- 2nd semester: B+
Religion: Sophomore religion 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
Elective: Art 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A</p>

<p>11th Grade:
Science: Honors Chemistry 1st semester: A- 2nd semester: B-
Math: Honors Precalculus 1st semester: B+ 2nd semester: B-
English: Honors Junior English 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
Language: A.P. French Language 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
Religion: Junior religion 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A
Elective: Creative Writing/Linguistics 1st semester: A 2nd semester: A</p>

<p>12th Grade:
Science: Physics
Math: A.P. Statistics
English: A.P. American Literature
History: A.P. United States History
Religion: Senior religion
Elective: A.P. Studio Art</p>

<p>SAT I: 2170
Writing:800
Critical Reading:730
Math:640<--retaking in October because of the math score...want a 700 at least</p>

<p>SAT II:
Literature:700
French:700</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:
Ballet for 14 years, including summers spent in Boston, New York, L.A. etc. training intensively with professional ballet companies. Nutcracker shows as well as other performances. Lead roles in shows. AMAZING recommendation from former ballet teacher. Making a dance video, I think. Ballet is my passion, but I also do modern.</p>

<p>Piano: 13 years. No competitions or anything, but I've been training for a really long time and I'm quite good. How do I enter piano competitions anyway? </p>

<p>French Club president (member since freshman year)
Junior Statesmen of America (since freshman year)
National Honors Society (inducted as a sophomore)
ASB rep for 3 years
HOBY representative from my school
Student Life Award for 3 years
Peer Tutor
Joining Newspaper Club next year
ALSO joining Alliance Francaise next year!</p>

<p>VOLUNTEERING:
Northwest Harvest Food Bank (freshman year)
Public Library (Teen section, sophomore year)
Tutor at a Catholic elementary school (junior year)
NARAL -WASHINGTON (senior year)
Overall I will graduate with about 100 hours of service</p>

<p>INTERNSHIPS:
at NARAL-Washington as an intern this summer.</p>

<p>Attempting to start a GSA club at my school, but it's difficult because it's a religious school. I'm the only openly gay student at my school. </p>

<p>SPECIAL "IN": my sister is a graduate of Wesleyan University (2003).</p>

<p>Also...I'm a lesbian, and the only open one at my school, for that matter. I am really super liberal and I just want to go somewhere far far FAR away from everyone at school. I hate the atmosphere there. </p>

<p>I'm really creative, I'm into philosophy, writing, reading, literature, French, and art. I paint regularly and I'm totally fluent in French. I plan to major in philosophy, actually, and I hope to pursue a career in publishing, editing, or writing. </p>

<p>The MAIN THING to know about me is that my passion is writing. I have written a lot of short stories, poems, essays, etc. and I'm quite good. I'm looking to get published, not just for college, but because this is going to be my career and I'm eager to jump in. My essay is really poetic and a little wild. I interview well and I plan to submit some short works of writing as a supplement. </p>

<p>What do you think? Thank you for your help :)</p>

2

<p>Something to add…my Catholic school is ranked really highly. It’s a difficult school and I promise you there’s no grade inflation. </p>

<p>I’m mainly worried about Math and Science because I’m clearly not strong in those areas…I’m extremely right-brained. Especially the B-minuses I got this year in both subjects…ouch.</p>

3

<p>sorry, just one last thing to add!</p>

<p>I’m planning to apply ED because I feel like my family connection will help me out more if I show a lot of interest…and I AM interested. It’s my top choice, after all! :)</p>

4

<p>Really? No replies? :frowning: Aw man!</p>

5

<p>None of us are experts, so there’s no one who can say whether you’d get in or not. You have some huge positives –*the passion for dance, the area of the country, and the gender orientation. I hate to be so cynical, but I think you should consider writing about being the only out student at your school. That’s a pretty popular theme.</p>

<p>Negatives – a school as selective at Wesleyan is basically looking to see that you took the most rigorous academic program offered by your school. You have not. I think it’s less the particular grades, than it is the lack of top classes plus the grades.</p>

<p>Conclusion: you need to sell your passion and personality big time. You also might want to consider applying ED. I’ve heard of many cases where Wesleyan overlooked relatively low math scores for students just like you.</p>

6

<p>While I appreciate your comments, I have to correct you on one thing: I HAVE taken all the most academically rigorous classes at my school. My school has certain rules that prohibit students from taking certain AP classes certain years, and there are some honors classes that are just flat out not offered, like Biology and Physics.</p>

7

<p>as midatl_dd said, you need to show passion. your scores (just raise math), grades, and ECs are all fine. the dance is what sticks out to me. draw their attention to it. </p>

<p>I dont believe in giving percentages, because they are just that. no one can predict if you will get in. Wes is a selective school, and many who have the numbers and ECs dont get in, for one reason or another. Wes doesnt accept the 2,000 people with the highest scores and most ECs, they take people to make a well-rounded and balanced, albeit strong, class. whether you fit into that puzzle is a question none of us can answer. but you have a good a shot as anyone. your geography sure helps…</p>

8

<p>Does my geography really help that much? Wow! Had no idea…</p>

9

<p>Based on what I heard at Wesleyan, I would recommend taking Calculus instead of AP Stat. They want all their students to take the hardest math class offered and that would be calculus, at least according to their view. I remember the Admissions rep answering this exact question. This holds even if you don’t present yourself as a math/science person…</p>

10

<p>Couple years ago, SAB student wrote story about how she attend regular school and run to take lessons then study for SAT while her peers are forgoing college and opt to get home schooled in order to train at higher level. It is confirmed that based on true story, she attended one of the best HS in the NYC. The story won scholastic award and published in their annual.
If you love to write and paint, try to win some national awards, often open for seniors.
Thing is, friend of mine who knew this girl is not going to let her own daughter follow her path. She firmly believes that college can wait because their prime dancing years is so short, now not able to satisfied by teaching of SAB and switched to ABT. Her daughter is only twelve. Gawk.</p>

11

<p>Thank you so much for the advice! I’ll do that. I feel like not many people know about the life of a ballerina…it’s an odd one for sure. And I KNOW about the 12 year olds, geeez!!! I was one of them. I was sure I was going to join a company as soon as I turned 16 but I realized that I didn’t want my career to end at age 30.</p>

12

<p>Good luck to you.
There is this trashy movie filmed in Lincoln center, titled “center stage”
If I remember correctly, the queen bee tells struggling heroine
“ You are pretty, you can become actor. You are smart, go to college.”
“ I don’t wanna go to college, I want to dance!”
“ So is everybody” then she dismisses conversation.
Is it skewed view or some truth in it?</p>

13

<p>bears and dogs. ALL TRUTH. It’s so drama-filled. The ballet world is crazy and really small. Like insanely small. It’s suffocating sometimes.</p>

14

<p>Moosegirl-definitely agree. I already wrote a draft of it and I want one of my essays to be about what I’ve learned about coming out and how my orientation has inspired me to try to start a GSA (already running into problems with my uber-Catholic school…bleh) and even if I fail and I don’t get permission to start one, I’ve been the first to break the silence.</p>

15

<p>I"d be careful about the gay angle, unless you have something extraordinary to say. It’s been done.</p>

16

<p>apply to harvard! haha. no, seriously. do it.</p>

<p>and as for the gay angle… i think writing about your ballet experiences would be better. you can mention being gay (not many female ballerinas are), but I feel like the ballet stuff would make you stand out more.</p>

17

<p>You’re right. Not many teenagers have danced this intensively, but plenty of kids are gay. I’ll write about being a ballerina trainee.</p>

18

<p>Your stats look great to me…I got into Wes with grades quite a bit worse than yours. Then again, like they said, it’s about the story you tell. I’d take jojodevka’s advice and apply to some Ivies too, unless you’re already positive that Wesleyan is for you.</p>

19

<p>Really? Ivies? Wow…I doubt I’d get in, but I suppose it doesn’t hurt to try. I like Brown…don’t know about the political/social climate of the rest. I like places where people are really kind and know how to make fun of themselves.</p>

20

<p>dont, however, apply to the ivies just because they are “the ivies.” if they are a good match for you, great, but I’ve heard too many anecdotes about people going to these schools for the name and wind up transferring. </p>

<p>brown sounds good though if you are interested in wesleyan.</p>