<p>Hi! I'm applying to Smith regular decision and I was wondering as to the extent they weigh GPA, essays, etc. As in, do they care more about GPA or EC's or what? </p>
<p>My stats:
ridiculously competitive HS in california..ranked 87th or so in the nation
SAT 1: 1410 best, one sitting: 1390
SAT2: 750,740,729 in spanish,writing and math
GPA: alas! 3.1 or 3.2/4.0
AP tests: 4,5,5 (US History, English Language and Biology) - AP scholar</p>
<p>probably in the top 25%, definitely top 50%</p>
<p>EC: </p>
<p>I've been dancing for 10 years,extremely seriously
Class officer for 3 years
Speech and debate captain for 2 years, officer for 1 (state championships qualifier, moderately good record)
Journalism staff writer
yearbook ads editor
have chaired several community projects, mostly awareness about teenage drunk driving, and other community problems.
was in drama for 2 years
i do yoga, art (sometimes act as a TA) and photography
i've won a few photography contests
nominated for DAR good citizens award
won a few dance contests
won some writing contests.
jobs: i tutored. </p>
<p>I haven't got too many EC's but they're quality- i spend more time on them than anything, which,i suppose, is the reason for bad grades but good test scores, my absolute dedication to excellence in my EC's. i dont know if i should write that in an essay or as supplemental info or what. I really want to go to smith, and plan on making that obvious! I woudl appreciate it if i got some information about what i mentioned earlier- if EC's and such can make up for dismal grades. Thank you!</p>
<p>Wondrlist, what kind(s) of Dance? My D took ballet for 12 years and was taking 8-11 ballet classes a week junior/senior years.</p>
<p>If Smith discounts anything, it's test scores, though they consider those highly when handing out their 40 or so merit scholarships a year.</p>
<p>The sense of your post is correct...your grades are your weakest element. Your leadership is a plus and the rest of your EC's look good. I guess I'd rate you a "probable."</p>
<p>If you can attract the attention of Sally Rubenstone of CC--she's one of the three owners of the biz--she's a former admissions officer for Smith and might be willing to give you an opinion. I can't guarantee it, though, because she does college counseling for a living.</p>
<p>Thanks TheDad. I do Indian Classical dance- not as popular but pretty big in California, at least, with its billions of Indians. I dance .. a lot, i ahve classes 3X a week for about 1 1/2 hours and then practice the other days for 1-2. more when we have performances coming up, i've done .. liek 40 or so performances in 10 years. its crazy sometimes- we're more fo a performance group. </p>
<p>I'm surprised that you consider me a probable,actually. my approach to all of my applications is 'i have no bloody chance whatsoever, so i'll just apply, be risky and portray myself honestly and see how it goes.' I'm also applying to hampshire, uchicago, oberlin, reed and macalester..any insights on those?</p>
<p>My d. used to play Carnatic violin, and I play the veena! When she visited Smith last April, one of the classes she sat in on was David Reck's class on Carnatic music. Reck is a famous world music guy who normally teaches at Amherst, but couldn't get enough students for his Indian music class there, so he taught it at Smith! He was wonderful!</p>
<p>TheDad has it right - and they say what they want right on the website - "Heady, nervy, and intellectually exciting." Prove to them you are those and you'll get it - without them, your test scores, etc. won't matter in the least. On orders from the President's office, they have heavily de-emphasized test scores.</p>
<p>from the other parent in the mini household: You might also look at Evergreen State College in Olympia WA. They have an Orissi dance program , and a similar academic program to Hampshire (where I went 30 years ago). Good luck, btw our D loves Smith.</p>
<p>Thank you mini! I would consider evergreen except I would have to pay more since I live in California. I would really like to continue dancing in college and hopefully do different types, particularily orissi =) If i can somehow afford it, i want to take private lessons with a teacher, but we'll see how that goes. </p>
<p>Thanks again TheDad- yup, read your response to my uchicago post, and responded back. I'm not too sure about reed either- i'm mostly applying because i like portland. i go through phases with colleges- one day i feel like a total smithi, then i'm absolutely sure i belong at Uchicago, then reed then oberlin, then mac, hampshire.. i'll probably still apply but i'm not really banking on an acceptance. it's not one of the ones im dying to go to.</p>
<p>We visited Reed, it was the only NW school that looked like it had what she wanted. We were not impressed, esp. since they seemed to look down on all arts, not a "serious subject" to study. Our younger D, 12 at the time, called it a work-aholic college. Our D at Smith was sure it was not a fit for her and did not even apply.</p>
<p>yeah while i like academic intensity, reed seems almost.. pompous or so bent on being different and intellectual that it just's almost annoying. but .. that's just an impression and ive never visited so i'm still applying, hoping to be proven incorrect. smith just seems wonderful all around though =)</p>
<p>Neither of our Ds did Indian classical dance though my younger one, who is adopted from India, did incorporate some Orrisi dance forms into her gymnastics floor routine one year. Both girls, and their dad have played and sung Carnatic music though not much recently. I have never hear of Odyssey, I have friends who do Orissi and Bharat Natichum (I know I am spelling that wrong, but I can't figure out how right now.)</p>
<p>Smith is in a much more exciting town than Mt. Holyoke is.<br>
And I took a math class at Mt. Holyoke with 5 Smith students, 2 Hampshire students, and 10 Mt. Holyoke students, and I found Smithies much more willing to speak up, both when they knew an answer and when they had questions.</p>
<p>Ooo...I don't know if i have a chance at Smith though :(, but my guidance counselor thinks I can get into Mt Holyoke...we'll have to see though:)</p>