Shooting for the Stars...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

<p>But I don't think I'll even hit the sky.</p>

<p>I REALLY want to go to Swarthmore; I thought that I'd have a shot at the Ivies, but...after taking the SAT, SATII, ACT, and looking at some of the people's accomplishments, I doubt HIGHLY that I'd even have a chance.</p>

<p>My school is one of the best in the nation (especially for a public school), and all my courses are advanced, but I get straight A's, but those SAT's reeeealy threw me for a loop.</p>

<p>Critical Reading: 610
Math: 520
Writing: 560
Essay: 6/12
Total of 1690</p>

<p>And for my SATII's, I got a 630 on Chem, a 640 on Math1, and a 560 on Math2.</p>

<p>I got a 29 on the ACT.</p>

<p>With these scores, I know that my essays are going to have to be immaculate .</p>

<p>Do I stand a ghost of a chance getting in?</p>

<p>I also posted my resume, but compared to some of the ECs that I've seen on here, i'm having some SERIOUS doubts.</p>

<p>Steven
Address: Basically the ghetto, Philadelphia PA
Home #:
Cell #:
Age: 17, Male, African American
E-mail:</p>

<p>Education
• J.R. Masterman Public High School, Grade 11 going to 12, GPA 4.0
Accomplishments
• Participated in the George Washington Science Fair 2006, winning the Gold Medal
• Participated in the Center City Regional Science Fair 2006, winning First Prize and the Certificate for Outstanding Presentation
• Participated in the Delaware Valley Science Fair 2006, winning the Second Place GlaxoSmithKline Award, $100 prize
• Inducted into the National Honor Society (February 2007)
• Won a $1,000 Award of Distinction in the Multi-Media category of the My Philadelphia contest for my song “My Philadelphia – A 3-Part Ode” (July 2007)
• Received the Pillar of Service award for overcoming personal hardships and demonstrating outstanding public service by making it my mission to attend to the seniors in my community (November 2006)
• Received the Pillar of Service award for overcoming personal hardships and demonstrating outstanding public service by making it my mission to attend to the seniors in my community (November 2006)
• Distinguished Honor Roll from grade 9 to 11 (all terms)
Extra-Curricular Activities
• Conducted research at the University of Pennsylvania on Brodmann Area 10 (October 2006-February 2006). This research was used to create the project “‘Your Nose Knows’ – An Investigation of Brodmann Area 10: Its Function and Relation to Memory Retrieval” that was entered in the George Washington, Center City Regional, and Delaware Valley Science Fairs
• Participated in a week long program for the instruction of AP Biology Teachers at Edison/Fareira High School(Summer 2004)
• Participated in the Fellowship Farm Program, an overnight retreat for honor roll students to cultivate leadership skills (Spring 2005)
• Participated in the 8th Annual High School Jazz Fest (Spring 2006)
• Participated in the Classic Festivals 2006 Festival of Music, Annapolis, Maryland (Spring 2006)
• Masterman Voices, The J.R. Masterman High School Newspaper (Fall 2005)
• Masterman High School Jazz Combo (Alto Saxophone)
• The Philadelphia Student Union (Winter 2004)
• Computer Operating Systems (Winter 2004)
• A small karate course, which focused on self-discipline and self-control (Spring 2005)
• Masterman High School Jazz Band (Alto Saxophone) (Fall 2005-Present)
Work Experience
• Intern at the School District of Philadelphia, Office of Secondary Education (July 2005 – Present)
• Philadelphia Young Playwrights Assistant Judge (Summer 2004)
• Assisted in the organization of a week-long program for the instruction of AP Biology teachers at Edision/Fareira High School (Summer 2004)
Religious Involvement
• Unbaptized Publisher in the Strawberry Mansion Congregation of Jehovah’s Witenesses
• Member of the Theocratic Ministry School
• Active Participant in the Kingdom Ministry
• Attendant to the elderly of the congregation</p>

2

<p>You go to Masterman? I'll send you a message, I'm one of the kids coming to Swat from there this year. ;)</p>

3

<p>Your tests scores are way too low. There are some excellent "SAT-optional" schools. You should consider some of those...</p>

4

<p>get your SATs up and you'll have a good shot. just be sure to show how you would be a fit.</p>

5

<p>Considering your extensive list of accomplishments, great grades, and URM status(which is very rare at many LAC's - Middlebury is especially noted for needing them and trying, so that could be a good option for you that is somewhat similar) - I think that you at least have a shot. Improve your test scores and I think you are in EXCELLENT position, if not - you still have a shot, and certainly could get into one of many very fine schools.</p>

<p>And your ACT converts to a 1920+(1920 according to the old chart, better at many schools that have adjusted more to the ACT and it's percentiles and all). So you, while still a bit short on the test scores, aren't 'that' bad.</p>

6

<p>Your SATs seem really low compared to your other qualifications, and would definitely make getting into Swarthmore very, very difficult for you. I'm usually not really in favor of SAT tutoring, but if you can afford it you might want to consider it, since it seems like you might be capable of doing much better if you can just get some test-taking strategies figured out. Any chance that you'd qualify for extra time?</p>

<p>I'd second the suggestion of Middlebury- besides needing minorities, it also doesn't require the SAT or ACT, though you will need at least some combination of SAT 2s and APs. Middlebury doesn't have the same culture as Swarthmore, but it's a very, very nice LAC.</p>

7

<p>swarthmore goes to great lengths to admit URM's--it has an african american admit rate of somewhere like 65 percent, according to my brother's friend in admissions. you are a truly impressive candidate beyond your scores, and swarthmore is somewhat holistic in its admissions, often admitting kids based on fit, not raw data. if you write a brilliant essay, come up with standout recs, and present yourself well, i think you are a compelling enough candidate for them to look past the scores. if it doesn't work out, hey, at least you'll know you took a shot at your dream school. then, in regular round, look to SAT optional schools and other holistic places like brown. my black friend got into brown with a 3.5/4 unweighted and an 1150/1600 because he was an extraordinarily nice person who came from a prestigious inner city program called prep for prep. just go for it.</p>

8

<p>With excellent recommendations, essays, and interview: 22%.</p>

9

<p>Very nice list of accomplishments, but those SAT scores will shut the door on you. Although not widely discussed at Swarthmore, my understanding is that diversity students break the 2000 barrier routinely if not higher. Sorry, but you asked. The good news is that there would be thousands of institutions that would love to have you. It's just that Swarthmore has such an active diversity recruitment program that they attract some of the best diversity students in the country in applying, thus giving the school almost the pick of the litter. Couple that with limited space and I'm afraid that Esviel has certainly no chance.</p>

10

<p>Look at Earlham College in Richmond Indiana</p>

11

<p>People here tend to get caught up on standardize testing and told my little sis that she had no chance at schools that she ended up getting admitted to so I say go ahead and try. you never know. I had pretty crappy scores when i applied but i also went to a pretty crappy high school. Even so, i played sports, did volunteer work and was a minority (although i did not indicate so in my application). I took six AP classes and all my other courses were honors and I graduated top of my class. I had very little interest in swarthmore when i applied and was nevertheless, accepted. What i would ask you though is that if you think you have no chance at the ivies based on your SAT scores then why would you even ask if you stood a chance at swarthmore. I think nowadays, admissions people know that SATs can only tell you so much so as long as you don't approach the application process with a "the ivies won't have me, will you?" attitude and show that you truly and really want to go to swarthmore (by explaining what about the school you find attractive, class sizes, location, student body, professors, physical beauty etc) then you should at least be in the running. I didn't do either and here I am, about to graduate soon soon soon so you at least have enthusiam (maybe?) for the school going for you. You can even try applying to Columbia and Dartmouth if you really want to try a couple of the ivies out because the only people that can really tell you what you chances are waiting to read your application.</p>

12

<p>brwnidgrl, and to anybody else: if i come across as having the "the ivies won't have me, will you?" attitude, that's NOT how I truly feel about things. Thing is, I really don't want to leave Philly so I wasn't even considering any other Ivy except uPenn. I just want to know how I might fare in getting in, and all of my backup schools i KNOW i can get in so I don't even bother asking anybody wat the odds would be for me getting in.</p>

13

<p>About the whole Ivy mentality thing, a lot of people at the OP's (and my former) high school, which is a feeder for Penn, end up applying to Penn just because, so Penn really shouldn't be an issue. Other Ivies, maybe, but you're not applying to other Ivies. :]</p>

<p>No one can really tell you your exact chances on getting in - you do have low SAT scores, but you're a URM. If you were applying early, this could totally work out okay, particularly coming from our HS, but since you aren't, it is anyone's game. RD admissions are becoming absolutely ridiculous at most competitive colleges.</p>

14

<p>no, i didn't think you felt that way, it was just a word of caution. The main thing that i wanted to convey to you is that you stand a chance at any school you apply to because SAT scores will not be the deciding factor, especially not at a place like swat so don't let people in here tell you that you have no chance based on that alone. that's all. sorry if it was rude of me to phrase things the way i did.</p>

15

<p>I think you have a very real shot at both Swarthmore and the ivies. Because of your background, adcoms a) value your ability to widen campus perspectives on academic and social issues and b) assume you lacked access to the kind of test prep that is common in middle class america. Straight A's at a top high school go a long way to refuting the valididty of SAT scores in a case like yours. You should not be giving up on anywhere yet. Giving the SATs your best possible shot one more time can only help.</p>