Hey, folks. I’m a high school senior (yeah, I know it’s rather late for me to be asking these sorts of questions) and I’m considering Swarthmore. There’s a lot of things I like about the schools, and I’ve generally gotten a good vibe from the place, so I’m considering applying. I’m concerned that my application won’t be strong enough, so I’d like to get opinions before spending any money on fees.
Here’s my info:
ACT: 32 composite, 36 english, 32 math, 36 reading, 32 science.
GPA: 3.68 UW (no weighted)
Demographic info: White, male, atheist, mid-western, not first generation college, middle class, eldest of two children, divorced parents.
EC’s: Cross country for all four years of high school, history club for the past two years, track freshman year, gaming club sophomore and junior year, math team all four years, internship at the IceCub Astrophysics Research center during my junior year.
AP’s: 3’s on Chemistry, English Language and Composition, Physics C Mechanics; 4’s on World History, Microeconomics; 5’s on AP US Government and Politics, AP Calculus AB
Senior Year Courses: Advanced Reading Techniques (1/2 year elective), AP European History, AP English Literature and Composition, Criminal Justice (1/2 year elective), AP Calculus BC, US and World Affairs (1/2 year elective), AP Biology
Miscellaneous info:
I took the AP Physics test without taking the class.
People tell me I write very well, so I expect my essays to be strong.
I began to have serious problems with depression and insomnia during my junior year. Those issues really hurt my academic performance during my junior year (before then, I’d only gotten 2 B’s; my GPA had been 3.96 or so). I explained this in my personal essay for the common app.
I play guitar and bass guitar. I write and record songs.
I’d appreciate any advice you have to give. If you need any more info, I’ll provide.