swarthmore, u chicago, columbia, amherst, middlebury

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a white female from Pennsylvania.</p>

<p>Accelerated classes (weighted as 4.5): Engilsh 9 Acc. (A), Geography Acc. (A), Molecular Biology (A), English 10 Acc. (A), Quantitative Chemistry (A), Physics I, Physics II, English 11 Acc.</p>

<p>AP Classes: AP Modern European History (B/4 on test), AP Music Theory (A/5), AP French (A/3), AP US History (B/didn't take test), AP English Literature (got a B first nine weeks, currently have an A), AP Government (currently an A), AP Statistics (currently an A)</p>

<p>I've also completed up to Level 5 of French, and am scheduled for French 6 and Spanish 1 next semester. I'm doing a 5 week study abroad to France in March/April.</p>

<p>SAT: 690M/740CR/750W
SAT II: French 700 (took it after French IV, in retrospect, I should have waited); Math IC 680; Literature 720
ACT: 30
GPA: 4.21W/3.88UW (second decile)</p>

<p>National Merit Commended (score of 209, sent to Amherst and Middlebury), AP Scholar, National Honors Society</p>

<p>Hopefully good essays and recommendations</p>

<p>Community service through church (9-12)
Softball (9-10)
French Club (11-12)
Music: Jazz Band (11-12), Ambassador Orchestra (11-12), Marching Band (9-12), PMEA Honors Band (9-12), AV Honors Band (7-12), AE Honors Band (10-12; 10th grade was the first year of the band), Junior District (9), District & Regional band (11), piano lessons (9-12, started at age 5), plays bass clarinet, saxophone and clarinet</p>

<p>Also, I attended a French immersion camp two summers ago (Concordia Language Villages), and am doing a 5 week study abroad in France in April.</p>

<p>Applying to:
Swarthmore College
University of Chicago (EA)
Bard College (EA)
Amherst College
Middlebury College
Columbia College
Vassar College</p>

2

<p>although your stats are very good, it doesn't seem like you have a safety - are you going to add one to your list if you dont get into your EA schools?</p>

3

<p>I've already gotten accepted to Case Western and University of Pittsburgh (my two safeties). Sorry for not mentioning that.</p>

4

<p>Any ideas?</p>

5

<p>I need something controversial in here so that people will come in here and read my post.</p>

6

<p>:( No one ever answers my posts.</p>

7

<p>I think you're rank in the second decile will be a problem. almost every school in the top 25 really wants top 10%. I think you need a couple more matches like Barnard, Bates, Hamilton, etc.</p>

<p>Applying to:
Swarthmore College: Super Reach
University of Chicago (EA): Reach
Bard College (EA): Safety
Amherst College: Super Reach
Middlebury College: Slight Reach
Columbia College: Super Reach
Vassar College: Slight Reach</p>

<p>You need some more matches. Second decile really hurts you.</p>

8

<p>OK thanks. Is there anything that I can do to improve myself (Swarthmore is my top choice) - I'm sending out a letter in a few weeks about my study abroad in France in April (I didn't put it on my application because it was not scheduled/finalized at the time). I plan to major in French, so do you think that will help me?</p>

<p>Also: The cutoff for first decile is 4.23W/3.87UW (I have 4.21W/3.88UW), so I'm probably ranked around 39-43/380.</p>

9

<p>i think swarthmore knows you will change your major a zillion times, but going to france will make you look like more of an interesting person, i would think</p>

10

<p>Ok thanks. :)</p>

11

<p>You can work your butt off to get in the top 10%! Look at UsNEWS top 10% for these schools, its over 80% for all of the reaches. If you miss it by a few places have your guidance counselor send a note on how close you are, 40/380 is very different than 70/380. Also it depends how good your schools is, some places kids outside the top 10% get into top places all the time. Look at your classmates and where they end up, it should give you some indication of your chances.</p>

12

<p>You should consider adding one of the women's colleges, Smith, MHC, or Wellesley as a high end LAC safety.</p>

13

<p>Thanks. I think on my secondary school form they put the rankings for the deciles (like what the cut-offs are) so hopefully they'll see that I barely missed the top ten percent.</p>

14

<p>bump</p>

<p>I don't like this ten characters thing.</p>

15

<p>bates is in the top 25 and wants top 10% as well--thats less of a match and more of a reach. anything with an acceptance rate of 30% or less is a reach school, no matter what.</p>