<p>So, I am a high school Junior from California but have been thinking a lot about college recently and have come up with a pretty hefty list of schools that I would want to apply to. I have a 3.8 unweighted (will be 3.9 by end of the year), several AP courses, and haven’t taken the SAT yet. I am involved in Theatre, Dance, Choir, my school newspaper, and am on the board of several clubs and organizations. I am interested in majoring in Theatre, with a double minor in Art history and Linguistics. Since, I was a kid, Brown has been my dream school, so I will probably apply to Brown early admit. Here is my list:</p>
<p>EARLY ADMIT: Brown University</p>
<p>REG ADMIT:
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
VASSAR COLLEGE
AMHERST COLLEGE
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
WILLIAMS COLLEGE</p>
<p>*As of now, Bard College is one of my only safeties and I am in need of suggestions for more… So please help me!</p>
<p>Brown is my top choice, and I frankly need someone to tell me if I’m completely delusional in thinking that I have a chance at getting into any of these schools… Please reply, and PLEASE be honest. (i.e. What schools do you think fit my stats well, and what chances do you think I have at being a contender in the application process)</p>
<p>Comments will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Bard is NOT a safety. Its acceptance rate this year was 33% – that is too low to be considered a safety by anyone. </p>
<p>Are you applying to the California state schools as a safety?</p>
<p>Your list right now is all reaches, every single one of them. If you aren’t applying to any California schools as safeties, there is a good chance you won’t get into any college at all. This has nothing to do with your stats, which are fine, but with the selectivity of the colleges you are interested in.</p>
<p>You are now a junior, which means you have one entire year to figure these things out. Lots could change in a year. Don’t fall in love with one school yet, it’s too soon.</p>
<p>There are many, many safety schools out there, start doing some research to find them. </p>
<p>(Also – Brown does not have minors, so you can’t “double minor” in art history and linguistics at Brown.)</p>
<p>Also, it is irrelevant whether you have any ECs where you help people. Community service is nice, but not a requirement or even a recommendation.</p>
I know we’ve debated this point in the past, but the idea of a school with a low admit rate not being a safety really depends on how one defines safety, as well as the school’s past history. For example, schools like Middlebury and Tufts (even though they’re renowned for the supposed Tufts Syndrome) were seen by the college counselors as safeties for students above a certain threshold at my school, as students above that threshold had had a 100% admit rate over the past 5 or 6 years with a reasonable sample size. It’s not 100% guaranteed (and almost nothing is in admissions at this level), but it was very very likely.</p>
<p>So I suppose the real questions would be…how does OP define safety (100% admission chance, or something like 90+%), and on what grounds did OP come to the conclusion that Bard is a safety? Unless it’s on the basis of substantial data related to people in a similar situation, chances are that schools with such admit rates are not safeties (and even with such data, that doesn’t on its own guarantee anything).</p>
<p>As far as your interests go, please note that Brown does not offer minors.</p>
<p>Finally, without substantially more information (more than you’d be able to provide us), we can’t give you chances. Nothing you’ve told us has ruled out the possibility that you are a reasonable candidate for admissions, but we’re not admissions officers, and there’s substantially more that goes into the apps than what you’ll be able to give us here. Talking to people more knowledgeable about your own situation would probably be more beneficial.</p>
<p>If I recall, Uroogla, you went to a prestigious prep school. That high tuition paid for college guidance counselors who had relationships with admissions officers at schools like Tufts and Middlebury and could figure out what chances students had. At 99% of the schools in this country, this is not the situation. If henry, the OP, goes to Harvard Westlake, then your analysis might be correct. If he goes to a public high school, then Bard is not a safety – even if every other kid in his high school has been accepted in the past. A target/match school, yes, but not a safety.</p>
<p>There are a few schools which nearly guarantee any faculty kid can get in. Many of us use the word safety more openly.
Bard is a safety/match if Henry’s stats beat the averages and if he comes across in his app, reccs and interview as an attractive admit, a super “fit.” Henry has a 3.8UW and for Bard '13 the average gpa = 75%>3.5. It still does not guarantee him admission, sure. </p>
<p>Bard’s RD admit rate reflects all applicants in the pool- including kids who are totally unqualified. That % is not specifically referrng to Henry’s level. Sure, it does not guaratee anything. But, he seems to be thinking in the right direction.</p>
<p>Btw, the comments about minors at Brown: they do not have majors, either.<br>
It’s all about concentrations and the freedom to take classes outside one’s focus. “…majoring in Theatre, with a double minor in Art history and Linguistics.” All you need do is change the words to “concentrate in Theatre, with substantial work in Art History and Linguistics.” Works for me.</p>
<p>I apologize if what I said came of as speaking in absolutes - I just meant to say that there exist situations, albeit uncommon ones, where a school of that sort could be seen as a safety. I have no idea if this is the case for OP, and OP needs to thoroughly evaluate his situation before deciding if Bard is a safety or a match. (I suppose the other problem I have is that the CC-accepted terms for chances are very different than what my school used, so I don’t know what people here actually mean when they say a match.)</p>
<p>@lookingforward</p>
<p>While it’s true that Brown also doesn’t have majors, pretty much all students and numerous faculty will use the term concentration and major interchangeably. The difference lies in minors, where Brown lacks an equivalent, except doing substantial coursework in the area, as you suggested. This would work for many students, but if OP cares about having the diploma state minors in one or more of those areas, then it would be something important to be aware of. (In other words, Brown’s Open Curriculum permits this wide variety of interests to be pursued. The evidence, however, will be in the student’s mind and on the student’s transcript, rather than the diploma and resume. Apparently this is a big enough concern among some students that Brown offers a 5 year ScB-BA program, where the only benefit I can see beyond being given an extra year is the conferral of two degrees, one for each concentration. The Dean for this really couldn’t explain to me any further benefits beyond having 2 degrees and not needing to take 5 courses most terms.)</p>
<p>I would say look into occidental college and university of michigan depending on your scores </p>
<p>chance me for brown?</p>
<p>GPA unweight 98. 6 (i dont know how my school does it)
rank: 3/160
sats: 2090 (690 cr) (690 m) (710 w)
act w/ writing 28
will retake both tests
Awards: Yale Book Award, school awards for debate, national merit scholar, academic awards for school, ap scholar
I will have take 7 aps by the end of senior year</p>
<p>senior year course load ap eng lit ap calc ap euro history theology discrete math honors</p>
<p>extra curriculars: 3 years of debate (captain) (state champion and 4th in another category 18th at nationals as a junior) founder and captain of mock trial, model un, black belt in karate, campus ministry, biology club, president of students against destructive decisions( organizing several campaigns in Boston) have been competeing in mixed martial arts in boston, wrestled and played football freshman year (shattered ankle and had major surgey so I am taking things slow)</p>
<p>volunteering: 200+ at a local nursing home
3 years of special one on one experiences with mentally handicapped
organizes school yearly walk for breast cancer and the walk for life in washington dc
will participate in missionary trip to Puerto Rico</p>
<p>job/work experience: worked at mini golf course and dunkin donuts summer of junior year
construction job with father since i was 14
brick laying job with late uncle since i was 14
construction with family friend for the past summer (full time but min wage )</p>
<p>teacher recs will be very good
essays are good so far
interview: who knows</p>