The Final Chance Me! (William and Mary)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>So, my application has been sent in. And I'll be pretty anxious for the next month and a half or so.</p>

<p>Anyway, how about a final "chances" thread?</p>

<p>College Status: First Generation
GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)/ 4.06 (weighted as of Junior year)
Rank: 5/78
Applying for Aid?: Yes
School: Rarely sends grads to top schools
IS or OOS?: In-state
Gender: Female
Race: White</p>

<hr>

<p>ACT: 32</p>

<p>English: 36
Reading: 34
Science: 30
Math: ....26 (I know. Shut up. I can't do math quickly to save my life)</p>

<p>SAT: 1850</p>

<p>CR: 600
Math: 510
Writing: 740</p>

<p>(NOTE: I never intended to send my SAT scores anywhere. However, because my GC lied about when she was going to send my transcript, the SAT scores ended up on my transcript.</p>

<p>I asked when she would send them, she says "Next week." I look over the copy of my transcript she gave me that day, mark a few things I want her to change or remove, go in the next day and "Oh...well, I sent them at the end of the day yesterday."</p>

<p>I don't know how this will affect my chances. I tried out both the SAT and ACT to see which test better suited me, and obviously it was the ACT. I didn't even bother to have my SAT scores sent anywhere.</p>

<p>I know W&M says they only look at the highest test scores, but...-sigh-)</p>

<hr>

<p>APs</p>

<p>AP US History: 5
AP English Language and Composition: 5
AP Psychology: Not taken yet
AP English Literature: Not taken yet</p>

<hr>

<p>Freshman</p>

<p>Academic Earth Science
Academic English
World History Part I
Japanese I
Concert Band
Geometry
PE (required)</p>

<p>(No APs/DEs/Honors/IB)</p>

<p>Sophomore</p>

<p>Academic Biology
Academic English
World History Part II
Japanese II
Chinese I
Algebra II
PE (required)</p>

<p>(No APs/DEs/Honors/IB)</p>

<p>Junior</p>

<p>Academic English
Chemistry
Japanese III
Chinese II
Pre-Calculus
AP US History</p>

<p>(APs: AP English Lang and Comp, APUSH; DEs: Psychology and Sociology (you can only fit one in to any schedule and neither fit into mine))</p>

<p>(NOTE: As of this year, my school offers DE Pre-Calc. It did NOT when I was taking Pre-Calc last year)</p>

<p>Senior</p>

<p>AP English Lit
DE Entrepreneurship
Mass Media
Environmental Science
DE Government
AP Psychology</p>

<p>(APs: AP English Lit, AP Psychology (online), AP Physics B (online), AP Calc AB (online); DEs: Pre-Calc, Government, Psychology, and Sociology (you can only take both Pre-Calc and another since the other three are end-of-the-day classes if you wish to take more than one)</p>

<ul>
<li>(I didn't take Calc or Physics because they would have been my first AP science and math (in fact, Chemistry is only offered as regular level), they would have been strictly timed, I would have to call and email my teacher instead of getting tutoring, and I would have been alone (no one is taking either).</li>
</ul>

<p>I am not confident enough in my math skills to take on that level of class with absolutely no peer support and little teacher support. Both classes have only been offered as of this year.)</p>

<p>Other Classes (from middle school for high school credit):</p>

<ul>
<li>Latin I</li>
<li>Latin II</li>
<li>Band</li>
<li>Algebra I</li>
</ul>

<hr>

<p>ECs</p>

<p>Asian Pacific Culture Club
- Founder/President</p>

<p>Beta Club
- Community Service (Salvation Bell Ringing, Helping at local festivals, raising money for Charities, etc.)
- Third Place in Creative Writing at the State Level Beta Convention</p>

<p>Performing Arts Club</p>

<p>Color Guard
- Former Captain</p>

<p>Art
- Photography
- Graphite</p>

<p>Writing
-Writing my first novel
-Published several times locally</p>

<p>Instruments
- Play the flute
- Learning piano and harmonica</p>

<hr>

<p>Application</p>

<p>When?: ED
Supplement?: Yes, plus optional submission
Essays?: Well, I a decent writer, but I still don't know how they'll react to my essays.</p>

<ul>
<li>Common App essay was about my passion for my first novel idea</li>
<li>Supplement was about me asking myself the question "Who am I?"</li>
</ul>

<hr>

<p>So, thoughts? Concerns?</p>

<p>Will my lopsidedness towards English and slowness at Math make them laugh at me and toss my application?</p>

<p>Should I be packing for JMU instead?</p>

<hr>

<p>EDIT: Cross-posted in the colleges forum.</p>

<p>Someone raised concerns about me being waitlisted because I didn't take Calc and my SATs were awfully low. </p>

<p>Thoughts on this?</p>

2

<p>What are you planning to major in? If it is anything where math and science factor in, you’re in trouble, but you know that already and I don’t think that’s where you’re headed! A question about your HS, if I may? Your class is small but the languages you take are not usually offered at a small school unless they are VERY college-prep, but you also tell us that the school doesn’t usually place grads in top schools. Add in the part where you tell us about the AP courses on-line, but then say that you aren’t taking AP Calc or Physics and I’m confused! Can you please clarify?
The problem I see is that you are “light” on courses all the way around. Surprisingly, your math courses are OK as long as you don’t intend to concentrate in an area which demands them, but you are very light on history courses, with only one AP- why no AP World and AP Euro? Why no participation on the yearbook or newspaper staff? On the basis of that, I don’t even see anything tilting heavily towards the humanities. Your languages are OK, but only one level 3 has been accomplished and you aren’t taking any this year. Colleges usually want to see at least 3 years in order to count. The senior year course load looks light to me and while you may have done an excellent job in what you’ve taken, I just don’t see any “mastery” of anything which stands out. Make sure you sit down and tweak parts of your personal statement or essays to show yourself in the best possible light. Also, when it comes to volunteer work, colleges are really looking for leadership roles that you played in a group or in a project, not just “raising money for”… Perhaps you have that and just dashed this post off to get some fast feedback, but if you have something else to include there, use it. How about National Honor Society? Any academic awards?
It’s great to have goals for the future (writing a novel), but right now, you have to show a college what you have DONE and convince them that they should invest time and effort in you. Your GC sounds like she was overworked, which most are, but I wouldn’t stress out over her error. Saying that she “lied” will get you nowhere-except in trouble- she merely made a mistake, albeit a very unfortunate one for you. Many kids do much, much better on one test than the other, and admissions offices know that, so seeing your SAT’s isn’t the end of the world, you should be more concerned about the low math score on the ACT. How does that correspond to your grades in the math courses you’ve taken in school? Hopefully, those grades are better and will enable the college admissions depts not to take the ACT mark too seriously.
I would be very interested to find out where you eventually go. As I said, the whole course load and extra-curriculars look light to me and doesn’t show that you’ve stretched yourself - if I’m wrong, please tell me, but from just what you’ve written, that’s the impression I get. If your essays and interviews are fantastic, you may well get in everyplace you’ve applied ( I am really hoping that there is some hidden gem within your study of Asian laguages and culture!) - that would be great! And, by the way, James Madison has a lovely campus and a lot going for it, so don’t look at it as if it’s purgatory!</p>

3

<p>I think you have an excellent chance of getting in. Sadly, the only thing really against you is something you can’t help - your gender. There’s a huge gender bias in W&M admissions becuase they’re trying to keep a near 50/50 ration when more lopsided ration applies (more women). </p>

<p>The fact that you’re in state and first gen (like me!) is def a help. I wish you the best of luck!</p>

4

<p>

</p>

<p>English, Art, or Modern Languages</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Japanese and Chinese are online and so is Latin. My school does not offer any of the common languages like French or German. Spanish is the only language taught in the classroom. </p>

<p>What’s confusing about Calc and Physics? I’m good at languages, not so much as math. And I know how difficult the online classes can be. So why commit suicide by taking AP Calc online?</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Um…I included in my OP the AP courses my school offers. There are only 6, and because they added three of those six this year, it’s impossible for me to take them all.</p>

<p>And Mass Media class is the yearbook staff.</p>

<p>The only languages in my school that go past level 3 are Latin and Spanish. I took two years of Latin in middle school because it was my only foreign language option. And Spanish the is the default language for everyone in my school, so the classes are overfilled.</p>

<p>My senior year is WAY heavier than 99% of the students in my school. The average for the A and AB honor roll students is only 2 APs throughout all of high school.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I included my Academic Awards in my application. My school does not have a NHS chapter. And I doubt it will anytime soon. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Yeah, I mentioned my publications. And I also wanted to mention that I’m pursuing my writing goals (which is why I’m majoring in English).</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>There are three students applying EA/ED in my school to anywhere. She shouldn’t be overworked. She made no indication that she would be sending my transcripts before the time she told me. She also sent them twice because she was unfamiliar with the Common App (which she also failed to mention), so now W&M has a mailed copy (which she sent that day) followed by the online submission (which she only figured out after she mailed it).</p>

<p>I’m sorry if that came off rude to my GC, but she’s supposed to be knowledgeable about things like this. You’re right, it is a “very unfortunate mistake.”</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I have all A’s. Like I said, I’m slow with figuring math problems. I understand the concepts perfectly, I just can’t solve them quickly.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Yeah, you got the wrong impression. I live in boondocks VA and go to a school with less than 400 students. We have no money and few desirable ECs. We have 6 APs and 4 DEs, and there’s no way to take them all. The courses I’ve taken are more rigorous than 99% of the other students at my school. There are only about 7 students school-wide that take more than 2 APs all four years. As for ECs, most people only do one or two clubs because almost every sports/club/tutoring schedule conflicts at my school.</p>

<hr>

<p>@Signitblank- Yeah, this is why I applied ED. I know this already, unfortunately. =(</p>

5

<p>Anyone else? Anyone with W&M application experience? Anyone at all?</p>

6

<p>-pokes thread- Is my post too long or something?</p>

7

<p>I’m not giving up! You will chance me!</p>

8

<p>Hehe! I’m also applying for William and Mary. </p>

<p>I think based on your extracurricular activities, in-state status, and ACT Score, you have a good shot. </p>

<p>I have similar stats! </p>

<p>Chance me!</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-william-mary/794209-what-my-chances-state-student.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-william-mary/794209-what-my-chances-state-student.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Thanks. =) </p>

<p>(And I already chanced you, silly! xD)</p>

10

<p>Rixs- sorry, it does sound like you have made the very best of what your school had to offer. I’ve had friends in your state and I continue to forget the very wider variation in educational opportunities offered in different areas there. The GC goofed, big time, but just because there are only a few of you applying EA/ED does not mean that she isn’t up to her neck in alligators.There are many, many things that they have to handle which you know nothing about- that’s not to excuse her errors, especially since it sounds like she made more than one. I’ve been through this with 2 kids now, and actually took the paperwork away from the counselor and mailed things myself with the first one (!) and my D had everything reduced to a check list last year so that nothing could go wrong- she was very lucky in that her school had a special employee who was responsible for dealing with all that was sent out to colleges, which made things a lot smoother.
You have gone after a lot of educational opportunities on your own, which is great. But, are those documented in such a way so that an admissions official at a college will know what you have accomplished? How will they know that “Mass Media” = the yearbook? That isn’t clear at all and it needs to be clarified. As for taking physics, around here, kids that are accelerated take Earth Science in 8th grade, but the private schools don’t count it, so if another science is needed those “less inclined” in that direction (my D was one!) take physics because it is more straightforward and relies less on heavy math skills.
Given that your HS education has been largely self-driven I really would like you to make sure that colleges are crystal clear on what you have accomplished and how you went about it. Could you sit down with your GC- write up a letter and actually hand it to her- and have her put something on school letterhead which explains what you have done? If that is impossible, you may have to write something yourself-sort of a “personal statement”- talk to someone in W&M’s Admissions Office and find out how to submit it. You are different and your self determination should be recognized, which should also get you an extra look from the college.
Good luck to you. Please let us know what happens.</p>

11

<p>Yeah, everyone in my school takes Earth Science in 9th grade. There’s no choice. Most advanced science is Academic Earth Science (9th), Academic Bio (10th), Reg. Chemistry (11th) and then up until last year, seniors just took Reg. Enviro because there wasn’t anything else. Now there’s Physics online, which no one is taking. </p>

<p>No one dares because the Chem teacher is awful (and therefore, they fear having to reuse the Chem concepts they “learned” in a higher science). There was a 35-point curve on her midterm and most people still failed it. X-x Talk about overkill. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I’m a first gen. and my parents know nothing about college at all. They just always paid for my AP tests and SAT/ACT and applications and didn’t really know what else to do. </p>

<p>I wrote two essays for W&M, and hopefully, they tell a lot about me. I had my favorite teacher write my rec (my APUSH teacher) and I guess my GC said good things about me. I wouldn’t know though. I can hope though.</p>

<p>My awards and publications have been been documented well, as far as I know. I don’t know about Mass Media though.</p>

12

<p>What school do you go to? My school requires the same thing – Earth Science freshmen year.</p>

13

<p>Not gonna say the exact name. Eastern VA, small rural school. </p>

<p>Yeah, my school has all these requirements…You’re on a specific science and history track until they offer Academic levels in high school and then APUSH in 11th. Math depends on what you took in seventh grade and then how well you did in Pre-Algebra. Our only English is English and your only options are Academic until 11th, where you can choose AP English Comp, and then 12th, where you can have AP Eng Lit.</p>

<p>My school sucks. ;_;</p>

14

<p>Any other comments before I let this thread die?</p>

15

<p>Yes, one more thing- you haven’t mentioned an interview. INMHO, I think you should request one. You are always going to be your own best advocate and since you are articulate, being able to explain the situation with your school, such as the courses they offered (or didn’t offer) and the fact that you sought out courses for yourself, not to mention that your parents can’t be of much help to you would be to your advantage. Interviews are not always required, but I haven’t heard of anyone being turned down if they ask for one. Call and say that your situation is unique and that you would really like to sit down with someone in the admissions deparment to let them know more about you and also to find out how the school would enrich your life.
We can see that you have the initiative to search out what you need so now you need to make yourself jump off of that application and appear 3 dimensional. You can do it. Please let us know what is going on as you progress through the fall.</p>

16

<p>Okay, here’s the deal. Just because you have low SATs, isn’t going to delete you from the application list. W&M only looks at math & CR. You have an 1110. Roughly 4% of the people admitted fall in that range. However, like you said, they are going to prefer your ACT 32. Roughly 87% of people admitted fall into that range. </p>

<p>However, the thing that will hold you back and is making me dubious about your application is the fact that you did not challenge yourself in your High School courses. For your 9th & 10th grade years, you took a lot of academic courses. You don’t seem to be ahead in math, science, history or English. </p>

<p>And also, I am not trying to sound mean but your college essay idea sound not cliche…but not very original either. There are probably tons of people that write about Who they Are. However, I cannot judge them since I did not read them.</p>

<p>You AP scores look good, but they are not a big part of your application.</p>

<p>They look at rank/GPA relative to your courseload, SAT/ACT, Extacurriculars in terms of leadership & dedication, & essays</p>

<p>Your rank & GPA look amazing but your courseload looks bad. There are going to be many people that take higher level courses than you with a better GPA. </p>

<p>ACT- you’re fine here. Don’t worry about it</p>

<p>ECs- look good. But how many clubs were you actually in? and did you hold significant leadership positions? And were you involved all 4 years?</p>

<p>Essays - I can’t comment here bc I did not read them lol.</p>

<p>And they are also going to look that you stand out of the applicant pool. </p>

<p>hope I helped? or made you feel worse :frowning: or hopefully, better</p>