This is outrageous!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Hamilton College
1

<p>It's outrageous that I had to use a shocking thread title to get your attention lol!</p>

<p>Wait before you click away, give me a chance....no seriously chance me :D please</p>

<p>I'm an international student I'm really debating whether or not to apply ED I. </p>

<p>Hamilton is my first choice school but my current SAT score is low (1850) so I took the Nov SAT to increase my score and I feel really confident that my score will be at least 2050. Other stats:</p>

<p>GPA 3.75
SAT II: Bio-M 650, Chem 690
200+ hours of community service
Science Club president 2 years
Varsity Swimming 4 years
Varsity tennis 2 years
Cultural Awareness Club 1 year
School Prefect 2years</p>

<p>I know the SAT score is only one aspect of my application but the other aspects I feel are really good, the only detracting aspect of my application would be my SAT score. November scores come out the 22nd and the ED I deadline is the 15th O.o I don't want to be presumptuous and apply and then it turns out that my score isn't that high and i get rejected.</p>

<p>So do you think I have a shot? thank you in advance for your response</p>

2

<p>Chances aren’t very good, sorry. Add another 150 points to the SAT and you’ll be in MUCH better shape.</p>

3

<p>Don’t apologize, this is the honesty I’m looking for so thank you.</p>

<p>Add another 150 to the 2050 or the 1850? I’m not sure which you’re referring to.</p>

4

<p>bump! anyone else wants to chime in, your help would be greatly appreciated. any current Hamilton students here?</p>

5

<p>150 to the 1850. 1850 is exactly the 25th percentile at Hamilton.</p>

<p>[College</a> Navigator - Hamilton College](<a href=“College Navigator - Search Results”>College Navigator - Hamilton College)</p>

6

<p>oh awesome! i feel my new score would meet that. </p>

<p>So do you think i should go ahead and apply ED given that i feel my new score would be at least 150 points higher. Because that’s the major question here.</p>

<p>I didn’t want to apply ED I and then my SAT score turns out to be 1950 instead of my anticipated 2050+ and then they end up rejecting me.</p>

7

<p>1950 would still put you in a decent spot.</p>

<p>That said, I don’t think you should apply ED if you’re not sure about it. If Hamilton is the school you know you want to go to, and you know you’ll be able to pay for it, then go ahead and apply ED, but not if you’re not 100% sure.</p>

8

<p>Sorry to burst your bubble, but 1950 WOULD NOT put you in a decent spot for a highly selective college like Hamilton, especially for International Students (probably the most selective pool of applicants). I’m being sincere, and am speaking from my own experiences.
You will need a score of <em>at least</em> 2200 to make your application competitive.
If you want to be chanced seriously, you should mention your exact status. Are you a non-US citizen? This really matters: international students with US passport are in a much less selective pool than those without US passports. This is because they are eligible for Federal Aid. You must also mention how much you are willing to pay for your education. The cost of attendance to Hamilton is approximately $57,000. Are you expecting to pay for all of it?
Also, your extra-curricular activities must be <em>outstanding</em>. All the applicants have the same, if not much greater, credentials.
You must also mention which country you’re from? Hamilton is a relatively homogeneous school; if you’re from some exotic country, this might just bump your chance. However, don’t rely on this for admission; it’s purely luck.
I just don’t want you to be in a fool’s paradise when you apply. Next time you want to be chanced, include the details I mentioned.
Best of luck.
Cheers!</p>

9

<p>applying to any school early decision gives you a better chance of getting in. If Hamilton is the only school you want to go to, like it is for me (applying ED), then you should apply there early.</p>

10

<p>@vineethrao93, where are you getting your information? A 2200 isn’t necessary to be considered at Hamilton. Look at the middle 50% on the .gov website I just cited. A 2200 would be top 25%. A 1950 is on the low end, but it’s far from a score that would rule out a candidate.</p>

11

<p>Lol… you’re forgetting that DMA017 is an international student. It’s not good enough to be in the lower 25th percentile. Also, 1950, not 1850, is the 25th percentile boundary (not that it really matters). Check College Search.
Do you honestly think that being in the lowest end of the middle 50% is part of a competitive application?</p>

12

<p>^Are you confusing “competitive” with “safety”? He has a chance if he gets a 1950. It’s far from a waste of an application. You’re not sitting on the admissions board. You have no insight about Hamilton other than the stats, and the stats say plenty of kids get admitted with that score or worse. With an 1850, his chances are very low. With a 1950, they improve considerably because he’s in the middle 50%. With a 2200 he’s much more likely to get in than not because he’s in the top 25%. There, no more ambiguity about what exactly “competitive” or “a decent spot” means.</p>

13

<p>Errmm… I’m actually a student studying here. :slight_smile: Lol. So, I might be knowing a little more about Hamilton than you :slight_smile:
Stop babbling and actually listen to what I’m saying. I never said it’s a waste of an application; I just said that he does not have a decent chance. He needs to give more details, which I mentioned in the first post, if he wants a more accurate evaluation. Also, you have not responded my comment about being in the international admissions pool. As for, “stats say plenty of kids get admitted with that score or worse”, this applies to <em>US Citizens</em>. It is a different story for international students. Stop blindly following stats; there’s much more to admission than SAT score, as you probably are aware.</p>

14

<p>^“Decent” is subjective. I’m not going to argue with you about it. I cited a government website that says a 1950 puts him within range. You have no stats for how much more competitive international admission may be (in my experience, international status is much more relevant for financial aid than for admissions). You also haven’t seen his essays, don’t know what country he’s from, and don’t know how many other people will apply with similar ECs or from the same country, all of which can factor in. The biggest thing we know about admissions at competitive colleges is that they’re NOT predictable. You’ll have to explain how your being a student there gives you insight into a competitive college’s opaque admissions process.</p>

15

<p>does anyone know what time exactly on December 15 they notify us if we got in or not? I heard 8 pm EST from someone, but I am not sure if that is true</p>

16

<p>vineethrao93, I’ve taken your advice and I’m providing a bit more information</p>

<p>Sex: Male
GPA: 3.75
SAT: 2100 ( CR 710, M 720, W 670) just found out today :D!
SAT II: Bio- M 650, Chem 690
Race: Black/African-American
Applying for FA; Yes.
Status: Currently I’m an International Student, however I’m moving to the US in Jan. So I guess when the ADCOM is reviewing my app I’ll be listed as a domestic student.</p>

<p>ACTIVITIES, VOLUNTEER/OUTREACH, OTHER WORK, AND SPORTS</p>

<p>• Swimming Team, 4 years: </p>

<p>…50m Freestyle
…100m Freestyle
…50m Breaststroke
…50m Backstroke </p>

<p>• Science Club, President 2 years:
…Best Academic Club for the year 2009 – 2010</p>

<p>• Volunteer Tutor, 2 years:
…Tutored students from my High school in Information Technology and French</p>

<p>• Volunteer, University Hospital </p>

<p>…Tropical Metabolism Research Unit: While volunteering at the TMRU, I assisted the on-staff nurses in their initial screening of patients such as, checking blood pressure, height and weight measurements, general question and answer. Moreover, I would lend my time to the Pediatric ward of TMRU where I helped to take care of babies and children with severe malnutrition. When there I would assist the nurses with entertaining, feeding and cleaning the children.</p>

<p>…Epidemiology Research Unit: While volunteering at the ERU, I acted as a research assistant to Dr. Leslie King. As her assistant, I worked in the labs as well as assisting her with data gathering and entry for her various research projects during the summer.</p>

<p>…Sickle Cell Unit: My duties here were similar to those at the Tropical Metabolism Research Unit. I would assist nurses in the initial screening of patients and with general question and answering about the Sickle Cell Disease. </p>

<p>• Volunteer, Local Veterinary Clinic, 3 years
…Assisted in the veterinary clinic
…Worked with stray the animals to develop one-on-one relationships. Activities included: exercising and socializing with the animals, feeding and cleaning, etc</p>

<p>• Senior Prefect, High School Prefect Association 2010 - 2011 </p>

<p>•Summer Employee, Computer Technician </p>

<p>•Varsity Tennis, 2 years</p>

<p>•Church Youth Leader, 2 years</p>

<p>•Cultural Awareness Club, 1 year</p>

<p>Currently on Gap Year, volunteering with the United Nations. In January I will begin a 6-month volunteer medical program at New York Methodist Hospital.</p>

17

<p>Don’t listen to vineethrao93 - you don’t need a 2200 to get into Hamilton. This doesn’t mean that Hamilton is a bad school; it’s the best place ever - but it’s not that competitive.</p>

<p>Now, that you have 2100, you stand a good chance but of course you never know.</p>

<p>I had 2040 and got in. I am international. And I got a full ride of $50k. Chill out:)</p>

<p>P.s. Note that the applicaiton requirements are:</p>

<p>Three exams of your choice, which must include a quantitative test, a verbal or writing test, and a third test of student’s choice. The following tests satisfy Hamilton’s quantitative and verbal/writing requirements:
Acceptable Quantitative Tests: SAT Math; SAT Subject Tests in Math, Chemistry, or Physics; AP Computer Science, Chemistry, Economics, Math, or Physics; IB final exam results for Chemistry, Computing Studies, Economics, Math, Physics, or Physical and Chemical Systems</p>

<p>Acceptable Verbal/Writing Tests: SAT Critical Reading; SAT Writing; ACT Writing; AP English Language and Composition; IB final exam results for Language (A1, A2, or B English); TOEFL Exam (for International students ONLY)</p>

<p>So, if you took a TOEFL exam, you can send it in as one, and then the two higher SAT section scores along with it:)</p>

18

<p>wow 50k! I’m applying RD , hopefully they can meet my need. especially since I’d be considered a domestic student. </p>

<p>Quick Question Ksanyee, hows the winter so far at Hamilton. From google it seems like Hamilton is way way upstate so i’d imagine the winters to be brutal. Secondly because it so upstate its almost rural, what’s the campus life like is there anything to do outside of campus.</p>

19

<p>I’m applying ED I, and I too have a lot of experience working in the Hospital. Hamilton’s admissions, which I don’t think vineethrao93 is very involved in, (unless the admissions people are just cynical people going on blogs and “bursting bubbles”, then I guess I’m wrong.) loves that we dedicated our time for a field like medicine!
I have been told again and again by both Hamilton Students, Involved Alumni, and a person way up there in admissions that the test scores are looked at much less than they were a few years ago. If you want to be taken seriously by Hamilton, you need to write the best essay of your life, as well as have excellent recommendations.
I wish you the best of luck! :)</p>

<p>Also, I see you were working in tropical medicine. Have you ever considered looking at Tulane down in New Orleans? They have the best programs that specialize in Tropical Med.</p>

20

<p>You both sound great! If Hamilton doesn’t work out, seriously consider Colgate as the two schools are quite similar and could provide tropical medicine experience, especially in January.</p>