What are my chances for these schools? Amherst, Haverford, Pomona, Swarthmore, Vassar, Wesleyan

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Hi, my GPA is 3.51 UW and SAT l is 1470 (770 EBRW and 700 Math). My SAT ll is 700 Literature, 760 US History. My essays are strong and center on the conflicts of my life and how they have shaped me.

At the beginning of high school, I was coming to terms with my sexuality, suffering through depression b/c of personal matters and stressed familial relationships and my grades really sucked. However, for the latter half of sophomore year, all of junior year, and senior year, I’ve been pulling nearly perfect grades in much harder, all AP classes. I really want to be an English, Comparative Literature major and I applied to 20 schools b/c I wanted as high a chance as I could get to get into one of my favorites.

I applied to 2 schools early : Brown ED (rejected), University of Illinois EA (accepted)

and these 18 other schools : Amherst, Carleton, Colorado, Columbia, Harvard, Haverford, Kenyon, Macalester, Michigan, Middlebury, Occidental, Pomona, Stanford, Swarthmore, Vassar, Wesleyan, and Williams.

I talked to my Brown admissions officer about why I was rejected just so I could know how to work on my RD applications and he told me it was b/c of my freshman year and first half of sophomore year grades. I don’t think I’m going to get into any of my favorite schools (Amherst, Haverford, Pomona, Swarthmore, Vassar, Wesleyan, Williams) because I messed everything up for myself when I had depression. And it’s really frustrating because I think I can handle the rigor of those schools and I know colleges won’t think that b/c of my GPA. Is it possible for me to get in? Does anyone know people who got into these schools with similar stats to mine? I’ve only heard back from Macalester so far and fortunately, I was accepted. But I feel like Mac isn’t a good predictor of other schools, just b/c Mac has a relatively high acceptance rate compared to most of the schools I applied to. I find out about Williams, Pomona, and Swarthmore this week and I’m so, so terrified. Did I mess up my chances to these colleges? Please let me know.

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Also Bowdoin!

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williams, amherst, swarthmore, and pomona are reaches for everyone, so evaluating your chances at those schools doesn’t help anything, really. it’s best to expect a rejection from all but hope for an acceptance.

columbia, stanford, and harvard are, as of last year, the three most selective schools in the country, so i’m sorry, but i don’t think you’ll be accepted to any of those.

colorado has a 5% regular decision acceptance rate, so i’m not sure you’ll be accepted there either.

michigan’s out of state acceptance rate is very, very low (14%; it could go down this year), but i still think you stand a chance there. are you in-state?

vassar is significantly easier to get into if you’re male, so i think you stand a chance there as well.

i’m having trouble deciding on your chances at carleton, haverford, and wesleyan, but i do know the former two tend to be fairly holistic when it comes to reading applications.

i think your best bets are occidental and kenyon, plus, you already got accepted into macalester, which is an extremely good school in a very convenient area.

are you hooked in any way (black, hispanic, first-generation, etc.)? did you explain in the extra information section of the common app before you submitted your application about why your freshman grades were so low? if you have a significant upward trend in your grades/gpa, colleges do like to see that, but i think it’s always good to explain why you did so poorly first.

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The ivies are complete out of reaches and I 1000% expect rejections!

I really need to differentiate between hope and expectation b/c once I hope I get in somewhere, I start expecting to get into it too which always ends messy.

I am an Illinois resident.

I don’t know if I have hooks but a lot of my essays were about me identifying on the intersections of being low-income, South Asian, gay, and Muslim. And I explained my depression and abysmal grades in the extra information section of the Common App so I hope that helps as well.

Out of the schools that aren’t my top choices, I think I would maybe go to Occidental, but I hope Vassar works out which it probably won’t or Pomona which it definitely won’t.

Also, thanks for the advice! I need to approach my admissions decisions with reality and not optimism b/c I’ll be crushed otherwise.

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@kalons ^^

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head into admission decisions full of hope, for you never know what could happen. don’t rule out macalester if it’s affordable for you! it, truly, is a very, very good school, and they saw something special enough in you to admit you. it would have been a top choice for me had i been rejected by grinnell early decision. i’m wishing you all of the best!

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You have applied to most selective schools at a time of rising college applications so it is too hard to predict your results.

Also, writing about one’s depression is a double edged sword.

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Thanks for everything @kalons and congrats on that Grinnell acceptance!! Super proud!!

@Publisher Yes, it is, but I wanted to be honest and give my colleges the best and most accurate portrayal of me, my personality, and my life experiences. Even if it negatively impacts my decisions, I would do it over again, too, because it was a significant part of my life.

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Within the past 5 years, a number of articles were published concerning college suicides & schools efforts to suspend students exhibiting issues related to depression in order to avoid the negative publicity of a suicide on campus.

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I understand the anxiety, terror, and anticipation, but at this point, with decisions coming out so soon, it’s best to let things come as they do. I know it’s easier said than done, but ruminating doesn’t often yield anything productive- if you’re currently on your spring break, give yourself the space to breath a little and look towards things with certainty. Your friends and relations, the schools where you’ve been admitted, the things you’re passionate about. I’m not saying be falsely optimistic- just try the best you can to separate yourself emotionally of other schools until the time comes to look at the decision.

In the meantime, be proud of the successes that you’ve found so far. Overcoming a tough part of your high school life to do well academically later and on the SAT. Getting an acceptance from Macalester, one of the best LACs in the country. Have you spent some time imagining what it could be like to be a Scot? Look into their English and Lit department, check out faculty interests, and feel free to reach out to people there. Connect with other students on the admitted students page. It’ll keep you excited about what’s to come when you start college, no matter where you end up. As the acceptances (hopefully) start coming in, you can cut your connection with any school that said no and look towards the distinctive experiences available at the places you’ve been admitted.

A degree from Macalester will get you to any place that a degree from Vassar, Williams, Pomona, etc. will.

Sorry I didn’t answer your questions directly. Best wishes to you.

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@nostalgicwisdom Thank you for the kinds words and the great advice! I feel better about my situation and definitely excited to look into all that Macalester offers. I’ll remember your words as these next tumultuous weeks pass by.