Hi, I am a current senior at Rutland High School in Rutland, VT, and I have already applied to Middlebury College Early Decision as of late October. I am (more than) a little nervous about the admissions decision that will arrive in my inbox on December 7, so as all people seem to do these days, I have decided to turn to this forum to gage my real chances of getting in. I am a United States citizen and a caucasian male, and am applying under the majors of Political Science, International Politics & Economics, and History. Additionally, I applied to be considered for both September and February admission.
To start off, my GPA is a weighted 101.95 on a 104 scale, and I am in the top 10% (or maybe higher) of my class. I have, however, struggled with procrastination all four years of high school and have received docked Habits of Work (HOW) Grades as a result. Though many of these are not terrible, around half are less and proficient. HOW Grades are not factored into the GPA, but do appear on the transcript. I have not taken a class below the honors or AP level except for certain classes required for graduation. Last year, I took four APs and this year I am taking three APs.
My highest SAT is a 1370 with a 700 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section and a 670 in the Math Section. My superscore is 1380, the only difference being a 680 in the Math Section. My highest essay score is 7 6 7. My AP Tests were a 4 in English Language & Composition, a 4 in United States History, a 3 in Calc AB, and a 3 in Biology. I was also the recipient of the AP Scholar with Honor distinction.
Out of the entirety of my application, my activities seem to stand out the most. I have done several student exchanges to Japan, Germany, and Spain during my freshman, sophomore, and senior years, respectively. I am the Chair of the High School Democrats of Vermont, a member of the HSDA Rural Caucus, and was selected to attend the national summit this past June. I have been a member and a lead attorney on my school’s Mock Trial Team, and we have won the state championship every year since my freshman year. I also compete in Extemporaneous Speaking in Speech & Debate as the captain of my school’s team, and have won many tournaments, ranked as a state finalist two times, and qualified for Nationals my freshman year.
Additionally, I was the captain of the Varsity Golf Team this past fall, and during this season we won the Southern Conference Title as a team, and I was the individual medalist for this tournament. In past years, we have won (or come a bit short) of the state championship many times.
Some other major roles I hold in school and community activities include former Class Senator, current Executive Board Representative, NHS Historian, HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership) Ambassador (in VT and at the World Leadership Congress in Chicago), HOBY Junior Advisor at the state seminar, 1st Chair Tenor Sax in the school Symphonic and Jazz Bands, a delegate at National High School Model United Nations in Manhattan, and a member of our regional annual audition only symphonic band, Green Mountain Music Districts.
I have worked two major jobs besides babysitting, which were both over the summer months and are associated with my hopeful career path. The first was a paid legal internship with an esteemed local Civil Litigation law firm in 2018. At this internship, I provided research for partners and support for administrative staff. Similarly, at an internship at the State’s Attorney’s (District Attorney) Office, I provided support to the State’s Attorney and staff and attended courtroom proceedings. My community service has been ample for many years. My two largest community service contributions are with the Rotary Club to sell Christmas Trees every Christmas (I have done this since 2014), and assisting with Operation Bundle-Up to provide winter clothing to people in need.
When it comes to awards and honors, I received one book award, the Harvard Alumni Association Book Award, this past spring. According to my research, this book award is present on an international basis and is quite rare, however it was awarded on a school level, so I’m not sure of its total weight or credibility. Two years ago, I was a finalist in a statewide essay contest hosted by Senator Bernie Sanders, and was accepted to be included in a pool of 20 out of over 800 applicants. As a result, Senator Sanders hosted us at the statehouse for a roundtable discussion, and our essays written on political issues were entered into the Congressional Record. Finally, I am a member of two other honor societies at my school, including the Tri-M Music Honor Society and Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica.
I received two letters of recommendation from two great teachers I’ve had in the past two years. One was my English Language & Composition teacher from last year, and the other was my sophomore year World History teacher. Additionally, my World History teacher is also my Speech & Debate and Mock Trial coach, and has seen me exhibit a lot of growth over the years. I am considering adding an optional recommendation right now, and am trying to decide between a paraeducator who was seen me work above and beyond with students in Unified Sports twice over the past three years (I’ve taken the class twice) or the State’s Attorney that I interned for during her campaign and in the office. Any thoughts on this?
My common app essay is written in response to the prompt which asks students to “discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.” In this essay, I discuss how I thought that I had contributed what I thought I could to solutions for gun violence when my essay for the Senator Sanders contest (written on gun control) was entered into the Congressional Record, and how I realized this was far from the truth when the Parkland shooting happened four days later. I then discussed the series of actions I took after Parkland to directly address the issue with action instead of just the written word. I bring up my involvement in March For Our Lives by hosting a rally which attracted the support of thousands, hosting a letter writing campaign on the same issue the week after, and hosting additional rallies about other issues later on. I further explain that this period of personal growth resulted in my increased involvement in seminars such as HOBY and the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (a current issues seminar) to exchange perspectives with others. The moral of my essay is that activism is not just and option, but a mandate, and that I am willing to dedicate my future to contributing the most I possibly can to a reformed society which will be better for next generations.
Based on all of this (perhaps extraneous) information, what would you say my chances of admission are at Middlebury for Early Decision 1? I am really hoping that I have a good shot at getting in, for Middlebury is by far my number one school and I would be ecstatic to attend for the next four years. Thanks so much!