What are my chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
1

<p>I'm a high school junior interested in Swarthmore (as a reach, heh) Here's my info:</p>

<p>Academics:
-All honors and one AP class
-GPA 3.8(unweighted) 4.0(weighted)
-Next year I will be taking two APs, one honors, and some academic electives</p>

<p>SATs:
-SAT I = Verbal-670, Math-650, Writing-610
-I'm retaking the SATs along with three SAT Subject Tests</p>

<p>ECs:
- lawyer on the Mock Trial team
- Debate/Model Congress
- Drama Theatre
- Jazz Band
- National Honor Society
- Modern Music Masters
- a local band--we've released a full length cd and have made countless performances (many non-profit/charity)
- various community service activites
- some employment</p>

<p>Hopefully I didn't forget anything. What do you think my chances are at Swarthmore? Any feedback is appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Are you a URM?
If not (or if you don't have some other crazy hook), your scores don't bode well for you. Although your grades are good and your ec's are alright, hopefully your essays will be good too.</p>

3

<p>I'm class president too, but I don't know if that matters.</p>

4

<p>I think most students admitted to Swarthmore look similar on paper, in terms of statistics among other things. So simply put, its just not that easy to predict chances based on statistics, especially if the statistics are in the middle of the pack or not outstandingly spectacular. That said, of course grades and standardized test scores are important; it is the foundation of making yourself a desirable candidate. However, the written responses, including your essays along with your letters of recommendation are also of great importance, especially at an institution like Swarthmore where the application review process is probably more personalized with different criteria, then say, a large university. </p>

<p>What I wrote seems very clich</p>

5

<p>Your scores are low. Your ECs could be great, and could be completely meaningless - it all depends on your level of involvement and achievement in what you did.</p>

6

<p>Chamelion:</p>

<p>You don't provide enough information to make much of an informed guess about your chances.</p>

<p>What kind of high school? Are you taking all the APs that are available? What is your class rank? </p>

<p>Your SAT scores will be viewed in the context of your background. What race or ethnicity? First generation college in your family?</p>

<p>Lacking additional context, I would say that Swarthmore is probably a pretty big reach. Without some kind of a "hook" or "tip", a middle-class Caucasian student would want to have SATs above 700 across the board, preferably above 750 on average and would want to have a very high class rank -- at least top 10%, realistically, top 5% or top 2% from most public high schools.</p>

7

<p>I think you have a shot. you should try to bring up your standardized test scores though.</p>

<p>i do hear that the "why swat" essay is really important in the admissions decision.</p>

<p>and if you REALLY want to go to swat you should consider the early decision process.</p>

<p>you have got some great ECs though.</p>

<p>good luck :)</p>

8

<p>Yeah. They really want people who want Swat. I think if you express a lot of interest in it, you have a good shot. My SATs were similar and I got in. I think being low income helped because although I'm a URM, I know 4 other black females who applied with me. One in particular with similar scores, higher grades and more ECs who got rejected. I also had an interview and I'm REALLY REALLY poor. I think economic diversity is becoming more important than racial diversity.</p>