even worth applying?

mhm · 06-15-2009, 05:11 PM

3.4=UW
4.2=W
*I went to private school before this year so my wighted and unweighted differs because of this

IB Programme Canidate

Junior Schedule
IB English 11
AP U.S
AP Latin 4
Trigonometry
IB Theory of Knowledge
AP Government
IB Environmental

Senior Schedule
IB English 12
IB 20th Century History
IB Math Studies (Similar to AP Statistics)
IB Philosophy
AP Latin 5

***Im deciding on another class to take, the choices being: AP Psych, AP Human Geo, Creative Writing, Newspaper, Yearbook, AP Art History.....so if anyone has any suggestions on which would be the best idea to take feel free!

Sports
JV Basketball
V Soccer (freshman lettered)
V Cross Country
Lacrosse
Swimming

Highest Honors and Principle's List
Honors Society (Next Year)
Student Ambassador
Greensboro Urban Ministry volunteer
Habitat for Humanity volunteer
Amnesty International Club
Juniory SPCA club

***Looking for a productive(but cheap!) summer activity that would look good for college apps, so once again any suggestions are welcome!

also:
SAT I-1720 (im retaking it though!)
SATII-taking in the fall (recommendations?)

THANK YOU

Cammum · 06-15-2009, 06:52 PM

Your SATs are low for Colby where the average is 2100 for admitted students this year. If you can bring your SATs up to the 1900-2000 range you would be close to what they are looking for. How about considering SAT optional schools (Bates, Bowdoin, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Holy Cross, Union) where the scores wouldn't be a factor? Of these schools, Hamilton is probably the most similar to Colby.

mountains · 06-15-2009, 07:47 PM

Colby revised their standardized test requirement starting next year:

Quote:

Standardized Tests
Colby requires official results of one of the following:
the College Board SAT Reasoning Test
the American College Test (ACT)
the SAT Subject Tests (in three different subject areas)
The choice of which test(s) to take is entirely up to each applicant, and the admissions committee at Colby will use the set of test results that best advantage each applicant. For those submitting the ACT, the writing test is also recommended.

Colby College | Admissions & Financial Aid | Course Recommendations, Standardized Tests and Advanced Standing

Maybe you could take the three SAT subject tests on areas you excel? What about the ACT?

snickers412 · 06-17-2009, 05:24 PM

If you can bring your SAT up to ~2000, you probably won't have any problems getting in.

If Colby is your first choice, definitely apply ED; they take almost half the class (maybe more?) from that pool of applicants.

thinker88 · 06-17-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

If you can bring your SAT up to ~2000, you probably won't have any problems getting in.

I'm not sure that this is necessarily true. 2013s average SAT is 2100 so if there is a "magic" SAT score I would say ~2100, not ~2000. Your schedule and average look good though.

Quote:

Looking for a productive(but cheap!) summer activity that would look good for college apps, so once again any suggestions are welcome!

Get a job. You make money, gain experience, and it looks good on apps (although "looks good on college apps" is not a good way to choose summer activities).

sailfish · 06-17-2009, 10:38 PM

Applying ED is a good idea if Colby is your first choice and it does improve your chances of admission but Colby definitely does not accept half their freshman class ED--the percentage accepted early is well under that even though the ED applicant pool tends to be more qualified, at least according to some counselors.

charlie135 · 06-20-2009, 12:48 PM

While the scores will need to improve dont think that good scores are the sure ticket. The essays will need to be great. Even with great stuff its not easy. Not trying to be a debbie downer but dont think that just scores and great ECs will get you in, they look at a lot of stuff. That is not to say that you wont get in but that it will be hard.

snickers412 · 06-25-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Colby definitely does not accept half their freshman class ED

My (regular decision) acceptance letter said that almost half of the freshman class was admitted early (220 people; the total class is around 480, so that's a little less than 46%).

The ED acceptance rate certainly isn't 50%, but it's higher than the RD acceptance rate. So if you really love the school, applying ED is a good idea (and this is true for most of the liberal arts colleges out there)

thinker88 · 06-25-2009, 08:07 PM

Even if half of the class is accepted ED, I would caution against immediately assuming that that means that it is easier to get in. At many schools, a lot of ED spots go to athletes, legacies, etc. This leaves less spots for less competitive applicants and regular decision could be a better option, especially given those scores. If the scores increased to 2050 or above and Colby is your first choice, however, by all means apply ED.

jadsil · 07-02-2009, 03:36 PM

I will be attending Colby this fall. My gpa was a 3.4 uw and i think like a 3.5 weighted. I got a 570 on math a 590 on critical reading a 710 on writing and a 26 on the act. I did have really good extracurriculars though (sports captain, student body vice president), good essays, a fair number of APs, and ethnic and geographical diversity.

I think you have a good chance of getting in. Maybe in your application you can include a short statement about our test taking ability. That's what I did. Keep up with the extracurriculars and like you said, find some things that you can do this summer to add to your application.

Oh yeah, if you are set on Colby defiantly apply early. I applied regular decision and got in but like someone else said Colby takes about half the class from the early decision cycle. Good luck!