Official Whitman Chances Thread

[rix]

I think the "top recruit" labels makes you an even stronger candidate. If you end up visiting again after admissions decisions come in, if you like I can get you in contact with my daughter. Usually Jen, the coach, sets up meetings with currents swimmers and recruits... but regardless I'm sure my daughter and any number of the other swimmers would love the chance to meet you and tell you why they love Whitman and the swim team so much.

[catsushi]

That'd be wonderful, thank you very much. I watched the video, and I recognized one of the girls as being somebody I used to swim with. It really looks like the swim team is a lot of fun.

[Missile]

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 1880 (M: 650 CR: 640 WR: 590)
~GPA: U: 3.6785 W: 4.3928
~Classes: 4 APs, 13 Honors by graduation
~Additional Info: The lowest grade I have received all of high school was a C in Health/Gym my Freshmen year. The story isn't worth getting into, but I have made A's and B's in every class since then.

Extracurriculars
~NYLF on Law
~Tar Heels Boy's State 68th Session (City Postmaster and Alderman)
~Summer@Brown

Recs: One, I know for a fact, was excellent, but I am confident the other was very good.

Essays: Very good, I especially liked my essay on diversity.

Interview: None

Additional Info/Comments: I am from North Carolina.

[OniLawliet]

^Your scores are alright, maybe a tad low for Whitman, but certainly not bad. I think your GPA is fine, and is in Whitman's range. If it shows progression and increase since your freshman year, then you should be in good shape. Your ECs are alright...I can't really get an idea for what your "extracurricular passion" is out of them.

Ultimately, all top LACs are holistic in their admissions process, but Whitman is more so than, say, Williams, as Williams is a very competitive and selective LAC, so scores are and prestige of students is more important. Whitman is definitely more interested in you as a person though. Scores and grades are still very important, but Whitman can be more forgiving if you show you a unique personality in your application essay and ECs. I know this b/c my interviewer and the representative who visited my school (same person in both situations, actually) told me so. I think you have a good shot! Being from NC is a plus too.

Chance me?

Academics
~ACT: 28
~GPA: 3.4, school doesn't weigh.
~Classes: 2 APs by graduation. School only offers 7. Very rigorous and intense school in which it is rare for a graduating student to have taken more than 3 APs. No honors courses. I have otherwise taken a very balanced and rigorous work load.
~Additional Info: I had a fantastic interview with Whitman, with my interviewer saying that she looked forward to seeing my app. She also remembered me when she came to visit this fall.

Extracurriculars
~Heavily involved in the visual arts for all 4 years of HS, and have been a member of the National Art Honor Society for 3 years. Became Vice President of NAHS this year.
~Helped organize Spring Art Show every year, and co-planned a school poetry/art night.
~Have been studying Japanese independently for 2 years, and studied abroad in Japan this past summer.
~Writer for the school paper, and am on the literary magazine staff.

Recs: All should be good. They were written by my english, spanish, and art teachers.

Essays: Good, I guess? I worked hard on them...

Interview: Yes. Was one of the better ones I've had

Additional Info/Comments: I am from AZ. I noted in my application that I've excelled in english, spanish, history, art, but have been less successful in science and math courses. I'm heavily into languages and different cultures, and noted this in my diversity essay.

What do you think?

[jmizz20]

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 30
~GPA: 3.25 UW (taking hardest course load possible)
~Classes: This year 3 AP's, last year 2 AP's one honors, year before 1 AP.
~Additional Info: I go to a small Jewish private school in suburban Kansas City and have taken every AP and honors class possible.

Extracurriculars
Varsity Basketball- 3 years
Varsity Soccer- 3 years, captain
Newspaper- 3 years, Editor in Chief
Yearbook- 2 years, Senior Section Editor
Conservative prayer group leader
One week internship with Neurosurgeon; Jan. 2008
NYLF forum on Medicine; summer 2007.
Won journalism scholarship to attend KU Journalism Institutes's summer program; Summer 2005
Jerusalem Science Contest- Qualified for via entrance exam, and took an independent study course on forensic science this year; fall semester 2007.
Referee for JCC and YMCA for 3 years.



Recs: 2 + guidance counselor rec
1) AP English teacher; said she spent A LOT of time on it.
2) Former honors phyz teacher and KU Professor; can't imagine it would be bad.
Guidance counselor rec is very personal and in depth because he only has to do 22 of them. He discusses my upward GPA trend since Freshman year to now. (3.0 - 3.7)
Essays:
Main essay was on the cultural and economic differences of Kansas City and Atlanta (where my dad lives). Talked about why I think it's different and how I came to that conclusion. It's sort of an abstract science based paper.

Supplement diversity essay wasn't as strong, but discussed my background as a Jew and how I would help the community at Whitman.

Interview: No

Additional Info/Comments: Class too small to rank.

[catsushi]

If you post your stats, please be sure to chance others before you, or else this thread will just be a gallery of everyone's stats.

[catsushi]

OniLawliet, I think Whitman is a reach for you, but you seem to be a student with plenty of passions, so I think it comes down to what the other applicants and students are like. Good luck!

[forgottenmuch987]

Hello, I am reviving this thread.

I really want to go to Whitman, but my family's income is high enough that I probably won't get any need-based aid. Please chance me for scholarships! It's the only way I can attend a private school.

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 31 ACT
~GPA: 3.83 UW, 4.14 W
~Rank: top 5%
~Classes: 10th - 3 APs, 11th - 4 APs, 12th - 4 APs.
~Additional Info: Medium-sized public school in Oregon.

Extracurriculars:
Local, prestigious orchestra: Violin I
Violin: accepted into the All-Northwest Orchestra as a Violin I
Church youth group leader
National Honor Society: President
Model UN: Secretary
Africa charity club: VP, raised over $20,000 for a village to get clean water
Summer internship at Intel programming software.

Recs:
1) Sophomore lit teacher. He doesn't write very good recs, but he can add a lot of insight towards my classroom performance. I think I shined in his class, and he definitely likes me.
2) Junior social studies teacher that I've done independent work with. She knows me very well and I've heard that she writes really good recs.

Essays:
A quirky essay about spontaneously performing music in the streets once. I enjoyed writing this, and I think it displays my personality really well.

Supplement: Not as strong. Wrote about not letting the stereotype "asian" culture create my future as well as learning how to integrate East and West philosophy together to determine my own. Not worded exactly how I like it, but I still have some time.

Interview: Will have one soon. First interview, so I'm a little worried.

Additional Info/Comments: Accepted into Whitman's Diversity Weekend.

[mmaah]

Convey your enthusiasm and be honest about your need. Ask about music scholarships. You should also probably consider the option of external scholarships to help fill any gap. There are multiple ways to get the funding you need if you really want to make this happen. You sound like a good fit for Whitman; they will want to know about your view of how you fit and what your reasons are for wanting to be there rather than somewhere else. good luck!

[treeman]

Unlike many others who ask to be "chanced", I like the detail you have provided. You seem organized, thoughtful, and aware. I strongly agree with Mmaah about communicating how you might "fit" into Whitman's academic community. I also think it is important to communicate to Whitman that it is your first choice if, in fact, it is. Given that you aren't applying ED because of FA concerns, it would be difficult for them to know this unless you tell them. Top colleges care very much about yield, and it is probably even more of an issue if a college chooses to award you a merit based scholarship.

Hope this helps. As a final comment, I think you should think long and hard about what to write when you are asked to list the other colleges you are applying to. While I think being very honest is important in the admissions process, this question is troubling. There are numerous threads about this on other college blogs (I seem to recall a rather long one on Carleton's page), but the overwhelming view by those posting is to leave it blank.

From what I see, you look academically strong and have a very interesting record. Good luck.

[chocolatecello]

forgottenmuch987, have you looked into auditioning for a Campbell or Higley music scholarship here at Whitman? The Campbell scholarship, which goes up to $2000, is for non-majors and the Higley is for music majors and goes up to $7000. I would really encourage you to audition if you think you have chance,
Here's the site:
Whitman College Music Department - Scholarships

[prickleberry]

I'm applying to Whitman ED, and am only applying to Whitman. If i get bad news in December, I'll have all Christmas to apply elsewhere.
I'm also from Alabama, so even if i am a white female i suppose i am a geographic minority.

My SAT was a 1950
I took the ACT twice and got a 30 both times, but I heard somewhere that whitman super scores. Not sure about that, but it'd be great if they did. My best scores in each subject were a 33 in english, 27 in math, 36 in reading, 28 in science, and 32 in writing.
4 AP's and all of our classes are technically taught at honors level. I'll also graduate with five maths and five sciences.
My unweighted GPA is a 3.84, weighted is 4.27

Extracurricular wise
NHS
Mu Alpha Theta (math honors society)
Mentoring program
Teach inner city children creative writing
school representative (I think every school has a different name for this job, we usher at school and public events, give tours)
Student Government Representative
I was on the student committee that organized the first green event in my city
I have volunteered for four hours every sunday at my local library since junior year.
I have worked at my church's vacation bible school for six years, even though i'm athiest
I'm in a weekly drum circle

Extra Info: I go to a magnet arts high school, where we have class until 4:30 so we can have three hours of specialty focus periods a day. My focus is creative writing so I feel pretty confident in my essays, and I'm also sending in a creative writing supplement.

[mmaah]

You look like a good fit for Whitman to me. And your scores are definitely within their range so combined with the demonsrated interest of applying ED I'd guess your chances are good. They definitely look at the "whole picture" and are less focused on stats and more attentive to the ways a student will thrive and contribute in the Whitman community. Good luck.

[dragonmom]

Prickleberry, You sound like a good fit, and a fairly likely admit.

That said: PLEASE don't wait until Christmas vacation to do other apps. unless you know that your second choice has a late deadline or is your state school with a rolling deadline and you don't need merit scholarships. Your high school will be backlogged with applications around the first of January and won't have time to do as good a job.

[mmaah]

I agree that it is good advice to pick out your alternative schools and do some work on the applications. If you don't get the outcome you want, you will at least have the groundwork for getting the others done and in. It is hard when kids are disappointed to jump right in to doing their best work (and it is your vacation after all!) Besides, it is a good way to use up the anxious waiting time until Dec. 20...