Official Whitman Chances Thread

[catsushi]

Why not have everyone be chanced in one place? Post your stats here and we can discuss. However, if you post, then you must comment about other posts, too. (Too many times I have seen where everyone just posts stats and doesn't actually discuss each other's chances.)

I thought that this would be a good opportunity for us to evaluate what we have to offer to Whitman College, or what we might be interested in doing if accepted/rejected.

I think it'd be easier if we had a uniform format:

Academics
~SAT/ACT:
~GPA:
~Classes:
~Additional Info:

Extracurriculars
~(List them here)

Recs:

Essays:

Interview:

Additional Info/Comments:

[catsushi]

I guess I'll go first?

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 31, English 34, Math 29, Science 29, Reading 30
~GPA: 7.73 uw, weighted is over 4.0
~Classes: Rigorous courses, taking all IB classes this year (IB English, IB History, IB Pre-Calc, Japanese 400, IB Psychology, IB Art)
~Additional Info: Pending IB Certificate of Merit student

Extracurriculars
~Swimming: State swimmer, swim for club swim team year round, plan to swim for Whitman if accepted
~Art: A finalist in a national contest (painted a life-size fiberglass cow), volunteer for school art events, various other art projects for school done
~Flute: Selected to play in Wind Ensemble soph year, All-State, various other music awards, sent a recording to Whitman

Recs: I was able to read my rec from my History teacher, and it seemed good. I am always quick to participate in discussions, so I feel my rec from my English teacher was also strong. My counselor rec is from the IB Coordinator, who is also my history teacher this year, and he seems to like me (I am able to call him a racist and a jerk and get away with it?)

Essays: Okay, not my best essay for the cultural one. I wrote about being Russian and being open minded about other cultures. My personal essay is pretty insightful, I think.

Interview: It was my first interview, so I was a little shaky. It wasn't horrible, it went okay. I showed the admissions officer some of my art.

Additional Info/Comments: I am a white female, so I am concerned that this would hurt me in my chances. However, I tried to focus on the fact that I speak Russian at home and just became an American citizen, so maybe that will help, haha.

[SeniorSlacker]

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 2230 (720 CR, 720 M, 790 W)
~GPA: 3.9 (3.7 UW)
~Classes: 7 APs, 6 honors by graduation
~Additional Info: AP Scholar w/ Distinction, National Merit Commendation

Extracurriculars
~Choir: Classical Vocal Ensemble (highest choir), 5 semesters, bass section leader. We're pretty good I guess (1st place in national festivals).
~Tennis: JV, 2 years
~Chinese School: 12 years, fluent, won associated scholarship.
~Tutoring/Community Service: ADSKIP (English tutoring for freshmen), 10-11; Humanities Tutoring, 11; Peer Counseling, 12
~Work: Work at my parents restaurant, 4 years, 12 hours a week

Recs: Pretty good. Written by French teacher who I had for 4 years. Included how I studied 2nd year over the summer by myself and got a 4 on the AP exam after 3 years of classroom French.

Essays: Personal essay was pretty good. Talked about how choir helped me relate to other people. Diversity essay also good. Talked about how working exposed me to life outside the high school "bubble" and made more accepting and nonjudgmental.

Interview: N/A

Additional Info/Comments: Accepted to Whitman's Visit Scholarship Program. Teacher included extra paragraph about how I really enjoyed visit. Teacher knows someone in admissions from the school that she used to teach at. Hoping to get some kind of scholarship.

**********************************

catsushi: I think that you have differentiated yourself from other white female applicants by not only getting good grades/test scores, but also by participating in a number of different activities and emphasizing your Russian heritage. I would say you have an excellent shot.

Hopefully everything works out come acceptance time (aka soon!)

[catsushi]

Thanks, Seniorslacker.

And your SAT/GPA are very strong, as are your activities. It is obvious that you would have something to add to the Whitman community (with your abilities in languages and other personal experiences. I'd be surprised if they didn't accept you.

[skyhawkk08]

Academics
~SAT/ACT: 30
~GPA: 3.98 uw, 4.45 w
~Classes: IB Diploma (IB English, IB Biology, IB Psych, IB French, IB TOK)
~Additional Info: Scholar of the Month, ranked 5/520

Extracurriculars
Track (4 years) - Varsity Letter, Capt. Senior year
-Cross Country (4 years) - Captain, Varsity, Prestigous Coach's Award for Leadership and excellence on the team, 1 per year
-Mayors Youth Advisory Board (2 years) - Co-Chair, going to Washington DC for a National Conference on it, Historian last year.
-Uganda Club (3 years) - Organized fast for malaria, Co-President (raised $16,000 this year for our Sister School)
- National Honor Society, Vice President, Fundraiser last year.

Started an Organization/Project that works with corporations and local donors and gets brand new running shoes and donates them to low income High Schools so that student athletes who are unfortunate can have new running shoes and can run without hurting their feet. Named it "Share the Sole." So far, 150 pairs have been distributed through out the Metro Area.

- 190 Hours at Beaverton Library helping Children
- 40 Hours working at Senior Center
- IB Executive Committee

Summer: I worked as a Congressional Page last summer

Recs: One of my teacher recs said that "There are few times in teachers’ careers that we meet someone who embodies the qualities of an ideal student: reflective, curious, open-minded and open-hearted, hardworking...etc."

Essays: wrote my Common application essay on the question "How has community made you who you are?" and discussed Cross-country and the ice baths. It may sound strange, but my teachers and peers liked it. My Whitman essay was kind of last minute...as in no one edited for me, but I talked about how subtle racism in my school reflects society...meh

Interview: I didn't interview...

Additional Info/Comments: I don't want to be cocky, but I think I'm in...

[wiser]

Skyhawk08, your addtl info/comments stopped me in my tracks. Your stats are good, but Whitman looks at way more than that. Why no interview?

[skyhawkk08]

I'm not saying that Whitman is a safety by any means, but I have higher stats and better EC's than a girl who was admitted last year. My Whitman essay wasn't my best writing ever, but I think my Common App Essay will balance things out. I would be suprised if I didn't get in...but I suppose nothing is certain.

[skyhawkk08]

Oh and I just didn't have time to interview...I should have though.

Right now, Whitman is my 3rd choice..

1. Pomona
2. Claremont McKenna
3. Whitman
4. Occidental
5. Duke
6. Willamette

[catsushi]

^^I was thinking of applying to Oxy, but I ended up applying to Pomona and Whitman instead. You have good taste. ;D And we were both deferred, yay!

Yeah I think you have a pretty good shot, I wouldn't worry too much. Are you male? Because that definitely helps, too. Alas, unlike me, the white female...

[SeniorSlacker]

Oh the plight of the white female! I also applied to Oxy and Pitzer, though not Pomona or CMC. Anyone apply to Lewis & Clark or Seattle U?

[whatismouse]

Academics
~SAT: SAT 1470/2130
~GPA: 3.1 UW, upward trend with a 3.7 first sem. this year
~Classes: 3 AP's, 3 other
~Additional Info:

Extracurriculars
3 varsity sports, 11 seasons of sports. a few MVP's, etc.

Recs: excellent

Essays: good.

Interview: no

Additional Info/Comments: reach.

[catsushi]

^^whatismouse, your GPA could be your downfall, but the fact that you have an upward trend gives you a better chance. Going from a 3.1 to a 3.7 is really good. Whitman doesn't focus too much on sports, but if you're good (which I can guess from MVPs) then it could help.

So I'd give you a "maybe", it really depends on the other little details.

Seniorslacker, I was accepted to Lewis and Clark through Early Action!

[rix]

catsushi, my daughter is a swimmer at Whitman. There are many things she loves about Whitman, and the swim team is near the top of her list. The team is so close, it's almost cult-like. If you are particularly competitive swimmer, and the coach "wants" you, the admissions office does take that into consideration. Did you meet with the swim coach there? She is wonderful. Check out the recruiting video, if you haven't seen it already: YouTube - Whitman Swimming

It looks to me like you have a good shot at Whitman. I think they are looking well beyond quantiative qualifications, and compelling essays and recommendations can have a big impact. I think my daughter was on the bubble with her grades and test scores, but her interview, essays, recommendations, and the graded paper, in particular, made the difference.

It's pretty tough to predict who will get in where these days, and decisions can be confusing. (My daughter was wait listed at Kenyon, admitted to Whitman, and denied at Oxy.)

Good luck!

[catsushi]

Thank you for the information about swimming, rix! I have met the swim coach, and she seemed like she knew what she was doing. The pool was gorgeous, too. I received an email earlier stating that I was a "top recruit", not sure if that means anything. I am a sprint freestyler, so I would love to swim for relays and other sprint events.

[SeniorSlacker]

catsushi- if you weren't going to get in already, i would think that being a top recruit would help.

im still waiting to hear from Lewis & Clark about their merit scholarship. the website says that they are going to notify people before 3/15, so hopefully we will both get something good.