Am I really a competitive applicant to highly selective colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Lately, I’ve been really trying to narrow down my college lists and I’ having trouble doing that. I know you are only supposed to have 1 to 2 reach schools but I have like 10. Yeah, I know I’m very ambitious, but I need to know if I’m even competitive for these colleges so I don’t I waste my time and apply to them.
So Here are my credentials:
-GPA: 3.9 weighted 3.7 unweighted
-Made all A’s in my junior ( I’m currently a junior and hope to make all A’s spring semester also)
-In 9th grade I made too k accelerated math and made Ds both semesters :frowning: #-o
-10th grade I made a C in math then I made a B (so I’ve improves a lot)

  • I’m interested in Art
    • took a lot of art classes every year of high school
    • I’ve been the vice president of National Art Honor Society (10th Grade)
    • Have some art recognition in my high school but that is it
  • ECs
    -Beta Club (11th)
    • Interact Club (11th)
    • NAHS /Art Club (9th-present)
      -Teen advisory board at local library - I am currently the Chair- (11th)
  • I don’t know if this has any relevance but I applied to boarding school twice and got dined both times. I think that is probably a little unique, I guess.
  • I haven’t taken the SAT or Act yet but I plan on making a 1400 on the new SAT and a 31 on the ACT. I also plan on making 4s and 5s on the APUSH, AP Lang and AP studio Art exams.

These are the colleges that I am looking at:
Amherst
Brown (brown- risd program more specifically)
Dartmouth
Scripps
Washington university in St. Louis
University of Richmond
U Chicago (my favorite)

2

31 on ACT and 3.7 UW GPA would make your reach schools a very high reach.

3

I agree these are all pretty far reaches but if you are truly deeply talented in art and figure out which schools take a portfolio as part of your app perhaps that could make a difference. You really need some test scores to figure this out more exactly.

4

No one can say they “plan to get (insert awesome score)” because that is nothing to base a chance off of. Everyone plans to do well on standardized tests but that doesn’t always happen. Get test scores and then let people reevaluate your chances. Good luck

5

How can you have a 3.9 with 2 D’s and a C on your transcript?

6

I took a bunch Ap and honor classes through out high school. My school weights both of them.

7

It does not matter how your HS weights your AP and Honor classes, it will be how the colleges weight them. I agree with other posters that the schools on your list are Reaches just based on GPA alone. Come back when you have some solid test scores. No one can chance on predicted scores.

8

Last year my D was rejected by Amherst, Brown, and U.Chicago with a 36 ACT and 3.82 UW GPA. The level of extracurricular achievement expected of students applying to these schools is a little scary. Applying to reach colleges is fine but don’t apply to so many that your application is watered down. An upward trend in grades is definitely noted by admissions officers but it’s usually B’s going to A’s not D’s or C’s. It is way competitive out there

9

I’m sure the acceptance rates for most colleges are higher for art majors, but most of the schools on this list are very high reach. I would suggest getting a 33+ on the ACT so this puts you average-above average for most of these schools in that regard. Keep working towards that higher GPA! This can’t hurt :)>-

10

You have a good chance at both Scripps and Richmond.

11

If you are VERY talented at art, you have a shot. Start entering art competitions/exhibitions and working on your portfolio. However, I would add more match/safeties for your schools. Some of the schools on that list are essentially out of reach because of stats - eg UChicago is known for extremely difficult academics, so I’m not sure anything could mitigate multiple Ds and Cs for them. But I guess it doesn’t hurt to apply if you have the money/effort to spare.

12

I think it’s too early to chance you right now. But I would say that you would need a really good score. I assume you are looking more into liberal arts. I think you might have a shot at Scripps, Richmond and Washington. The others, I doubt it.

13

Thanks for all of your feed back! It has really helped me narrow down my list and recenter my college list.

14

WashU is comparable difficulty to Dartmouth and Amherst, harder than Scripps or Richmond.

15

I’ll admit your resume is a bit on the downside. Not the greatest EC’s and weaker test scores. Hopefully it changes: stronger grades, more leadership positions or more significant EC’s? Best of luck!

Chance me?http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19328701#Comment_19328701

16

RISD is separate from Brown, just an fyi

17

You’re a junior. So what are your PSAT scores?

18

My PSAT scores aren’t the best because I didn’t study for it but I got 1090 overall. I’ve redirected my college search because I felt like I was looking at a lot of schools based on their reputation and not really what college experience they would offer me. I’m still interested in wash u , scripps and university of richmond. I am currently looking at usc, uga, Agnes Scott, temple, grinnel and Colorado college. (I’m only a junior so I’m still narrowing down my list)

19

Addalinemore, I know the colleges are seperate and they have the brown dual degree program which is really cool but is is even more selective than brown.

20

Positive grade trend will help you, but GPA and ACT will definitely hurt you. Competitive schools are eliminating thousands of applicants. Quantitative results make their decisions a lot easier.

I’m in a similar position. I would tell you to forget about the ivy league.