<p>By popular request, I present to thee…
**Decision: Accepted **
I’m assuming based on the website. Considering the fact that I’m already enrolled I really doubt otherwise.</p>
<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (CR/M/W): 2050 (720/570/760)
[</em>] ACT: Didn’t take
[<em>] SAT IIs: 650 Literature, 700 US History
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0 or 100): 3.75 UW, 4.45 W
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP European History (4), AP US History (5), AP Language and Composition (5)
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP Lit and Comp, AP US Gov, AP Comparative Gov, AP Spanish 5, Honors European Lit, on-level Physics and Math Analysis.
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (leadership in parenthesis):
Anti-Defamation League 9-12 (Student Council Rep 11-12, Officer 12)
Gay Straight Alliance 9-12 (Officer 11-12)
Gender Equality Club 11-12 (Co-Founder and Vice President 11-12)
Philosophy Club 10-12 (High Council/Officer 12)
The Cappies 10-12 (Lead Critic 11)
Literary Magazine 10-12 (Literary Editor/Editor-in-Chief 12)
Young Socialists Club 11-12 (Secretary 12)
Model United Nations 11-12
The Political Spectrum 12 (Co-Founder)
Young Democrats Club 9-10
Marching Band 11
Human Rights Club 12
Some other assorted clubs I barely participated in, including Computer Game Creation Club (AKA Play Halo in the Computer Lab Club) in 9th and Adopt-a-Grandparent Club (I went to one meeting and it showed up on my transcript) in 10th.
[</em>] Job/Work Experience:
Junior Counselor at Summer Camp 9, 40 hours/week
Poll Worker at November District Elections 11
Sales Associate at Five Below 11-12, ~10 hours/week
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service:
Volunteer at MANNA
Volunteer at Philadelphia Gay Bingo
Volunteer at Philadelphia AIDS Walk
Volunteer at Walk Against Hate
Volunteer at New York City Food Film Festival 2010
Other various strange activities, including taking discarded books out of the library dumpster and donating them/giving them to friends.
[</em>] Summer Activities:
Advanced Creative Writing Workshop at Columbia University, Summer 2010
Administrative Assistant at Columbia Teachers College, Summer 2011
[<em>] Barnard Essays + Common App: I thought my Barnard supplements were great. My common app essay was a bit more subjectively good, though - I wrote two common app essays and brought them to the stiff, edit-out-the-emotion writing center editor and my quirky Euro Lit teacher who’s all about making it about you. One of them was loved by the editor and hated by the teacher, the other was hated by the editor and loved by the teacher. I chose the latter, and apparently I made the right choice!
[</em>] Teacher Recommendations: I think they were good but I had to waive my rights. I had both of them for two years so I think they knew me pretty well.
[<em>] Counselor Rec: Once again waived, but I have no doubt that it was glowing. I’m really close to her. She wrote one specifically for Barnard!
[</em>] Additional Rec: Didn’t submit one. I think having too many recs can seem like you’re overcompensating.
[<em>] Interview: I was gushing SO much about my love for Barnard that she might have thought I was crazy. I also told her I planned on majoring in something poli sci-related because I didn’t see an English major as being applicable…and guess who was an English major? My foot and my mouth became very close friends. But I met with the admissions officer for my area several times and we got along swimmingly.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[</em>] State: Pennsylvania
[<em>] Country: USA
[</em>] School Type: SUPER competitive public
[<em>] Income Bracket: $100-200k
[</em>] Diversity Status (URM/legacy/first generation college, etc.): My mom goes to Columbia Teachers College but I don’t think that counts as a hook or legacy. Unless being a twin counts as diversity, then nada.
[/ul]Reflections[ul]
[<em>] Strengths: Essays, ECs, and (probably) counselor rec.
[</em>] Weaknesses: Test scores, GPA, the fact that I took low level math and science classes, and basically everything math-related on my application.
[<em>] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: I honestly don’t know. I got to know my admissions officer very, very well, so that could be it. But I’m pretty sure if I ever posted a “chance me” thread for Barnard everyone would tell me I couldn’t get in, hence the fact that I don’t believe in “chancing” people unless it’s totally numbers-based (eg: a huge state school).
[</em>] Where else were you accepted/deferred/rejected: Accepted at Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University. None of that matters now, though! </p>
<p>[li] General Comments:[/li]I think this is pretty solid evidence that numbers aren’t everything. I felt like such a pariah among the 2200+ SATs in the ED thread, and my school is incredibly competitive - the three girls I know from my school who went to Barnard last year either have super high GPAs or are varsity athletes. If you look at me on the Naviance graph I’m among a sea of red Xs. But I really showed how much I loved the school, I got to know my admissions officer, I went to classes at Barnard, I kept in touch with professors, and I wrote strong essays that highlighted my strengths and ignored my weaknesses. </p>
<p>I’ll admit, I feel bad considering the fact that most of my friends were rejected or deferred from their uber competitive ED schools. But I’m elated and I cannot wait to see all of you wonderful ladies in the fall!
[/ul]</p>