Demographics
US Citizen
State/Location of residency: Colorado
Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public
Other special factors: older brother currently attends school
**Intended Major(s): Neuroscience, psychology
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
GPA: 4.563 weighted on 5.0 scale, 4.0 unweighted
Rank: 15 out of 350
SAT: 1520 (790 English, 730 Math)
IB Math AA SL: 5
IB Spanish SL: 6
AP Computer Science Principles: 4
AP Computer Science A: 4
List your HS coursework
English: honors classes fresh/soph years, IB English Literature HL
Math: honors classes fresh/soph years, IB Math AA SL, AP Calculus BC
Science: honors classes fresh/soph years, IB Physics HL
History and social studies: honors classes fresh/soph years, IB History SL, IB Psychology HL, IB TOK
Language other than English: honors class freshman year, IB Spanish SL, AP Spanish
Visual or performing arts: Choir (4 years), Drama (2 years)
Other academic courses: AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A
Awards
Nominated for HOBY Leadership Summer Program
Local newspaper arts student of the week
Selected for summer home-stay exchange to Mexico
National Honor Society President
Choir Leadership Team President
Commended National Merit
Extracurriculars
Founder of A Capella club
Founder of Border Initiative Service Club
Cross Country (3 years)
Volleyball (1 year)
Soccer (Varsity 4 years)
City Youth Council (2 years)
Weekly volunteering @ local hospital
School musicals (3 years)
Table Busser @ local restaurant (1 year)
Essays/LORs/Other
Likely very strong LORs
Mostly strong essays
After reading some other threads, I just wanted to clarify that I don’t need advice on other school options or financial aid. We’ve done our research, and know this school is a viable financial option for me! I also have balanced numbers of safeties, targets, and reaches, but Dartmouth is my top choice as my older brother is a student there and I am inspired by his experiences with the academic and social environments.
Then apply and see. You sound well qualified to me, but I’m not an adcom, and none of us knows the strength of those applying for admission this year.
You have other options if this doesn’t work out, so…go for it. Why not?
Congratulations on your excellent record. You will clearly make theacademic cut - it will probably come down to the LOR’s, essays, and how your overall submission is perceived as a whole. Question for you: in what ways are your stats/activities similar or different than your brother’s?
I agree with others. You seem academically competitive for Dartmouth, which means you have a realistic chance, enough for it to be worth applying ED if it meets the other basic criteria for ED being a good idea.
Beyond that I would not hazard an exact probability, but I don’t think you need one to make this decision.
My brother and I have similar academic records—4.0 and full IB Diploma Programme with compsci and arts classes as well (him band, me choir and drama). He tests better than I do. He was a National Merit Finalist and had a stronger SAT than me (1560), and he scored higher on the IB Spanish exam than me (7). He didn’t participate in the same leadership activities as I have, but he was the drum major of our school’s marching band and was the lead role of our school’s musical his senior year. He ran track competitively (competed at state for triple jump and 4x100m relay) and played soccer, lacrosse, and ran cross country less competitively. He applied to Dartmouth RD, not expecting to get in because before he did we were under the impression no one got in to Ivy Leagues from public school (my other older brother was waitlisted at Brown with the exact same academic record and slightly better extracurricular activities). I hope this is some good information for people to compare their own applications with to determine chances of acceptance to one of these schools! What I’ve learned from watching my brothers go through the process is that getting into these schools is mostly a lottery.
You have amazing qualifications, and I really think that you’re fully qualified to study at Dartmouth.
However, as you already know, there is never a sure thing when it comes to extremely competitive school applications. The best you can do is nail that essay, and make sure to have your voice and personality shine through.
The rest is really just luck and institutional priorities.