Chance Me, deferred Vassar applicant [3.9 GPA, top 10% rank; history major]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Hi all!
I was deferred from Vassar ED and am trying to think of how likely my chances are. It is my top school, and I want to go there. I would also love some suggestions for other schools. I’m looking for less than 6,000 liberal arts schools in the Northeast.

At a school with 4,500 students. Planning to major in History.

4.282 GPA
Top 10% of class (school does decile rank)
Test Optional
12 AP/Dual Enrollment classes
Taking four APs this year and other honors classes.

Varsity athlete (state champion, competed in national competitions), founder and president of a club for 3 years, yearbook editor-in-chief and design editor for 3 years, NHS and national social studies honor society, involved in a community service club, and many other clubs.

Strong personal statement about leadership
Supplemental about community service group

No legacy at Vassar but a big legacy at Middlebury

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What’s your unweighted GPA?

What do you love about Vassar?

What is your cost scenario?

Deferred means you have a chance. How good a chance I don’t know - but yes, you need fall backs.

I assume you have already.

There’s tons of LACs that will be strong in history - if you like open curriculum, Kalamazoo will be a safety…but more urban.

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Unweighted GPA isn’t calculated at all at my school, so it’s unclear.

I loved the sense of community there, their athletics, and the location. Everyone I talked to from there was so welcoming, and I loved it when I visited. It was such a beautiful campus, and the faculty seemed amazing.

As of now, cost is not a significant factor in my applications.

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It’s very clear. Go look at your transcript. 4 for an A. 3 for a B.

Even plus and minus

If you have 30 classes and all are the same credits. Divide the total by # of classes.

Remove non core like pe.

Forgetting that do u have a safety ?

If not what is it about Vassar that you like ?

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My son (also class of 2024) had Vassar high on his list for many of the reasons you list. His other top contenders were Wesleyan, Hamilton, Reed College (wrong coast for you), Skidmore College and Connecticut College. His more target options in New England were Wheaton College, Clark University, and Bard College. Outside of New England he liked Oberlin and Macalester.

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You were deferred so they think you’re competitive but want to compare you with their RD applicants and they know they’re your #1 choice. Your odds are decent, especially if you have good grades 1st semester and have new things to add by February compared to September-October.

What Social science/Humanities classes have you taken? What level in foreign language(s) will you reach at the end of senior year?

Not in the Northeast but good for what you’re interested in&similar vibe as Vassar, Macalester.
Middlebury, ConnColl, Kenyon and/or Denison?
Are Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Skidmore, Lafayette, Gettysburg, Wheaton MA, Allegheny on your list already?

Have you been admitted to safeties you like? If not, it’s still time to look for good, affordable choices.

When you say cost is no concern, does it mean your parents have 300k in a 529 (or other funds) for you or that they’re among the few who can afford their EFC/SAI?
Have you run the NPC on each college?

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Vassar alum here and I would suggest this is a great list.

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Have you considered Trinity College in Hartford? If you are open to going a little further south (Maryland) Goucher would be a safety for you (PS another Vassar alum here!)

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Have you done any arts-related activities? Chorus or band, theater, fine arts, dance? Have you held a paid job? LACs in general like to see these things in addition to academics and my impression is Vassar in particular values them.

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Thank you!! Ive applied to almost all of those so that makes me feel better about it :slight_smile:

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No arts activities, but I’ve had two paid jobs since freshman year.

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Great. That with your athletic background makes you a competitive candidate.

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I’ve taken AP World and APUSH, and I am taking AP Gov now. I went to a dual language elementary school and took AP Spanish Lang; my teacher for that was one of my letters of rec.

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Thank you! I’ve talked with one of the coaches there, and they have been very helpful :slight_smile:

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Vassar to me is kinda a unique college (even in a field of unique colleges) due to its history as Seven Sister that neither stayed a women’s college nor got absorbed. There is a lot of tradition there, a beautiful campus, a really nice academic mix, and so on.

Among NESCACs, I’m sure opinions will vary, but I would go with Wesleyan as maybe the closest cousin.

But personally, I think looking at least a little outside the NESCAC footprint can be a good idea. Like, I think potentially the Haverford/Bryn Mawr BiCo situation could be appealing to someone who liked Vassar. I note between them the BiCo have a little over 2800 undergrads, and Vassar is itself is nearly 2500, so it is actually a good match size-wise, and I think the BiCo is tight enough to make it functional for pursuing academic and other interests across both colleges as relevant, plus a bit of Swarthmore (TriCo) or even Penn (Quaker) as warranted. But my sense is the BiCo is particularly well-used.

I’d personally also look at Carleton. Obviously that is now well outside your desired region, but it is another college with a lot of strong traditions, and very good academics, and not too far from Minneapolis/St Paul.

Oberlin is yet another college with a lot of traditions and strong identity, and a very good History Department, not far from Cleveland.

Finally, what about William & Mary? Again, very strong in History, lots of tradition, pretty unique vibe. A little larger than you wanted, but I think it feels smaller.

I guess my point is I think you will need to choose between colleges physically closest to Vassar, and colleges closest to Vassar in other ways, in terms of what is actually most important to you.

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What about Sarah Lawrence? Its $$$$$ but checks several of your boxes.

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Applied there!

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Apologies if I missed it, but were you a recruited athlete in your sport? State champion is usually a big deal and indicative of being pretty high level in your sport.

If so, were you recruited by any other school? Do you want or intend to continue your athletic career in college?

I ask because this is a big missing piece to your story. An athletic hook is about as good as it gets, though often less so at Vassar as compared to the other schools on your list. What about Middlebury? Are you applying? I don’t think they’ve officially dropped legacy as a consideration for admission and it’s a wonderful college with a powerful name.

I agree that the most Vassar-like NESCAC is going to be Wesleyan. That is of course just an opinion, but I think it’s shared by many others.

But what’s the deal with your athletics?

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Sounds like you’ll have some good opportunities then - Connecticut College for example, is less competitive but still tough.

Good luck.

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I applied to Oberlin; I toured Haverford and Bryn Mawr and didn’t love it. I’ve looked into William and Mary, but it just wasn’t a good fit for me personally, and their athletics weren’t what I wanted. These are good things to keep in mind, though; thank you!

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