Chance me for Bryn Mawr ED1: Class of 2027 (Psychology major, 3.8 GPA [3.3 unweighted GPA], soon to take SAT)

Chance Me / Match Me
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Hello! Bryn Mawr is literally the perfect school for me. I don’t have the craziest academics but I have tons of verifiable ECs (that aren’t just creating a club for aps) and really good essay skills. I’ve seen people get in with worse academics than me, so I have some hope. Thank you for reading!

Demographics

  • US domestic
  • State/Location of residency: SC
  • High ranked high school

Cost Constraints / Budget

Definitely can’t afford their regular tuition, but I qualify for their Beacon program by a lot. (One of the main reasons I want to go!)

Intended Major(s)

Psychology, Sociology

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.3
  • Weighted HS GPA: 3.8
  • Haven’t taken the SAT yet, but when I do I’ll put my score here. Im shooting for 1400, got 1200 on PSAT.

List your HS coursework

  • English: 3 honors, 1 AP so far
  • Math: everything up to precalculus
  • Science: physical science, biology, chemistry honors
  • History and social studies: 2 honors 1 AP (euro)
  • Language other than English: German 1,2 and 3 honors (should I do 4?)
  • Visual or performing arts: Guitar 1 and 2 honors
  • Other academic courses: JROTC 3 years, Culinary Arts double blocked class 2 years

Awards

National Society of Daughters of 1812 award (2025)

Swim Team regional comps (won a lot of events)

Extracurriculars

Swim team 7 years won regional awards

DECA went to regional comp

JROTC lots of stuff (flight commander, color guard commander, seriously ask me about this one its so much stuff)

Shatter the Myth 6 years (drug and alchohol awareness, in line with my career dreams!)

Model UN went to regional comp

Mental Health Club social media manager

Kitty Hawk Air Society

Color Guard commander/ president

Flight Commander (essentially I teach a class of JROTC)

Middle Color Guard commander/ president

JROTC recruitment secretary 2 yrs

40+ verifiable community service hours

50+ verifiable Leadership Development Requirment (LDR, ask about what this is) hours.

Ringing of bells Salvation Army 2 yrs

Irmp park community cultural festival 4 yrs

Food drive Scare Hunger 3 years (raised over 4,000 lbs of food this year with my unit)

Adopt a Highway 4 yrs (cleaning up trash, twice a year on a highly littered highway)

Boy Scouts of Americansuperbowl food drive 4 yrs

Veterans Day parade 4 yrs

Essay

Because I’m a junior currently, I haven’t written an essay yet but I’m already brainstorming ideas. I know that I dont want to harp on my trauma, but If it helps I have had a lot of hardship with being taken away from my parents by CPS and mental health issuesnyears ago. I really do not want to make my essay a pity party but I’m seeing a lot of people getting in with this. Any tips on that?

Schools
Bryn Mawr ED1

Holyoke

Reed

Smith

USC

Agnes Scott

Rhodes

Syracuse

PS: Sorry about the sloppiness of this post, I can write much better than this! I’m doing this before I need to go to school. Thank you, bye!

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I’d recommend you focus on bringing up your grades and test scores. They are unfortunately not currently competitive for most of the schools on your list. Additionally, some schools will offer free tuition for financially needy students, but may still charge for room, board, insurance, etc. So free tuition may not mean a full ride. Other aid may be based on demonstrated need.You may want to check into that at the schools you are considering. Have you considered continuing ROTC in college? That will defray costs for you.

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Yes, I currently have straight A’s and am studying for the SAT. The tuition is the main thing my family is concerned with, and the other costs my parents said they can cover. I am planning to continue ROTC in college!

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Have they run the Bryn Maw net price calculator?

As they meet need, that would tell you.

Even with a 1400, I can’t imagine you’d get into Bryn Mawr, Mt. Holyoke, Reed, or Smith.

USC and Syracuse are much larger (very similar) but larger. If you’re worried about BM cost, well USC meets need but I can’t imagine you getting in. Syracuse - won’t give you the need you have and would be tough with those stats.

Rhodes - yes - and probably get you to $40K. Agnes Scott - yes.

So why BM - besides the low cost initiative?

Let’s look at it another way - as many have that - what is your actual budget? Let’s go from there.

And then why USC/Syracuse? It doesn’t match the rest. And what do you want in a school - outside of cost?

Have you looked at Hollins?

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I dont think I can pay more than 50k a year for tuition, but I’d have to do more some more talking with my parents to get an concrete number. My sister wants to go to college for a sorority and isn’t winning any scholarships, so I can’t go somewhere expensive. Honestly I don’t really want to go to USC, I just thought I might include somewhere in state, my mom went there. I used to think Syracuse was the one but the tuition is insane. In a school I really just want somewhere with a good psychology program (specifically counselling and mental health program), near a big city and not like a really ugly campus (i know thats superficial I just cant do a cinderblock school). I really like Bryn Mawr because I like women’s only colleges, the campus is stunning and their academics are awesome. I kind of already knew a lot of my picks were out of reach, but I want to aim high anyways. I’m not the type to get butthurt over rejection. Thanks, these questions made me think a lot. I’ll add Hollins to my list!

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Oh - U of SC :slight_smile: I hear USC and I’m thinking U of Southern California and you mentioned Syracuse - and the schools are very similar to one another.

I think you’ll need a Masters for what you want in psych.

SU is not near a big city - as an alum, it’s a few miles from a not great city and it’s not a large city although they do get great concerts.

Ugly / nice campus - is in the eye of the beholder. USC as you call it - I think is beautiful. I think Syracuse is beautiful - but others may not think so.

You can think big but you need an assured and safe school that you’d like.

USC - as you call it - is not assured for you. It may even be a reach depending on the ACT/SAT.

College of Charleston would be a likely and would fit your needs - and is down the street from MUSC. My daughter thinks it’s the nicest college campus - she attended. I think it’s a dump - so all that is subjective -but you are in the city. Coastal, Lander - those are safeties, etc.

Under $50K, there will be a lot of schools available to you.

But if it’s LAC you want, a school like Hendrix in Arkansas will match U of SC tuition. I imagine you’d get to cost with Agnes Scott - it will be very diverse. Hendrix, by the way, not near a city (well Little Rock is 30 mins away).

But lots of publics and maybe even some like Rhodes - will get you to cost. I guess you chose Rhodes given it’s in a city. So in that regard, you might add Goucher and Rollins too. One could even argue for Stetson too and Flagler too…and I’m sure more. Ogelthorpe in Atlanta too…there are schools that need your money.

You don’t have high rigor - so I do think you’re going to need to come down a step or two - but there will be colleges for you.

Let us know when you get your test back - and best of luck.

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