<p>Most of time, those who know something about the school(s) hide from the “chance me” postings, because they know there’s no way for anyone to know (even someone in admissions). The question is literally a chat room “Do you think I’m pretty”? The 3 or 4 trolling around the SWAT page right now all look like great kids, but Swarthmore is full of them (as are Bowdoin, and Amherst, and Williams, and Dartmouth, and dozens more). </p>
<p>GPA, test scores, leadership, extracurriculars…all matter, but so does timing (ED or not), interest (Physics or English), perceived interest in the school (Discover SWAT, visits, overnight stays, interviews etc.), interest / ability in sports, and your essays.</p>
<p>My advice to you having been through this with children: Find a place you want to be with people you want to be around. If you’re not sure after one visit…go again. If you get a bad feeling anywhere…move on. A lot of people will say “you’ll find the place that’s right for you”. It’s hard to believe, but it really does seem to work out more than not.</p>
<p>Stay focused on High School, and use any free time to consider colleges. Worrying about your chances at SWAT right now is a complete waste of time. Hell, you might visit and not even like the place…unlikely…but possible.</p>
<p>Good luck. Take a deep breath. In 9 months it’ll all be over!</p>