Did she have any scores that she didn’t report (ie 3s) on her app? Some worry a non report means they’ll think you didn’t master.
It’s been a while, but our CCs used t o give the guidance that you should report 4s and 5s and nothing else.
Not everyone takes thes exams, so a lack of score carries no assumptions with it.
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Hi! Thank you for responding. Did your daughter apply ED? What did her application loook like as far as GPA and EC’s? For Wesleyan.
Not sure if it’s been mentioned upthread, but is Providence College on the list?
They have a major in Italian studies and also combine with preparation for a teaching certification if I am understanding this correctly.
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It’s on OPs list - first post.
Like many, it’s delved into a few but I really want. PC is likely. Regarding aid is an unknown - as often the case.
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Thanks!
Must have missed it as I read through all the others.
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OP— if by chance your daughter has trouble with the time management portion of the standardized tests, these tips on using an analog watch may be useful (analog since digital ones are prohibited).
I got my kids an analog watch with very large hands and an easy-to-read dial when they took their tests.
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Thank you!
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Euro 4
Lang 4
Psych 3
Human geography 4
APUSH 3
Senior schedule: (AP Art, AP Stats, APES, AP Gov, AP lit and special for Italian bc AP Italian not offered)… not sure if I mentioned her senior year courses!
When my kids were prepping for the SAT/ACT I read the following tips and they were helpful. (Please note, this was the paper-based test. Not sure how it translates to the digital ones being used today).
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Purchase or download copies of official practice tests. College board used to have them for free; amazon has books you can purchase. Make sure they are the “official” books – third party prep can be either too easy or too challenging.
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If taking the ACT make sure you understand how their science section works. It’s not really science – it’s reading graphs and charts and understanding data analysis. It looks a lot trickier than it is – familiarity really really helps. There are only so many types of graphs they can use, so taking practice tests really helps with that part.
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Take each section timed. (It’s okay to take breaks in between sections for the first few practice tests, although eventually you will want to take an entire practice test timed to address issues with fatigue, etc).
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when time is up, stop and mark how many questions are unanswered. Then go back and do them and see how long it takes. That will help assess whether the issue is knowledge/mastery or speed/time management.
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Questions that are right and that the student knew were right – great. That concept is mastered and don’t waste time reviewing them (unless it’s a time management issue and then the student needs to practice those questions to get faster on them). Questions that are wrong or that the student guessed at and got lucky – make sure to really work those and understand what went wrong.
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Understand that there are only so many concepts the test can assess in order to be fair to all students, and that there are only so many ways these questions can be posed. Taking additional practice tests means getting familiar with most (or even all) of the way these questions are posed and can be helpful for the real test.
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Hi – no, not ED. I don’t remember all the stats, but her GPA was 3.8-3.9, and she had good ECs that focused on ecology/environmental work and journalism, with state and national awards in the latter.
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A little update: my daughter was accepted to the virtual A2A, access to Amherst, program. She was not chosen for in person. The letter she received was very encouraging, received an application fee waiver, etc. She will participate in three virtual workshops. I have read that A2A kids have a 65% chance of being admitted to Amherst college (according to website and other resources), but I’m not sure if the virtual program carries the same weight. Thoughts? She’s applying ED1.
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Congrats - only Amherst can and will know whether she gets in. It’s hard for one to know in the context of being included in a diversity program. My “chancing” wouldn’t change from above.
Best of luck to her.
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She officially submitted her ED app to Amherst College early November. I’ll keep you posted! She participated in Amherst’s A2A and that went well. I heard it was selective, even the virtual one (she was chosen for virtual), so I hope this goes well. Thank you again everyone!
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Thanks for the update. Much appreciated. 
Best of luck! 
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Hello! Update: rejected Amherst college ED1
Applying RD:
Trinity
Wheaton
UMASS
Salve Regina
Wesleyan
Wellesley
Smith
Mount Holyoke
She did an interview with Trinity. She doesn’t have a clear favorite here. I’d say she’s leaning towards Trinity though bc the Italian program is the best in CT. They are very need aware however. She’s shown demonstrated interest with smith and Mount Holyoke. What are her chances at these schools. Wheaton, UMASS, SR are her safeties so I think we are ok with those schools. Her senior year is going very well. All A’s/A-s and her rank is 12/243 with 5 AP’s senior year. Test optional (just to remind you).
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As long as one of Wheaton, Salve and UMass meet your costs, you’re ahead of the game.
If you look at data Trinity provides, it seems their % getting aid is going higher and higher - over 60% in the latest they show (2021), up from the 30s 15 years earlier. So you never know. In your income range $61k in 2021 so maybe a bit hopeful.
Has she considered MCLA over Westfield ?
Looks like UMASS, you need to be under $75k to get free tuition I don’t know if they scale it with a higher income or it’s simply full cost.
Well you have a plan. Hopefully it works - my fear is if it doesn’t (safeties aren’t safe if not affordable), then what there will be lots of time to apply to others but she is distance constrained.
Good luck
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I would consider her competitive at all 3 of Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Trinity with Mt Holyoke and Trinity being targets for her and Smith being moderately reachy. In general, Smith is the most competitive of the three with a 21% acceptance rate and with 82% of their freshman class having high school gpa of 4.0. Both Mt Holyoke and Trinity are less competitive than Smith with acceptance rates of 36%. Only 34% of Mt Holyoke’s freshman class had a high school gpa of 4.0. Trinity doesn’t tell us their gpa break down, but they do tell us that only 42% of their freshman class were in the top 10% of their high school class.
Financially all three of these colleges are very good with financial aid. While they do have a presidential scholarship, Smith gives almost all financial aid based on need and meet 100% of need for over 80% of those who apply. Mt Holyoke uses a blend of need based aid + non-need base scholarships, so check out their scholarships and be sure to meet any requirements. Trinity meets 100% of need for over 90% of those who apply for need based aid and they supplement that with some non-need based aid. All applicants are automatically considered for non-need based scholarships.
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Trinity gets no love on these boards for reasons beyond my understanding, but it’s a great school and everyone I know who went there loved it and are doing quite well at whatever stage of life they’re in. One of my best friends did a semester in Italy and said it was the best part of his experience there. They do merit as well.
As does (stop me if you’ve heard this before) Conn College. I know a family who got offered half off on tuition after their kid’s athletic pre-read and they’re definitely full-pay types. How is their Italian?
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My theory on why Trinity is underrated on CC has to do with the surrounding area- and NOTHING about the college, its academics, its resources. We sometimes read on CC “I would never let my kid apply to X” and once you parse it- it’s often about the neighborhood abutting the campus. No, Trinity is not inside a gated community which sits next to a one acre zoned affluent town. But there are MANY hard working, honest, people who live in urban areas who are not looking to steal some college kids wallet and go off on a drug fueled rampage.
The same folks don’t seem to have a problem with “major white” urban/low income areas (especially a pretty rural area which frequently has the same or worse drug and crime problems). So interpret how you may. But inner city Hartford, New Haven and Philadelphia seem to get the lion’s share of these comments.
Trinity is a fabulous place and if it’s right for your kid- they will get a fine education!!!
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