Chances for Scripps and HMC?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Hi everyone, I am currently a rising senior that is of course, starting the college admissions process. My family and I went to tour the entire Claremont Consortium with the exception of HMC. We ultimately decided that I would apply to Scripps and Harvey Mudd, one under ED1, and one under ED2 (we haven’t decided which goes where yet).

Demographic Info
School Type: Competitive Public in CA
Rank: Currently N/A, but based on previous years, probably top 30% (based on UW GPA)
Gender+Ethnicity: Female Asian
Income Bracket: High Middle
Hooks: URM?

Grades and Test Scores
GPA: 3.75 UW/4.1 W (I had a depression my sophomore year, which lowered my GPA. I do have an upward trend).
SAT (highest sitting) 2210 (680CR/800M/730W/10E)
SAT superscore: 2220, see above, but with 690 CR
SAT 2s: 770 Math 2, 770 Chem
RETAKING ALL SATs IN THE FALL
ACT: taking in September, hoping for 34+
AP Scores: AP Chinese (10), AP Chem (11), APUSH (11)- all 5s; APLAC (11)- 4
Planned APs: AP Macro, AP US Gov, AP Calc AB (considering switch to BC), AP Physics 1, AP Lit
Honors Courses Taken (my school only has 8, we can’t take all of them): Honors Chinese (9), Honors Chem (10), Honors Pre-Calc (11), Honors Lit (11; I took APLAC for this class)
CC classes: concurrent enrollment in a Physics class right now, but I’m trying for Dual Enrollment for Organic Chem next semester.

Extracurriculars and Awards
Member of Chinese Honor Society
Have around 50 hours of volunteer hours, will get more. I volunteer for fundraisers, community and school events, and I am spending a week volunteering at a summer camp for children with disabilities
Friends and I started an organization that has the initiative to clean up our city on weekends
DECA state competitor and 6th place winner in Regionals (2013)
Music for 10 years, played the piano, flute, and the cello. I played the cello in the school orchestra.
I played Tennis and ran Track, but was never really any good at it.
I have 3 gold medals (multi-state invitational and regionals) and 1 silver medal (state level) for Science Olympiad, will become VP of Events next year (basically overseeing all comps affairs)
I was top 2 in my school for Chemistry Olympiad, but neither of us made it to the next round because of high cutoffs.I plan on competing again next year.
Self-Employed Tutor: write tests and help kids with Chem (~20 undoc hours)
AP Scholar with Honor

Intended Major: Chemistry

Application Things:
Science Rec: AP Chem teacher, solid 11/10 because she loves me.
Humanities Rec: My teachers have weird policies, so I don’t have one yet (I have to wait until August blegh). But I either get from my Honors Lit teacher (who I also had for Freshman Lit) or my APUSH teacher.
Counselor Rec: prob generic. The old GC who knew about my depression left the school, and the new one was rude and refused to acknowledge my existence. I heard we are getting a new one.
Essays: I am a good writer. These should be solid.

2

bump. all suggestions are appreciated!

3

Harvey Mudd ED1: Reach
Scripps: Match

4

bump again! is there any way i can secure my chances?

5

bump. decided to apply HMC ED1 and Scripps ED2. I will tour HMC and interview in the fall. I have decided to take BC my senior year. i understand my class rank is laughable, but do I still have a chance?

6

There is no way to “secure your chances” in college admissions except apply to all safeties. Put a lot of focus on your essays for Mudd; fit and a strong understanding of the Mudd culture are important. I do find it odd that you plan to ED for Mudd when you haven’t toured it yet. It is quite distinctive from the other Claremonts, and not for everyone. Very different vibe from Scripps, even though they are adjacent campuses.

7

@intparent My parents and I toured all the Claremonts already bar Mudd, and I had an interview at CMC (by request of my parents, I’m not even applying there smh). The idea of even applying to Mudd didn’t come up until this month, so my dad just said we were visiting OVER THE SCHOOL YEAR (which is insane, by all means), With my stats, I feel like the best option for me (that I have a shot it) is Mudd.

8

Like I said in your past posts, as a female, Mudd is a possibility for you. Listen carefully when they discuss what makes it unique - that is is a liberal arts college not a tech school. That they encourage collaboration. Etc. It really helped my son when we toured CalTech THEN Mudd. So very very different.

Glad to hear that you got out of being forced to apply to McKenna!

Good luck.

9

I feel like you are not understanding what I am saying. It doesn’t make sense to try to shoehorn yourself into a college just because it is a Claremont college and apoarently your parents like the consortium. I have a kid at Mudd, and to be honest it is a brutally difficult school academically. Most students are not cut out for Mudd, nor is it what they are looking for. You have no actual idea if Mudd is right for you, and to be talking about ED when you haven’t spent any time there seems crazy to me.

10

@intparent I’m sorry if you feel like I misinterpreted what you were saying initially. I understand your concern, and it is very much a concern of mine as well. My parents are scheduling a tour of the campus immediately, so I can get a feel before it’s too late. We’re looking for a really nice Early school (one of my safeties is EA, and I’m only going for these two for ED 1 and 2) for me to apply to (binding or not) so I can clear up more time in the spring semester for Chemistry Olympiad, AP tests, SciOly tournaments, and my courseload.

11

I agree with Intparent. Look at this article about ED at Scripps and HMC. http://tsl.pomona.edu/articles/2015/2/21/news/6011-5cs-release-early-decision-results. Note that the Scripps ED acceptance rate is 45% versus HMC at 17%. And note what it says about HMC taking care to be sure ED applicants have done “careful research” and “understand the college well.” I don’t think applying ED gets you that much of a boost at Mudd especially it comes at the expense of having time to raise your GPA, thoroughly research whether you fit there, and submit a polished and compelling application.

12

Rushing to find an ED school so you have time for ECs and your senior coursework is nuts. Your family could spend over a quarter of a million dollars on your college education, you will spend four years of your life, and the college you attend can affect the trajectory of your life. I think your family has lost sight of the long term consequences of the college search process. I also don’t see how ED clears that much time in the spring. Apps are pretty much all due by mid-January. A couple of accepted student visits to top choices in April would be needed, but that is a blip given the impact of this decision.

By the way, do you know that Mudd accepts no AP credits?

13

Agreed, that’s not a good reason to do ED. The only thing it “clears” is the worrying and wondering — and only if you actually get in ED.

@intparent - The OP has made several threads where it is clear that her father is pushing her to do ED at the Claremonts even though her preference is elsewhere. We have all cautioned her about ED to a school that isn’t her first choice etc. etc. and she’s well aware. Unfortunately, she feels her hands are tied. I think the OP prefers Mudd to Scripps because of the science focus. (It’s actually progress that her father is allowing her to apply to Mudd at all!)

14

@Claremontmom, I think you and I both know that Mudd is not for the student who is not fully committed to Mudd and it’s unusual atmosphere. If I had pushed my kid into Mudd and it hasn’t been her decision, it would have been a disaster. She never would have made it through Core, IMHO. I think most students who attend Mudd know it is their tribe and their place. The OP hasn’t even visited yet… I can see planning an RD application, but it just doesn’t make sense to be talking ED.

15

@intparent - I don’t disagree. Heck, any kid being pushed into any school is a bad idea. Scripps was her father’s idea, Mudd was hers (even site unseen). Not saying it’s a great idea, just catching you up on her history. I don’t think she would be doing ED anywhere if she wasn’t being pressured. Too bad we can’t talk to “Dad”—not that he’d listen to strangers on the internet…

16

I’d say you stand a good chance because it looks like you are a STEM centric student. A stand out rec from your Chem teacher will help because of your intended major. BTW, you would not be a URM, but instead be an ORM. This could be a weakness, but if you can stand out you’d be good for either.

Good luck!

17

bumping this as a final check for Scripps ED 1 and HMC ED2. Here are some updates:
I run cross country now on the Varsity B team.
I am in the top 40% of my class (based on UW GPA deciles)
I have been recruited by my school’s chemistry club to be one of their head tutors.
My ACT score is as follows (no writing yet):
C-33
E-35
M-35
R-28
S-32

The third sitting of the SAT that I took in October will most likely not make a difference.
My Lit teacher (9th and 11th grade) ended up writing my rec. Since she is already done, I think it’s going to be good.