Curious Junior (AA degree, low GPA, maybe too optimistic?)

Hi there CC! Long time no see. Good luck to all of you stressed seniors waiting for Ivy day and April 1.

I’ve been clicking through these threads for years, and as my college trips loom ever closer I’ve decided to make one of my own! Like, formally, you know. For reals.

I’m a 16 year old white female NYC public early college school student; I’ll be graduating with a high school diploma and a complete A.A. degree. The first two years at my school are entirely devoted to completing the high school requirements, and the second two years are all college classes. As such, our high school grades are out of 95 (our school doesn’t give A+'s) and our college grades are out of 4.0. The college gpa is the one listed on the common app, but the high school transcript is sent in as well along with the school profile. The school is world-renowned and EXTREMELY rigorous. I’m sure you’re sick of hearing that last sentence on this forum, so I’m now going to apologize for typing it. I’m sorry.

According to data from last year’s graduating class, ~80% of the students in the college program had gpas of below 3.5, with the majority being between 3.0-3.5. Top 10% is probably around 3.7-3.8. No one really gets higher than a 3.9.

High school GPA: 90.58/95 (Higher because of art class; a buncha b+'s here and there and a three c+'s and a c…yeah, i know. Without art around an 88?)

College GPA: ~3.7

PSAT: 211

SAT: Took it last week, latest practice test got 2200. Planning to take literature and math II or biology subject tests.

EXTRACURRICULARS:

Visual art-related:

  • scrap art magazine, senior editor, probably promoted to editor-in-chief next year
  • i paint and draw a lot. i really love it! good chance i’ll write my essay about it. but, you know, maybe not. we’ll see.
  • summer intensive illustration courses
  • yearbook design editor
  • applying for internship at the met this summer! cross your fingers guys :slight_smile:

Music related:

  • private violin lessons for 6+ years (performance anxiety though)
  • chamber music group

Children-related:

  • babysitting on an ad hoc basis
  • work at a musical theater camp during the summer and on some breaks
  • volunteering with same camp during school year

Misc:

  • school student activist network (helped moderate a school-wide conference, attended protests, etc.)
  • taught myself digital media production (2+ years now… the time sure passes quickly)
  • sci-fi club (co-founder!)

Intended fields (I like all of these things):

  • Art History
  • English Lit
  • French
  • Theater
  • Studio art
  • Neuroscience

I have a decent reason (lack of sleep due to trauma) for my C’s from high school, my essay and supplements will be solid if not pretty damn good, and my teachers are really fond of me. So, where can I get in? Please, be honest, I’m not expecting any miracles, and if it seems like I am, please crush my dreams like your least favorite kind of spider.

Schools I’m looking at in order of interest (greatest to least):

Brown (ED)
Kenyon
Davidson
Vassar
Oberlin
Haverford
Mount Holyoke
Macalester
Smith
Bates
Goucher (safety)
Grinnell
Tufts
Williams (lol no my mom is making me look at it because of the williams art mafia)

Thanks! If you need any clarification or other info to better chance me, just ask. Oh, and I know I need more safeties. I’m working on it.

Consider Bryn Mawr. Easier to get into than many on your list. Very solid academics, gorgeous campus. Very strong in art history and sciences, you can take fine arts classes at Haverford.

@doschicos Good idea. I’ll take a look, thanks :slight_smile:

(casually bumps, sorry to be annoying)

(sorry to bump again!)

I’m preeeetty sure you’ll get into grinell
I go to a school where many get into grinell (Midwest big public school, not very rigorous) and your qualifications are way higher than the people who got in from my school

@jumpingstar Good to know, thanks!

Just an update: Got a 2230 SAT and 3.85 on my last progress report (different from report card, grades aren’t yet final.)