<p>The college search process stresses me out everyday. I know where I would like to go, but I honestly don’t think I have what it takes. I honestly don’t know what kind of GPA I have, but I generally manage to get away with a few A’s, mainly B’s, and recently, and unforunate C+. If I average all my semester grades together, I get an 87% average.</p>
<p>I am a junior in high school and I’m on National Art Honor Society. I was president of my class freshman year. I’ve been in Visual Arts for all years of high school and have taken some fine arts summer programs. I’ve recently joined a Teen art club. I plan to study abroad in Japan this summer. I’m also on Student Recruitment commitee.</p>
<p>My ultimate dream school is Middlebury College, but I don’t think I stand a chance. Other schools I’m interested in:</p>
<p>Reed College
Sarah Lawrence College
Skidmore College
Grinnell College
NYU
University of Washington
Hamilton College
Hampshire College
Occidental College
Bard College</p>
<p>I’m currently studying for the SAT, planning to take it in March. I may also take the ACT in June. In terms of where my strengths lie, I think I’m a rather good writer, and I enjoy and excel in classes such as English, Spanish, and History. Math and Sciences are not my strong suits. The reason I want to go Middlebury more than anything else is because it has a very good international studies and foreign language program. Sarah Lawrence college also has a good fine arts and writing program.</p>
<p>I apologize if my question and topic is a little less informative than it should be, but given the information I;ve just given you, what do you think my chances are of getting into any of the above colleges, assuming I get a 1300 on the SAT (that’s obviously exclusionary of the Writing section). What advice can you give to increase my chances? I feel like I don’t stand a chance at any of the above colleges. I know I can write a killer essay though! Grrr…this worries me so much.</p>
<p>I think you have a fair shot at most of them, barring Reed, Skidmore, and NYU. Those, and Middlebury, would be a reach with those stats. Some of the others are cutting it pretty close, but I think you’ve got a good list. And yes, the 1300 (and higher, if you can) would help.</p>
<p>Reed College(reach)
Sarah Lawrence College(match/reach)
Skidmore College(match)
Grinnell College(match/reach)
NYU(reach)
University of Washington(match)
Hamilton College(reach)
Hampshire College(i really dunno)
Occidental College(reach)
Bard College(close reach)
Middlebury College (definite reach)</p>
<p>i’ll rank them in order of difficulty (based mainly on test scores);</p>
<p>Middlebury College
Grinnell College
Reed College
Hamilton College
Occidental College
Bard College
Skidmore College
Sarah Lawrence College
Hampshire College</p>
<p>collegeprep11 is probably right on the order of difficulty but many of these schools: Sarah Lawrence, Bard, Hampshire would be likely to admit some interesting creative students with something to offer in lieu of the best test scores or grades</p>
<p>Most of the schools I’ve listed are primarily located in the northeast or northwest. The only reason I chose Grinnell was because my dad went there, and he said it’s a nice school.</p>
<p>What about Lewis and Clark? Kenyon College? Oberlin College?</p>
<p>yeah schools like skidmore and sarah lawrence will be looking for good test scores, but they also like students who have something special, creative about them, more of a well-rounded person. hampshire doesn’t really even look at test scores…they need people who are strong and dedicated, are good writers, and know what they want to do.</p>
<p>You have a chance (match) at Lewis & Clark, Oberlin is a slight reach and Kenyon I don’t know. I think your best chances are at Hampshire and Skidmore, and maybe Grinell since your father went there.</p>
<p>You have no shot at Colgate at very little at Middlebury (sorry), but some of the other schools are looking for creative students–and that’s definitely you–so play that up in your application. As was said above, Bard, Sarah Lawrence, and Kenyon are also looking for those with talent and that innovative spark.</p>
<p>As for Middlebury’s (AMAZING) foreign language programs, you don’t have to be a student there to take advantage of them- you can become involved over the summer. While I applied to Middlebury, it’s not in my top 5, but I definitely plan on going to their Russian language school during one of my undergrad summers.</p>