<p>Ok, so I just got rejected from Grinnell ED. After recovering from the initial shock, I realized I need a new perspective on my chances to my other schools.</p>
<p>Background
TINY private school in MN, 90 people in the whole high school, 20 in my grade (but academically rigorous)
Middle class white female</p>
<p>Stats
GPA: about 3.8 (or 93/100), we don’t weight.
SAT composite: 1890 (ick I know!)
Math: 530
CR: 630
Writing: 720
ACT: 26 (I most likely won’t be using this score for anything)</p>
<p>Academics (senior year)
AP English Literature (92% first term, anticipate at least a 4 on AP test)
AP French Language (92% first term, anticipate 5 on AP test)
College Algebra (86%)
Astronomy (91%)
College Computing (88%)
Philosophy (92%)</p>
<p>I don’t actually know the rest of my grades for high school, but I do know that I never did terribly (save in some math classes). There is a definite upward trend, though, and junior year was stellar.</p>
<p>ECs
4 years show/concert choir
Math/French prefect
English language tutor to non-native English speakers
5 years Concordia Language Camp, Japanese (got language credits for 2/5 years)
National Honor Society
Some community service
Part-time job in children’s retail</p>
<p>Awards
Grand Concours French contest, placed nationally 2 years
“Academic Achievement Award” per my school</p>
<p>Application Stuff
Recs: Amazing; because of the small school, all my teachers really know me well
Essays: Great, wrote about overcoming eating disorder with literature (not as risky as it sounds)
-I took a break year between sophomore and junior year because I got really sick.
-I have a learning disability but was not alloted extra time for SATs or ACTs; this REALLY hurts me for the schools that aren’t standardized test-optional. I am really awful at standardized testing, but I am very intelligent. I didn’t have my counselor detail this in her rec, but I am thinking of asking her to do so to explain the abysmal test score. I think this is part of what kept me from getting into Grinnell.</p>
<p>The schools
Bates (EDII, it’s my first choice, wouldn’t report SAT)
Colby
Kenyon (legacy)
Reed
Colorado College
Beloit
Macalester (an afterthought…)</p>
<p>I know that Bates is looking for geographic diversity, and being from MN, this benefits me. I also know Bates is testing-optional, which is crucial to me. I had an AMAZING interview there as well as a great overnight visit. So tell me my chances, as well as any recommendations of schools similar to the ones I’ve listed.</p>