Match underachiever/quirky, "brilliant" ds24; 1520 SAT, 3.7 UW GPA, Political Sci/philosophy/history, GA resident

Chance Me / Match Me
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*US citizen, white male
*GA resident, but happy to leave asap (moved here at 14)

  • independent private hs, small, rigorous/competitive
  • male/white (optional):
    *(legacy Pomona College (prob irrelevant)
    **Intended Major - Political Sci/philosophy/history

**3.7 UW GPA, got C in 9th gr lang & honors geometry; major covid mental health isolation/struggles;

1520 SAT (790 v; 730 math)
didn’t take ACT
APs -
AP Euro His (5), APUSH, (5), APAH, (5). AP Lit (5)
current - AP stats, AP Lang, AP Comp Poli, AP Psych, APAAH,
Honors women’s history

other coursework
3 yrs world language
9th gr all honors classes

Awards
NHS, “commended” Nat’l Merit Scholar (PSAT), AP Honors w dist.; history scholar award in jr year;
Extracurriculars
*Policy Debate 9th-12th, team cap’n 11th & 12th, nationally ranked top 30 in country; 3 summers at selective summer programs in activities, competed TOC as sophomore; swim team 9th-10th grade. voted most improved distance swimmer (500 yards!)

Essays/LORs/Other
Aaaume LORs would be very good bc teachers comment on his natural love of learning, substantive knowledge, remark his self-driven learning.

**No budget – college is luckily funded by ext family
*(High school students:

Schools
(List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below)

  • Safety ?
  • Likely ?
  • Match ?
  • Reach all of the above ?
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Has he applied or been accepted anywhere?

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Is he done with his essays?
Did he apply ED anywhere?
Did he apply to his instate public flagship and its honors college?
Has he visited any college?
Looking at American University, Holy Cross, JHU, Macalester, Vassar, Whitman, Pomona, do some appeal more than others?

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What schools has he applied to?
How is his mental health now?

I always like to suggest Colleges that Change Lives Colleges That Change Lives – Changing Lives. One Student At A Time. (ctcl.org)

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I see a tag for Carleton, and I think there are potentially a lot of SLACs and smaller universities that would appeal to such a person in addition to Carleton–which would be a good choice, it is just a tough admit.

Macalester is sort of the next notch down in selectivity from Carleton and would be excellent for those interests. Still a reach but I’d probably give it a shot.

William & Mary is a smaller, more undergraduate-focused university that might really appeal. Again, quite reachy OOS, but such a good fit it might be worth an application.

For a less reachy option, I would look at St Olaf (a forum favorite). It is good in all those areas, a good school in general for kids like that, really good study abroad, again just seems like a very solid fit.

In a similarish selectivity range, I would also look at Rhodes. Again, just really well-balanced for such interests.

Just a little less selective, and the last I will name, is Allegheny College, for all the same reasons in terms of academic balance.

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Lots of great suggestions already. Kenyon has strong programs in his areas of interest; about the same selectivity level as Macalester, although a very different setting (idyllic rural campus).

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Wesleyan University has about the same level of selectivity as Carleton but would probably value the gender parity as well as geographic diversity that DS would bring to Middletown CT a bit more.

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As full pay and male, GW would likely be a match/low reach.

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Doesn’t sound like an underachiever to me.

Besides Carleton, NYU, and liberal arts colleges - what am I missing otherwise ? Geographies, size (NYU big others aren’t), Greek life etc.

Need more info.

Carleton possible but not likely. St Olaf next door. If wants more city…you list NYU …Mac, Kalamazoo, Occidental as examples. Potentially Brandeis.

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Preference for school size/location? Would look at William and Mary. Strong in the majors you mentioned.

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Someone else mentioned Whitman. It felt similar to Carleton to me, but is an easier admit.

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OP mentioned it in the initial tag - not sure if it’s accurate but

Carleton, Liberal arts colleges, NYU

So we really need to hear from OP on desires…not sure if those three they (or that are) listed were intended.

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Right. I assumed Carleton was already on OP’s list, so I meant to stress that Whitman is a similar school if that is what they are seeking.

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