<p>Hi everyone. I’m planning on applying to a large number of selective small liberal arts colleges. As I’m sure all of you know, admissions at these schools can take on a somewhat random element. With that in mind, it makes sense to apply to a relatively large number of colleges, but I don’t want to apply to a ridiculous number. My main problem in narrowing them down is that I’m not entirely sure which schools are reaches/matches/safties, so I would really appreciate some advice on this. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>In particular, I’m not sure how colleges will respond to my application, because I homeschooled in 9th grade, but have gone to my local public school for the rest of high school (I just finished my junior year). This was mostly because my family and I believed that, for the most part, the quality of freshman classes at my high school was very mixed. The homeschool program I attended was linked to my high school, so I was able to take the two classes there that I felt would be valuable to me (biology and oral communications). I also took two semesters of french at our local community college. The next year, I couldn’t choose between six classes (a full load) and realized I should just go to the high school. The grades from this year were all counted as normal classes and transferred to my transcript. How will colleges view this? Should I submit a homeschool supplement on the common app?</p>
<p>I’m also toying with the idea of applying to Swarthmore ED, and would appreciate thoughts on this.</p>
<p>Anyway, here goes:</p>
<p>Colleges I’m definetly applying to: Swarthmore, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Amherst, Wellesley, Pomona, Pitzer, Whitman, Barnard, UC Davis (safety)</p>
<p>Others I’m considering: Macalester, Carlton, Williams, Grinnell, Scripps</p>
<p>Basics: Caucasian female, small public high school in small town in California</p>
<p>Academic Stats</p>
<p>Unweighted GPA: Approximately 3.97 (just got my first B this semester)</p>
<p>Weighted GPA: Currently under debate. 4.28 is the conservative estimate.</p>
<p>Class rank: Should be either #1 or #2, possibly #3, out of 256</p>
<h1>of AP classes: By the end of high school, I will have taken all APs available to me except AP Spanish (I took french instead, although there is currently debate over the legitimacy of our AP french class) Not counting french, this will be a total of 8. All other classes were the highest level available.</h1>
<p>Other transcript notes: will end up with 5 and 1/2 years of science and 5 years of math.</p>
<p>SAT: 2210 (800CR, 720M, 690W) (might retake)</p>
<p>SAT IIs: Bio - E - 710, Chemistry - 660 (retaken from 530), Math level 2 - 660 (retaken from 590, retook again in June)</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Volunteering at Aquarium as guide (since summer before sophomore year - just got 250 hours)
Highly successful science project (technically part of a class, does it still count as an EC?)
Key Club - (a service organizaiton at my school) (Treasurer junior year, Vice President senior year)
Student representative on advisory board for science program at my school
NHS + CSF (honors organizations, CSF three years, NHS two years)
Varsity Tennis - 3 years
Swimming - (JV 2 years, Varsity next year)
Drama - (2 plays, whenever I have time)</p>
<p>Summer Activities:
Student guide at Aquarium (2006)
COSMOS (science program at UCSC) (2007)
Tennis Camp (2007)
Davis YSP (individual research project in lab at UC Davis) (2008)</p>
<p>Awards:
Science fair:
4th award in team project catagory at ISEF (international science and engineering fair) (2008)
1st in catagory at state science fair (2008)
2nd overall at county science fair (2008)
Award for excellence in Biomedical Research (2008)</p>
<p>Other:
Will probably be National Merit Semifinalist or finalist (229 PSAT)
A bunch of school departmental awards (4 best student in subject)
JV Girls Swimming - Most Improved - 2007</p>
<p>Recs: Should be good. One will be from a teacher who has known me well since freshman year, and helped me with my science project. The other one (at least I’m pretty sure I’ll ask her, she offered to write me a rec, after all) has only known me one year, but seems to really like me, and is a good writer (she’s my history teacher, and really emphasizes writing). She is also a Pomona alumna, which she said might help a little. I may also get a rec from a science research project mentor, but that will depend on a lot.</p>
<p>Essay: Shuold be good. I’ve always been a fairly good writer, and I will put in a lot of time and effort.</p>
<p>Additional information: I have been involved in science fair since 3rd grade, doing succesful projects since fifth (I placed at state in sixth grade). Overall, three of my projects have been true standouts. I’m not sure how I’m going to work this into my application, but I’m going to somewhow, because I think it provides a really important context for my interest in science. I also scuba dive, which complements my passion for marine biology (my most recent science project was marine biology related).</p>
<p>My grandmother also attended Middlebury (that makes me a legacy, right?)</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your help, and feel free to ask any questions.</p>