**Decision: Accepted **
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): (Super-scored total: 2140) M: 740 CR: 690 W: 710
ACT (breakdown): (Composite: 32) English: 34 Math: 31 Reading: 31 Science: 33
SAT II: Math II: 760 Physics: 700 (I took this when I was only half-way through the class)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/230
AP (place score in parenthesis): World History (4); Environmental Science (5); Psychology (5); English Language and Composition (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): Didn’t take
Senior Year Course Load: AP English Literature, AP Calculus AB, Physics, AVID Tutor, AP US Government, AP Calculus BC, Honors Chemistry II.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None
Common Awards (AP Scholar, honor roll, NM things, etc.): Honor roll every year, AP Scholar w/ Honor, County Award thing every year
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (name, grade levels, leadership, description): Piano (10-12) I am very involved in the piano and have played advanced pieces, Gay/Straight Alliance (10-12) Support group on campus for anyone who wants to be part of the LGBTQ community, Feminism Club (co-founder) (12) Super happy about starting up this club because it is the first on my campus like it, Protested with PETA for animal rights
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service: Play piano for residents at the local nursing home every month, Built a community garden last year (co-organizer), Teen Jury (11) We basically do a “trial” for a teen who was offered the opportunity to have his/her peers decide a program/activity for them after they’ve been arrested
Summer Activities: Basically none
Essays: My personal statement was killer, for the “Why Harvey Mudd?” essay, I wrote how I could not see myself at a UC and that Harvey Mudd was an excellent place for me, for the other essay I responded to the “What isn’t in your application…” one and said that I was very driven and always had a passion for the STEM fields.
Teacher Rec #1: Probably good because he was a teacher who cared a lot about how he wrote the letter and he liked me when I was in his class (AP English Lang.)
Teacher Rec #2: Probably really good too because he also really liked me and has known that I excell in science courses (he was my Human Anatomy teacher)
Counselor Rec: Probably good because she likes me and has gotten to know me and my personality, drive, etc.
Additional Rec: Piano Teacher so very good because she really likes me and knows my drive
Interview: Didn’t have one
Additional material (abstracts/papers/other):
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Mathematics/Chemistry/Undecided
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Small, rural, public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: $150,000?
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Being a girl probably helped, good recommendations maybe
Reflection:
Strengths: Passion, drive, grades
What you tried to focus on in your application - any hooks you tried to make for yourself: I really tried to come across as driven and passionate in my essays (which I believe really helped)
Weaknesses: Scores (in respect to average scores to HMC)
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I honestly thought I would be rejected, but I think saying that I was driven and a good fit helped.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: So far: Waitlisted: Pomona
Accepted: Lewis & Clark (total backup), Middlebury, Beloit (extreme worst-case scenario backup), and Colby College
General Comments & Advice:
I am very surprised that I was accepted, but I think you need to show passion and that you belong at the school.