Reach Schools w/ Art Suppliment

Chance Me / Match Me
1

I want to apply early action to Stanford (it’s one of my reach schools and I didn’t want to do early decision and be locked into a school) with the artistic supplement. I have created a portfolio for my fine art work (painting) and my work in theater (stage management). My director and art instructor both think I have strong portfolios worth sharing.

What do you think my chances of getting into schools like Stanford, Claremont McKenna, Duke, and Vanderbilt are?

My stats are as follows:
GPA (unweighted): 3.97
Class Rank: Not released yet, expected to be in the top 10%

SAT: 2100 Composite - Reading 750, Math 670, Writing 680
SAT Subject Tests: Math II 720, Biology E/M 670. I plan on retaking both of my subject tests in October.

I have always struggled with low test score as I get a lot of anxiety when testing. I was even forced to leave my elementary schools advanced programs because they thought my test scores were too low, only to be replaced in it after teacher recommendation. My SAT scores seem low (relative to other students applying to selective schools, but I have worked and studied incredibly hard for them.

Coursework: I am an IB diploma candidate taking all IB classes. Junior year I took, History, English, Biology 1, Physics 1, Spanish (SL test - 6), MM2 (SL test - 5), an optional extra 7th period musical theater production class. Senior year I am taking History (HL), English (HL), Biology (HL), TOK, MM3 (HL), Chemistry (SL), option 7th period theater class. Unfortunately, due to weighting issues, taking an extra 7th period class beyond the school day actually lowered my weighted class ranking. I won’t be val or sal, but I still expect to be ranked fairly high. I’m not very good at math if you couldn’t tell from my IB score.

EC: I chose to focus more on quality over quantity for my ECs. I am incredibly involved in my schools theater program and drama club. I am on the drama club executive board and stage manage theatrical productions (which is a lot of work for anyone unfamiliar with theater, it’s kind of like being the captain of a varsity sports team, it takes around 400 hours of solid work for each production. It’s not unusual to be at school until 6 each day for rehearsals and until 12 the week before opening). I am also involved in biology club, Spanish club, and NHS. I am not as involved with biology and Spanish club because theater requires such a large commitment, but I am still a regular member when time allows. I also do a lot of painting, drawing, and photography in my free time. I live in Seattle and am really invested in the music scene so I go to a lot of concerts. I am also an experienced hiker, camper, and backpacker. I have also volunteered through the a local science museum at their summer camps for a total of ~200 hours. I have around 275 hours of community service right now.

Race/Gender: I am a white male.

Essays:
I haven’t worked on my essays much yet, but I plan on spending a lot of time on them. I want to write about how I’ve overcome my social anxiety and found my identity through theater, art, and music as forms of self expression. Music has also helped me form a relationship with my dad, which was virtually non-existent and really volatile before we started going to concerts together. I struggled a lot with my identity after moving to Seattle. I’ve moved 5 times in my life, but moving to Seattle was especially difficult for me because I worked so hard to make close friends where I used to live, and I was bullied when I first moved to Seattle.

Recommendations:
I have a really good relationship with my counselor, who will write me a letter of recommendation. She helped me through a lot my junior year and understands my situation very well. I also have a strong relationship with my junior year English teacher and Spanish teacher who I had for two years. Both of them are also willing to write me letters of recommendation.

So, what do you think of my profile? Do I stand a chance?

2

Your SAT score is a bit low–try to get it above 2200. Have you tried the ACT? It may be easier for you.

You have a shot, but odds are pretty slim for Stanford. If you apply to Duke, Claremont McKenna, or Vandy ED, your odds of getting in go up.

3

You already know that your standardized test scores are low - not impossibly so, but the odds are already tough enough at Stanford without having a significant question mark. You’ll need to show that those won’t be indicative of your college performance. IB suggests that you can handle the class work. I would be cautious with your essay about getting caught up in a sob story or a bunch of excuses. Focus on the positive value of theatre, not on the negative (social anxiety, identiy issues, being bullied). Let your GC address the adversity you’ve overcome.

Your theatre is a solid EC, and Stanford is interested in expanding their arts presence. Your fine art sounds like it’s something you’ve done mainly by yourself. Arts supplements in 2 areas won’t hurt, assuming they are truly of high quality. Stanford requires a supplemental recommendation from your arts director if you are submitting a supplement, so make sure you have that one lined up as well. I believe it is due October 15 for SCEA applicants:

http://admission.stanford.edu/application/freshman/arts.html

If I were you I’d play up your arts background as much as possible. It is by far your mostly likely ticket to places like Stanford and Duke. But I think you need to be realistic that these are reaches, and that your test scores are low. The other schools you’ve listed aren’t that much easier than Stanford, so I hope you have a range of other options.

4

Would you recommend that I retake the SAT in October instead of Subject tests? I can only retake one of them if I plan to do early action/decision. Would my SAT score really be what keeps me out of a school?

Could I rely on my councilor to explain my test scores in her letter of recommendation? She helped me prepare and plan a lot last year, and helped me get through some difficult situations around the same times that I had testing (both IB and SAT).

I will be applying to other schools that aren’t as selective and I have some safety schools as well. I was just asking about my reach schools in particular.

Thanks for the advice so far! I will definitely keep my essay positive and focus on all the good things that my involvement in the arts has done, rather than on what my life was like before.

5

I also forgot to add to my ECs that I was in Rocketry Club my sophomore and junior years, and I was President my junior year. The club competed in the national TARC competition both years and placed 28th overall my sophomore year when competing in Washington DC.

I plan on majoring on some type of field within biology. I took a Ecology Field Research course through my school led by the IB Biology teacher this summer to write my EE. Accompanying that with my volunteer work at the science center could I touch on my dedication to both the arts and science?

6

@CollegeQ7, your cumulative SAT I of 2100 and your math and writing section scores are both below the 25th percentile for Stanford. That’s a red flag. It’s not insurmountable, but for an unhooked applicant there are tons of other qualified applicants who don’t have that red flag, so you either need to raise it (preferably to around or above the 50th percentile at least) OR explain it away as not reflective of your academic ability and provide enough other positives to give the adcom a reason to take you. You’re in competition with a bunch of other stellar applicants for a limited number of spots, so the more positives and the few question marks you have, the better.

I don’t know the answer to re-taking SAT I vs. II. Your SAT II scores are on the low side, too. I’d probably focus on SAT I and then try and get a second subject test score to replace biology, if at all possible.

7

Submitting a strong arts supplement can be the ticket to acceptance for many students. Some supplements, like a violin performance or a collection or artwork (i.e. paintings), are somewhat common. However, stage management might be one of those activities that helps you stand out.
Assuming your writing supplements are good, the only thing dragging you down would be standardized testing. In my opinion, you should not submit either of your SAT II scores (Math and Biology). I recommend that you retake the SAT and forget about the SAT IIs, especially since you don’t seem to care very much about those subjects. If you can get your SAT superscore above 2200, I think you will have a decent chance of admission.

I have found that these art supplements are the least common:

  • Music Composition
  • Non-Soprano Instruments
  • Play Directing / Stage Work
  • Orchestral Conducting
  • Sculpting
8

Thanks renaissancedad and 1golfer1! Your advice has been very helpful.

Basically, because most of these schools do not require SAT II, I should simply leave my scores out of my application? If Stanford superscores SAT I could really focus on preparing for the math and writing sections, because my reading section is within the average range - if I choose to retake the SAT. Will it reflect negatively on me for not having any subject tests? I do agree that my SAT II scores don’t reflect my abilities as a student in those subjects, as I had high grades in both classes my junior year.

I will have time to retake the SAT before October 15 (the Art Supplement deadline), but I’m worried that I won’t get my scores back in time to report them. I don’t know a lot about college applications - is there a way to update my score once I get it in if I have to send in my application with my old score (2100) before my October test results are available? Could my test be scored faster because I need the test for my early application?

I will be submitting two art supplements (art and stage management), which I hope will help me stand out, as most applicants only submit one portfolio.