I applied ED last year and didn’t get in. My application was all over the place because I hadn’t done enough research and slacked off on it until the last 3 days before the deadline, and submitted the supplement after that. It was pretty bad.
More importantly, last year my counselor mistakenly printed another student’s transcript in my name because it was on the same excel file! I didn’t notice this right away because it’s been a while since I dropped out, so I wasn’t especially wary about my grades being so low.
But this means my cGPA is actually around 4.86/5 instead of 3.4. Should this keep me from reapplying, given that some extra explanation to the admissions office is in order? Will it complicate things and worsen my chances?
I’m also worried about how I explained my gap years last year, and whether writing things in a more positive light and not getting all the small details the same might make the application worse. Will they really cross-check this stuff from my previous application if I apply again this year?
I also have a 1590 on the SAT this year (compared to my 1470 last year). What do you guys think?
If you want to reapply then go ahead and do so. But recognize that Amherst is a reach for all unhooked applicants. Be sure to create a well rounded application list that includes match and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be happy to attend.
Did you counselor send the correct transcript to Amherst? Did you appeal the denial?
I actually just noticed this a week ago when I went to him to get another transcript printed because I couldn’t find the one from last year, when I suddenly saw all my grades were SO much better than what I saw him submit last year.
How many gap years have you taken? What are you doing this year? What year did you graduate HS?
I dropped out in April 2021 due to family income + mental health stuff. Did all 12 years but did not take the final exams (A2 Level). After that I had no idea what to do until I discovered the GED in March 2023, and took it in August 2023.
So my gap years were 2021 - 2023 I guess? I tried to apply to community college in the UK and some other stuff that I write about in the Common App.
It’s 2024 now, and you would be applying for Fall 2025. So from Apr 2021 to now, July 2024, what have you been doing? Have you taken any college classes? What will you be doing between now and Fall 2025?
Are you an international student?
Your counselor has to directly send transcripts to the colleges. Colleges will not accept an unofficial transcript printed out by your counselor from you (at least the ones that require a transcript during the application process.)
It’s 2024 now, and you would be applying for Fall 2025. So from Apr 2021 to now, July 2024, what have you been doing? Have you taken any college classes? What will you be doing between now and Fall 2025?
I haven’t really been studying. I’ve been tutoring kids since 11th grade and continued doing that to save up some money while exploring what to next. I haven’t taken college classes or anything like that.
Are you an international student?
Yes, I live in Saudi Arabia. My aunt live in London, so I was considering community college there at one point.
Your counselor has to directly send transcripts to the colleges. Colleges will not accept an unofficial transcript printed out by your counselor from you (at least the ones that require a transcript during the application process.)
It was indeed my counselor that scanned the printed transcript (with the signatures and the school stamp) and uploaded it to his recommender account. So my counselor would have to do the explaining this year about why my grades are so different, I’m just worried about whether that could complicate things on my part, like whether it would maybe lower my odds or something.
Yes, I would recommend your counselor call Amherst, tell them of the mistake and ask about the merits of your app in this new light. (that will help you decide if you want to re-apply.)
Frankly though, an international student with high financial need (assuming so as you mentioned income issues in senior year) with a GED who dropped out of HS 3 full years ago is not likely to be accepted at Amherst.
Do you have affordable college options in Saudi Arabia?
If you want posters to help you with college recommendations please share your HS GPA, rigor, and how much your family’s budget for college is.
I think that if you want to apply to Amherst College, you should do so. Whether you have any chance of being admitted - as a non-traditional student - is a separate question and one that you haven’t asked.
I apologize for not phrasing it directly, but my entire question is supposed to be about whether my chances are slimmer as someone who, on top of dropping out and getting a GED 2 years later, will submit a transcript that does not match with the previous year’s. I am aiming for such a good school because of my SAT being 1590 and the new cGPA being about 3.9.
And yet there are applicants with those stats who are denied admission at schools like Amherst. That’s holistic admissions.
In addition to clarifying the transcript snafu, you will need to demonstrate the difference you will make as a (non-traditional) member of a (very small) campus community. What drives you, where and how have you made an impact? What is it about Amherst’s offerings and environment that makes you and it a good match?
Amherst is a strange choice for a student who will be approximately three years older than the rest of his entering class. It’s not much bigger than a boarding school and an air of social cohesion still pervades the place even after a decades long rush towards racial and socio-economic diversity. All of the tsuris involving a misplaced transcript apart, I don’t think they’d quite know what to do with you. If I really wanted to take my chances with a college that routinely rejects 90% of all of its applicants, I would aim for someplace a little bigger with a variety of housing options and maybe a cohort of accessible graduate students. A couple of suggestions would be Brown or Columbia. Tufts. Maybe even Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
That’s really interesting. I’d love to talk more about this, I had no idea a school being larger could influence my odds like that.
Tell me if this is a misinformed decision but I am planning to only apply to need-blind places to make sure not to hurt my application for no reason by asking for aid. Brown is the only need-blind place from your list, what others would you suggest?