I’m having a dilemma. I’m applying to Macalester 2023 RD, and I was looking through forums about people who were accepted. My stats are mediocre, and I’m worried I have no chance. Most kids had around an uw gpa of 3.8 or higher, but mine is much lower. What are my chances?
My stats:
Uw gpa: 3.5 (weighted 4.1)
SAT: 1420 regular, 1460 supersocred
EC’s: president/founder of two clubs, jsa, girls who code, volunteered for over 350 hours, science fair judge, started a program that tutors underprivileged kids in geography, sign language, history, and science.
Intended major: I’m applying as an Econ major, but I also added in anthropology…
*about my grades… there was a downward trend for junior year, when I took all honors and AP classes, by it got a little better second semester. I got 5 c’s in high school, total, and I’ve taken all the most rigorous classes I could. I know it looks bad that I couldn’t really handle it, but I wrote an essay about what that taught me under Macalester supplemental essay that asks about grade fluctuations. Will this help, that I got a lesson out of it? Also, my grandpa passed away towards the end of first semester junior year, and I attribute my bad grades partly to that, but do I include that in my essay or will admissions officers think that’s just a sob story and an excuse?
Macalester is my number one choice, please help me out here, I really appreciate it. And if you have any advice or tips, I’d love that.