Where do I stand? Chance Please!! Applying as ED II

Colleges & Universities Harvey Mudd College
1

HMC is my top school and I sincerely do a passion for math and especially physics. I rank low compared to other applicants, but I hope that I get accepted. I’m not confident I ll get in, but I hope I do. Cal Poly SLO and USC are other top schools I want to go to, but HMC is #1.

School: Valley Christian (Private)
Class: 150
Rank: not sure but pretty high i think
Rigor: not that hard but very competitive due to many smart students in my class.

GPA:
3.6 UW
4.26 W
Not 100% sure since my school is weird.
Got 2 B’s in 10th and 11th grade. I messed up baddd, like 2.0 bad, freshman year, messing up my gpa.
My senior year is rigorous and a lot better.

Scores:
ACT: 34 Superscored
34 English
35 Math
33 Reading
34 Science
Essay: 28 but awaiting a higher one soon
Considering taking again to get a superscore of 35, but will be very unlikely.

SAT: awaiting superscore
560 CR
800 Math
730 Writing
Not sure but I felt confident on my last test. Most likely expecting a 2160 Superscore.

SAT II:
Math 2 800
Physics 710
Might take more…

Took 2 AP’s junior year, 4 this year.
-APUSH, SPANISH

-Calc AB, Physics C, Bio, Lit

Teacher Recommendations from my Math, Physics, and USH, if needed. Both STEM teachers love me and know of my passion. It also helps to finish top of their class.

I struggle with English, but I’m better in Math.

Extracurriculars: received many awards for service, president of a somewhat big humanitarian organization, lots of service hours, National Honor Society member, Spanish Club advisor, lots of those, participated for 4 years of art and did others thing of that nature.

Not any STEM extracurriculars but that’s my weakness at this school. I want to do an interview and I hope they see how much I love math. And, if they see my improvement and my character, hopefully they tell me I “fit” this school. If I don’t, then I ll know not to apply ED.

Where do I stand? Reading other people’s “chance” and their likelihood of not getting in, I’m worried that my less than stellar grades and info are insufficient. I know HMC looks for good character and “fit”, but they still want high GPA’s and extracurriculars.

I have developed a good work ethic, something I’m proud of and cherish daily. Compared to my freshman year, I take grades and plans for my future more seriously. Out of many people at my school, I go beyond and even though it may not show on my transcript, I know I am capable of improving and doing more in college. I may sound like a braggart, but it is true. I have improved my management of time and priorities. I expect to go a prestigious college but I do not take it for granted. I am still stressed out like crazy like the rest of you. Going here would be amazing, but I know it will take everything in my power to do so.

Good luck to those of you applying as well, I understand the struggle it takes and I commend you if you are to be accepted.

2

Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? Male or female? I would say your weaknesses are probably both really low CR scores and lack of STEM ECs. I have to say, they won’t tell you if you fit in an interview, you should visit and see if YOU think you do. You need to understand what that means to write compelling essays for admission, too.

3

Hmm…I see. And I’m probably not going to send my SAT scores unless I get like a 650 on this last one.

Im an asian male US citizen (kinda sucks).

Thanks. Im going to go visit but most likely, if I dont go here, Im going to cal poly slo, another great engineering school. The thought of going here would be nice but slim.

Thanks again.

4

Mudd wants all scores, don’t they?

5

Your numbers look like they meet the Harvey Mudd minimum requirements, so I think you have a decent chance. My father’s friend is a Mudd recruiter, and according to him, after a certain threshold, many applicants look almost the same in terms of numbers. At that point, the selection is almost subjective and random. I hope not, but that’s what it sounds like. At the school that my father’s friend recruits at, the students have very high numbers in terms of GPAs and SAT/ACT. Unfortunately, it’s also very Asian concentrated. For the past 2 years, no one was admitted out of over 30 applicants. The problem he says was that the students don’t have many STEM ECs to distinguish themselves.

6

What is a “Mudd recruiter”? Whatever it is, I doubt they have much influence on the actual admission process unless they are actually a paid employee of Mudd admissions.

I will say that Mudd does not seem to be worried about keeping the Asian population to a certain threshhold – they have a pretty high percentage of Asian students (around 20% at the moment). But if looking at College Confidential posts is representative, I would say that the majority of high achieving Asian students aren’t listing Mudd as one of their target schools anyway – in many cases, they (or their parents) have a very concentrated list of Ivies and top research universities.

I don’t think it is subjective after they confirm you can do the work, but showing that you understand Mudd and are a good fit is very important.

The OP does have a lower GPA than most Mudd accepted students, and the odds are tougher for male students. No STEM ECs, too. This is a definite reach for the OP.

7

@intparent

Mudd recruiter is just someone who goes to the schools and provide them with information about Mudd. They’re mostly admission staffs at Mudd or alumni. The alumni has no influence over the admission process whatsoever, just knowledge about the campus in general, enough to give the high school students an introduction to the school.

I haven’t really followed college confidential all that much. But from talking to several people from other schools, Mudd has become very popular with Asians. My sisters are both in 8th grade. Their science teacher recently spoke very highly of Mudd and had all her students do research on the school as part of a class project. So the trend may be changing.

8

yeah, my lack of STEM ECs will kill me, but I’m not hoping to get in. I’m more realistic and am hoping to go to UCLA or USC. And my being a male asian only makes my chances worse. But, I kinda changed my mind. One of my friends who is attending mudd right now is dying due to the workload. I consider myself a top student, since I take my courses seriously and am a huge nerd. But so was he. In fact, I thought he was one of the smartest people I ve ever met. But his attitude towards Mudd definitely changed mine.

It would be a privilege to go, but I fear it wont do me any good. Graduating for USC or SLO may even be more beneficial for me.

9

Thanks to all who commented!! it helps a lott.

10

@ikim16 One of the things that I consistently hear from college counselors is to choose the school that best fits you, not choose the school for its reputation. Mudd is definitely right for some and not for others. From the stories that I’ve heard, pretty much all the kids at Mudd are smart. Some incredibly smart beyond belief. Even if you’re the top student from your high school, get ready to feel average of maybe below average (well, that’s what I’ve been told to expect). Mudd’s class is something like 30% valedictorian/salutatorian, but someone has to be the left hand side of the bell curve. Did you try to make USAMO, USAPhO, USAChO, etc… or some STEM ECs like those? I know that the counselors were busy reading applications as of this past Friday, it’s even possible they have a preliminary list already made out. My guess is that the list will be near final before Thanksgiving.

11

The workload is intense, and there are a lot of brilliant people there. My kid works unbelievably hard to stay afloat, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

12

They require one from STEM and one from Humanities.

They require ALL scores.

Yes…agreed.

13

yeah… my prospects for this schools isnt the best. Yet, I’m open to everything. Im looking into doing a 3/2 with Occidental. I think I would almost fail at HMC. If so, I know I won’t fit well, since most people can readily balance a rigorous schedule with some room for fun. Thanks for the help!!

14

Haha… my kid didn’t balance anything but work her first few semesters. She went to a weekly quiz bowl practice, but really nothing else. Fun was working problem sets with her friends. You will not be alone if that is what you end up doing.

As a junior, she definitely has more time for fun. But hardly anyone does during core. She loves it – but be prepared to work hard. I don’t think they accept people that they don’t think can do the work, though.