Chance a girl with insane circumstances for Smith + Wellesley
Hii so I'm a senior currently trying to figure out how competitive my application truly is.
I am pretty worried about my ACT score (retaking aiming with some confidence in a 34) and my ECs (which are not super consistent because of life TM)
Hook: I have moved 3 times during high school. First to get out of my abusive parents home, then because I was kicked out of my the family members house whom I was staying with. I now live with a family member but am technically an "Unaccompanied/Homeless Minor" because I do not have an adult who supports me psychologically or financially.
I also developed a chronic illness in 9th grade that made ECs my first two years of high school impossible. I have gotten much better, and have been trying to make up for it!
Also (x3) I lived in a rural location in the second household (second semester freshman year to end of junior year) and had very limited opportunities + had neglectful/somewhat abusive situation at home.
All my circumstances will be explained, and most directly relate to my passions and things I want to do to help others in similar situations to myself. (I.e. I want to be a physician and public health advocate)
Colleges Im Looking At
Smith (dream)
Wellesley
Bryn Mawr
Mount Holyoke
UGA (in state)
GT (in state)
URochester
STATS
GPA: 3.95UW will graduate with ~4.5W
ACT: 32 (aiming for 34+ on second try)
Done: AP Hug (5), AP Chem (4), AP Seminar (4), AP Physics (5), APUSH (5), AP Lang , AP Research (4), AP Precalc (5),
Doing: AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Calc AB, AP Stats, AP Comp Sci
EC's:
- Founder and President of Speech and Debate Club/Program at my school; taught Debate in the club and led 4/7 competing members to qualify for states their first year; I taught the members myself without help from an official coach. (1 year because I moved)
- 2 gold medals in Speech and Debate statewide comp
- 1 medal in Speech and Debate top ten
-Speech and Debate State Champion Qualifier in 2 categories
-Won Schoolwide Speech Competition and Represented my School at District Showcase
-Worked as a Scribe in a Rural Urgent Care for ~4 weeks (short because I was forced to move but was very impactful to me; likely to mention in supps/essay)
- ART MEDified CRAFT Research Internship: Interned with UCLA chapter of ART MEDified to conduct bibliometric analysis research, compose an abstract and poster, and present at a virtual conference. (8 week summer program, ~7 hours a week) [Note: Not sure how I feel about this. Felt like I learned a lot and I applied when I was living in a rural town w/no car so limited opportunity outside virtual stuff, but it was not super selective]
-Chess Club (1 year)
- Volunteered at a Nonprofit to help end elderly loneliness to 3 years straight (amounted to ~60 hours but its few hours per week)
- Studied Urdu/Hindi for 4 years
Letters of rec will be strong from AP Lang and AP Physics teacher, and maybe from another teacher in Science.
Would love input from others who got into Smith/Wellesley on my chances/what I can do to improve!