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I know it's sort of early for this sort of post(I'm a junior), but I got my ACT score back today and I'm wondering about colleges even more than before. I'm planning on applying to Grinnell, could someone please evaluate my chances for acceptance? Also, if you could take a guess at whether I could get a good merit scholarhip I'd really appreciate your help. I'm thinking of majoring in Classics or History and I'll be applying regular decision. I'm not sure what all info to post, so if you need something else, just tell me.

17 year old female from Iowa
Class of 2005
ACT:
composite- 32
english- 35
math- 28
reading- 34
science- 32
PSAT: 214 My guidance couselor told me I'm likely to be commended or a semi-finalist for National Merit, but I don't know.
Haven't taken the SAT yet.
GPA: 4.0 unweighted (my school doesn't weight)
Rank: 1/120ish
Difficult course load
My school offers three AP classes, I plan on taking two of them and one other AP class online
I don't have the best extracurriculars, but I'm working on it.
Speech
--- County Democrats
--- County Young Democrats (founder and chair)
School paper (editor, layout, writer)
campaign volunteer (70 hours, probably more by the election)
NHS
Quiz Bowl
I'm applying to be a legislative page next year. If I get in to the program, I'll be graduating a semeseter early to do that.

I don't have any significant awards because I don't participate in any competive extracurriculars. I have been student of the month, an academic booster club "all star", I have academic letters for every semester, and I'm in NHS.

I'm hoping to do some career shadowing this summer, hopefully at a law firm or musuem.

Thanks for reading this hugely long post, if you can evaluate my chances I'm forever grateful.

By Bee_Bee (Bee_Bee) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 10:19 pm: Edit

I think you have a great chance of getting in. Your stats are sort of similar to mine, and I got in. But I do not know about your chances for merit scholarships.

By Medusa2003 (Medusa2003) on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 10:59 pm: Edit

I also think that you have a great chance of getting in. Grinnell gives 50% weight to your high school academic record, 25% weight to standardized test scores, and 25% to other factors such as extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations. Our daughter received a substantial merit scholarship from Grinnell with a 35 ACT score, National Merit finalist, rank 3 of about 100, and extracurriculars that included Quiz Bowl, science club, band and chorus member, a few summer science programs, and some volunteer clerical work. She did not make NHS. Good luck.

By Bleh (Bleh) on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 08:59 pm: Edit

Thanks everyone. I'm going for a tour this weekend and I'm really excited. Hopefully I can find out more