Humanities heavy candidate ok for Humanities major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

Wesleyan is not really open curriculum - gen eds required if doing a thesis or graduating with honors.

This person always posts this about Wesleyan. So I always feel compelled to post in reply that virtually no open curriculum schools are “truly” open curriculum. Only Brown and Amherst, based on my research. Vassar requires foreign language, Hamilton requires writing classes, Smith (like Wes) requires a distribution of classes for honors.

To be clear: to graduate with honors at Wes, you need to take three classes in each of three areas. Many kids will do this in two areas just through the normal course of events; my kid is double-majoring in a humanities area and a social sciences area, for example, so only has to take three science/math classes that he might not have otherwise (and one of them he probably would have taken out of personal interest). And, of course, you don’t have to graduate with honors! In which case, no requirements.

On your topic, OP, my kid was accepted TO to Wes, but he had AP classes in math and science. They like to see calculus and biology/chemistry/physics (per their first-year profile page). Not saying she can’t get in with her profile but just noting for expectation setting.

Grinnell only requires the First Year Tutorial:

https://www.grinnell.edu/admission/why-grinnell/our-academics

[Anonymous]

Full pay and ED might do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

The wording on their site is “you are encouraged.” So not required.

“You are encouraged to submit one from a humanities, social sciences, or foreign language teacher and one from a math or science teacher”

So let’s get this straight. You’re suggesting that a student with no strong stem classes, no test scores, and no recommendation from a stem teacher even though it is “encouraged” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country?

Ok.

Don’t quit your day job.

[Anonymous]

Our HADES school made all students get one stem and one humanities recommendation. College placement was excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

The wording on their site is “you are encouraged.” So not required.

“You are encouraged to submit one from a humanities, social sciences, or foreign language teacher and one from a math or science teacher”

So let’s get this straight. You’re suggesting that a student with no strong stem classes, no test scores, and no recommendation from a stem teacher even though it is “encouraged” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country?

Ok.

Don’t quit your day job.

Amen. People on this board think the only tough SLAC admits are WASP. Keep thinking you can breeze in to Wes during RD TO with a bunch of Bs or weak rigor as compared to what is offered at your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

The wording on their site is “you are encouraged.” So not required.

“You are encouraged to submit one from a humanities, social sciences, or foreign language teacher and one from a math or science teacher”

So let’s get this straight. You’re suggesting that a student with no strong stem classes, no test scores, and no recommendation from a stem teacher even though it is “encouraged” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country?

Ok.

Don’t quit your day job.

NP here. Why are you getting so excitable about this? Like others suggested, the student ought to apply ED and see what happens. No one knows, even you.

Please keep us updated OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

The wording on their site is “you are encouraged.” So not required.

“You are encouraged to submit one from a humanities, social sciences, or foreign language teacher and one from a math or science teacher”

So let’s get this straight. You’re suggesting that a student with no strong stem classes, no test scores, and no recommendation from a stem teacher even though it is “encouraged” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country?

Ok.

Don’t quit your day job.

NP here. Why are you getting so excitable about this? Like others suggested, the student ought to apply ED and see what happens. No one knows, even you.

Please keep us updated OP.

Yes I do. With that transcript and no test scores she’s not getting in. Somebody on this thread needs to be realistic. Otherwise this forum is useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesleyan requires that one recommendation is from STEM teacher

The wording on their site is “you are encouraged.” So not required.

“You are encouraged to submit one from a humanities, social sciences, or foreign language teacher and one from a math or science teacher”

So let’s get this straight. You’re suggesting that a student with no strong stem classes, no test scores, and no recommendation from a stem teacher even though it is “encouraged” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country?

Ok.

Don’t quit your day job.

NP here. Why are you getting so excitable about this? Like others suggested, the student ought to apply ED and see what happens. No one knows, even you.

Please keep us updated OP.

Yes I do. With that transcript and no test scores she’s not getting in. Somebody on this thread needs to be realistic. Otherwise this forum is useless.

Does your child ONLY apply to schools they KNOW they’re getting into? Have you never heard of the term “reach?”

[Anonymous]

Many LACs have been test optional for DECADES! You must be kidding me! Test score is just one data point. How do you know other parts of OP's application is not outstanding? Her GPA is high, and humanities major. Give me a break!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid applied to Wesleyan from a very respected public high school in NOVA with well over a 4.0 weighted GPA, AP classes in all subjects including stem classes through physics and Calculus BC and with impressive humanities-based extras. As a humanities major. And with mid 30s on the ACT.

Not even waitlisted.

It isn’t 2020 anymore. An applicant to a top college with a one-sided transcript and no test scores is not getting in.

RD or ED?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see any problem as long as test optional. Grades are good.

Totally depends on the profiles of other students from the same school applying to the same college.

NO IT DOESN’T

Where do you people come from?

Her school will send her transcript along with a school profile. The profile will show that the school offers all kinds of AP math and science classes that the student didn’t take. The student won’t be judged against what other students applying to the same college are taking — they’ll be judged by the courses that they took among the courses offered. Top colleges do not give a pass to a student who doesn’t at least try a few of the harder science classes regardless of intended major. They get too many applications for that.

While I agree with you for the very top colleges there is not much rigor wiggle room even for humanities kids, Wesleyan and Middlebury and similar tier Lacs allow for slightly imbalanced transcript. So do BC and other T30ish. However not "regular"stem like OP, more like AP bio as the one AP science and Honors not AP physics; ABcalculus not BC (this is a high school with about 60% completing either AB or BC by senior year at the latest, 10% vector calculus).

[Anonymous]

^EDIT did not see no STEM rec and the student is TO. No, OP, now i fully agree with PP, not getting in.

[Anonymous]

Why can't she get a STEM rec? She doesn't have ANY rapport with those teachers whatsoever? That's concerning. Should be easy to ask.

[Anonymous]

The problem is you are competing with kids who are strong in all areas. My humanities-focused DD got into a peer school to Wes but she had AP BC Calc, AP Physics, Bio and Chem, as well as the full slate of AP humanities, foreign language, and social studies AP. (And is now minoring in a stem subject).

I never say never especially if your child has so really strong teacher recommendations and some kind of unique EC, but it’s definitely a far reach. Move down in rankings a bit and there are still lots of great SLACs where she can thrive and get a great education and be successful in life.

[Anonymous]

Good luck, OP! Also worth considering: Oberlin, Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Bennington.