Middlebury College
The committee was impressed by how real your environmental story feels. Growing up connected to a farm, organizing a carbon audit that led to solar panels, and spending serious time in wilderness leadership programs creates a narrative that clearly resonated with our fit reviewer. Where the committee hesitated was on the academic side: the current GPA, SAT, and missing course‑rigor information make it difficult to see the same level of distinction in the classroom that we see in your activities. One reviewer argued strongly that many environmental applicants to schools like Middlebury will have similar passions but stronger academic signals. In the end, the committee placed you solidly in the Medium tier: compelling direction, but not yet academically differentiated. The most productive next step is strengthening the academic side of the profile while adding one project that shows environmental science as analysis and investigation, not just activism.