honestly

[eblake]

I applied to American universities because I wanted to go to a fancy school, because everyone else at my school is going to a fancy school. Early acceptances off the top of my head: harvard, yale, darmouth, MIT, cornell.

that being realized and said, what's sinking in is that I honestly don't care for most of the schools I plan to apply to.

though i visited a bunch of schools, the only two I really really really liked and feel like I would fit in well at are Brown and uChicago. If i can't get into them, I'd be quite happy going to Uof Toronto here at home, which I know I will be accepted into. it's not like my undergrad institution will define my life.

so the question is,

should I do what everyone else at my school is - quite logically, I think - doing, which is applying to all the ivy leagues and as many name schools as possible,

or should I only apply to uChicago and Brown only, and make it easier for myself?

thoughts? thank you.

Edited January 25, 2009 by eblake

[__inthemaking]

Make it easier for yourself. Undergrad doesn't matter.

I'm staying in Canada for my undergrad (pre-med) even though everyone tells me I should've applied to Ivies..all my friends were like "you probably would've gotten in too..you have the stellar marks, ECs and adults love you so you would've aced the interviews too".

[eblake]

I'd say make it easier for yourself by applying to all universities that you are interested in. I don't know you personally, but it's not that easy getting into u of chicago and brown, so if you can afford (cash n timewise) to apply to more, then do so.

I can afford cash and timewise to apply to all of them, definitely. essay writing is a breeze for me. but ..that's not my problem.

Did you know that an Ivy league school (cornell) is actually easier to get into than Brown? Now i'm not saying forget Brown, but by applying to more, you increase your chances of getting accepted to a better uni.

this is my problem. "increasing my chances of getting into a better uni"? what's in a name? as amazing as it would be to say that you went to some prestigious school, is being able to say that worth four years of miserable undergrad? i'm not saying i'll be miserable for sure, i'm just saying that the only place i know i'll be happy at is brown. that's it. i didn't care for any of the other schools i visited, not even freakin' harvard.. as in, if harvard wasn't so famous, i wouldn't even remember it at all. the problem with thinking about uni applications this way is that the emphasis is put on chances, on your chances of getting into a handful of prestigious schools, then how to increase your chances, etc. i'm beginning to question that emphasis. i'm beginning to think that the first emphasis should be put on which school you know you'll love, then to focus on what your chances are and how to increase them.. am I making sense?.. basically, I don't think I should apply for Cornell because it's easier to get into than Brown. I think I should apply for Cornell because I know i'll love it there - which I truly don't. is a name going to make me happy? is a name going to make four years in an unknown environment worth it? I'm very confuzzled.

Some applicants get a strange pattern of offers sometimes, for instance you may apply to all Ivys with the same application package, but all of them except Harvard reject you, likewise sometimes it will only be cornell that accepts you and all the others reject you.

So my advice is; definitely apply to Brown, UChicago and UToronto, but if you want to apply to more then sure do!

thanks mark. that's basically what all my friends said too.

Edited December 16, 2008 by eblake

[IBStuck]

apply to al the unis that interest you, and then if you have the time and the money go for the ones you might like. why bother to apply to a school that you are going to hate though?

the more you apply to the better your chances. you can always not accept an offer that is given to you.

[deissi]

Did you know that an Ivy league school (cornell) is actually easier to get into than Brown? Now i'm not saying forget Brown, but by applying to more, you increase your chances of getting accepted to a better uni.

Brown is ivy league.

[flsweetheart422]

Although you sound as if you are only looking at the most prestigious schools in the US, keep in mind that there are some great schools that are not ivy. What are your stats (WGPA, SAT/ACT scores)?

I have been surprised so far. There are a bunch of kids at the top of my class who are getting deferred and denied to strong institutions that weren't necessarily ivy (MIT, Sanford, Boston University, Vanderbilt and some that were ivy Yale, Brown, etc.) All I have to say, is good luck to you, but colleges this year have faced unparalleled budget cuts. Yes, even on the ivy level. This is highly impacting the numbers that they accept and the financial aid they are willing to offer. So if you are going to apply to all the ivy league schools, good luck to you, and you better be qualified.

[IBStuck]

i agree with flsweetheart, that you should look into other schools that are not just ivy. there are so many options out that where you can get just as good of an education.

edit: are you actually in china? and is it easier for you to get into a school in china if you are there? coz my uni has a campus in china, and if you are interested in a business major i can give you info on it, but it is not an ivy or close but it istill a really good school for business.

Edited December 16, 2008 by IBStuck

[eblake]

flsweetheart: stats in next post.

i agree with flsweetheart, that you should look into other schools that are not just ivy. there are so many options out that where you can get just as good of an education.

I agree, I didn't specifically mean the 8 ivies, I just meant applying for general prestige. Anyway, my list currently looks like:

Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard - total crapshot, but Georgetown is making me take 3 subject tests so why the heck not? Anyone remember the tom sawyer admissions? hehe.

Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore

Georgetown, UChicago

U of Toronto

Bristol, UCL, University of Southern Denmark.

edit: are you actually in china? and is it easier for you to get into a school in china if you are there? coz my uni has a campus in china, and if you are interested in a business major i can give you info on it, but it is not an ivy or close but it istill a really good school for business.

nope. I was born there and lived in China 10/17 years though. some girl from China got into Harvard a couple years ago, she made like a billion dollars selling her story, so yeah, I guess so?

thanks for the offer though

Edited December 16, 2008 by eblake

[eblake]

What are your stats (WGPA, SAT/ACT scores)?

Stats - collegeconfidential.com "chance me" style

Stats:

* SAT: 2200 the first time I took it. I'm waiting for scores to come the 23rd which should be better? seeing as this time I actually prepared and ate breakfast?

* SAT IIs: 700 literature, 740 Math I, 680 Spanish (I've only had a year of Spanish, but I didn't want to take Chinese in case my ethnicity discounts that score)

* GPA: 40/45 predicted

* Rank: 15/100 ish

* Income: lower bracket. on financial aid atm.

* Intended major: philosophy and political science. aiming for law school later.

Location/Person:

* State or Country: Canada

* School Type: top private

* Ethnicity: Chinese. Grandmother has a drop of Japanese blood though.

* Gender: F

Subjective:

* Essays: good, as in "unique and interesting" according to a VERY VERY MEAN past admissions officer.. IMO, unique, personal, serious insight but not emotionally-laden and heavy/asking for pity/trying to 'move' the officer. quirky and fun to say the least.

* Teacher Recs: didnt read. but one glowing, one decent

* Counselor Rec: didnt read.

* Hook (if any): first-generation immigrant, lived in a dirty basement the first four years in canada except now I'm in private school and people assume it's always been like this; lived with domestic abuse most of my life; dad walked out in middle school; mother just 'realized' she is a lesbian don't ask ; major depressive disorder in HS; basically completely retarded upbringing and life outside of school

ECs:

* Music: started playing accordion at age 2, performed on national television ( hahahaa) and received grade 8 diploma at age 7. dropped accordion because of immigration. picked up piano, played for 3 years, got a grade 8 diploma. won a scholarship for it and a bunch of awards. taught piano, played at charity concerts. dropped it because depression = disinterest. played drums and percussion in HS/friends' band. can play guitar.

* Art: current love. took art for the first time in sophomore year (because of a scheduling conflict..), loved it, exhibited in senior artshow. won the art award in grade 11 - I skipped class to do art, seriously. in the summer i interned with a local artist, ran her t shirt business, made a pantload of money but most importantly figured out that I wanted to be in an art studio and would never give it up in college.

* Sports: badminton. trained on-court and off-court with Olympic-level coaches all summer long (killed me.. and gave me scary muscles i never had). plays recreationally weekly, senior team etc, did okay (IMO) at Open tournament.

* leadership: captain of senior badminton team, coached junior team.

* service: apart from CAS requirements volunteering oddjobs (mostly at art and music festivals around where I live), started a service/awareness organization "targetting adolescent first-generation immigrants who have experienced dramatic shifts in family dynamics as to combat long-term psychological trauma and stress" with some PhD research student at CAMH (center for addiction and mental health)

General Comments: wants to study philosophy and art. extended essay was ON philosophy but heavily related to 'the knower's experience and identity primarily as an art student". visited a bunch of schools in the US and only ended up liking brown. didnt care for harvard. also, too scared to apply for financial aid so probably not applying for financial aid..

what are my chances? gaaaaah.

Edited December 16, 2008 by eblake

[flsweetheart422]

* SAT: 2200 the first time I took it. I'm waiting for scores to come the 23rd which should be better? seeing as this time I actually prepared and ate breakfast?

* SAT IIs: 700 literature, 740 Math I, 680 Spanish (I've only had a year of Spanish, but I didn't want to take Chinese in case my ethnicity discounts that score)

* GPA: 40/45 predicted

* Rank: 15/100 ish

* Income: lower bracket. on financial aid atm.

* Intended major: philosophy and political science. aiming for law school later.

...

what are my chances? gaaaaah.

Note: In the US, GPA refers to grades you receive in the class (not on IB tests). Its usually out of 4.0 (4.0 = A, 3.0 = B, 2.0 = C, 1.0 = D, and nothing for an F). Your IB Predicted Grades are quite strong, but I'm sure you know that. Your overall SAT score is strong, but but towards the lower end if looking at the ivy level. (My friend just got denied at U Chicago and he got a 1550/1600 on the SAT and is 13/512 in our class. Yes, more factors into college decisions, but that's just what I know.) With that said, you have a very interesting story, and good extra-curriculars, and that could definitely benefit you in the long run.

I recommend you take a good look at http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp when you use this site, you will see the admission stats, midrange test scores (midrange = the scores of the middle 50% of 1st year students), financial information, available majors, among a bunch of other information. Its a very useful site and I highly recommend you take a good look at it.

[Forester]

Your overall SAT score is strong, but but towards the lower end if looking at the ivy level. (My friend just got denied at U Chicago and he got a 1550/1600 on the SAT and is 13/512 in our class.

Doesn't that infer that SAT scores doesn't mean that much? From what I have seen on CC, more people with 2300+ have been rejected in the early decision round that the 2100s and 2200s.

Um...eblake, I never knew Harvard had early?

The thing is, the application game has gotten so competitive over the years and this year I would say is the most competitive. Even with amazing scores like yours it is very hard to say whether you will even get accepted into one of the lower ivies let alone the higher ones.

I am applying to 9 schools just in hope of getting into 1. If like you said, you can write essays, and you have plenty of time, I would recommend just applying to a lot of schools and I am sure you will get into one.

I would say apply to princeton and columbia as well. They are strongly liberal arts orientated and I assume you are going for that from the uni of chicago and brown approach.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Forester

[eblake]

Doesn't that infer that SAT scores doesn't mean that much? From what I have seen on CC, more people with 2300+ have been rejected in the early decision round that the 2100s and 2200s.

Did you stalk the ED threads? I think SAT I scores are only considered indicative if your school has a history of inflating grades. Generally the Canadian education is already credited with running a controlled curriculum, and plus this is IB so personally I don't think SAT scores are always that important in admissions decisions.

Um...eblake, I never knew Harvard had early?

Who said it does? I didn't apply early anywhere.

The thing is, the application game has gotten so competitive over the years and this year I would say is the most competitive. Even with amazing scores like yours it is very hard to say whether you will even get accepted into one of the lower ivies let alone the higher ones.

Amazing scores? Look who's talking. Anyway, I agree that because it's gotten so competitive that high scores are no longer key, which is.. good.. for me, because I don't consider my grades/scores my best face anyway. UGH I should have applied to Cambridge or another school where the interview is the big deal.

I would recommend just applying to a lot of schools and I am sure you will get into one.

I would say apply to princeton and columbia as well.

Thanks =) Same to you.

[Forester]

You said the US has been kind to your school, with early acceptances at Harvard. Harvard does not have early.

[eblake]

You said the US has been kind to your school, with early acceptances at Harvard. Harvard does not have early.

Recruited. my bad.

[avrila]

so the question is,

should I do what everyone else at my school is - quite logically, I think - doing, which is applying to all the ivy leagues and as many name schools as possible,

or should I only apply to uChicago and Brown only, and make it easier for myself?

I think, it is better for you to choseo the one that you think you feel comfortable with. If u manage to go to those fancy universities but do not comfortable with the surrounding, it will be no good too. So, stick with the one that you think can make you feel like at home.