<p>No offense, but a 700+ in each section and 4 5s and a 4 isn't that impressive and that alone won't get you into any of the top schools...</p>
<p>I think it would mostly come down to your ECs. If your ECs aren't that good, doesnt matter how many ivies you apply to - you won't get into any.</p>
<p>Applying to 19 schools is spreading yourself really thin and is going to cause each application to not be as strong as if you only applied to 10. I would try to narrow down a little more what type of school you're looking for as Wesleyan and Princeton are very different and neither of them is like Penn.</p>
<p>There's only 2 possible safeties on that list.</p>
<p>I won't comment on the UCs as safety schools as I do not know exactly how that system works. I can tell you that, yes, there are those who do cast a wide net and manage to catch a school that would not have been on the list had it been trimmed to say, half the size. But kids I know who do this generally have a parent or paid counselor to act as a private secretary. You will be assigned alumni interviews at a number of those colleges, demonstrated interest is crucial with some of those schools, in addition to the arduous task of customizing each application. With the selectivity of each of those schools, you will cut your chances drastically if you appear to be sending out cookie cutter apps, which is usually what ends up happening when you have more schools than you can handle well. Do remember that you will likely be juggling a heavy course load; your first semester grades will heavily impact the decison, and you are probably in some top drawer ECs if your are even in the running for some of those schools, which again, are energy, brain and time consuming. The other negative factor of applying to so many schools occurs if your guidance counselor is one that the schools contact. Often info is confidentially exchanged, usually along the lines of how interested you are in that college and how your interest compares to other kids applying to that college in your class. I don't know what the answer would be with 19 colleges in your folder; I do know that counselors frown on that many app, if they even allow them. Some schools have a limit on how many applications they will process.</p>
<p>If you want to go down that path, I suggest you get copies of the Common Ap and individual apps of those school from last year, and start filling them out NOW. You will need an early start to do a good job on those apps. You will need a very efficient filing system. Also your counselor will be more amenable to getting stuff out to all of those colleges if you catch her early in the season before she is swamped with apps. If you want to hold some because you want to hear from an early school first, still get all the paper work together so you can just drop the apps off in the mail if the news warrents that action. You can have a burning party if it is not necessary to send out those apps. Good luck.</p>
<p>
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No offense, but a 700+ in each section and 4 5s and a 4 isn't that impressive and that alone won't get you into any of the top schools...
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<p>You crazy? How is this not impressive? I agree that they won't get you into a top school by themselves but there's nothing unimpressive about these scores.</p>
<p>Phroz3n -- Yes, I have very good ECs, definitely enough to put me in the running for admission to any top school.</p>
<p>Ebeeee -- Yes, I am ELC. All the UCs (aside from Cal and LA) have a 95% rate of admission of ELC candidates. At Cal and UCLA, the admit rate for ELC is about 50%. The top 10 or so students from my schools who apply to Berkeley and UCLA are admitted each year. As the val, I can say with some certainty that the UCs are safetys for me.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse -- I have already nearly completed my essays for the Common App and a number of supplements.</p>
<p>Dvlfnfv5 -- Please explain how you see only "two possible safetys" on the list. How did you get that number?</p>
<p>I personally think that 19 is way toooooooo many schools. The admission committe is going to look at your application and see how many other schools you are applying to. They generally want students that show a passion for their particular school. You are not showing that passion by applying to 18 other schools. So the whole "wide net" idea seems pretty flawed. I showed true passion for one reach school and was admitted even though my stats were below average for that college. Also you need to think about low income and colleges. I was from a very low income family and looked at schools that were famous for their financial aid package. I eliminated Georgetown immediately because I found out that it was not that generous with its money. And frankly even if you get into Harvard you don't have that great of a chance of getting merit money. They usually reserve merit money for the really talented and genius students. But of course you may be one of those. It is just something to consider. I wish you luck on whatever you decide. Some people apply to a million schools and it works for them. I on the other hand only applied to two and it worked out really well for me. I am sooooooo glad that I am now done with that whole college applications process.</p>
<p>/\ pilebay:
Actually you can hide the names of the other common app schools you are applying to by submitting it to each school, one school at a time, instead of listing all common app colleges you are applying to, and then submitting it all at once. It takes a little more time this way, but then each school won't know what other colleges you applying to, unless you choose to tell them in an interview.</p>
<p>I think its ridiculous that you're applying to EVERY Ivy league with the exception of... only cornell I think. Obviously, you havn't looked at these colleges individually, b/c if you had, you would realize that some of these schools are complete opposites and applying to all of them is so absurd that it' actually quite laughable. First of all, there are so many schools out there that you're probably missing out on just b/c you want to buy a big name. I've had friends who've done exactly what you are doing (except not nearly as extreme) and have ended up transfering b/c they realized that they didn't analyze their "dream schools" as some place that they were actually going to live for four years. My friend James sent out ten applications and went to the biggest name that would accept him. Long story made short, he ended up getting accepted to Yale, was miserable and transferred his sophomore year. He told me himself that the big name isn't worth the money and it isn't allit's cracked up to be. Judging by that, I'm guessing that it certainly isn't worth dying under the strain of filling out 19 applications. Not a good Idea!</p>
<p>if the ucs are safeties then why don't you just apply to three instead of four? how about look at sizes, look at student bodies, look at urban vs suburban and decide which schools you would be most comfortable at. 19 schools is crazy. whittle it down to about 10 and that would be about right.</p>
<p>OP: I hope you're not implying that Berkeley and LA are safeties for you. No one can call Berkeley or LA a safety - they're rather eccentric sometimes.</p>
<p>Eccentric? I believe you mean "erratic," aer. Well, that may be, but the history of those schools accepting at least the top-ranked 5 students from my high school goes back for years.</p>
<p>Also, to those who have pointed out that I'm applying to "all the UCs except Cornell," <em>I'd</em> like to point out that, no, I am not applying to Cornell, Dartmouth, or Columbia.</p>
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You crazy? How is this not impressive? I agree that they won't get you into a top school by themselves but there's nothing unimpressive about these scores.
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<p>I never said I was unimpressed. I'm just not impressed. A LOT of people applying to the top schools have those stats. I know I do, and I'm sure a lot of other people here on CC are the same. You're gonna have to really shine in your essays.</p>
<p>Uh, my stats are comparable to the ones I was praising, and I also realize the sheer numbers of people with said stats applying, but that doesn't mean they aren't impressive, it just means being impressive alone in those respects doesn't distinguish you in a pool full of impressive students. Let's not lose perspective, here.</p>
<p>unimpressed - adj : not moved to serious regard; "trying to appear unimpressed"</p>
<p>fyi-to not be impressed and to be unimpressed is the same thing, come on.</p>
<p>Why are some people just assuming he's applying to these colleges for their titles? He's already said he's visited all the colleges on his list, so maybe he actually would be happy at any one of those schools.</p>
<p>Well I'm going to get back on topic, but anyway even I have to admit that 19 is a bit overboard. I know I did 12 and were it not for the common app I would still be doing my applications, but yeah, I mean if you have all the time in the world that can be used to making the strongest applications possible then I would definitely say go for it, though those essays are surely going to be a pain [ I know they were for me though I never even did an optional essay... oops] Nonetheless, I say good luck and I am sure you'll do well when letters come out April 1st :D</p>
<p>that's wayy too much. i think the max you should apply to is around 10, since you'll ultimately cut down to 1. do some research and see which schools actually fit what you wanna do..and don't apply to schools just for the title. the prestige doesn't mean anything IMHO, it's about a school's individual programs for your prospective major...and also look up the school's environments and see which one you think suit you better etc...</p>
<p>and UCLA/UCB are not safeties for anyone anymore..they are way too unpredictable..especially if you're doing UCB EECS or something. with your grades i think you'll probably get in, but i'm just saying don't be that surprised if they don't accept you. get some more safeties other than UCSB..you might as well apply to more UCs..since it's all in one app.</p>
<p>Eccentric is defined as bizarre, which is what UCB/UCLA's admissions can and sometimes are. And history or not, there are some odd choices - there are lots of CCers with stats floating around that are excellent, but apparently not good enough to get into the top UCs.</p>
<p>I think that it may not be too good to apply to too many Ivies, although 5 isn't too many. The schools know each other and which ones you're applying to, so applying to too many shows you have no commitment to them.</p>
<p>Lightuh, I thought the Ivies discontinued their practice of comparing applicants.</p>