Many out-of-state and int’l applicants aren’t able to visit in-person, so I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker. Realize that you don’t have to show every possible form of demonstrated interest, especially if you are planning to apply ED - they just want to know that you have genuine interest in attending if admitted, and ED is already the best possible way to show this.
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Use Net Price Calculator (linked from Estimate Your Cost ) to estimate your FA from Rice before applying ED there.
Applying ED by itself is the strongest indicator of a high level of interest.
Of course, for your non-ED schools that do consider level of interest, you need to play the level of interest game with them.
I wouldn’t say SDSU and UCSC are safeties at all. My D’s friend was accepted at UCLA and Berkeley, denied at Santa Cruz. Also SDSU has a 35% acceptance rate and lots of spots go to local kids (you don’t say where in So Cal you are from). I know just as many kids who were denied at SDSU as were accepted.
I agree that you have a good shot at every college on the list.
My only advise is to perhaps look at schools that prefer high stats kids. Vandy has a top notch neuro program and LOVES high stat kids, same with Hopkins and Emory.
One potential challenge I foresee is finances. If your parents can swing full COA, I am willing to bet you get in. Something to discuss with them.
Congrats on a great career so far!
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If you are a National Merit Finalist and you are accepted to USC, you will receive a half-tuition Presidential Scholarship. Read the small print because they changed their merit scholarship application requirements. They now refer to it as EA and the application deadline is Nov 1. You might call and verify whether or not the NMS Presidential requires a student to apply EA.
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I’m in san diego, and my school has ~70-80% acceptance rate for sdsu
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Yep, I’m planning on EAing to USC for the merit scholarship
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As pertains to neuroscience, Pitzer may offer the strongest psychology program of the Claremonts. However, as also pertains to neuroscience, Pomona may be stronger for biology and chemistry.
IMO, you have a decent chance if you ED. Rice takes a lot of Asian kids (35-40%) .
You have a good profile. Congratulations on your achievements including achieving Eagle Scout!
One suggestion - Your college list has too many Reach colleges. Ideally - the ratio of colleges should be - "reach: match: safety should be 3-5:3-5:3-5. Applying to so many same types of schools doesn’t make sense – for example applying to more same type of schools doesn’t increase your chance of admission.
My recommendation is to pick couple from reach and apply ED1, ED2. If you apply REA to Stanford, you cannot apply ED to any other private colleges. Getting into Stanford is not going to be easy. Also, this will enable you to apply ED1 and ED2 to two colleges where you will have better chance. So, you should consider dropping some T20 colleges and only apply to a couple in the RD round.
Another thing to consider - unless there is no essay for the college, adding more college results in you having to write too many essays!
Also, not sure if you know, As per internet -
Although, ELC status adds value to the application and is one of the factors considered when applications are reviewed, it does not provide guarantee of admissions to a UC campus of their choice or any UC campus.
Do get your essays reviewed by one or two people and also your siblings or parents
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Thank you for your kind words!
I was planning on applying to JHU using their ED2 application. I had no plan on applying to Stanford using REA, Rice is my first option.
Depending on what schools I get into during the EA round (Rice, Tulane or USC) I will remove some of the T20 colleges from the RD round. For example, if I get into USC I will most likely remove Pitzer or Cornell from my RD list.
Overall, I don’t think there are too many supplemental essays to write. I’ve already written around 50% of the essays for the colleges I’m applying to early, and most of the colleges I’m applying to have only 1-2 essays
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Didn’t mean to necropost but…
How much does dual enrollment in CC help for college? Right now I’m taking 4 courses at a community college, and I know there’s spots on the UC application to put them
Just curious if this adds anything
DE courses show academic rigor. Also colleges/universities that do not accept AP credit, may accept the CC courses for credit.
For the UC’s and CSU’s specifically, they view CC courses that are UC/CSU transferable, the same as AP/IB courses but if transferable, you will get college credit toward your degree. It will also free up space in your schedule to take more classes of interest.
The possible downside to DE courses is that the grades (if not great) will be permanently on your college record and will have to be disclosed when applying to Graduate/Professional schools.
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Shows rigor but you already have plenty of rigor. Make sure you do well on them. Are they fluff classes or rigorous ones? Frankly, AOs see fluff classes as GPA boosters and those will do you no favors. But if you have exhausted, say for example, math classes at your HS and take Calc 3 and Diff equations, those would be considered as legitimately rigorous courses.
Also, depending on the school, CC classes may or may not transfer. Here in NC, they transfer but you do not get credit and they show up as P/F.
Yes, I’m taking Differential Equations right now and I took Calc 3 over summer. CC classes at my school don’t count towards GPA, so I don’t think colleges would see them as fluff.
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