Chance Me: Asian Male (Valedictorian) from Alabama with high hopes in MechE [3.98, 33, $25-30k]

No! Most schools allow you to self report scores. Go to each website and look at each school’s requirements!!!

6 Likes

This!

I too cannot emphasize this more. You need to really know the schools you are applying to and the programs and other facets.

Generic essays really don’t work for selective schools. And when they ask you “Why Us?”, keep in mind that they are REALLY asking “Why do WE need you?”

Again, you can demonstrate that by researching the school and tailoring your answers specifically for that school. There may be some paragraphs that you can use in multiple essays, but this is the perfect opportunity for you to shine.

And, as someone mentioned on this thread, focus on the schools you really want to go to first and then tackle the other ones. 12th grade is going to be busy enough, and you still need time to enjoy life. You’re going to have to pace yourself to handle it all, and it is entirely doable. You just need to plan the next several months carefully, and I would start on the essays as soon as you know what the prompt questions are. I guess that’s August 1 for many schools, but some are earlier.

Start ASAP and revise, review, and revise. I think some applicants gloss over the essays. Don’t be one of them!

Very best of luck.

5 Likes

Most schools allow self reporting. But a school like Purdue, you cannot go TO.

But they do allow self reporting.

This is huge for you because on 20 schools it saves you hundreds. You will report after you accept so they can verify that you got what you said. Check each as a few do make you send in but maybe not any on your list.

CSS has cost. Apps have cost.

That’s the downside of so many apps - up front costs. We spent probably $2k on my kid but it was well worth it.

It’s a lot but in the grand scheme of college, not really (for merit chasers anyway).

2 Likes

IMPORTANT:
33 is your superscore, yes?
What is your best composite? You need to know the policy of each school on your list: do they allow superscores or not? No point in sending a superscore when the school won’t accept that.
Also, that might have the effect of bumping you out of the top 25%; I don’t know.

3 Likes

My composite was a 32. Only change was my English was unfortunately a 30 in my best test. And I did take this into account when making my percentile list. So the list that I posted has accurate info.

3 Likes

Thank you for the info. I plan on starting on the morning of August 1st if they are out yet. I also plan on writing a small portion that I believe can be the intro to most, if not all, my why us essays.

1 Like

I think Alabama makes you send them in as well as Auburn.

If you indicate that you want your test scores included in the review of your application, your application will remain incomplete until official test scores are received from ACT/SAT.

^ This is what it says on Alabama’s application. I was emailing Auburn and they were saying that I have to send them an updated score.

If a school asks me to put my ACT score in during the application can I assume that that is self reporting? I will still check.

1 Like

USC doesn’t track interest for admissions. However, they do pay attention to interest when they are are determining which students they can attract with a merit scholarship. They aren’t going to hang that carrot in front of someone who has shown no interest.

The only students that can be considered for merit with a Dec 1 deadline are those who are applying for portfolio majors. OP would be applying into Viterbi (Engineering) or Marshall (Business). Neither college has portfolio majors.

From the link that you included in your post:

Students must apply EA in order to be considered for USC Merit Scholarships, unless their intended major does not participate in Early Action.

The Dec 1 deadline is for portfolio or audition majors.

Students applying to majors requiring a portfolio or audition will be considered for USC Merit Scholarships as part of their Regular Decision process.

This is the final deadline for students applying to majors in the following schools:

Iovine and Young Academy
Kaufman School of Dance
Roski School of Art & Design
School of Architecture
School of Cinematic Arts
School of Dramatic Arts
Thornton School of Music

Not only that, but it helps with the supplemental essay where they ask Why USC?

3 Likes

Most majors require students to apply Early Action and submit a complete application by November 1.

Just found this. I stand corrected. Thx

You must send your scores to every university that require them but I thought this went without saying. Your scores will be most beneficial at the universities I listed, whether they do require them or not.
For the others, because many have been test optional, it’s hard to tell you what to do exactly bc the median may not reflect this Fall’s crop of applicants. Your score is excellent, to the point it doesn’t impact your application. So, the question will be, will it help you (e.g., are you the only one in your class with that score from your HS? In that case submit and make sure your GC indicates that in your LoR/include it on the bragsheet you give them. Or, are there 10 other applicants, all to the same universities, with a similar or better score?) This level of granularity is hard to get to on this thread bc we don’t have all the variables, but you probably have some of them and should be able to make thr decision for yourself. Or you could identify more variables for us and ask a more specific question.

1 Like

Most colleges accept scores on the transcript. If in doubt, email their admissions office.

Yea each school will tell you. Most but not all will self report. It sounds like Bama doesn’t. So send it in if using it.

1 Like

Why are you doing ED1 at Columbia for mechanical engineering?

1 Like

Missed that - initially OP was Cornell abd WUSTL.

OP. Have you been to NYC ? It’s a very different city/lifestyle and very expensive outside of campus.

2 Likes

NYC is going to be very expensive once you step off campus. Have you visited?

What happened to Cornell? Why Columbia? I am confused.

5 Likes

I decided Columbia over Cornell because of the location. I’ve been to NYC a couple of times and love it. The only thing that was holding me back on Cornell was the location.

Also ACT gave four free score submissions to colleges every time you take a test. I sent my score to 8 schools. If I don’t report score to those schools will they still be able to see my score and will it harm me?

1 Like

Why Columbia rather than Cornell? Rather than Penn?
Note: your explanation cannot be “I love NYC”. (It’s such a go-to for Columbia applicants It’s basically a deal breaker unless you have a lot of very compelling reasons beside that one).

Which 8 universities did you use for your 8 free scores?
Typically, if your GC puts the scores on your trnscript it’s considered official.

1 Like

What is it about Columbia that you love?

You can visit NYC without attending Columbia. You can live there once you graduate (if you can afford it).

3 Likes

Just remember that the more money you owe, the harder it will be to live in NYC.

Not saying you or your parents will have big loans. Just giving you the heads up.

One of my kids went to Columbia for grad school. Both of my kids lived in queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. We live less than an hour from campus. It’s expensive.

** my daughter had a hard time in grad school because many of her friends had money for dinners out. She didn’t, and found a part time job (which helped a lot).

5 Likes