hey. i’m looking to shotgun to a bunch of t20s because i’m unsure whether or not i could get into the ones i want to go to.
anyhow, thanks for reading and here’s my stuff:
Class of 2022
Major: Biomedical Engineering or Finance or Comp sci (unsure what i want to do)
Stats -
GPA: 96.5 UW, 99.20 W.
Class Rank: Top 5%
SAT: 1490 (will retake for higher, probably 1500+)
SAT Subject Tests: Chem - 800, Math II - haven’t taken yet
EC’s -
Science Research with a Professor who works at Columbia (presented paper at a large colloquium)
Math Modelling Team - President
Model UN - Vice-President
JV/V Basketball
Science Program where students visit labs and professional scientists
Philosophy debate Club - Secretary
Science Tutor (on credible website)
Religious student association
Playing the Double Bass for 6 years.
i also have nhs but i’m getting mixed results. some people say don’t include it and others say do.
Coursework -
6 dual enrollment classes at Hunter College that relate to finance and stem.
Took 11 out of the 13 AP Courses my school offered and got 4s and 5s on all.
LOR:
Professor from Columbia - very good lor
AP Comp Sci & Algebra Teacher - taught me both subjects, he’s the head of the math modelling team and we have a good connection
AP World teacher - very good connection but i havent’ talked to him in a while.
When applying to top 20 universities, or any university, you should know what the differences are between the schools and apply to ones that are a good fit for you.
Also, do you know what your budget is, and do you have safeties?
OP, if you have a sibling at Penn, you probably know as well as anyone here what it takes to get into schools at this level and what a crap shoot it can be. You are qualified, but most of the rejected applicants these schools reject are qualified. All you can do is take your shot and hope for the best. I wish you luck where ever you end up.
Please go re-read @DadTwoGirls post. You need to learn more about these schools than just what their “strongest” programs are.
An easy example:
“Schools like Harvard or Yale where it’s easy to transfer between departments, i’d just apply to a weak major that’s inline with my Ec’s to boost my chances”.
Those schools don’t admit by major, and pretending to apply to what you think is a weak major is not going to boost your chances even a tiny bit.
Your chances will be best at the schools that are a good fit for you. Are you somebody who really loves the idea of the Columbia core? if so, why isn’t UChicago on your list? If you would be happy in the BME program at JHU, b/c you thrive in a pool of intensely motivated peers, would you really be as happy at Brown, which has students who are just as smart, but has a notably different vibe? If you aren’t sure you want to do business*, have you considered how you will fit in at Wharton?
*And if you want a hybrid science/business career, getting the science part first in UG, and the business part in PG works better than the other way around.
Doing a chance me especially junior year can be super inaccurate- just focus on what you can control for now! Good luck and your stats and stuff look super impressive
Yup, I just realized that they don’t admit by major. Was surprised, since most people tell me to apply to a less competitive major.
I’m unsure what I want to do. I don’t like the Columbia core, but I live in NYC and have a LOR from a Columbia professor - so Columbia has always been a no-brainer for me.
I wish I could only apply to a few schools where I see myself fitting in. But I don’t see myself getting in, that’s why I’m shotgunning.
However, chance of admission will likely be higher when applying to colleges that see you as a good fit for them (which is not necessarily the same as you seeing the college as a good fit for you).
If a college does admit by major, it is likely that changing into a more popular major after enrolling will require another admission process (high college GPA and/or competitive admission). So it is best to put down a major you are interested in and which is consistent with the rest of your application.
If your desired major is a more popular one that will have higher competition for admission, then you may have to add colleges where it is less popular, or which are less selective generally.
Really? imo, not liking the Columbia Core makes it a no-brainer to not apply! Don’t forget that the point is not getting in but having a good college experience that sets you up for the next part of your life.
You say you don’t know what you want to study, so you seem to be substituting famous names for working harder to figure out what will work best for you best. You won’t be applying for almost a year, so you have time to keep thinking, keep investigating different college environments, looking at what a BME course or a business course really means: the classes you take, the pathways it opens. You have time to think about what you take to natively- classes and activities that you genuinely enjoy and find satisfyingly challenging. Keep honing, refining. Your applications will be stronger for it, your chances of success better, and your odds of being happy with your ultimate choice higher.
You do know that Northwestern doesn’t have an undergraduate business program don’t you? They have an Econ major but no Business major. If you want to go to grad school then save Northwestern for Kellog but otherwise don’t waste going there for business. You mentioned you were possibly interested in CS but none of the schools on your list are top CS programs, including Northwestern.
One negative about Wharton is having to retake AP credits. Northwestern a positive is you can change majors at any time. That’s very attractive. They are however, on the quarter system, so if you don’t like the speed of that and how their year goes into the second week of June, then take that into consideration as well.
For top CS programs look at - GA Tech, UIUC, Cornell, (CMU you said is out), MIT, Univ of Washington, Berkeley and Stanford.
Since you’re in NY you can also look at NYU or Dyson at Cornell for Business, although personally I don’t get what the attraction is for Dyson. I think it’s just a small progam so it makes it seem like it’s harder to get into than Wharton. You also get reduced tuition if you’re in state. That should be attractive for you.
Thanks for telling me about NW, one thing I heard though that NW loves demonstrated interest and ED.
Is it worth applying there if you don’t ED?
I do like Northwestern and the quarter system.
Thanks for the CS programs, I’ve added all of those schools to my list besides Berkeley because I heard OOS tuition for Cali Public schools isn’t worth it.
For Cornell; I agree, I don’t see much attraction in Dyson and it’s acceptance rate is ridiculously low. I’d probably apply to CAS cornell.
NYU - i like the campus and the idea of the school. I’m going to apply but I probably won’t accept the offer even if I get in. It’s price is kind of absurd.
Also, for my profile, is it even worth applying to MIT or Stanford? (is there even a 1% chance i get in?)
Well, you can always apply but there’s no guarantees. The kids from our school that have gotten into Stanford have done crazy things. But during the covid period, who knows what they’re looking for.
There are a few programs you don’t have to apply to the CS major which is nice. A school like UT-Austin (not on your list) has a fantastic CS program, but you have to apply to the major, and it’s not only difficult to get in, it’s difficult to switch unless you’re going into some generic liberal arts or science major. It’s really hard to change majors to CS. Other schools you don’t even go in as CS major and then declare after sophomore year.
Can’t say that about Northwestern and demonstrated interest. We live about 20 mins away and have never heard that. But maybe for OOS that is true. The last few years the kids that have gotten in to Northwestern from our school during ED at least have all had 4.0 unweighted and those during RD not quite so. My son is applying there but only if he doesn’t get into his RD school. It’s not really high on his list because it’s so close but it’s a great school. Their CS program (which is what he’s applying for) isn’t tops but the location will open doors, but I think he would rather go to UIUC over Northwestern since their program is nationally ranked.
@anon45019500 is a former admissions officer at Stanford. He has multiple posts on this site over the past couple of months about being a compelling applicant.
Your application, essays and other supplemental material needs to show:-
your intellectual curiosity for the academic subject(s)/area(s) you are applying for
show (not tell) how your activities and studies have brought you to wanting to further study these areas
how the university /college will help you further your intellectual discoveries AND how you will benefit the university community with what you bring to the table
So: you can be undecided between business/science/CS, but can you show your intellectual curiosity in these areas and their potential overlaps?
Business, neuroscience and CS overlap, there is a lot of research out there, even reading someone like Adam Alter from NYU who researches and writes on marketing and psychology and the use of tech.
Can you explain to Columbia how their common core will help you explore these overlaps? If it doesn’t (and I don’t know enough about the core to say more), then don’t apply there! Maybe Brown, with a more open curriculum would be a better option?
What about a Liberal Arts College (LAC) like Amherst where you could study Econ, Neuroscience/ Biology and CS?
Does Wharton at Penn give you enough scope to explore these overlaps and decide what really intellectually grabs you? Again I know little about Wharton and how the school is structured and whether taking outside classes is an option.
You do have time to really sit and consider your applications. Don’t just apply to the best known department at various prestigious schools. This is not showing any of that discernment about what they offer and how you/they make a great intellectual and personal fit.
AND: how much can your family afford to pay for your college education? Make sure to run the Net Price Calculator for each school
And other posters - feel free to say I am talking nonsense if needed!
No one person can tell you what it takes to be a compelling applicant. It helps to learn as much as you can, (from the colleges themselves,) about a target, so you see the nuances.
After all, you’re choosing where to apply. But then, they choose the kids they feel match. That’s more than grades, rigor, and some ECs. And more than your intellectual prowess.
Apply to Wharton because you want a career in business or as an entrepreneur. Wharton is not a stepping stone to CS, BME, etc. And Finance isn’t Econ- if you want to study econ, apply to Arts and Sciences.
There is both randomness and desperation in your posts- and fortunately, you have time to address both those things. Re: demonstrated interest- how hard is it to show interest in a school you are really excited about? And if you can’t get excited- why apply?
Why not start at the beginning- what you are looking for (doesn’t need to be a specific major), what you can afford, and go from there? Taking a Random Walk (look it up; the seminal work on how markets operate-- if you don’t find the book fascinating, don’t apply to Wharton) through top 20 colleges seems like a poor way to pick a college.
“Randomness and desperation,” unfortunately, characterize many kids’ posts. It’s just not the more systematic thinking that it takes to show well to a Tippy Top. Try to understand Blossom’s advice. Take a breath and start open exploring.
Imo, you “demonstrate” interest via what you do know about a college, your match and why. This is more than them meeting your wants. It will show in the app/supp, how you present yourself. Just whipping through the rankings some media outlet puts out or some list of names is far from what it takes to show them you’ve explored, are informed, and have chosen wisely.
@dinosauce Strength and relevancy of courses that fit into each college requirement is very important.
If you plan to study BME, it is best to line up all APs related to it. AP CS won’t do you any good to BME. AP Biology, AP Calculus BC, AP Chem, AP Physics1/2/C, strong candidates also take microbiology, pathophysiology, robotics in local colleges or high school CTE.
Some gives you better chance with ACT, or SAT with science subject tests.
Same to your EC, relevancy is very important. Robotics club chairman, UIL Science, biomed internship and related positions will help. Your science research with professor is an excellent example. A first chair in orchestra won’t help much.
Many t20 ED are binding so normally students won’t blast to t20 because of that. And with your high caliber ED gives you an edge.
Unfortunately my school doesn’t offer AP Calc BC and AP Physics, but I have taken the other APS alongside with ap psych. i’ve also taken dual enrollment stats and ph 330 which is principles of epidemiology.
i’m not worried about the binding, tbh, if i ed it’s going to be a school i want to go and i’d be extremely happy i got in - not sad.
