I am a current junior and would like to know my chances of being admitted into prestigious liberal arts colleges (Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Vassar, etc.), NYU, UT Austin, Emory, and UPenn + to what extent would applying ED/EA to any of them increase the chances? In other words, which one should I do ED to?
I'm a United States Citizen
According to The Washington Post, I go to the 14th most challenging school in the United States as of May 2017
Test Scores and Coursework:
SAT: 1500, ACT: 33, will retake for higher
State: Texas (so not considered automatic for UT Austin)
I took two subject tests (Math II and World History, both 750’s). Will retake for higher.
My weighted G.P.A. is 4.23 (UW is 3.75) my rank is 16 out of 129 (my school does not send rankings to colleges)
I’m taking IB and AP classes (I am an IB Diploma candidate)
My transcript states that I “took the hardest classes offered at the school”
In school:
Tennis (11th/12th)
Orchestra (violin)
NHS Officer (Member: 11th/12th; officer 12th)
Model UN Chair (Member: 9th/10th/11th/12th; officer: 11th/12th)
Junior World Affairs Council President (Member: 9th/10th/11th/12th; officer: 10th/11th/12th)
UNICEF Club: Founder/President - 11th and 12th
Others: Volunteered for political campaigns, created a product, participated/placed in various history-related competitions, teen court, econ/history project/paper research, mentored, had an internship in the field, created history related news website/blog, etc.
UPenn is unlikely specially if you are Asian (of any kind( but you have a shot at all other schools on your list. Before you get carried away, check if you are eligible for need based aid to cover cost of attendence, otherwise focus on schools wich offer merit scholarships.
Since you are in Texas, Baylor, Rice, A&M, UTD, UNT, TCU, UH merit scholarships are generous if you arent gettjng much aid.
Thanks so much for your advice @CupCakeMuffins ! I’m actually originally from the New York Area specifically Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY ; so I really really want to go back for college, but I will definitely look into some scholarships offered by in-state Texas schools.
You seem to have pretty good ECs and a pretty good academic profile (get your SAT score up), but for us Asians, UPenn really only accepts people who have a major hook, or a valedictorian type background. My school is also top-100 according to U.S. News, so I understand the struggle of a higher GPA but not the best class rank. However, since your ECs aren’t stellar and your academic profile is only pretty good, I wouldn’t count on UPenn. I’d give you a great shot at all the other colleges listed though. If you’re deadset on UPenn as your top school, then I would ED there. While your chance may not be the best, you still have a competitive application and would merit some consideration should you apply ED. GL!
SAT is strong for all these schools. GPA might hurt a bit at the most selective schools.
Penn: Reach
Williams: Reach/low reach
Amherst: Reach/low reach
Swat: Reach/low reach
Emory: Low reach/high match
Vassar: Low reach/high match
NYU: Match
UT in-state: Match (would be a safety if you were top-7%)
I would add another match or two and at least one safety.
ED will help at all of these schools (except UT of course) – each of them has markedly higher ED admit rates than RD, and all of that increase can’t be chalked up to athletes and legacies. Plenty of hooked applicants get in in the RD round too.
@DJCURRYBEATS19 , thanks for your advice!!! Yeah, I tripped up a lot sophomore year, so rank dropped from top 5 people in the middle of the year to like 18 and GPA dropped from 3.95/4 to 3.7/4, in that one semester. I’m not counting on UPenn, so which one should I ED to?
I only have experience with non-LACs, but I wouldn’t ED to any of the schools listed. I think you have a strong enough application to be considered RD by any of the schools you listed, but not strong enough to warrant an ED to a top school. That’s honestly the sweet spot for many - you don’t have the unrealistic expectations of getting into a top school ED, but have options abound for RD. If you’re absolutely deadset on one of those colleges, I would say NYU - good school in a good area, so connections are plentiful. If you still really want UPenn, I would put my ED in there, as long as you’re OK with the prospective tuition should you get in there (check their NPC). GL!
@prezbucky thanks so much for your advice!!! I’m not dead set on UPenn and to get into any one of Swat, Amherst, Stern or, Williams would mean a lot for me… Besides UPenn and Stern, which one should I ED to? Also how much would increasing SAT to 1550/1560 help and subject tests to 800?
@DJCURRYBEATS19 thanks man!!! Yeah, the thing is that I (unfortunately) am applying as a history major and I don’t have the business related EC’s and STEM stuff for Stern, so if I ED’d to NYU I’d be stuck at CAS or LSP. NYU made it really hard to transfer to Stern and Stern is basically where all the NYC companies recruit from. NYC is also highly expensive, and I’d like a more LAC experience. NYU is only on my list because of Stern and that I’m originally from the Tri-State and moved to TX in middle school. Which LAC should I ED to? Also if deferred/rejected from ED, I’m considering doing ED II for Stern. I read that ED II doesn’t have a marked effect on chances, so would doing this help at all?
I’m not really educated on the strength of LACs and which ones are the best, so I’d really be doing you a disservice by attempting to offer you advice on which of them would be good to apply to. If you really want Stern, apply EDII to them if they offer it - worth a shot! GL!
I would only apply ED if you develop a clear favorite. Right now you might be a bit ambivalent, but imagine if you developed a favorite after you applied ED – and it wasn’t your ED school?
Going from 1500 to 1550 wouldn’t hurt, but honestly you are already above the admitted SAT average at each of these schools. So your test score clears that particular bar.
What will set your app apart will be your ability to fill something they are looking for – a skill set, an activity, a passion, and obviously your ability to clearly and succinctly communicate will help. Letters of rec are so hard to predict – put thought into choosing whom you ask, but you don’t control the product. So control what you can and write great essays.
@prezbucky I’d maybe move Emory to low reach/reach. This past year, only 18% of applicants were admitted and I would not be surprised if that number goes down by another 3% or so next year.
I think you need to put more thought into matches and have a safety where it is affordable and you would be content. You don’t sound sold on NYU. UPenn is unlikely for anyone.
@TheTennisNinja yeah Emory is accepting less and less for sure. Counselor showed me the naviance plots and it was a high match, my main thing is I want to move back to the tri-state and New England areas, and preferably a good LAC
Haverford, Hamilton, Bowdoin, Colgate, Holy Cross and Trinity would match your geographical preferences, be excellent for history and, collectively, cover a range of selectivity.