Echoing post #58, your stats are NOT on the low end.
Thanks for the support everyone 
Also, my live audition for the professor went AMAZING!!! He said that I played better than many of his students at Princeton and that I would fit right in with the experienced players there. Complimented my tone and high range. He even put me on the spot and we sightread a few duets and I surprised myself at how I played them. He said I had amazing sightreading skills (once again saying better than his students). He ended by saying he doesn’t have a huge say (and that all he could do was talk to the band director) but that he “hoped I got in” and would love to work with me. I’m going to send a follow up thank you email because he did, of course, take an hour of his time and taught me a couple of tips. Wondering if I should somehow politely hint that he tell the band director about me?
Also, my Princeton alumni interview is this weekend. My interviewer is super laid back (emailed me in all lowercase and seems to be a recruited athlete, works at a cosmetic company) so it should go well.
No decisions yet! I’ve only applied to 5 schools on my list so far and I am chipping away at the supplements. Just visited UPenn and LOVED it.
Update: I got a 750 on Math Level II which, if you had seen my first score, is a HUGE improvement but still not amazing. 700 on literature which I know is one of the hardest tests so Im ok with it. Im sending them to Princeton and UMich.
Also, Uof Rochester has interview option, but I’m wondering if I could get in without one. Its an extremely busy time for me and I already have sooo many other interviews… should I just do it? I am applying for scolarships as well and have already submitted my application.
A 34 ACT is not on the low end with regards to scores. Except on College Confidential perhaps.
It wouldn’t hurt to have the Rochester interview. It’s not going to make or break your chances of admission, but you are showing demonstrated interest.
OP’s stats are not low end, but nor are they as high as some competitors will bring. And bio, distinctly related to her goals, has the 730 S2 and AP 4. Plus, no ECs related to the major. And then, a bunch of fiercely competitive colleges.
OP, not trying to blow your mind. Your app package will be crucial, all of it. The important thing is to know each target well enough to nail the app. Ideally, that forms your presentation, gives you an idea of what to incude and how, including answers to supp questions and the essay.
Glad the playing went well. Why not send a short note to admissions? They’d see that and decide, based on other factors, whether to contact that prof.
I didn’t know I could send a note to admissions… I had my alumni interview today and it also went super well and I told her about my playing and that it went well.
I also mentioned in my alumni interview that if I could change one thing about my highschool, I would change the fact that there are a lack of science ECs offered. Both applicants from my town that she interviewed last year got into Princeton.
I know I’m not a stellar applicant or the smartest kid applying but I tried my absolute best and I think what I lack in standardized test smarts I make up for in my motivation.
@benandjerrys101 stranger things have happened with college admissions.
My kid is a WashU Biology major-got a 5 on the AP/790 Bio M, but ended up with a B+ both semesters in AP Biology. And the funny thing is that his Biology teacher wrote one of his recommendation letters.
No moral to the story except be true to yourself. You’ll do fine.
Yes, you can send a note to admissions and it will land in your file. Just short and sweet, but if you can find a way to note something you learned from that, great. A little enthusiasm about the encounter. Done right, it can enhance how you come across.
I’m a little apprehensive about sending that letter as nobody has told me to do so. I’m not sure if that will come across too pushy.
Where would I even send it? In an email?
This mentions optional arts supplement in SlideRoom
https://admission.princeton.edu/contact-us
Maybe e-mail or use contact form? Copy faculty member? Do thank you note separately to faculty member?
Lol, I’m telling you that you can- and plenty would agree with me. You control the adcoms’ impressions in how you write it.
It can be very simple. Not too bland, not too excessive, but “just right.”
Why not let adcoms know you pursued this, it went well, and you picked up a few pointers? If you have any idea what P looks for, you’d know what to show. Try it. Don’t post it here, but feel free to pm me.
I submitted an arts supplement. And I, of course, thanked the professor I played for.
My counselor says that a letter to admissions would be too pushy and I would feel uncomfortable doing it so I do not think I will.
Thanks again for all of the continued advice!
Best of luck to you. French horn is a very hard instrument and good players are hard to come by.
My point wasn’t that their score were too low, I meant that in order to have a chance in the T-20 they need to be spectacular, and she just needs to really sell their EC’s to get accepted
Drop UMass. Multiple adults tried to talk you into it. You obviously do not want to go there. You wrote it multiple times. Even if you already applied, Find another Safety you’d be happy with and apply to it. If Fordham makes you happy, cool. Just get one.
After you’ve got your Safety, only apply to a college if you’d rather attend that college than the Safety that you chose and like. Simple as that. If all applications happen to be Safeties, great. If they happen to be a mix of #140, #75, #48, #32, #12, great. If all happen to be Top 20, great.
I totally understand validating yourself has worked for you in the past, so follow that if it feels right. It works for a lot of other successful people too.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with shooting high. Yes, you will get plenty of rejections. They will hurt. So what. They will make that one (or more) acceptance letter(s) that much sweeter. You can only matriculate at one college anyway.
Thanks again for the continual support.
I got an interview with the University of Rochester over Skype and am submitting a Family recommendation form written by my Uncle who is a writer and it should be very good. Aiming for some scholarships (I know it will be difficult but it is always worth it to try).
Also, not exactly college-related, but it could go in in the regular decision round, but I am sitting first chair Horn in the district orchestra this year (highest score in the entire MA district and have qualified for All-states again)
Other than that, no news in the college process. I will let everyone know my EA decisions!
Im class of 2020 too and I totally agree with you @benandjerrys101. I am doing the same thing; applying to a ton of reach scores to seek validation even though I most likely won’t get in. I am also applying biology for pre med, but my scores are a little bit lower. Don’t worry about what people are saying, just focus on yourself and you never know what will happen. The college admission process is so flawed and random, there is no guarantee to anything. Best of luck!!
Otoh- " to seek validation even though I most likely won’t get in." Can you spot what’s wrong there? That’s what’s “flawed and random,” even though plenty of kids think that way. @ccam192
@benandjerrys101
Have you considered Miami University in Ohio? It’s a “public ivy” and gives great merit aid. They also have 3 different honors colleges that you can apply to. I would NOT recommend going to a T20 school if you think there is ANY chance you want to go to med school. These schools will kill your GPA. I’d recommend a top 50 or top 100 school where someone with your stats can be one of the top students and set you up for grad school.