Chance Me- Rising Senior, 3.9 UW GPA, 1500 SAT, 33 ACT, Poli-Sci Major for East Coast Liberal Arts

Chance Me / Match Me!
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I must have been thinking of something else. I’ll take another look at it. How is the school for someone who isn’t Catholic?

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I really like Gettysburg’s location and its history program, and Elon’s study abroad program, but I’ll take a look at Rhodes to see if I should apply. Do you know if demonstrated interest is a big deal there?

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I do not think so. Just apply EA and you should be fine.

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Gotcha, thank you!

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BTW, my daughter almost committed to Gettysburg :). But she will go to Rhodes due to some premed program commitment. (She also applied to many colleges on your list: Lafayette, Richmond, Bucknell etc.) But I agree that Gettysburg has a great vibe. Seriously, do not bother with your last four reaches. Focus on your targets. DD had a friend who applied to almost every Ivy and was accepted to none. Do not overreach.

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My kids aren’t Catholic. Does not matter as HC is Jesuit and thus welcoming to all faith traditions and completely secular for those who don’t practice at all. It’s more of a service oriented/social justice feel than religious. Very welcoming campus with huge school spirit. Excellent academics and supportive alumni network. Gorgeous campus that is self enclosed but close to city opportunities and restaurants.

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While I agree with @momsearcheng on Rhodes and disagree that you shouldn’t apply to your high reaches - I do agree you likely won’t get in but that’s not a reason not to apply.

If you don’t apply, you don’t know.

Some you’ll potentially get into full pay (the need aware ones) and Bates for almost sure if you ED.

Bates
Wake Forest
Tulane
Colgate
Cornell
Vanderbilt
Princeton
Dartmouth

That said, if the goal is law school, where you go matters little. Your LSAT and GPA will. And that’s another $300K so you better plan appropriately.

You know how many colleges are represented in Harvard Law? 174 in last year’s class.

Are you considering Cal State LA or Northridge? They have a student at Harvard Law. Fairleigh Dickinson? Humboldt State? Lamar? U of Arkansas? Kansas? Ole Miss?

Now - will elite schools have more representation there? yes - but only for reason that they have more elite students - in other words, if it took a 1500 to get into Vandy, well that kid who got a 1500 will do well on the LSAT too - regardless of where he/she goes.

You can’t explain away lack of rigor. Your GC can - but you can’t go near it.

When you’re applying to the elite - many today are placing 40% and some more than 50% of their class ED.

I’m not sure where you are getting the Princeton outcomes and if you get in, I’m all for it - but someone trying to get a job in government or an NGO or something else related government/politics will likely be in a similar boat.

If you told me you wanted to be in I Banking or high end consulting, etc. I’d understand. Actually, I’d understand Princeton all day long - it’s just too big a name.

But if I had the chance to spend $90K at Wake or Bates or Colgate or go to a Furman or Rhodes or from your list Gettysburg for under $50K - I wouldn’t take a second to think about it - especially for a poli sci degree…not to mention you state a budget which is below the cost of many on your list.

It’s poli sci - where you go frankly matters little. What you do with it - that’s what matters. How much you put into it. Mine is at a mid size, not ranked public (her choice - she got into W&L for example) and she is in two specials honors groups and has advising and meets with ambassadors in special sessions.

She’s got an internship this summer - you can do from anywhere.

So if you are budget constrained and thinking law school - schools like Sewanee, Rhodes, Gettysburg, Dickinson, Furman, Connecticut, etc. are likely just as strong as your reaches.

If, for example, Vandy is a reach - how about American or U of Denver. If you like the city but don’t want to be out West, how about a College of Charleston.

I won’t say don’t apply to your reaches - because you have 20 common app spots and if you’re willing to do the work, then I say go for it.

I do worry that other than your first three - and really just Elon because you don’t know merit - that will be the only one within budget. But the other two, especially Gettysburg, should see merit to keep you under budget.

And to me, Elon doesn’t fit the rest of your list - fine school it is.

Good luck.

PS - Elon is known for study abroad but every college you look at will have enough study abroad opportunities (semester type, the summer type seem to often get cancelled although many go).

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That’s super cool for your daughter! Do you have any other tips for getting into those types of schools?

Also, I’m just not sure why I shouldn’t apply to my lottery schools. I really like them and can see myself there. Plus, my test scores are above the 25th percentile for all 4. My GPA is there. My rigor is a little low, but that can be explained. I think my extracurriculars are great, and my LOR will be awesome. Why shouldn’t I at least shoot my shot? Someone has to get in.

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Perfect. I’ll check it out!

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I’m definitely looking into Law School, but I want to keep my options open. I’ve heard so many people completely change their career path in college, and I don’t want to settle now in case I do the same.

Thank you for the advice on my GC bringing up rigor. I was going to mention it in my interviews, but that is a much better idea.

I’m still going to apply to Princeton if for no reason than to (hopefully) say I got in. However, I’ll take your advice when looking at where to commit. I likely understated my budget, as I do have a wealthier relative looking out for me when push comes to shove. Also, I will be applying for scholarship programs not associated with any colleges.

Could you elaborate on how Elon doesn’t seem to fit my list? It seems to check all the boxes I’m looking for but I want to be aware if I’m missing something.

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For a semester-length experience in D.C., look into Hamilton, which offers a long-established program there, with associated internship opportunities.

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Candidly, your resume is below average for an applicant to Princeton, and even the average applicants are not accepted. No, they are not interested in your explanation for lack of rigor. The numbers are just against you. Apply if you wish but understand that many posters believe your ED shot would be better utilized elsewhere at many other fine schools.

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Yes, people change career paths in college - by choice, by not succeeding, by just discovering something they love that they didn’t know existed prior.

Yes, when you interview, you are a salesman. Guess what the product is - you.

If you’re making excuses, how does that sell the product?

btw - we are guessing your rigor is not the best. On paper, it doesn’t look that way per se but it is decidedly one sided.

If you don’t get into your reaches - guess what - that’s why they are reaches.

For my kid, I thought she’d get into 16 of 21 she applied to. She got into 17. She got into a reach - so you never know.

It will be up to your GC as to whether they bring it up or not. But if you purposely avoided classes, they’re not going to say otherwise.

And frankly, if you went to name your LAC instead of Princeton or Colgate or whatever else is on your list - so what.

If you’re a go getter and hustler, you’ll be fine. Not everyone goes to those schools. In fact, most don’t - so it’s not a huge deal.

As for scholarships outside of college - you can try - but given your list of schools, you are much smarter to focus on the schools and not outside scholarships. They are near impossible to get and not worth the time. If your dad’s employer has one, those are worthy. There are some small local ones attainable - like $500. But money comes from the colleges…hence you apply to schools with big merit aid.

Whether Elon fits or not in subject to interpretation. To me it didn’t. But that’s me.

Why? Other than Davidson, it’s most south. It’s business and journalism, so less in line with the others. I see it more a mini Syracuse or a U Denver or U Miami than a match to the others. But that’s just - it’s what you think that matters. One could argue it’s an easier get to Wake or Tulane or Dartmouth.

I still don’t get Tulane (arguably the top party school in America) - but again, you get them - it’s all that matters. And a fine school it is.

I would decide what it is you like - if you like an LAC, if you have Princeton - how about Amherst or Williams or Middlebury or Bowdoin, etc.? But again those are reaches. But you might find the Trinity or Connecticut or Rhodes or Depauws of the world in the sweet spot and you do have Gettysburg and Lafayette, etc. (likely a reach too is Lafayette or hard target as you call it).

Good luck.

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The best ED shot - and he doesn’t need to ED - but I’d say Bates and then maybe Tulane or Wake.

But boy those are three very different schools.

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Princeton is definitely a lottery, but for the other three mentioned: Vanderbilt, Cornell, and Dartmouth, my numbers are on par. I don’t think I’ll get into any of them, I just think its worth a shot.

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Thanks for your help! In that case, I’ll probably avoid outside scholarships. I know my list is a bit eccentric, but I’ll see how they all are as a fit on my trip. I’m not expecting to get into any reaches, I’m just figuring out which ones I should prioritize and how big of a shot I’ve got at any of them. Thanks again for the help!

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Yeah, kids get all these scholarship websites. We wasted time on my first. My company gave me money - $2K for kid 1 and $1K for kid 2. Or maybe vice versa. The rest we didn’t get. I have a friend who got $500 but that was based on need. It was local…the ones not on those websites.

You can google local ones - they might show up on local website. They’ll usually be tied to a high school or major or ethnicity or need - but you can see. Those are the kind you could get - when no one applies. But frankly, it’s easier to say you know - forget $90K a year school, I’ll go for $45K. That’s how you find the savings. Not sure that any school, especially for poli sci, is worth $160K-200K more than another. You can say - outcomes, this and that but that’s putting a lot of faith in magazines and marketing. Don’t forget, colleges are selling you as much as you are selling them.

So looks like half the poli sci at Princeton ended up in business - so that’s good if it’s an interest.

So depending on how much time you have is how I’d set up my trip - and decide where to go or not:

Davidson, Elon and Wake are close - if you take formal tours, no way you can do all three same day - but if you fly in one day and do Davidson etc. and then the next two. And then next day W&M and Richmond - those are all together.

Bucknell, F&M, Gettysburg are all together. But then you could add a Dickinson or Susquehanna type and since you have Lafayette, any interest in Lehigh or more similar Muhlenberg.

You just have to play around like that - and maximize your trip.

Bates is a loaner - but any interest in Colby or Bowdoin.

But you also have to be realistic:

  1. Not all schools require demonstrated interest - so not saying not to go to those but the less difficult ones typically account for it and they’re more likely - so you might consider that.

  2. You have to be realistic - again, maybe you get into your reaches but if collegevine and this group is telling you they’re not realistic, maybe you want to hedge and put your time elsewhere.

There is a big difference between Princeton and the rest, including Dartmouth - so I get it.

It’s up to you - but tons of great LACs would serve you really well and if it’s an issue and it may not be, save your rich relative from over spending.

Good luck.

Vandy is a loner as is Tulane. They can be done - but they are loaners.

W&M and Richmond are close and 3 hours or so from Elon…that’s the kind of two day trip you can do.

Workbook: First-destination Data (princeton.edu)

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