<p>@GA2012MOM If you don’t agree with this thread, you’re more than welcome not to look. I’ve consistently asked you for your advice, but all you have done is mock my chances at these colleges. Yes I know they are long shots, but I wanted to know if I had a legitimate chance at these schools. I would appreciate if you would refrain from posting these biting comments. Maybe you should find something to do other than attacking high school students.</p>
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@235423 - There is some ambiguity in the terms, as you allude to. Most people on here mean safety/match/reach (and various gradations of those which is actually kind of ridiculous since it is all so speculative anyway) in terms of the odds of being accepted. But certainly it can be thought of in terms of how your credentials match up regardless of the selectivity of the school, in which case no school is a reach for you, based on what we can see at least. So recently I came up with a couple of terms that I hope encompasses both, and your your case I would say you are a credentialed reach. Which means, I hope obviously, that you have the resume to be strongly considered by all the schools you name, but because of the stark reality of the competition for slots at most of them, the chances of you being admitted to any one of them is still less than 50%, probably well less. The exception on the list would probably be Tufts. If you can convince them you are seriously considering them on their own merits and not as a fallback in case you get shut out at all the others (something I consider unlikely btw, unless your essays and recs somehow don’t measure up) I think your chances at Tufts are better than 50%.</p>
<p>The Tufts type of issue is something that is possible at many schools just down in selectivity from the ones you mention. That is why, if I were you, I would add several that you like to your list of schools. Vanderbilt, WUSTL, USC, Tulane, Miami (FL) are a few of these. There are others. You want schools that you would be happy attending even if you get disappointed by the Ivies and similar schools. Now if you are set on staying in the Northeast, then we would have to come up with a new set. Boston College for example, and several of the LAC’s in the area if you are OK with them. You could even add some slam dunk safeties on there just to have them, like your state school and some others. But between all your top choices and several of these others, it seems almost impossible you would get shut out. Much more likely you will be picking between a few. Unless you get in ED somewhere of course.</p>
<p>Bottom line, which has been pretty firmly established here already, is that you have a great resume and can get in to all these schools. Whether or not you will is something no one can truly “chance” you on. You do your best with the essays and interviews, feel good that you have done your best up to this point, and the rest is out of your hands.</p>
<p>Finally, as far as these antagonistic posters, just ignore them and move on. They aren’t wrong, actually. Calling Duke a match was rather astounding, again at least in the most common parlance, which they were clearly using. Could they have pointed that out more diplomatically? Yes, but that isn’t always the nature of online commentary, and unless they are outright nasty you just have to either take it or ignore it, or both. It won’t be the last time you will see it, believe me. CC does more to moderate that kind of thing than most sites, but we can’t censor comments just for being strongly worded and undiplomatic if they don’t actually cross the line. I think you can take it.</p>
<p>@fallenchemist Absolutely, this is exactly what I was looking for. I just wanted to get a perspective of how hard these schools would be, if there was any room for improvement, and what I could do to improve my college list. You have been so helpful! As far as the posters, I appreciate you clearing that up with me. I don’t mind anyone telling me that they think I don’t have a chance at a college I just mind when they insult me or other people. But you’re right, I’m taking it in stride. They said what they had to say, and I have moved on. I’ll definitely look info your suggestions for other colleges. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>@235423 - Cool. Are you set on staying in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, or is the entire country basically under consideration?</p>
<p>@fallenchemist I wouldn’t mind going further, but my parents want me to stay more in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic area. So I would say that I’m mostly looking at the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, unless my parents drastically change their thoughts!</p>
<p>@235423 - Understood. How much difference would full tuition scholarships make? Or even full ride, possibly? Or is having you within a days drive more important than that? I am assuming you are somewhere in the NYC-Boston vicinity. Maybe you already said where you are and I missed it.</p>
<p>Those are all very selective schools, but you have a great and are a competitive applicant. Good luck!</p>
<p>*you have a great resume</p>
<p>@fallenchemist yeah, I live in MA. Any aid I get would be merit based, because my family doesn’t qualify for need based at any school. Now, if I could get a full scholarship, I would definitely look further into that school. </p>
<p>@RedsFan17 Thanks so much for your input!</p>
<p>@235423 - OK, I will put together a list of about 6 or 7 schools which are similar in size and other characteristics to the schools you have listed that have full tuition scholarships, and some of these have a few full ride scholarships as well. Although obviously when you are talking tuition that is about $45,000 that is still pretty good! All merit based.</p>
<p>@fallenchemist You are incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>@235423 I think you have a great chance, you are also in state and Harvard/MIT take in a lot of students in state. And great sat 2 scores too. Can I ask what prep you did for math 2. EC’s maybe not too stellar but then again nor are mine and you have the grades which are the most important factor too. Good luck mate!</p>
<p>While it is true that the Ivies/MIT have traditionally drawn heavily from the Northeastern US, they are private, national universities and so the term “in state” has no meaning other than the coincidence of being from Massachussetts. The percentage of MA residents and Northeastern residents in general has slowly dropped for decades as travel became easier and relatively cheaper and as other factors continue to make students from further away better able to assess their chances of getting into these schools.</p>
<p>@235423 - OK, here are some schools that offer a variety of academic based (merit) scholarships. I think these schools are good matches for you as well, to the extent I can tell based on the choices you listed. I am providing you with links to the appropriate page of their web site. If you have specific questions about any of these schools, I know them within a range of reasonably well to extremely well. These are in no particular order. All these schools are private, medium sized universities with strong academics and high level research. I rather assume that is what you are looking for despite the one LAC on your list.</p>
<p>Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) <a href=“http://admissions.wustl.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/Freshman-Academic-Scholarship-Fellowship-Programs/Pages/default.aspx”>http://admissions.wustl.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/Freshman-Academic-Scholarship-Fellowship-Programs/Pages/default.aspx</a> Be sure to look at the bottom of the page as well, there are several more scholarships listed. I don’t know why they didn’t list these under university wide scholarships.</p>
<p>University of Southern California - <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>Vanderbilt University - <a href=“Scholarships | Vanderbilt University”>http://www.vanderbilt.edu/scholarships/</a></p>
<p>Tulane University - <a href=“Merit Scholarships | Undergraduate Admission”>Merit Scholarships | Undergraduate Admission;
<p>University of Miami - <a href=“Undergraduate Admission | University of Miami”>Undergraduate Admission | University of Miami;
<p>Duke University - <a href=“http://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarship-programs”>http://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarship-programs</a></p>
<p>I am sure there are schools I have left off the list that deserve to be there, but like I said I think these are in line with the kind of school you seem to want and they all offer generous (but very competitive!) scholarships independent of financial need. Have fun reading!</p>
<p>Here is what I did with googling “harvard acceptance geography distribution” and this is the first entry</p>
<p><a href=“Mathacle's Blog: Geographic Distribution of the Class of 2012 at Harvard, Princeton and Penn”>http://mathacle.blogspot.com/2009/03/geographic-distribution-of-class-of.html</a></p>
<p>See how heavy the MA concentration is for Havard and NJ/PA concentration is for UPenn, NJ concentration is for Princeton?</p>
<p>Of course it’s not based on clear cut state line. Rather as I explained earlier in this thread, it’s close related to the distance to the school. And taking Harvard for example, by the time it reaches Maine or New Jersey, the proximation effect has pretty much died down.</p>
<p>For reference, here is the US population distribution.</p>
<p><a href=“List of U.S. states and territories by population - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population</a></p>
<p>@fallenchemist These opportunities are really great. Thank you so much for sharing them, I’m definitely considering all of these schools at this point!
@pastwise I knew the distribution of students was skewed, but I didn’t know it was that skewed! There is definitely info in there that might make my chances (just a bit) better, haha! Thanks!</p>
<p>@pastwise - I am not arguing that there is not still an over-representation of Mass at Harvard, although that also has to do with the private high school system in that area. I am saying it is less than it used to be and has gotten less over time, and no doubt will continue to do so. I am also saying that, being a private, national university, the term “in state” as it is usually meant on this web site is meaningless for Harvard. The admissions office doesn’t look at the application and put ones from Massachusetts into an “in state” pile.</p>
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That doesn’t explain California, Illinois, Florida or Texas too well, then. Georgia seems a bit overrepresented as well, and even Tennessee, following that logic. Maybe Maryland too.</p>
<p>It is interesting that there are more people from Pennsylvania at Princeton than there are people from New Jersey, though. Guess in state doesn’t work there ;)</p>
<p>@fallenchemist, I never said in state. In my following explanation, I mentioned that it’s the distance.</p>
<p><a href=“Chances at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Tufts, Duke, Amherst? - #24 by pastwise - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>Chances at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Tufts, Duke, Amherst? - #24 by pastwise - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums;
<p>However, since MA is pretty small state area wise, it’s fair to assume OP lives pretty close to Harvard/MIT.</p>
<p>Also I wouldn’t classify it as due to private high schools in MA. As you can see, MA sends subtantially fewer to Princeton/UPenn that chances to those two are not much better as compared to from CA to Princeton/UPenn.</p>
<p>Regarding the following you wrote,</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think you read the data wrong. Princeton took 168 NJ and 77 PA. Considering PA has 50% larger population, of course it’s much easier to go to Princeton from NJ than PA.</p>
<p>UPenn does take proportionally almost as many from NJ as from PA. But Philadephia is right across river from NJ I think. So to UPenn, the two states are equivalent.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think we both agree that close proximation can help chances greatly. I think our difference may be just sematics. And I think you have given OP a lot of good pointers.</p>
<p>OP, good luck.</p>
<p>@pastwise - I didn’t say you said in-state. I assumed you were continuing the discussion started by fnaticMSiNate above, who did use that term. And yes, I think we are both agreeing that using that term in this context is incorrect. I do wonder what the component aspects of each person taken from the state in which those schools reside would reveal. For example, is it possible that faculty and staff have enough kids that qualify for Harvard in any given year to skew the numbers? Because they would generally live in that state. No idea, just wondering.</p>
<p>I did misread the chart. Sigh, that’s what happens when things scroll off the screen. Sloppy on my part.</p>
<p>Unless MA bias helps a lot (at MIT/Harvard)
Yale, Harvard, Princeton mid-reaches.
MIT high reach. I don’t see you getting into these 4 schools (sorry lol), but you have a chance so still apply.
Brown Columbia low-mid reach.
Darthmouth, duke: low reach.
Amherst: high match/low reach
Tufts: match if you can avoid tuft’s syndrome (get that demonstrated interest) which will be hard, rejected if it hits you.
EC’s a little too meh, very low community service.</p>
<p>I suggest ED at brown, Columbia, duke, or Darthmouth.</p>