<p>It is not required, but to the extent that you can demonstrate a specific interest and write about it in your essays, it is helpful. This is probably more true for engineering schools like MIT or Columbia SEAS. It is hard to explain that you know you want to be an engineer in an essay when you don’t have much experience at it or even know what kind of engineer that you want to be. It is true that once you are in, you can change to something else. I am just talking about the admissions process. It does not mean that you can’t change your mind.</p>
<p>@Much2learn I completely see what you mean. I’m really not sure I want to do engineering, but I really liked MIT a lot on my college tour, and am thinking of something along the line of straight up science instead of engineering. Also, I could cross register for courses at Harvard, so I could do that for other humanities stuff as well. As for Columbia, I’m still going to apply, but I just wasn’t too thrilled with it. The fact that I would have to choose immediately if I wanted to do engineering, ( and I would because I would never want to do the liberal arts program since the class choices are incredibly rigid) makes me feel that Columbia wouldn’t be a great fit anyways. But I agree that for engineering, it does help to have your major declared.</p>
<p>Your scores put you in the zone but, frankly, these schools get plenty of applicants like you – more than enough to fill their classes several times over.</p>
<p>I’m curious why you picked these schools, as they are not like each other except for their selectivity.</p>
<p>Columbia is urban and has the core curriculum. Brown has an open curriculum. Dartmouth is in a rather rural area. </p>
<p>Then you have several that stick out as different from the others: a LAC (Amherst) and a school in the South (Duke).</p>
<p>Each has an essay that will need to convey why you want to go to that particular school. This is not a minor part of the application. You should think about your answers to those questions, not only because you have to write the essays but because that sort of self-reflection will help you decide if this is the right set of schools for your list…</p>
<p>Also, these schools don’t pick applicants merely by GPA/scores/ECs. You need to convey what makes you someone who will add to their communities. Your common app essay should not be “about” an activity per se but about you and your qualities. They don’t want people who will just hang out in the library or dorm room but will contribute your spark and energy.</p>
<p>@momfromme I do want to go to a selective school, but I agree there is far more to that in a college search. I hadn’t toured these schools, but have recently. My mom wants me nearby, so that keeps my in the northeast (the only one she would allow outside is, like you pointed out Duke). I did not like Columbia particularly for the reason you mentioned, but also because I have to apply to engineering immediately. The same went for Tufts as well. At least Duke, I think, has less of a core curriculum. Lastly, the reason that the school choices are so diverse is because I feel that no school will be perfect area wise. I’d prefer a city, but I’d compromise, for example, with Dartmouth since I liked the curriculum.</p>
<p>As for how I stand as an applicant, I agree nobody can completely predict, but doesn’t something stand out? Like the governor’s appointment? Just wondering on your feedback. Thanks!</p>
<p>Governor’s Appointment to do what?
Out of all these accolades, this is the least impressive, unless you can somehow explain…</p>
<p>@redbluegoldgreen ^Youth member on a board for Juvenile Justice. Appointed to the board, and normally youth appointees are well into college. It’s an issue I’m passionate with as well, since it gets back to the way I’m portraying myself, in terms of advocacy (in speech and debate, MUN, tutoring, etc.) I would go into more details, but I’m trying to maintain a little anonymity :)</p>
<p>You may also want to consider visiting UPenn, if you have not already. They have strong Engineering and Science programs. You do have to choose a college, but it is not too difficult to transfer between Engineering and Arts and Sciences, if you are qualified and doing well, which seems likely in your case. UPenn also has more flexibility than the common core at Columbia and encourages students to take classes in colleges that they are not in. </p>
<p>The colleges you have listed are excellent too, it is really a matter of finding the best college fit for you.</p>
<p>@Much2learn I’ll definitely consider UPenn. I haven’t toured it yet but hope to do so in the future. And I absolutely agree, finding the best fit is crucial. I was really surprised by how much more I liked MIT than Columbia. It just felt like a better fit to me, based on the classes I’m looking for. Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>The youth membership on a state board is an excellent EC but, again, it depends on how it’s talked about.</p>
<p>If you wrote an essay that sounds like bragging about it without conveying what brought you to the board and what the involvement means to you, it won’t help. Again, self-reflect so you can explain this in a way that makes admissions counselors understand you and your passions. Another good way to bring it in, besides listing it on the common app list of activities, is to have a letter writer discuss it.</p>
<p>Ditto on UPenn. They prize civic involvement and want people who would like to take courses across the university’s units. </p>
<p>You have great ECs and stats, although your SAT score may be a little low for Harvard/Princeton/Yale. They’re reaches for anyone, but you’re definitely going to get into a great school! I would make sure to have more safeties though.
Harvard - Reach/low reach (assuming you’re applying EA)
Yale - Reach
Princeton - Reach
MIT - Reach
Brown - Low reach/high match
Columbia - Low reach
Dartmouth - Low reach
Tufts - High match/match
Duke - Low reach/high match
Amherst - High match</p>
<p>@virago1 The OP’s test scores are fine. SAT is top 1% in the nation and the ACT composite is perfect. Better than my test scores on both counts.</p>
<p>I haven’t read through the many pages on this thread, but am I the only one who thinks the OP’s ECs are weak? He’s clearly very engaged but I didn’t see anything that was nationally meritorious. Oh well, maybe they’ll seem more interesting in his application.</p>
<p>Do apply EA to H, Y, or P. That’s your best shot, and you do have a shot, which is more credit than I give to most people. Good luck.</p>
<p>@OldNassau Thanks for saying that. I agree, nothing on the national scale, but I do have the governor’s appointment. And as always, thanks for the chance!</p>
<p>Hey there! You chanced me so I’ll return the favor :). You honestly have great stats, great recognition, etc. that said, all these schools are incredibly selective so I can’t say you really are “in” for the majority of them. Tufts is highly likely, dartmouth and duke are maybes if you apply ED. The top private schools are reaches Still, I am fully confident that you will get in to an amazing school! Good luck! </p>
<p>I think your ECs are good, but some of the comments seem to point towards you majoring in science? My worry is that your ECs do not relate to science/engineering. I think they would read your application and wonder why you are not planning to major in political science/government. Your ECs show a passion for government yet you don’t want to study that area?</p>
<p>@AlannahDeAbrasco I’m probably going to double major, with a pre-med track (probably biology) and also in gov or poli sci. Does that help?</p>
<p>That makes much more sense then! And a good idea, it keeps the Med school option open and if you decide you don’t want to do that (people change so much and develop new interests as they are exposed to new things in college) you have another area you love as well. I think you will do well wherever you go, whether that be research university or LAC. Good luck!</p>
<p>Your test scores are in those ranges, as is your GPA. Your extracurriculars are nice, as well. The leadership positions will definitely help a bit. You’ve definitely got a shot at most, if not all, of these. I would say Brown and Amherst are your “safest” options there, but none are really safe as they are all schools with a high applicant pool and a low acceptance rate. You’ve most certainly out yourself in the running, though.</p>
<p>I think you are competitive for all of the colleges you listed, but I can’t give you the green light because they are all highly selective. That being said, the personal essay is extremely important and you said that you have played the trumpet for four years, so if you can effectively express that passion in your essay, I’ll say you have a solid chance!</p>
<p>Thanks @hillyer300 </p>
<p>Here’s my updated complete college list, if anyone is interested:</p>
<p>Harvard
MIT
Yale
Columbia
Princeton
UPenn
Brown
Duke (Applied for Robertson’s Scholarship)
Amherst
Tufts
Wesleyan
Brandeis</p>
<p>@235423 I believe that most of these schools offer interviews. I would interview as many as these colleges that a possible for you. Make sure that when you interview you can mention a specific program that college offers that your truly interested in. Bring a resume, if you don’t have on make one, it will help you seem mature and professional. I brought one to my off-campus interview for Bowdoin…the alumni said I was the first person ever to give him a resume. (He as been interviewing for five years) </p>