College List Help

College Search & Selection
1

I’m looking for some help on my college list, as it’s well over the amount of colleges I should be applying to in terms of logistics. I know there have already been quite a bit of threads asking for help, but maybe this could be a thread in which all people in search of help post their credentials and list of prospective universities. Maybe it could allow for a more centralized form of college list help with easier access. :slight_smile:

As for myself, so far I have about 13 universities on my list, and I just can’t seem to find how I would like to trim it down. I’ll post my current list, and then follow up with my credentials and preferred financial aid from the universities.

** List of Universities: **

  • []Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    [    ]Stanford University
    []California Institute of Technology
    [li]Carnegie Mellon University[/li][    ]Cornell University
    []Johns Hopkins University
    [li]Rice University[/li][li]University of Chicago[/li][li]University of Pennsylvania[/li][li]Harvard University[/li][    ]Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
    []Boston University
    [    ]Rutgers University (New Brunswick)

*Universities listed in red are ones I’m thinking about striking.

** Intended Major: **
Mechanical Engineering

** Geographical Information: **
I live in the Northeast, which is why there are a good portion of Northeastern schools.

** Stats: **
SAT I (breakdown): 1530 (790M; 740E&R)
ACT (breakdown): n/a
SAT II: Will be taking Math II, Physics, and Spanish in October.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): I’d have to check
Weighted GPA: 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 15/368
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Calculus AB (5), AP English Language & Composition (5), AP French Language & Culture (4), AP US History (4), AP Chemistry (3), AP Physics 1 (3)
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: Honors Engineering II, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, Honors German V, AP Calculus BC, Marketing II
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): n/a
Awards/Honors: State finalist in UIL Model Congress, State qualifier for UIL CX Debate, State finalist in DECA; most other honors are those listed in the extracurriculars.
** ------------------- **

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Debate Club (President since sophomore year), DECA (sophomore year and senior year), Student Council (Officer Position, Education Chair), National Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Technology Student Association, Math Club (executive committee member), Model UN, Student Coalition for Racial Equality (Head of coalition), Swimming, Volleyball.
Job/Work Experience: Internship at local Prosecutor’s Office, Summer Worker for the school (custodial department)
Volunteer/Community service: Fundraising through Student Council, NHS. Community service/fundraising through Math Club. I attend most fundraising events hosted by the school and help set up and run the events.
Summer Activities: * refer to job/work experience *

** ------------------- **

School Type: 1600~ students enrolled, not many people get accepted into big name schools such as HYPS.
Ethnicity: Mexican
Gender: Male
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM
Extra background information I’ve moved around a lot, between US and Mexico and between states.

I’m looking to apply to schools that usually give a good amount of financial aid without loans. My first choice is Stanford, though I know it’ll be a crapshoot; Rutgers is a good safety for me because I won’t be paying tuition, only room and board. Other than that, I’m just looking for other schools which I should/shouldn’t apply to. Size and location isn’t too much of a deal for me, though I’m hesitant on JHU or UChicago because of their locations.

Any help/insight would be much appreciated!

2

Congratulations on your hard work and success! You’ll end up at a great school.

All the schools on your list are reaches for everyone, except the last three. It’s no reflection on you. You are fully qualified and could do well at all of them. The issue is that the schools receive many applications from qualified students. I like to cite this example. We visited a very top LAC about 7-8 years ago. Admissions rep said 70% of applicants were fully qualified to go to the school, and it thought they would be successful if they attended. It accepted 14% of applicants (that number is lower today). So 1 of 5 fully qualified students were accepted. Think about it in terms of Hamilton. Tickets are very expensive because many more people want to see it than can fit in the theatre.

Most of the schools on you list accept less than 10% of applicants in RD. The good news though is that there are many, many terrific schools where you would learn and mature in a community with amazing students, faculty, and staff. Any school in the Top 100 (and then some) have students every bit as bright and motivated and ambitious as yourself.

You don’t seem enthusiastic about JHU and Chicago. Penn is also very urban. So maybe you could eliminate those. So I would suggest you add some more “match” schools. Here’s an idea: google search “schools that meet full financial need.” You will find lists that include many top schools, where you’d be competitive. They might not in reality meet 100% of your need, but perhaps so. Try to find some that are ranked, say #30-100 that seem like places you’d like to live and have good ME programs.

Also, especially for private universities, sign up on their admissions pages. If a few schools look especially interesting, email the admissions rep for your state/region. Provide a little info about yourself and why you are interested in the school. Ask a question that is not readily available on the website. (Not, how many students go to the school? But maybe, something about the school’s culture that is important to you). Now is a good time. Reps will get busy reading applications in October/November. (This does not really apply for large state schools, just too many applicants.)

Remember a safety is a place you can afford and would truly be happy attending. Is that the case for all the ones on your list?

You might also look at WPI. We love the school. Beautiful suburban campus, near a redeveloping Worcester, an hour train ride to Boston. Very hands-on, project-oriented approach.

Good questions. Good luck!

3

I meant to add, think about more match schools. Generally speaking ones that accept 20-40% in RD. BU is probably in that category, but it seems like you have a lot of reaches and a couple of safeties.

Don’t be afraid to embrace the kind of place YOU would like, not a place that is ranked #17 instead of #37. If you think about it, there are a couple of thousand of legitimate schools with nice campuses and fully accredited academic programs. From that perspective, there is really little difference between #17 and #37. If one seems like a better fit for you, you will be best off going with that one, regardless of slight differences in rank.

4

Are you starting senior year now? Have you visited any schools (or planning to)?
Agree that you should consider have match and safeties.

5

The disproportion of reaches to matches/safeties is something that’s been pestering me quite a bit, I do admit. I do have some matches in mind that have been mentioned to me before, like WPI, Northeastern, University of Pittsburgh, etc., so I’ll suppose I’ll revisit that list and see which ones I like.

My hesitant attitude towards JHU and UChicago is because of the notoriety of Baltimore and Chicago as dangerous cities, especially with Baltimore being one of the top 10 most dangerous. This mostly ‘worries’ me because of how it may affect life off-campus for me. Sure, New Brunswick and Philadelphia aren’t free of their own crime titles, but they aren’t that high on the list, I do believe. I admit it is naive to think this way however, haha.

One thing I would like to point out though, is that even though schools like Stanford and MIT admit <10% of their applicants, I do feel as though I have the capabilities to stand out and stand a better chance in the admissions process through my essays. I have some personal aspects which I am excited to write about (heritage, moving around, sibling with LD), and I do think that these things (at least in Stanford’s eyes), make stand out a little above the rest, at least hopefully. The mentality I have with HYPS is that I’m in their mid-50% for stats, so really I’m in the running, it’s just left to my ECs and writing to sway the AdComs. I hope this is the right mentality to have.

I greatly appreciate your immense help! Now I feel I have a better focus on what I should be looking for in terms of matches/safeties.

** ------------------------------ **
@Rivet2000
I will be starting my senior year come September, yes. I’ve visted JHU and Rutgers, and I’m planning on visiting a bulk of the Northeastern ones in the coming months. Hopefully I’ll be visiting an old friend of mine who’s at Stanford, and get a chance to see the big S and Caltech.

6

If you can, apply to fly-in programs. Apps for Johns Hopkins, CalTech, UPenn, and UChicago are still open. Rice’s just closed and MIT’s closed a month back. CMU has an overnight diversity program, but a travel grant is not guaranteed.

7

If can visit CMU that would be a plus as expressed interest is one thing they look for. If you do go to CMU arrange an in-person admissions interview.

If Stanford is high on you list, concentrate on your essays (really, really concentrate). Are you looking at applying early?

8

@Rivet2000
If I can go to CMU’s Diversity Weekend, I’ll most definitely see what else I can do, such as the admissions interview, to express more interest, thank you for the tip!

For Stanford, I know that the essays are really what the AdComs put most importance to (at least to my understanding) in seeing what makes you a good fit for the community. I’ve been considering REA, but I’ve held myself back because of the worry of rejection. Thinking on it now however, Stanford’s admissions are quite different than the Ivies, so having a Stanford application in before the Ivies/Northeastern ones could be beneficial. And hey, if I get accepted, all my worries are gone, haha! I’d like to hear what you think on this, thank you for the tips.

9

MIT, Cornell, Princeton, RPI, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech.

10

I think the list is fine if you will be happy going to any of the bottom 3 on the list (and it seems probable that you would get into at least one of the others). If I were you, I would feel more comfortable adding a school like Georgia Tech, USC, Vanderbilt and/or Wash U.

11

The University of Delaware has excellent engineering programs, and be worth checking out. You may be competitive for their Distinguished Scholars program, and the campus is lovely, in a nice college town with good access to Philly, New York, DC via Amtrak.

Also Bucknell and Lafayette in PA, Northeastern, and WPI in MA.