<p>@HuskyDawg
Really? I don’t think one of those schools is a reach. They all seem like matches. I’m not an expert on the process, but it seems his stats are higher than what those schools expect from their applicants.</p>
<p>Btw calleva100, apply to an ivy, even if you don’t feel you will get in. The rewards for getting in are great. Financial aid and top of the line education is not nothing to sneeze at.</p>
<p>Yeah I’m apying to an Ivy League ( cornell )</p>
<p>I see from another Cornell thread that you are planning to apply to Cornell Engineering ED. My son just graduated with a B.S. in CHEME. Overall, his experiences were quite demanding but doable. Even though he graduated with a respectable GPA at Cornell, we both agree that if he were to have taken Calculus BC (not offered in HS) and taken a more engineering centric course load in HS he would have been even more successful. </p>
<p>Needless to say I think you have a very good chance for Cornell engineering. Make sure you produce the best possible essay in your application package. Also seek references from teachers whom you know will write an outstanding reference letter.</p>
<p>If all goes well for you, I would recommend contacting the NSBE chapter at Cornell ASAP. This is because your course schedule will play a huge role in your academic success. The recommended course schedule at Cornell does not always suggest the best path. For example, CHEME students are required to take physical chemistry without having taken linear algebra which puts the CHEME students at a huge disadvantage.</p>
<p>Make sure your essay addresses the issues with your grades during your freshman year.</p>
<p>Among the Ivies, Columbia and Princeton also have some decent engineering programs. Among schools of similar caliber, there’s MIT and Stanford. Northwestern also has good engineering programs. You have Cornell and Johns Hopkins, but I would think about adding at least one and preferably two “really” top tier schools with your stats and the reasons behind your lower GPA. Cornell is a lower Ivy (no hate, it’s also my mother’s alma mater), which is why I would suggest two “tippy” top tier schools for your list.I think you’re good with schools at Cornell’s level since you have it, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, etc.</p>
<p>Do you know what kind of engineering you’re interested in? That was a very important factor in school selection for a lot of my friends.</p>
<p>What’s your safety? Are you applying to your flagship state? </p>
<p>If you’re applying to Cornell ED, are finances at all an issue for you? If you get into Cornell, you’ll have to take whatever financial aid they offer you. They’re fairy generous, but it can be good to have other options. Packages can vary hugely throughout the Ivy League. When I applied to schools, I got a relatively small scholarship offer from Dartmouth, whereas Harvard’s package would have left my parents paying the same as in-state tuition.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d also apply to the better Ivies, especially if you are relying heavily upon financial aid. Cornell’s kinda stingy. Be aware, though, that Cornell’s CoE is very selective and extremely difficult. Princeton has the HYP prestige with the good engineering program, so it may be a better fit than Cornell. Also look at Stanford and MIT.
Your uw GPA is a liiiittle low, but I’m sure you can explain that away. </p>
<p>Good luck and congrats on the great stats! :3</p>
<p>The above two posters are equating quality of an engineering program with the SAT scores of the general student body. Why else would these individuals imply/state that Cornell is a lower tier IVY? I am not sure if Cornell distinguishes SAT scores from each school within Cornell. Even so, I do not believe few point differences either way would not make any difference since it has nothing to do with the quality of the engineers being produced. </p>
<p>As a practicing engineer, I agree with very little from these posts. To begin with, I agree that financial aid should be a major factor in deciding school selection. FA is a dynamic situation and should be seriously examined. In our case, my son’s FA award was very generous. Our FA package was better than our state flagship school even when factoring in scholarships. Outside scholarships that went towards our bottom line costs was significantly better than Vanderbilt, Norte Dame, and many other similar schools. Son graduated with no debt which I believe puts him in the top 10% of all newly graduated college students.</p>
<p>I have worked with engineers from many of the schools mentioned above. Cornell takes a backseat to none of these schools. I and many of my colleagues with advances degrees can attest to Cornell’s true reputation in industry. Any school that has top level executives from top tier companies recruiting engineers certainly is not a lower tier IVY. Cornell has won several national engineering competitions. So they have a very good mix of research combined with practical opportunities.</p>
<p>I would simply suggest that whichever school that you decide to select do not base your decision on perceived prestige as many do on CC. Visit any school that you are interested in prior to applying to any school ED and meet with the department heads of these schools if they are available.</p>
<p>Callela,
Do you have an amount of schools that you do not want to exceed?</p>
<p>First, do ensure that you and your fam run the net price calculator for all the schools that you are interested in.</p>
<p>From your most recent list. I would suggest replacing Wake with Rice, replacing NYU with Case Western and replacing GeorgWashington with Duke and or UPenn.</p>
<p>Its been mentioned that NYU does not offer very good FA packages. Of course, it varies from family to family.</p>
<p>I didn’t see any West Coast schools on your list. If any interests there, I suggest, Cal Tech, Stanford and Harvey Mudd. However, keep in mind that your UW GPA may be an achilles. </p>
<p>UMIch is a very very good school. Again, unless you get one of their top scholarships, their package may not be the best.</p>
<p>All the above though may be moot, if you decide to ED at Cornell and is admitted. Of course, for plan b, you will still have to have those apps ready in order to press the submit button.</p>
<p>If you decide not to ED, my suggestion up thread of replacing could also be used as addition to your existing list.</p>
<p>Remember, craft some great essays, seek LOR from Teachers who know you really well and are able to communicate.</p>
<p>Finally, check with your GC to find out how kids with your stats feared previously (preferably last season) at the schools you are interested in. Be cognizant that you are first reviewed based on the context of your peers at YOUR school.</p>
<p>Good luck and I know you should be a happy camper sometime mid December or in the Spring. 
</p>