<p>Does coming from an extremely small town help or hurt in admissions to prestigious universities like Harvard? Our school is tiny and poor, and the teachers keep saying that'll we'll have an advantage in admissions because universities want to help us. However, isn't it possible that universities wouldn't consider us as much because they might not consider the academic level to be up to par? I go to an accredited school, but it's definitely not very competitive. Any ideas on the situation? I really don't want my school to jeopardize my chances. I've been taking online classes to help the situation. Any advice would be great!</p>
<p>Yep, it does up your chances. Won't make you a shoe-in, though.</p>
<p>thanks. kind of a relief there....of course I wouldn't expect a shoe-in, not with my SAT scores! it wouldn't quite count as a hook though, would it?</p>
<p>If you're taking online classes, then that shows you're going above and beyond what's offered to you. I think it helps your chances.</p>
<p>Jackson, where is La Honda? Is it in Kern County?</p>
<p>Coming from a small town will theoretically help you, but you are from California, which isn't an underrepresented state by any means... so... I think you'd be better off focusing on your actual application.</p>
<p>i heard the other way around, that students from urban areas typically receive a small boost because they have more access to intellectual and artistic opportunities, and the accompanying city issues.</p>
<p>it'll help maybe just a little.... you don't go to a 10 person school in the middle of south dakota, though (which would be probably the best tip-factor as far as location goes-- so few apply, nothing offered, diversity, etc.). you had opportunities offered at a regional and state level, and TONS of applicants apply from CA.</p>
<p>what about MS. i have yet to see an MS person here.</p>
<p>La Honda is in San Mateo County. The actual town is isolated, but it only takes 40 minutes or so to get to Stanford. The problem is the district doesn't allow people to transfer schools when my tiny one is available. Some people lied about their addresses and got out but my parents weren't willing to do that. Does the fact that my school has never sent anyone to any Ivy League or a top LAC count? One girl went to Berkeley a few years ago, but most people go to community college.</p>
<p>If you've managed to excel in less encouraging circumstances, etc., definitely make note of it (well, assuming you're a senior it's too late now, but...). You asked, though, "it wouldn't quite count as a hook, though, would it?"...you have to realize, a hook isn't something solid with a rigorously defined "hook/non-hook" line. It's just something we talk about here generally, to see if something sets you apart. A published novelist has a hook, but your average Joe might not. But it's not like the adcoms are sitting there marking everyone as "has a hook" or "doesn't have a hook", and the line is very vague. You can think of "hook" as being a very subjective thing that doesn't have an on/off switch, but rather has many varied degrees.</p>
<p>MS as in multiple sclerosis or Mississippi? If the latter, I haven't either, but in no way is that state as underrepresented as North/South Dakota.</p>
<p>lol, Aboo...</p>
<p>yeah i know it's not as underrepresented</p>
<p>but i also think the quality of applicants is significantly lower for MS than it is for other states with equal or lesser populations</p>
<p>Yeah, true. Didn't they have one of the lowest PSAT indexes in the nation?</p>
<p>MS is at the bottom in almost everything education-wise. With the exception of West VA in some cases. I'm talking high school graduates, college graduates, scores, income levels, EVERYTHING. But of course you can't generalize either....there are bright valedictorians scattered around (but LOTS of really dumb valedictorians)...and many people at Mississippi School for Math and Science are amazing (but i don't go there, i'm one of the scattered)</p>
<p>the cutoff for semifinalist is around 200-206--other states have them in the 220s!!!</p>
<p>most ivys (i think) have only 2 or 3 from MS in any given enrolling class </p>
<p>and MS is not like those states that have magnet schools and great publics schools and all of that everywhere. with the exception of MSMS, almost every school is okay or close to bleh or just horrible....i'd say mine is close to bleh</p>
<p>Actually, Mississippi has some of the highest SAT scores in the country (1111 composite, according to <a href="http://www.sciway.net/statistics/satstates96-98.html)%5B/url%5D">http://www.sciway.net/statistics/satstates96-98.html)</a>. But, only 4% of seniors take the test.</p>
<p>exactly. i only know a handful of people who bothered to take the SAT...among them are the only ones who are smart enough to look beyond schools in MS! I am serious: I only know less than 6-7 people who are looking out of state, so why take anything but ACT.</p>
<p>that's not to say ur not smart to go to Ole Miss or something...i'm just saying that it's usually the better test takers who are taking the SAT</p>
<p>Not to be rude, but I've always heard the academics at Ole Miss are a joke. I feel your pain - New Mexico is just as bad in most aspects. In fact, 3 people out of 248 in my class took the SAT. I was the only one to take the SAT IIs. Now tell me something pathetic...</p>
<p>haha, not rude at all</p>
<p>am i the only one out there who didn't apply to any instate schools?? that's how much i REFUSE it.</p>
<p>I didn't. But I would have if I had been deferred from H. :)
But there's really nothing wrong with state schools. they still provide great educations. I just had to get out of Texas.</p>