What do you guys think of my RD chances? Are these fairly reasonable options? Thanks for every opinion!
I have absolutely no notes. You’ve done an exceptional job, considering where you started in March. 
@circuitrider Thanks… I mean what do you think of my decision?
Btw what does “I have no notes” mean? Sorry I don’t speak English
@jackwang0703 My bad. “No notes” is a theatrical term for “nothing to add.” or “nothing to criticize.” something the director of a play might say to an actor rehearsing his lines.
I think it’s a fine decision. Davidson is just about where Wesleyan was forty years ago, an estimable institution with a rising profile nationally. It will give you a decent leg-up in grad or professional school, if that’s what you are after. Not so sure how far its alumni network stretches beyond North Carolina and the south. NESCAC probably still has the advantage there. Frankly, if Davidson doesn’t take you ED - p.m. me and we’ll “talk”
@circuitrider Aight, hopefully we won’t “talk” lol.
What makes you say that Davidson has a rising profile? And why is Wesleyan ranked only 21 according to USNews?
Thanks a lot.
I think the USNews poll has been at Davidson’s back (as opposed to a headwind or a wind blowing in it’s face) for a long time, It’s a small college with small classes, but, also a school that hasn’t taken a lot of gambles. It accepts a comparatively low number of Pell grant recipients. It’s not exactly known for the arts. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, USNews rewards both of those things.
Wesleyan dropped to #21 in the USNews rankings this year specifically because of the spending per student component of its methodology. It’s always been a slightly larger LAC than most - USNews does not award brownie points (a simile referring to a type of pre-pubescent American Boy Scout organization called, “Brownies”, and its system of awards) for efficiency or economies of scale. But, for the last two year’s especially - and culminating with this year’s lagging indicators - Wesleyan has made a deliberate attempt to hold down tuition increases to the rate of inflation. This has a direct effect on its tuition discount rate, a key element in measuring how much money a college spends on financial aid. In theory, if a college wanted to game the USNews rankings, it would do the exact opposite and keep its tuition high which would drive up its discount rate, assuming its actual collection rate remained the same :
http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2013/03/11/tuition2013/
@circu Oh I see. It’s pretty complicated. The USNews ranking for LACs is not that reliable anyways.
As far as the RD schools I mentioned before, what are my chances from your perspective?
Thank you very much!
I think Davidson is a top-20 LAC. I hold it in similar esteem as schools like Grinnell, Reed, Hamilton, Vassar, W&L and Smith.
FWIW, this is my top-27 LAC ranking – based on my opinion of overall quality, opportunities, and rep. In rough order:
Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Pomona
Middlebury
Wellesley
Bowdoin
Haverford
Carleton
Wesleyan
Claremont McKenna
Hamilton
Washington & Lee
Vassar
Smith
Grinnell
Davidson
Harvey Mudd
Oberlin
Colby
Colgate
Reed
Bates
Bryn Mawr
Barnard
Macalester
Kenyon
The next 25 are also quite good, and the 50 after that are good as well. There are a lot of excellent LACs, and Davidson is among the best IMO.
I think all the research universities are reaches since they are among the first choices of nearly every international student anywhere on the planet. I would be very surprised if you did not get into more than one of the LACs since you would be considered a URM at most of them.
@circuitrider That’s unfortunately the truth. The competition within our own group is cutthroat. I’m in a slightly different pool because I will have three years of American high school experience when I graduate.
Could you give me some characteristics and academic strength of my RD schools? I selected them because I am not that fond of STEM.
Thanks so much!
In terms of one non-STEM field, Middlebury and Wesleyan would be exceptional for economics:
Again, Davidson is ranked #9. The 3 colleges ranked above it are Bowdoin, Pomona and Carlton. It’s tied with Claremont McKenna. It is one of the TOP LACs in the country. What sets it apart from the others is that it’s in the South. I think it’s great that you’re applying ED and not following everyone else to all the Northeast LACs. From what I have read, it looks like a gem.
@citymama9 Thank you. I chose Davidson over the northeast ones mainly due to its warmer weather, short distance to Charlotte, and D1 varsity sports. Plus the local community was very friendly and amicable when we visited which left us a good impression. The campus is nice as well.
If anybody could give me some characteristics and academic strengths of Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Wustl, and Georgetown, I would really appreciate that.
I can tell you a what I know about these colleges based on the people I know who went there and what I have read about them. Of that group, I have only seen Georgetown and Duke, but that was many years ago. The people I have known who went to Northwestern were very smart and serious types. Both ended up in the “helping professions”. I know someone who is just starting this year and he’s a musical theater kid who is very smart, but more fun and outgoing than the other two. I get the impression that Northwestern attracts sophistocated types. Georgetown is known for it’s ties to Wash DC and for it’s ambitious, hardworking students. Lots of driven kids who want to work in foreign service or work in government. The people I know who went to Wash U were all rich and used to the finer things in life, if that makes sense. The school is known for it’s great food and dorms and happy students. Vanderbiit: I know a couple of people from the suburbs outside of NYC who went there. Again, very rich, preppy, very nice. It sounds like a fun school for smart kids. It has everything a univ is supposed to have. I don’t know anyone who went to Duke, but I would imagine the students are very smart and hardworking, but like to have fun. I liked the campus a lot. Take what I’ve said with a grain of salt.
@citymama9 Thank you so much for your thorough response! That’s kind of what I think of them. Do you think they are all at the same level? Or maybe Duke and Northwestern are slightly more rounded?
My S added Davidson to his list because the school counselor really liked it, saying all her students who went there were happy. And he had some school peers that were there and backed that up. He didn’t end up choosing it but we toured and liked it. In the end, it was a bit further from us in NJ that most of his other choices which I think played a role in his decision – or the drive back did anyway. Culturally it felt very similar to many of the other LAC’s we visited. They emphasized the honor code in the tour, similar to Haverford. Finals are even on the honor system – you schedule them at your convenience. It’s D1 sports which is unusual for an LAC, but the vibe on campus did not feel any more athlete-oriented than most of the NESCAC D3 schools. And the presentations at Accepted Students day by the administration were very good. Though the attend a class part was bogus as they were fake classes setup just for the occasion and not very informative to what it would be like. And I was impressed that when my S arrived and checked in with a random person at the table that another person heard him say his name and immediately came over and introduced himself as the regional admissions officer for his area and clearly knew him (his name, school, interests). That personal touch was impressive. Overall it was a very positive experience and impression. Oh, and the cafeteria was great too, better than most of it’s LAC peers.
@citivas Thank you so much for your insight! The only thing that I don’t quite understand is the small number of applications Davidson receives. I know they actually have a substantial number of students from the northeast.
@jackwang0703 Does it really get that many fewer applicants? I thought at Admitted Student day they quoted something like a 17& acceptance rate this year, which is on par with the NESCAC’s. Here in the Northeast, it’s on fewer people’s radar. And even to the extent people have heard about it that’s primarily due to Curry’s fame. With the NESCAC schools you get the halo effect of the collective marketing and reputation of the group of schools who are members. Similarly, if you look into Swarthmore, you inevitably also find out about Haverford, etc. Davidson is a little island unto itself.
@citivas Yeah it gets less than 6000 applications which I think is lower than most of its comparable LACs. Since I’m probably going to grad school, the location of Davidson doesn’t matter that much. Plus I didn’t choose the northeast ones because of the weather and closeness to a big city. I also visited Pomona and CMC but didn’t enjoy their campus too much. So basically the only ones that fulfill my requirement are Swarthmore, Haverford, and Davidson. However, Swarthmore is just way too difficult to get in and Haverford is kinda too small size wise so they accept less international students as well.