Do I have a shot?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Michigan State University
1

<p>Ok, I am only a junior, but here goes. I am from the Midwest, white male, if that makes any difference.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9725 out of 4.0
Rank: Top 3% (out of 280)
PSAT: 222 (hopefully qualify for National Merit Semifinalist)
AP: US History-5
SAT-II: US History-760</p>

<p>Will be taking in May/June
SAT, ACT, SAT-II's in Chemistry, Literature
AP's in Chemistry, Lit, Language and Composition, and Psych
(I will post results when I have them)</p>

<p>ECs
Student Leadership Council for the past 2 years, and hopefully next year, including interim secretary for 2 months -won the November 2005 award for service to the council
National Honors Society President 2006-2007
Knowledge Bowl-I've been on the team since freshman year, I will be captain next year, this year is our second time going to state in three years
Theater-all through high school
HOBY Ambassador
I am going to Boys' State this summer
I have completed 45 hours community service in the past 9 months
Plan to get a job this summer</p>

<p>Courses next year
AP Calc
AP Physics C
AP Spanish
AP Microeconomics
American Classics 1
Other random electives</p>

<p>So, what else do I need to do. Anything? Just keep going as is? Thanks!</p>

2

<p>dont see why you would think that you wouldnt have a chance!</p>

3

<p>Why Michigan State for you? You ought to be able to get into considerably better schools. Your stats would get you into Michigan and Wisconsin without much trouble, I think, if you're set on a big midwestern school -- and any other you choose. Plus you would have a chance at private schools like Oberlin or Chicago or many others.</p>

4

<p>georgemclellan45, I feel you're in great shape to be admitted to MSU because, obviously, you're very bright. Moreover, don't listen to biased stupidly from naysayers like BrooklynDad both who didn't attend the University and obviously has an agenda to tear down MSU. It's an absurd myth cooked up by people of his ilk that you, somehow, would be a lonely intelligent student with nobody to relate to amongst a sea of dumb slackers. It's quite evident from the varied, brilliant accomplishments of both current students and throngs of MSU alumni, that such myths are foolish. Ignore it. MSU attracts many, many students who are either brilliant, hard workers, or both… and the ones who are neither, usually don’t last long.</p>

5

<p>I did not run down MSU at all. But I grew up in East Lansing, worked at MSU, have a close relative who was on the faculty for many years, went to school myself in Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor. The schools I mentioned are overall better schools than MSU, for some of the reasons you mention. That does not mean that one cannot get a good education at MSU. And my relative always said that MSUs A students could get into graduate schools anywhere (as a history professor of mine had -- MSU to Yale). But my general assessment stands, and I wonder why the student was interested in MSU. It might make a difference if he had a particular reason for going there.</p>

6

<p>Yeah dude, stop with your anti-MSU agenda.</p>

<p>HAHAHAHA</p>

7

<p>BrooklynDad, I didn't like your tone. Sure, georgemclellan45 is an excellent student that could get into a number of Ivies with his stats (assuming the outcome of his test scores). But why assume, because he's good, he should automatically NOT consider MSU? There are lots of brilliant, very content, ecstatic and, in some ways, relieved students in East Lansing.</p>

<p>And I, of course, take serious issue with your comment that U-M and Wisconsin "considerably better" schools than MSU, especially at the undergrad level (and especially Wisconsin). In reputation, maybe, but even there, it depends who you talk to and in what part of the country you’re talking about. For example, given the heavy high school-to-MSU migration and prestigious positions of Spartan alumni in Chicagoland, for example, you’d fine many people who do not see the huge reputation “gap” you and A2wolves6 find between the schools. The running joke among Chicago alumni is that the city might as well be called “Chicago, Michigan” considering the extremely high number of area students who go to MSU in addition to the throngs of alumni who return to the Chicago area. And you know (unless you’re lying to yourself and others) that for most bright-to-brilliant Michigan high school seniors, the choice is U-M OR MSU. The myth has been pretty much exploded (except in that bubble known as Ann Arbor) that MSU is strictly (or even largely) the safety school for U-M, especially given MSU’s recent surge in grade/scores statistics, these brilliant kids could go to either or, if not an Ivy or Ivy-like.</p>

<p>Does this mean, in your world, that the thousands of bright Michigan (and beyond) HS students who choose MSU are, in reality, stupid?</p>

8

<p>I think it's obvious to anyone reading this that the OP's post was dripping in pretension and that all he's looking for is some reassurance for his obviously insecure soul that he is, indeed, good at school.</p>

<p>His question, Quincy, wasn't whether or not he should consider MSU. That decision is based on an overall feel for the school, not just prestige and stats. He's asking if he has a shot, which is based on such shallow things. Your indignance should be directed at him, and not BrooklynDad.</p>

<p>No matter how much you want to defend that MSU is a good, selective school, do you really think that this georgemclellan guy wouldn't be accepted to MSU unless he had some felonies on his permanent record? Personally, I dislike his tone. It has a strong mocking or arrogant flavor, which was what Brooklyndad and a few others were picking up on, I think.</p>

<p>Please don't misinterpret me like you did with Brooklyndad. The guy was asking a legitimate question and you put words in his metaphorical mouth. </p>

<p>The point is, no matter how much you defend MSU, as a whole, its student body isn't as strong as UM's. It's like when UM tries to assert that they're equal to ivy. If they pick specific examples, of course they can be. In that same sense, there are plenty of smart students at MSU, but even with a "recent surge in grade/scores statistics," the percent of 05-06 enrolled freshman who had a high school GPA of 3.75+ is only 35.4% at MSU.</p>

<p>Check the common data sets of both schools and find the section that talks about open admission policy, "under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications" MSU checks the box, UM doesn’t.</p>

<p>Am I saying you’d be stupid for turning down UM for MSU? Of course not. I’m turning down UM honors and Northwestern for MSU and I wouldn’t call myself stupid, at least not academically. But even as a prospective Spartan (and one who’s excited about it) I’m not going to argue that MSU comes close to UM’s prestige or stats because realistically, at least for the foreseeable future, it doesn’t. As for subjective things like feel or atmosphere, it's all personal preference and in your opinion, MSU could totally kill UM on those. As for which is more important, that's also subject to your preferences, so this entire argument is moot, as with most things in life.</p>

<p>You gotta love that nihilism.</p>

9

<p>soumanyon, points well taken. Maybe I misjudged georgemclellan45 nefarious motives (esp since he's a junior who lists his address as "northern hemisphere”). Just for the record, though, I did not say, nor have I ever said that: a) MSU is more prestigious than UM, or b) has better students than UM. I’m not crazy. My POV always is that MSU has enough going for it to stand on its own merit -- academically and subjectively, for the things you mention -- so that it need not constantly be negatively compared to UM (sometimes it seems like MSU's name is: "... but it's not UM"). That's because, yes, in many ways, as you note, I think MSU "blows away" UM, esp as an undergrad school. I'm sure a lot of people feel otherwise. Btw, good luck at MSU, I’m sure you’ll love it. It's good we'll have at least ONE smart kid on campus, LOL.</p>