<p>Op, you need to look at this thread:</p>
<p><a href=“Rejection from all Colleges. No acceptance yet. - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1631163-rejection-from-all-colleges-no-acceptance-yet.html</a></p>
<p>MIT, CMU and Berkeley have the same, or even lower, rates of admission that some of the Ivy’s. You need a broader pool of schools that you would be happy with. With respect to the competitiveness between Dartmouth and Columbia, you are splitting hairs. </p>