<ul>
<li><p>I have SAT 2290(R750, M800, W720), ACT 34, SATII: 800mathii, 800physics, 800korean, 780chem. 5s on four APs from 'self-study'. Ranked top 2% during grades 9-11. Quite good, but not outstanding ECs: 250 volunteer hours, some leadership, some awards, etc. Hooks:I have lived in the States for just TWO years, and my performance here is viewed amzaing by my school//AP test results from a non AP/IB schools (public).</p></li>
<li><p>Problem: 1. Got flat out rejected from Columbia ED. 2. I did poorly this semester and might get a C and a B on my mid-year report, which worries me to -- death.</p></li>
<li><p>Applied to: Half of Ivys, Duke, JHU, Northwestern, MIT, Rochester, UCBerkeley. U of Miami, U of Denver..</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Q: Scared by the Columbia rejection and the poor grades in this semester. So, I am thinking of doing ED2. Please advise me which is best for me: Vanderbilt or Swarthmore? or some other?
I want to study pure science but am interested in humanity courses too. </p>
<p>Q: Scared by the Columbia rejection and the poor grades in this semester. So, I am thinking of doing ED2. Please advise me which is best for me: Vanderbilt or Swarthmore? or some other?
I want to study pure science but am interested in humanity courses too.</p>
<p>Your list is fine. You should get admitted to several of those colleges, maybe more. Unless you are an international student who needs financial aid, in which case all bets are off and you need to ask a whole bunch of different questions.</p>
<p>Swarthmore is almost as selective as Columbia (and more selective than many/most of the colleges on your list). It’s a great school, and not as swamped with applications from Asians as the Ivies, but if you are looking for a sure thing, it’s not Swarthmore.</p>
<p>As for Vanderbilt, it’s a fine school, but I don’t understand why you would commit yourself to going there before hearing from any of the others. If you weren’t going to apply there at all, why would you apply ED? Also – it’s not a sure thing either.</p>
<p>If you really want to lock in a good chance of getting admitted somewhere ED II, I would look at LACs a half-step down from Swarthmore (and Williams, Amherst, Pomona). Places that have made huge investments in science facilities but are more popular for humanities, and would love to attract Asian science majors to fill them and balance out the student bodies. E.g., Oberlin, Carleton, Grinnell, Wesleyan. Connecticut College or Vassar if you are a boy. Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr if you are a girl.</p>
<p>At this point, I think any school you apply to is going to see your mid-year report, so applying ED won’t help you there. It seems like you have a pretty strong application, so a B or C won’t kill you.</p>
<p>The reason I decided to ED2: My mid-year report is not sent until mid February, because my school has the finals late January. I get my report card around Feb 10. And, if I send my mid-year report at the last possible date, it will reach ad-coms around late Feb. This means that I can beat the risk of my ED2 school’s reviewing my mid-year report. You know ED2 results come out early Feb.</p>
<p>I know it is trully pathetic. But at this point, I cannot help but think of this option. Yes, Vandy was not even in my radar. But, while researching ED2 schools, I realized that Vandy was a good school where I could be happy at. As for Swarthmore, I have known that it was Harvard level, but I thought I might have an edge by applying ED now. I feel bad about screwing up my chances at top schools but I still want to go to a school where I will be surrounded/inspired by bright peers/profs. </p>
<p>I understnad why you say I may make several colleges with my stats and I do feel relieved a bit. But, in case I conclude that I have to ‘make’ ED2 at either Swarth or Vandy, which one would you recommend? As you say, neither is a sure thing. But I really hate to go lower on ED2 since I gotta go there once admitted…</p>
<p>Swarthmore can be a perfect place for the right person, but not everyone can be happy there. I would not recommend applying ED to Swarthmore unless you are sure that you know what you are getting into.</p>
<p>In that respect, I think Vandy is probably safer (and also less selective). But I think applying ED should really be an act of love, and not an act of desperation. If your semester is not over till the end of January, I’d recommend buckling down and working on that C to try and turn it into a B instead of scrambling to ED II anywhere.</p>
<p>I say relax, turn that C into a B, and you will probably get into Northwestern and other top schools RD. You have phenomenal stats by any standards and your caveat of being in the US for only 2 years makes them even more impressive.</p>
<p>I am a student who graduated last year, and applied EDII to Swarthmore. Definitely do not underestimate how competitive it is - I was rejected EDII from Swarthmore, but ended up getting waitlisted at Columbia in the regular round, so the two are certainly comparable. (On the plus side, I ended up getting into JHU, UC Berkeley, and other schools I was very happy with later on). Also, on another note, Vandy and Swarthmore are quite different schools in many respects. If you do decide to apply EDII somewhere, make sure you really have a good idea of what the school is like so as to be sure that you would really be happy attending. Though it is, of course, possible that one could be happy at either Vanderbilt or Swarthmore, I would assume the the number of crossover apps to to those two schools is rather small as compared to Swarthmore and Williams or Swarthmore and Amherst, for example.</p>
<p>I agree with CA dancer. Swarthmore and Vandy are polar opposites and you need to be sure where you really want to go before you eliminate your options. Don’t just go for the prestige factor. You’ll get in somewhere, especially if can improve your C. </p>
<p>Columbia is hard to get into and applying there was a lesson to broaden your choices. You have some good colleges that would be impressed by you and there are plenty more to consider. It’s hard to pick up again after the stress of getting bad news, but keep trying and you’ll get there. Only, don’t panic and over-react.</p>
<p>You should get into JHU and Rochester and probably Duke quite easily so it’s a shame to decide quickly when you’re not sure. If you think you will be happy with those just wait it out and you’ll have some choices. Did you think about Brandeis?</p>
<p>@Hitch: I donot know of Brendeis. @sacchi: I visited neither: Had no time or money… @katila: merit aid from Denver sounds nice. They will give aid even though I get a B or even a C in senior year?? @lima and caldancer: I belive I can be happy at either school. At Swarthmore as a science freak, at Vanderbilt, to try humanity as well.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I am calmer now and am thinking perhaps I should wait it out patiently. </p>
<p>I still have one more question: Vanderbilt is considered not as good as Duke, JHU, or Northwestern? I saw it its ranked a bit lower. However, in the long run, let’s say, if I do well at Vandy, can’t I get into one of top graduate schools? Is there a definite gap between Vandy and the other three?</p>
<p>You can get into top grad school from any of the schools mentioned (and many more) if you do well in college, and get great recommendations, etc. This is not something to base your college choice on.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is probably easier to get into, especially since they seemed (at least a few years ago) to be making real efforts to become more diverse geographically and ethnically. It has had an excellent reputation as a regional school in the past, and it’s national recognition has been increasing. My son thought it was too preppy and had too high a percentage (40% I think) in frats or sororities.</p>
<p>I don’t think you should apply ED2 just to get into a higher ranking school. It should be a school you could genuinely be happy at. If you are a very adaptable bloom where you are planted sort, perhaps you really could be happy anywhere.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is definitely looking to diversify and increase its outreach to Asians (they are included, I think, in its admissions diversity weekend). Do your research first and make sure that Vandy is someplace you will feel comfortable. It does have that Southern preppy vibe.</p>
<p>OP, after reading your post. I say you shall not apply EDII to any school at this point. Just study hard and apply RD if you want to more schools that are not on your original list. I am afraid you are misapplying ED big time here and might have a buyer’s remorse if you end up getting into one of those non-first choice school but are now bound by ED commitment.</p>
<p>Can someone explain to me the sentiment regarding how Vanderbilt is so drastically easier to get into than the other schools being discussed in this thread?</p>
<p>wanderers…I was about to say the same thing. </p>
<p>OP…D had comparable stats (2250, 790/770, 4.0 UW @ private prep, 11 APs (10 - 5’s; 1 - 4), 1 DC (A+), and numerous ECs including national athlete and was waitlisted at Vandy during RD last year (16% RD). I have heard what has already been stated – Vandy is trying to diversify and dispel that “rich, white, southern kid’s school” stereotype; hence, for white prep school kids from the south, it is getting harder to get accepted. I’ve also heard, FWIW, that EDII at Vandy gives you essentially no edge (unlike EDI). The stats are almost the same as RD. Vandy is REMARKABLY different than Columbia or Swarthmore. I’m puzzled at how a student might be drawn to both of these. I would agree with what’s already been stated – you will get into at the very least your safety, and you will most likely be admitted to some others; therefore, I’d simply apply to those on your list RD and stick with your original game plan. Vandy is a great school; however, IF you were accepted EDII, you know you must go there…do you love it enough to spend the $57K a year?</p>
<p>While generally speaking I agree with JHS’ comment, I would add that it’s a little hard to characterize Carleton at #8 a meaningful “step down” from Pomona at #6 … Be a little careful of parsing this all so finely, because the differences at these levels still come around to personal fit and preference rather than real, meaningful difference in education and opportunities. </p>
<p>My other comment is that you haven’t clarified whether you are female and therefore might consider the women’s colleges, but at Wellesley, based on the ED acceptances, there is no shortage of Asian women so I wouldn’t consider that any kind of diversity hook. I can’t speak for Smith or Bryn Mawr on that dimension.</p>
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<p>Could we please just all use the brains God gave us? No dog in the Vanderbilt fight, but it’s still a TOP 20 SCHOOL. It’s going to be plenty good enough for any opportunity you might possibly want. Don’t you think it’s a bit much to pretend that going there is slumming it and that you’d never be able to get into a good graduate school? What do you think, Vandy grads never become successful, never get into a good graduate school, sit mournfully by on the sidelines of life? It’s time to get a grip and stop being so fixated on the very tippy-top as though there are meaningful differences.</p>
<p>Having said that, if you weren’t interested in Vandy on your list in the first place, I see no reason you should try to ED II. ED II is for the school you loved almost as much as your ED I, not a “failsafe.” Anyway, Vandy likes people who demonstrate interest; if you haven’t been, you might be rejected ED II and then you’d really be in the dumps.</p>