Finalizing/Shortening My List

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So basically, my current list is really casting the net out wide to many of the top schools. I know that fourteen is a large but still not totally unreasonable number of applications, but I'd like to spend more time on less applications.</p>

<p>Sooooo... pick out the schools that you don't think fit :)</p>

<p>BG INFORMATION:
Prospective Area of Study: Applied Math/Operations Research Major; Piano Performance and Creative Writing Minors (where available)
SAT I: 2360 (760W 12E)
SAT II: 800 780 760
GPA: 3.95 uw, 4.76 w
APs: 18 before graduation. All 5s so far.
ECs: Obviously very passionate about three areas (math, piano, writing) with numerous state awards and participation in selective summer programs. Very strong leadership positions in related activities and the board of ed. Some other activities with some leadership/awards. Well-triangled (as opposed to well-lopsided), but no large national awards.
Essays: I have a couple ideas right now, but nothing too spectacular. Nonetheless, I'm a decent writer, and they should come out okay.
Recs: Sophomore and senior year math teacher's will be great (he rec'd me for the summer programs and let me read it). Junior english teacher's should be positive but nothing out of the ordinary. Guidance counselor knows me well, but I don't know how much she will write.</p>

<p>WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR:
I've visited a couple schools, and basically found that I'm pretty versatile and would be happy at large and small schools, urban and rural schools, on one condition- the students there have to be passionate about their classes and really care about what they are learning. </p>

<p>When I visited colleges, I tried to sit in on somewhat esoteric classes to get a gage for this. At one school, it was a lecture, and the students were all eagerly listening to the (monotone and somewhat boring) professor. At another, it was a small discussion class of five students, and while the professor was trying her best to engage interest, the students were more interested in the nails, the ceiling, and doodling than the discussion. Needless to say, the first is much more appealing to me.</p>

<p>Also, I'd like to stick to the east coast or midwest. Stanford is the only exception because my dad's an alum and I've visited so many times that it's grown on me enough to make me trek across the country (and my mom wouldn't be THAT opposed to me going to Stanford ;))</p>

<p>**CURRENT LONG LIST:<a href="that's%20obsenely%20top%20heavy--%20but%20i'm%20hoping%20to%20get%20into%20UMich%20early%20notification,%20and%20if%20I%20don't%20get%20in,%20I%20can%20always%20apply%20to%20more%20schools..%20more%20matches%20are%20welcome%20though.">/b</a> Princeton is my current favorite school, but it's subject to change.</p>

<p>Brown
Carnegie Mellon
Columbia
Cornell
Duke
Harvard
MIT
Princeton
Stanford
UChicago
UMichigan
UPenn
Williams
Yale</p>

<p>So... which schools don't fit in with the others? Any suggestions for matches? </p>

<p>(I've decided on safeties for if I don't get into UMich- RPI, URoch, and a couple of my state schools. If that happens, I'll then cut off some more of the reach schools.)</p>

2

<p>bump ?? :)</p>

3

<p>I like your list a lot, but I think you should include NYU, which has an outstanding OR department. NYU could be more of a match for you.</p>

<p>At this point, I think you should look at your options CAREFULLY, particularly with regards to things like piano lessons and creative writing opportunities. Look at opportunities curricularly and extracurricularly, for both. For creative writing and applied math, at least, I'd perhaps look at Johns Hopkins too.</p>

4

<p>wow... 18 APs...
don't they cost a lot though? i'm kinda afraid to take too much because of the total price...</p>

5

<p>Personally I would eliminate UPenn and add at least one more LAC (in addition to Williams), based on what you've written I think it should be Amherst, Haverford or Swarthmore.</p>

6

<p>Duke doesn't seem like it fits in your list or your preferred atmosphere.</p>

7

<p>unalove- I will definately look into JHU. I've always kind of written it off as a crazy school for pre-meds, but I guess there's always more than that ;) NYU, on the other hand... I might have made too much of a blanket statement in my first post. I don't think I really like the NYU no-campus feel. Even though some of the colleges on my list are "urban", they still have somewhat of a campus feel. Columbia and UPenn definately have campuses; I think UChicago does too (correct me if I'm wrong...)</p>

<p>ummmm- haha well I haven't taken 18 so far, just 10. My parents aren't too fussy about the check, and I only have to face them once a year to write it. They understand that it's important for placement, and they're willing to pay anything for education. We're also not exactly tight on money. </p>

<p>pointoforder- What makes UPenn not fit? Is it really that preprofessional? I was thinking that if I could get into the Jerome Fisher program, I could do a double degree in something related to Operations Research in Wharton and Computer Science in SEAS, effectively joining the two. I don't know much about it though; I'm visiting in a couple weeks. I haven't visited Amherst, Haverford, or Swarthmore either. I only visited Williams because I knew it was well-known for math. I heard Amherst is much more well known for economics and english. Though I guess looking at the schools a little more wouldn't hurt :)</p>

<p>highopes- Actually, that was what I was kind of thinking today. See the only connections on this list that my family has is with Stanford (dad's an alum), Cornell (mom's a past employee), and Duke (dad's second cousin once removed - i'm not kidding!- went there in the 80s). My dad also thinks it's a great idea to apply on the offchance that I could get an AB Duke or Robertson Scholar award. I don't know too much about the school, other than what I've read from guidebooks. It seems okay but somewhat full of jocks, somewhat pre-med oriented, and too focused on wet parties. Parties are great, just I don't know if I want to be involved in them all the time. Does Duke have a reputation for not having- egh- passionate classes? </p>

<p>myself- Stop having typos. Sorry everyone, but I just noticed the many typos in the original post. "their nails" "obscenely" :)</p>

8

<p>Relative to each other, NYU has no campus, Columbia has a bitty campus, and Chicago might as well be a forest :-) That's mostly because Columbia's main quaddish area is very buildings, stone, concrete, while Chicago's quaddish area is more lush and green, with lots of trees. I think the story changes for both schools when you're a few steps away from the quads-- the campuses start looking very different. Broadway seems like it's the center of the universe, and depending on what side of the quads you go on for Chicago, you run into a huge hospital, a huge library, a park, or neighborhood streets.</p>

<p>And don't assume a college location is like something until you actually visit-- Cornell's collegetown is more bustling than Chicago's Hyde Park on HP's best day. Though if you asked people to compare Ithaca and Chicago side-by-side, they'd moan that Ithaca is a nowhere place while Chicago is a metropolis.</p>

<p>With regards to Hopkins: a college's reputation and "tag" is just that. If Hopkins is stressed-out, then all Duke kids are snobs, all Williams kids are athletes, etc. I mention Hopkins as a great choice because they have an applied math major in their engineering program, plus a super-extensive writing major/minor for undergraduates that's probably one of the best of its kind and the Peabody Institute. And though you might think I'm trying to sell you a can of Hopkins, I have no connection to the school other than I like it a lot.</p>

<p>Writing</a> Seminars Home Page
Peabody</a> Institute - Portals: Prospective Students</p>

9

<p>I do think of UPenn as particularly pre-professional (probably Duke and Cornell would be next on the chopping block, excluding Michigan which you consider a safety). </p>

<p>I think several of the top LACs offer the kind of environment you say you are looking for... Moreover, I thought it odd that you seem open to LACs, but you only have one LAC on your list. I think you should consider at least a few more of the top group LACs. I think they all of those schools I mentioned have great math programs. Obviously, you need to investigate further, but I think those three schools are definitely worth a look and in my view fit what you are looking for far more than some of the other schools on your list. Break out the Fiske Guide, go to the websites, etc.</p>

<p>BTW, Haverford and Swarthmore are both located just outside of Philadelphia and could easily be visited in one trip.</p>

10

<p>I'm looking into it, and I think that Duke is probably off my list by now :)
Any other opinions?</p>

11

<p>bump ?? :)</p>