First to apply = Better chances?

Applying to College
1

<p>I just had my alumni interview for Early Decision yesterday, and my alumni interviewer told me that I was the first person from my school to ever apply to Dartmouth. Several students from a school 20 miles away have applied and gotten in, but no one has ever even applied from my school. Considering that I've taken all my classes at a community college rather than a high school, but I'm graduating from my public high school, do you think being the first person to apply will work in my favor?</p>

2

<p>there are different schools of thought on this, I'll give you both extremes that I've heard on this board.</p>

<ol>
<li>Unless your school send a couple students to (XXX fill in uber-selective college) each year, you are unlikely to gain admission from an unknown public school. </li>
</ol>

<p>or</p>

<ol>
<li>Being the only person to apply from your school can work to your advantage because with good news colleges can hope to attract more applicants from your area, raise the number of applications, raise the number of rejects, lower their acceptance rate, obtain a higher USNWR ranking, assume world domination, and dethrone god. </li>
</ol>

<p>I think for the second one you have to be a really strong applicant, with alot of support from your school. </p>

<p>Also, things about your school can work to your advantage disadvantage/
-If your school is one that doesn't rank, and the adcoms aren't familiar with it, it may work to your disadvantage, because they won't know HOW good your grades are (let's assume that they are good)
-Your school report will be extremely important, as well as your GC rec</p>

<p>For what it's worth, Dartmouth seems to like to open up opportunities to kids who would never think of Dartmouth for one reason or another. It also makes Dartmouth seem more like your choice than,if there were 10 other kids in your class applying, because you found a school on your own that most people don't look to.</p>

3

<p>Thank you so much! I'm hoping Dartmouth is the second type. The dethroning of God would certainly be interesting :P.</p>