<p>Let's see...
I've taken only 3 years of science (non-honors)
Did rather poorly in the only honors math class I've ever taken (9th grade)
Have taken only regular Calc senior year
Very little leadership
Made only JV-2 in soccer junior year (my teammates were in 7th,8th, and 9th grades. Ouch.)
Very little community service
Rejected by all the scholarships I applied for.
Rejected by a certain Ivy League school (got into another, though)</p>
<p>no comment? Princeton a semi-reach? Harvard and Princeton are in the same arena.</p>
<p>Why do people hate other schools in the same arena when they are stronger than every other school in the world?</p>
<p>"Semi-reach" was Bentley's term at the linked post. He has matriculated at Princeton.</p>
<p>my, if a kid has only one "real" reach in the entire country, then it's NO WONDER princeton let him in!!!!!!</p>
<p>psh. what a joke.</p>
<p>One question:</p>
<p>What is your opinion on using the Common Application and Princeton's own application?</p>
<p>Which one did you use?</p>
<p>I think it depends on whether you are going ED or not. I used the commonapp, and found this to be the much easier route. You can use the main essay as your long essay for princeton, then you are just left with the 2 short-answer ones. I know for the long essay, you are given much much more freedom with your topic (think: "topic of your choice"), so I naturally embraced this option.</p>
<p>I suppose it comes down to preference, but from experience, I can say commonapp was a good route.</p>
<p>oh, and I didn't go ED for the record. meaning I got to use the main essay for all of my schools-- score.</p>
<p>I would strongly strongly strongly suggest you use Princeton's special application if you have the time to.</p>
<p>Yeah, I am leaning towards Princeton's special application, since I will be applying ED. Going that route may at least show that one actually cares about the school in an indirect manner, which gain more attention from admissions officials, according to Michele Hernandez (former dartmouth director of admissions), and it may even give one's application a more personal touch if I HAND WRITE it.</p>
<p>Any opinions?</p>
<p>I agree with that. I handwrote mine in blue pen just as Hernandez suggested, haha. Got in ED.</p>
<p>How similar should the essay on the special application for Princeton be to the one on its Common application supplement? Oh btw...I knew a girl who went ED to Princeton with the special application--didn't get in, but got into Harvard RD.</p>
<p>As a former Ivy admission officer, let me caution you that if you handwrite anything, it had better be legible. Having to struggle to decipher handwriting at the end of a 12-hour day in March doesn't make you feel kindly towards the applicant -- it makes you angry.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, I used the Common App and typed essays, and I got accepted no problem. I think the data matters more than the presentation.</p>
<p>Hernandez was hardly the "Director of Dartmouth Admissions." </p>
<p>She was a low level admin officer for a brief spell, and I'm not sure she left on the best of terms.</p>
<p>I used the Pton app.</p>
<p>once again, do you guys recommend writing it or doing it online? (I'm talking about the pton app) thanks a million</p>
<p>i mean its up to you, jimmy. i feel like those type of questions can, and should, only be answered by you.. since it is your application afterall. i have heard of few students going the handwritten route, but if you feel this would add a personal touch to it, then bombs away!</p>
<p>however nothing beats the simplicity of taking care of it online, and from what i have heard (i know, the infamous preface) the adcoms would rather view an application sent via computer than have to shuffle through a packetfull of papers.. it's just a more user-friendly way. but again, the choice is yours to make.</p>
<p>I'd say type it up too</p>