<p>It's political, obviously.</p>
<p>and random</p>
<p>Political. Princeton must not have liked that I was an independent (like they knew), and that's why they rejected me.</p>
<p>At least Stanford waitlisted me. come on.</p>
<p>I do wonder, though, how adcoms would perceive a conservative.</p>
<p>It would depend on how the conservative expressed his/her conservatism in the app. </p>
<p>Good: "I want to come to Princeton to study Constitutional Law with Professor Robert George and get deeply involved in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions."</p>
<p>That's as clear a conservative signal as could be sent, but it shows that you've done your homework and you intend to take advantage of the resources available to you on campus.</p>
<p>Bad: "I want to come to Princeton because it's not as corrupted by political correctness and identity politics as the other Ivies."</p>
<p>That's a recipe for a quick trip to the "No" stack.</p>
<p>I'm not applying to Princeton and I don't know much about it, but hbarns, could you explain why the "Bad" thing was "a quick trip to the reject pile" ?</p>
<p>If you're defining yourself in your application by your disdain for PC and identity politics, they're going to wonder if you're going to play well with others. And in a very competitive pool, you can't afford to cultivate doubt.</p>
<p>I'm not saying that this is the way it should be; I'm just saying that there are certain things that will raise red flags, even at an institution that ostensibly supports robust debate and the free exchange of ideas. And I'm certainly not suggesting that this is something unique to Princeton -- I think you'll find it just about everywhere.</p>
<p>I'm a conservative. Every single EC I did in the past few years has something to do with conservatism.</p>
<p>politics and religion... ruining the world for the rest of us.</p>
<p>actually, just don't discuss either in your application. it's simple... i wouldn't touch those two subjects because those are the two most divisive topics you can talk about. if you are liberal, you think conservatives are CRAZY and beliefs are so hard to change... vice versa.</p>
<p>um, it's hard not to mention your religion if it is an integral part of your extracurriculars. Don't listen to naysayers and be proud of whom you are. (:))</p>
<p>is it who or whom you are? (that's one part of grammar i s uck @ :o)</p>
<p>The subtleties of accepting one excellent student over another excellent student in the Ivies and other top schools are beyond me. One person here was wait-listed at Stanford but just denied at Princeton. I have a friend who's going to Princeton, and chose it over MIT. Stanford turned her down. Go figure.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>and random<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>College admissions may be a lot of things, but it sure is NOT random. By definition a random process is one where all possible outcomes have an equal chance of occuring. And all applicants do NOT have an equal chance of being admitted.</p>
<p>I don't think there is any reason to avoid a well-done essay about a controversial topic. Like any other essay topic, how you do it will determine whether it presents you in a positive or negative light. For example, essays about early childhood experiences, if poorly executied, can be overly cutesy and come off as immature.</p>
<p>The problem with hbarns's example of a bad statement about your political beleifs is that it comes off as belligerent and dismisses the other point of view without demonstrating mature reflection. The other common problem, I would guess, in essays about politics and religion is that it is easy to make it impersonal. This essay is about you, not about why the Democrats don't deserve to win an election. An essay about your experiences at a religious retreat, or your conversion to religion x and how it has affected you, or about experiences being religious in a largely secular town might be great. An essay about how evolution is stupid because Genesis says the Earth was created in six days probably wouldn't go over so well.</p>
<p>Getting into college is easy. Getting into an elitist college isn't.</p>
<p>^Word, I could sign up for Community College right now. That simple :D .</p>
<p>"Getting into an elitist college isn't."</p>
<p>You got that right! I was turned down by Stanford, Brown, Cornell, and Yale as a transfer student. Now I am focusing my attention on Columbia GS and Upenn: College of General Studies.</p>
<p>If that fails, then I'll go to the Harvard Extension School!</p>
<p>Yea, college admissions can be really weird. The sal last year got rejected at Yale, Princeton, and Stanford, but got into Harvard.</p>
<p>Princeton Students: Super Liberal
Princeton Grads/Board of Trustees: Super Conservative</p>
<p>That 40 years in between does a lot.</p>