Hi! I am currently in the summer of my junior year, and have a lost list of colleges that I’m trying to narrow down. I’m especially trying to narrow down the Ivies, as I know that it’s very difficult to get into one of them, much less all of the ones I apply to and I don’t think I have the stats to apply to all of them.
I have a 3.9 unweighted GPA, I’m not sure about weighted but it’s probably around 4.2-4.3 with four AP classes, and I will be taking four more my senior year! I have a 1860 SAT score (terrible, I know. I’m actually taking the ACT in September and I’ve been studying for it, I’m projecting that my score will be around 30) and I want to apply as an International Relations major. I hope to work for the UN (possibly the state dept.) in the future. I have been running track for three years competitively, and I am vice-chairperson of the city youth commission, a member of the CYAN (tobacco advocacy) youth board, class president, and Interact club secretary. I am also a URM, and am spending my summer volunteering at children’s cancer hospitals and building homes in N. Africa. Affordability is not a huge issue, and I would prefer a larger school. I’d also love Greek life (though not necessary) and student life is important to me. This is my current list, in no order:
NYU
UPenn
Cornell
Dartmouth
Stanford
Duke
UCLA
UCSD
UCSB
UCD
UCB
USC
Cal Poly
CSU Fullerton
Should I add more safeties/matches? Are there any ivies/private schools that I should cross off, or better matches that could better fit me? Thank you all!
Forgot to mention that I also interned and held a student leadership position at a congressional campaign, and co-founded/treasurer at a young democrats club at my school!
Get rid of Stanford, Dartmouth, UPenn, UCB, and UCLA. Don’t project anything. The later two schools are extremely numbers driven and you don’t have the numbers. In addition, if you want that rah rah big school Greek life experience, I would encourage you to look at some SEC schools, BIG 10 schools or, PAC-12 schools mainly. I don’t think NYU would be a fit for you at all.
@CaliCash Thank you, however my friend got into UCB and UCLA with lower test scores than me? And my test scores are yet to be final, I have a few more months to retake and take tests.
I agree that NYU doesn’t sound like a good fit. For IR, the top schools are Georgetown, Tufts, GWU, American. The last 2 would be possible. Occidental would be a good match, they’re well-known for their semester at the UN (it’s competitive but very interesting). USC and Cornell are good reaches.
What major would you apply for at Cal Poly?
CSU Fullerton is an odd choice. There are LOTS of better CSUs or easier UCs: SDSU, CPP, Cal State LB, even Chico’s Honors College and residential campus, plus UCSC or UCR. Not to mention Chapman and LMU, both strong matches.
USD would be another safety if you can be full-price.
Penn, Stanford, Duke, Dartmouth, UCB, UCLA aren’t in the cards - you can apply to 1-2 since money is no issue and your parents can pay for the fees, “just to see”. UCSD, UCD, UCSB if you want UCs. Why not look into UMichigan (reach), Penn State, UMaryland, UF, FSU, UGA, which have strong honors colleges and strong Greek life?
You have lots of excellent points in your favor so you need to develop a clearer personal narrative and find more matches/safeties.
Your GPA is great. Are you a URM or have any specific hook? If not, aim for at least 2200 or a 34. Otherwise, I don’t see much luck on the top half of your list.
Dartmouth’s total enrollment is over five times greater than that of a school such as Haverford. To state Dartmouth is “not a larger school” as a matter of opinion is understandable; to state it flatly as a matter of fact is dismissive to the opinions of others.
NYU
UPenn
Cornell
UCLA
UCSD
UCSB
UCD
UCB
Cal Poly
CSU Fullerton
Also, I would study my head off for a 2250+ SAT. If you do well on that one test, suddenly you become a very competitive applicant for HYPSM. Studying for your SAT is probably better than anything else you can do this summer.
Right, if Michigan is interesting, consider Wisconsin as well. Great school spirit and traditions, while Greek life is smaller in proportion to the overall student body, there are about 5000 kids in Greek life, so plenty vibrant to the students involved in it. Superb Poli Sci department, with a separate IR major. Also, lots of less common foreign languages offered, if the interest in IR leads to adding a distinctive language.
UW admission is largely stats driven for OOS students, so a high unweighted gpa plus solid test scores (30 and about for an OOS student), would be a likely admit.
If you want to do international relations definitely apply to American and George Washington. If you get your scores up a bit (or maybe even if you don’t), I could easily see you getting into both, and they’re among the best international studies schools in the country.