<p>^Sure, that’s completely understandable. I just thought I’d point it out. You’re math and science accomplish are especially impressive for any high school student, which I’m sure schools like CalTech will note.</p>
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<p>That is certainly true, but the Ivies would’ve been on my backburner anyway, just cause they seem a lot more humanities based. (And while I’m not saying that I don’t love humanities, I’ve reached a point in my life where I feel like I’d rather just leave those as hobbies for enjoyment, rather than as classes for credit.)</p>
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There’s people that I know that have applied and gotten into there, but I figure I can get into a comparatively better place for the same amount of $$.</p>
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<p>Well, I guess the Ivies are more well-rounded than techie-oriented schools like MIT and Caltech but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be able to find a niche in one of them. Now that you’ve explained it looks like you want schools where you won’t be bogged down with humanities courses in distribution requirements to concentrate on math and science. You’d need to take a look at each school and their curriculums and requirements to see that. Just because a school has resources in the liberal arts and humanities doesn’t mean they will slow you down in your math and science pursuits. </p>
<p>I’ll throw in a suggestion for a school, too. Since you’re an IL resident, Northwestern has a program called the Integrated Science Program that is a rigorous curriculum in math and science. It’s been said that it’s Northwestern’s own “mini-Caltech”:</p>
<p>[Integrated</a> Science Department](<a href=“http://www.isp.northwestern.edu/]Integrated”>http://www.isp.northwestern.edu/)</p>
<p>Northwestern’s a good school, but it’s a bit too close to home. (I’ve been stuck in suburban Midwest for most of my life, and I really just have that urge to get out… It’s why I’d rather not go to University of Illinois, if possible.)</p>
<p>Although… Hmm… I’m slowly beginning to realize that I perhaps have been stuck in a bit of tunnel vision with some of this stuff…</p>
<p>1) You have a perfect 36 on the ACT! Congrats, that’s amazingly hard. Don’t take the SAT in January. It serves no purpose, is excruciatingly painful and is a complete waste of time for you. There is no school that won’t take the 36 ACT as equivalent to a perfect SAT. There is no additional kudos to be had with a perfect SAT. Others may disagree, but I think that it could actually make you look a little anal retentive. Switch the registration to an SAT II if you can be ready for it in time, maybe SAT II Literature, or just drop it. </p>
<p>2) You do need to take SAT II’s in Math Level II and either the Physics or Chemistry. MIT and some other schools require it. </p>
<p>3) Take a 3rd SAT II so that you at least have the qualifications to apply to Harvard.</p>
<p>Apply to Illinois as your safety. There is no way you can get rejected with your stats, and you will know for sure very early. Listen to your father about money. If he says don’t worry about it, then don’t worry about it. I think that you have a serious shot at a full scholarship to Illinois. </p>
<p>Now you need matches and reaches to come up with a list of schools whose pace and intensity can match your level. Cast a wide net at this point, but I don’t think that you have to compromise on pace and intensity. Look into the following:</p>
<p>For Engineering, Math and Science
MIT
Stanford
CalTech
Harvey Mudd (great school, needs more qualified women - you qualify).
Cornell
Princeton
Rice (Some merit scholarships, very undergrad focused, very flexible). </p>
<p>For Engineering Only:
Cooper Union (All students receive full-tuition scholarships. Only cost is living expenses in NYC’s Greenwich Village. This is a great deal for the right person and many of it’s graduates go on to the top graduate schools. I think there is also cross registration opportunities at NYU. )
Olin (Financial difficulties have reduced scholarships to half tuition). </p>
<p>For Computer Science add Carnegie Mellon, but otherwise, I think that you can do a little better. They also make you decide in advance, so it’s not that flexible. Not that it’s not a great place. </p>
<p>In addition, for math/science
Harvard
Yale
University of Chicago
Columbia</p>
<p>Williams
Amherst
Swarthmore
Pomona
Reed</p>
<p>Yale and Swarthmore have engineering also, so they may be good destinations if you are fairly undecided when you are a senior. </p>
<p>I don’t think that I’ve missed anything. I don’t think that you need to look any further down the rankings if you have Illinois as a financial safety and know you are interested in math and science.</p>
<p>Completely agree with Classic Rocker Dad, do not take the SAT. You’re human, you had a bad day on your PSAT this year, it could happen again. You have a very rare 36 on the ACT, let it stand alone. Either switch to an SAT subject test or sleep in that day, do not take the SAT.</p>
<p>It sounds like you would be a great fit for Rice. It has stellar math/science programs and offers merit aid to 1/3 of admitted students. It’s easy to switch between schools and programs if you change what you’re interested in. Rice also offers an abundance of research opportunities, close student-faculty interaction, and a laid-back, collaborative environment.</p>
<p>Completely agree with post #25. Taking the SAT with a 36 ACT and no need to provide an SAT for the National Merit thing is a complete waste of time and energy. You need 3 SAT IIs, one of which should be Math II. Sounds as if you could get the prep book, do a few practice tests, and get a great score in January.</p>
<p>I second looking at Princeton, Cornell, and Rice. Princeton and Cornell are two of the most notable engineering programs in the Ivy League and they are still strong in the math and sciences in case the OP changes her mind about engineering. Based on what she posted earlier she would probably not like something like Columbia’s Core curriculum. </p>
<p>Also, I’m sure that you DO need to take the SAT to become a National Merit Finalist. I just checked the NMSC website, and though the information is for another graduating class, it says:</p>
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<p>If I’m not mistaken taking the ACT also covers subject tests at many schools, but if not, be ready to take Math II and one of Physics or Chemistry this year.</p>
<p>Well, I’m already planning on taking the subject tests for at least Math II and Physics. (I really ought to have taken at least one of the bio subject tests last year, but I didn’t know enough about the whole college process to understand what they were for.)</p>
<p>I’m a little confused about the National Merit stuff. I thought with my junior year score of 211 that I was out of the running (at least for finalist)?</p>
<p>The only score that counts for NMSF is your junior year PSAT score. Most of the people who are suggesting that you might be a NMSF are, I believe, confused about which year you got the higher score.</p>
<p>You will not be a NMSF and thus, there is no reason to take the SAT in January (agreeing with ClassicRockerDad and others)</p>
<p>Congratulations on not only your record so far, but your good humor. It’s always a pleasure to read a post from a student who can at least appear to not treat the college app process as life and death. :)</p>
<p>You’ve gotten a lot of great advice so far. One thing I’d add is homework for when your list gets shorter. Make sure to take a look at which schools care about demonstrated interest by looking at the school’s CDS (Common Data Set). If those schools offer significant merit aid, be sure to show them the love, either by visiting or by attending info sessions or by emailing professors and admissions officials with specific questions.</p>
<p>Most top schools don’t record demonstrated interest at all. In fact, IMO forced demonstrated interest with the intention of increasing chances often comes across as insincere and annoying.</p>
<p>Do you have an idea of what sort of engineerig you’d be interested in?</p>
<p>I have to agree with SlitheyTove and not schrizto about demonstrated interest. While some of the ivies don’t care (I don’t think Brown even records whether a student visits or not), many other schools want to know that the student is truly interested in the school and isn’t just throwing in another application because it’s easy. For example, Rice considers student interest an important factor and looks more favorably on students who visit (if that’s possible). In addition, since many schools have an essay asking why a student wants to attend a school, a visit or an email exchange can provide you with material to use.</p>
<p>Honestly, my suggestion?</p>
<p>Grab a cup of hot cocoa and sit down with the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Take stickies and be sure to reference any colleges that even remotely interest you. Once you have an initial list, you can work from there.</p>
<p>I’m not talking about interest as in writing a good “Why this school” essay. If you’re emailing or visiting schools the main goal is to see if you are a good fit and if you want to spend four years there, not so they can record you as having emailed or visited on such and such date. In fact, I think this factor is overemphasized by applicants having seen the whining last year by WUSTL waitlistees (they rarely outright reject anyone) about how they went on paid trips to the school and still didn’t get in.</p>
<p>Make sure that colleges know that you are first-generation. Also, Rice University in Houston has amazing science programs and automatically considers you for merit scholarships when you apply. Best of luck – if you work hard on your apps, you will feel good wherever you go in the end!</p>
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At this point, not really, but I’ve noticed that I like things that involve less memorization of facts and definitions, and more with actually using things and manipulating. For example, while I liked the evolution and genetics sections of biology, the parts on ecology and claudistics made me drowsy. (Basically, I tend to stick to the right on the xkcd Purity chart <a href=“http://xkcd.com/435/[/url]”>http://xkcd.com/435/</a>. xP)</p>
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Personally, I agree with this just from an ethical standpoint and was sort of what I had been planning on doing anyway.</p>
<p>Your profile is competitive everywhere. Although you are a first generation, you are also Asian, which will hurt you. You need to make your essays stand out.</p>