<p>I've been looking into a lot of colleges lately, Princeton mainly. People are always telling me that I'm smart enough to go, but I want to know the truth.
So I was just wondering: how good was your application? What kind of distinguishing features made you stand out? What do you think every applicant needs in order to be considered?
I know they have several basic guidelines, but I'd like to know what you think is necessary to go.
Thanks :] All help is appreciated.</p>
<p>I haven’t even applied yet, but I do know guidelines:
Minimum of around 2100 SAT, or 32 ACT.
Minimum of 3.8 unweighted GPA
A lot of good extracurriculars, showing passion.
Some service hours or a job.
The most or almost the most challenging course load available to you.
Excellent essays, that are actually entertaining and a good read.</p>
<p>There is a lot more detail to go into, but basically those are the minimums to even be considered at all. Are you ranked high at your school? Do you take the hardest classes available? Do you show leadership?</p>
<p>The way I see it, once you get around 2300 on the SAT, it’s just a threshold. The SAT doesn’t make you look better or worse, you just need the score for the rest of your application to be considered.</p>
<p>The word “passion” or phrase “well-lopsided” tends to get thrown around a lot on this board, but I really think this plays a major role in admissions, combined with a certain threshold-level academic aptitude. Consider this: do you have a certain focus in your life, an aspect of life you can’t think of living without? Does it involve helping the world at large in some way, whether it be arts, athletics, the sciences, community service, etc? Do you have activity sufficient in your high school career to show just how much this focus means to you? If so, and you have the academic skills, you have a fighting chance of getting in.</p>
<p>I agree with the two posters above me. If you look at the Princeton viewbook and website, they say several times that they want students who will make the best possible use of the boundless opportunities available at Princeton. Show what makes you amazing and how this’ll help you contribute to Princeton and the greater community. Work with that. I wish you the best of luck :)</p>
<p>Go to the accepted students thread and look at their stats. Numbers don’t have to be absolute and if you don’t apply you definitely won’t get in but you get the drift.</p>
<p>Ok couple things:</p>
<p>If you are unhooked, to have a relatively good chance of getting in, you really want to get a 2300+.</p>
<p>If you come from a rural/smallish school, you need to be really high in class rank (Val or Sal prbly). If you come from an Andover or Executer, top 15-20% of your class is fine.</p>
<p>Being loopsided is nice and everything but sometimes being loopsided can’t happen given your surroundings. For example, I am a “science person.” However, I come from a smaller school in Nebraska. So, I tried to show “loopsidedness” by founding a science club, volunteering with Red Cross and Cancer society, and doing research over the summer. However, at smaller schools (where resources cant be allocated significantly to just one field), you should branch out! I also like finance, so I have taken an active role in FLBA…that sort of thing.</p>
<p>Lastly, doesnt matter where you come from, WRITE GOOD ESSAYS! This part of the application you can actually change right now whereas your grades and test scores at this point are set in stone. So, dont screw this part up!!!</p>