<p>i finished my apps on the 31st of december. didn’t apply EA/ED anywhere because i didn’t really know about it. 
But most of my mates at MIT, Stanford and Upenn started their essays in July.</p>
<p>Where did you apply to?</p>
<p>And when did you start? (and your mates finish?)</p>
<p>ttan, I’m a freshman in WA too. Our school doesnt have FBLA, but it does have DECA. I wanted to start FBLA at my school and I was wondering what things you had to do in order to become state president of FBLA. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>oh yeah, i applied to HYPMS Wharton, NYU, JHU, CMU, Caltech, IIT…i started on the 21st of december and finished on the 31st. Mates started in july, and finished comfortably in time for their deadlines (ED and RD).
I did all my essays in one go, whereas my friends did them bit by bit.</p>
<p>I see. But how did you do with your schedule?</p>
<p>(I’ll probably go with what your mates did-I’ve always been one to finish things early. Also, I’m going for ED Stanford =)</p>
<p>what do you mean ‘how did you do with your schedule’? if you’re asking for my results, then here they are:</p>
<p>Accepted: MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Wharton, JHU, NYU Stern, CMU, IIT
Waitlisted: Harvard, Yale, Caltech
Rejected: Cornell</p>
<p>I only ever wrote 3 essays and changed the introductions of each to suit each university. I did spend 8/10 days on those essays. It’s just a suggestion :)</p>
<p>What I meant was how did it hold up for you, and it seems that it went pretty well!</p>
<p>Good job! That is really impressive =)</p>
<p>In general-Extremely strong ECs, varied without being unfocused. Your GPA fully qualifies you for top schools without giving you any boost, your SATs could use some work, but strong GPA usually outweighs middling SATs, so it won’t be a huge drawback.</p>
<p>Stanford-High reach, but a possibility, depending on how impressed they are by your ECs\how much they fit with what the school needs.
UPenn-Reach, and a definite possibility, around a 25-40% chance, I’d say.
Claremont McKenna-It’d be a surprise if you didn’t get in here with your extremely strong ECs and a GPA which is probably above average for CMC
Yale-Possibly even harder to get into than Stanford, but again, you have a real chance. It’s like Stanford in that it depends on the applicant pool—if you’re among the strongest applicants of your “type,” (your skillset, math\science echnology skills, etc.) you’ll get in. If not, you probably won’t. Still, you’ve got a reasonable chance. It’s a possibility.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Bumppp</p>
<p>Any suggestions you guys would have for me for the summer? I really want to to something unique and new…</p>
<p>(hopefully I can get more feedback o.O)</p>
<p>i think if you really enjoying swimming, you’re probably better off writing on swimming.</p>
<p>cuz i’m pretty sure being state president of an organization such as DECA speaks for itself, and colleges need no further explanation.</p>
<p>Hmm I’ve been looking at my competition, and I’m both worried and somewhat more confident at the same time. </p>
<p>I haven’t seen many aspiring Business hopefuls applying to my schools (except Wharton, obviously), mostly Math/Sci people. This would work in my favor right? My SAT gets destroyed by my competition, but my major and ECs (if paired with great essays) should give me a good chance right?</p>
<p>bumpppppppp</p>
<p>I do not believe a great grandparent will make you a legacy at Yale. Regardless, they reject 75% of legacies, and since your math/cr scores don’t hit 1400, it would be a huge uphill battle at Yale even as a legacy.</p>
<p>Your schools are not looking at future majors of you and your competitors. </p>
<p>As for a “good chance” you just need to look at the published data. How many kids get into your schools with your stats? Then keep in mind that 50% of the kids at these schools are recruited athletes, legacies, staff kids and URM, kids most likely to have stats below the 50%. </p>
<p>This is no big mystery. Top colleges don’t parse applications to the degree you suggest. If you don’t pass the first hurdle-high enough rank and SATs, they get out the circular file.</p>
<p>And sadly, being an Asian swimmer is probably not going to help much. It may or may not be unusual, but few schools care about swimming and it’s not going to play into your future. I think you’d do better to focus on, and write on, something far more unique about yourself.</p>
<p>We don’t know your rank, but we do know your SAT is well below average at your schools.</p>
<p>My honest and well-meaning advice is to fall in love with some schools not as extreme in this, the most competitive year ever to get into college.</p>
<p>Hmmm okay. </p>
<p>Interestingly, you’ve contradicted what everyone I’ve talked to has told me (and these are people from Stanford, Yale, Berkeley, Northwestern, you get the point) </p>
<p>To a point, aren’t ECs and a “richer” life becoming more important and SAT becoming less important and approaching only an indicator of potential academic success? What about all the stories I’ve heard about people with 2100s getting into the big universities over those with 2200s or 2300s? Are those all false? </p>
<p>If what you’re saying is true, then I must have compiled a huge list of misconceptions…</p>
<p>(Oh, and with my last post, I think interests/passion would have been a better word for major at the end)</p>
<p>No those stories are true but the 2100s are recruited athletes, inner city first generation kids, development recruits, legacies, URMs and kids from South Dakota. There are lots of 2100s!</p>
<p>For the unhooked, ECs are the deciding factor once you have stats above the 75th percentile.</p>
<p>Again folks, not my opinion, read the popular literature on your book store shelves written by Wall St. Journal reporters and former ivy league adcoms!!</p>
<p>In this case the common data sets for your schools will also be very helpful. Take a look at how few the accepted are that don’t break 1400 much less 1450.</p>
<p>Where can I get those? The ones I’ve come across haven’t said the same thing that you (or your readings) say. </p>
<p>Could you point me to some?</p>
<p>Just google name of school common data set.</p>
<p>I googled ivy league CDS and the first one that pooped up was Dartmouth, a mid-level ivy. Highlights:</p>
<p>25th Percentile 75th Percentile
SAT Critical Reading 660 770
SAT Math 670 780
SAT Writing 660 770
SAT Essay
ACT Composite 29 34
ACT Math
ACT English
ACT Writing
SAT</p>
<p>They also list importance of factors, Dartmouth lists SATs as very important, the highest category.</p>
<p>A good book to read is The Price of Admission, Amazon is your friend!!</p>
<p>Hmmm I’ll look into those. Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>Bump (any more opinions???)</p>
<p>the essays youve outlined on the surface seem to follow a standard sort of trajectory…but of course, you can approach them in a unique way.</p>