how's my list/fit?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>so I've already applied ed to columbia, but I'm starting on my other apps now in case I'm deferred or rejected. however I'm wondering about the fit, relatve chances of getting in and yeah anything else you mightwant to add.</p>

<p>ok, so stats:
INTERNATIONAL. indian, living in the united arab emirates. will not be applyign for any aid.</p>

<p>SCHOOL
is the A level system so no gpa calculated. howeverits pretty good (7 a*s 2 a's at gcse, 4 A's at AS level and one b(only one in 4 years) at a2 (taken early) and predicted 3 more As this year).
my school doesn't calculate gpa but I believe this works out to 3.96 unweighted and 4.35 weighted?</p>

<p>courseload- most rigorous possible
**SATS: 2300. CR 800 W 770 M 730
SAT IIs eng lit 680 french 680 maths 1c 700 <a href="won't%20be%20retaking">/b</a>.</p>

<p>Recs: brilliant</p>

<p>ECs : many music ones - jazzband/orchestra/choirs ++.
2 years of making young musicians off gulf (international level)
I play: flute (10 years) alto sax 95 years) bass guitar (5 years) keys
(7 years) and sitar ( 6 monthsish)
also v heavily involved in local msuic scene, playing in bands etc for
last 5 years
also some school related stuff like debating, philosophy club etc.</p>

<p>ALSO: i run a zine distro (distribution, a small diy nonprofit business) out of here, again the first one in the middle east. which has over a few years actally helped to popularise the (previously unknown) medium here. I also put out many zines/write for a local magazine and other writing related stuff.</p>

<p>ESSAY: talks about what I guess is my 'passion' - womans rights vs arab foster culture i grew up in. talks abotu starting middle east's first all girl band and also details my work with zines / the distro and the summer I spent working with battered/abused women in a delhi (india) slum. maybe a little contraversial (ie throwing out tampons with kind of messages on them out at audience when onstage at gigs) but it's pretty well written I tihnk, and really reflective of me as a person.</p>

<p>I think that's it with stats? On to the schools:
**
Columbia (ED)
Swarthmore
Yale
Harvard
Wesleyan
Brown
Stanford (MAYBE, deadline is 15th)
Georgetown
Oberlin
Barnard
Wellesley**</p>

<p>What I'm looking for is a school with a pretty liberal/artsy bent, minimal greek/frat scene, in or very near a big city and with pretty solid academics too. No women's collegestoo please (I'm aware there are two on my list right now but I consider Barnard to be pretty atypical with its nyc location and columbia links. And Wellesley, shrug I had a fantabulous interview there and from what Ive seen it may be a relative safety,in case I cannot get in anywhre else.</p>

<p>PLEASE NOTE that i say 'relative' safety. I'm awarethat my list is pretty top heavy with no 'real safeties'; my parents reckon that since we'll be paying the full fare if I cannot get into anywhere which is pretty 'good' then it's not worth going to the us. And no I'm not being a prestige whore but I do agree with this - $50k is a lot of money and at worst i'll attend a local uni (which aren't great) or take a gap year off.<br>
That said, Wellesley's a highly selective school,and one that I don't love (schools fine, just location and everything else) so I'm considering adding bard/reed, which I do like and may be a little bit more of a good backup?</p>

<p>SO yeah, right now that comes to 12 including columbia, which I think may be too many. Any help on paring this list down /chances/ other suggestions/schools please?</p>

2

<p>...anyone?</p>

3

<p>I'm horrible at giving odds for international applicants -- there are just too many variables.</p>

<p>However, with your academics, starting the first all-girl band in the Middle East (that's pretty interesting), and being a full-pay student, I would guess that your odds would be pretty good at Swarthmore.</p>

4

<p>Given your situation, I think that your list is fine and that you will be admitted to a number of them. Your SAT I scores are great, SAT II scores not bad. And you do have an interesting background and ECs. I would forget about Stanford. You don't need another application, and it sounds kind of conservative to me. Wellesley students can take courses at MIT. They may have exchange privileges with other Campbridge and Boston schools- that is worth looking into. However, I think that you will have a choice of where to go.</p>

5

<p>I think you have a solid list. Good luck!</p>

6

<p>cheers,this is a bit reassuring. any more please?</p>

7

<p>bump please</p>

8

<p>and again</p>

9

<p>ohh. :(
anymore help please? especially with the other schools,even a accept/waitlist/reject kind of thing. or any schools that would be a better fit?</p>

10

<p>You would very likely be admitted to Reed and Bard, but are also likely to be admitted to Barnard and Oberlin, so it might be overkill. How about University of Chicago, for a highly intellectual urban atmosphere? You might want to look at Johns Hopkins University. It is prestigious academically, and is associated with a great music school- Peabody Conservatory. However, I would not call JHU liberal. It is known for premeds and engineers.</p>

11

<p>cheers a lot, ill give the chicago one a look.
any more?</p>

12

<p>bump 10chars</p>

13

<p>I GOT INTO COLUMBIA!!</p>

<p>which makes this a little redundant but thanks for all the help!</p>

14

<p>Congratulations, Cutxpaste!</p>

<p>I thought that first all-girls rock band in the UAE would do the trick! Colleges like Columbia love students who have done interesting things.</p>

15

<p>Congratulations! I expected you to get in. Best wishes for your future!</p>

16

<p>wee, cheers v much!</p>

17

<p>haha cut I was just on the columbia board and when I saw columbia (ed) on your list and saw your name I remembered you got in....for a second, I thought I knew your future before you (yes, omniscience is sweet)...anyway congratulations, and your list is unimportant as of now :)</p>