I’m a sophomore in high school and I want to start early. Emory has always been a top choice for me ever since I visited in 7th grade. The question is, how do I increase my chances of getting in, assuming I’ll be applying ED. I know there’s a few seasoned people on the form, so I’ll tag one now:
Here’s my stats (please don’t kill me):
3.83 UW
4.21 W
1230 PSAT (no practice – going for 1450 on SAT)
ECs:
OMUN (going to run for officer)
Officer in Student Council
President, Founder of the Political Science Club
Student Body Leader
Member of elected school district’s committee (talks about cultural issues and how we resolve them)
Planning to work on a campaign for the Senate election this year
NHS (you can only apply in March of your sophomore year)
Class schedule as a junior:
AP U.S. History
AP Microeconomics
AP Lang and Comp
AP Environmental Science
Honors Precalculus
Honors German 4
Study for the PSAT and try to get a high enough score to make the cutoff for National Merit Semifinalist
Think about quality, not quantity, when it comes to ECs.
Think about who you are when you're not busy preparing to apply to college and how you will express that through actions and words over the next year and a half.
Consider taking the ACT if you will do better on the ACT than the SAT.
Consider taking AP exams and SAT II exams in your strong subject areas.
@BiffBrown Well yes, but that’s for all elite schools. Do you have any advice for Emory in specific? Also, do you think my ECs are that much? I only do four clubs.
You should take @BiffBrown advice for two reasons. The first is that you have close to 20 months before you apply and you might focus on a couple of other schools. The second is that Emory (to quote their own admissions pages) has no secret formula. You can play a sport, get a summer or part time job, get involved in your community, or after school clubs or any combination. There’s no one right thing to do.
@ab2002 Whether the number of ECs is too much depends on whether you have enough time to devote to them to make a meaningful impact. If you’re so busy running from one EC to another that you can’t devote enough time to make a meaningful impact, then that’s probably too much.
As for what “meaningful impact” means, here’re a couple of links that might provide more perspective:
@ab2002 : It is a bit too early for all this to be honest, and other than “find a passion and develop it, and do the best you can academically”, there isn’t much to say. I imagine you should do whatever you think you need to do to get into Penn, which was apparently your top choice before you came on here . Why bother asking us? A lot of this is random. All I can say is that places like Emory and Penn (though Penn’s stats are higher than Emory’s, they are lower than more stats centric top tier privates) look like they have more preference for people with “spikes” or deep passion/talent in an area or two as opposed to super well-rounded students who “participate” or become president/vice president of something with ultra high stats (better to create something or do something that makes an impact or gets recognition). People who can demonstrate a passion or talent often have more predictable chances than do the latter (though there are a suite of schools that care more about stats than students with a spike) because “standard high achievers” are more common (and often seem as if they may be less receptive to the academic rigor of some schools. It is naturally better to get someone who may be excited and well developed in some academic areas as opposed to students who will view them more like a chore. The returns from someone with some type of passion are usually bigger, even if they were not perfect test takers in HS). Good luck getting into a prestigious school. That is obvious goal. However, I would not focus too much on it as your applications may come off as seeming contrived. Just do what you have a passion, do your best academically, and apply to places that you actually like/are a good fit. No, just because a place is prestigious and has a nice campus does not mean it = a fit
@bernie12 Who said I’m applying for prestige? I also stated it’s A top choice for me. You’re basically stating that I should wait till the end of my junior year to get an idea of where I want to go…? Also, in order to build a spike, don’t you need leadership roles that you argued against? I definitely disagree in stating that someone doing OMUN and JSA as a member is better than the Student Council President, just because they’re a leader… I don’t think this is random at all. At schools like Case Western, they want demonstrated interest, which boosts your chances of getting in. There’s nothing mysterious in this thread.
@ab2002
lol thanks for mentioning me, glad you think i can be of assistance. Personally what I would do is take 7- 10 AP classes in core subjects to show academic rigor. You on the right track GPA wise. Also bernie12 is right, show passions and develop them. It seems to me that politics are your passion. So get involved in local government campaigns for future leaders. If lucky enough that person you campaign for will get elected, then write you a recommendation. So far you EC’s are great. Also be human, enjoy high school, and be polite and respectful to your peers and teachers. Really get to know at least 2 teachers on a personal and mentor-ship level as a great teacher recommendation will tip the scales in your favor. Get as high a test score as possible, preferably a 1450+. Get in touch with your local admissions officer, as them some personal questions about the political science programs at Emory, or where you can find some in-depth info? When contacting them be interested yet coy.
Lastly look into these programs, http://precollege.emory.edu/ http://apply.emory.edu/core/
This will hep with all the colleges you apply for, and good luck.
@ab2002 : There is a certain pattern…You also asked for “Emory specific” stuff. None of the posts here have or really can be Emory specific. YOU need to look at the schools you are applying to and do the research. They have websites, departmental websites, newsrooms, student run news publications, etc that allow you to learn about the school beyond the superficial. That is likely the best way to begin tailoring an application to the places you apply for.
– Find a cure for pancreatic cancer
– Negotiate a peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians
– Write a script for a TV show that will be picked up as a Netflix Original Series
– Break your high school’s record for the the 100 yard freestyle
I think that if you can get even two of these tasks done, you’ll have an excellent chance for ED admission to Emory.
I agree with Bernie and the question should really be about the point in the process where a mid-year sophomore should be. That probably is looking at several schools and their departments that interest you and find fits in schools with various competitive levels. These could be larger in state or out of state flagship universities, medium size private universities, or smaller liberal arts college and go by geographic preference. In other words, start with more choices and let the narrowing down happen later in junior year and beginning of senior year. At that point, you know what your tool chest consists of (GPA, scores, etc). Emory doesn’t put much value in demonstrated interest (Tulane does) and understand which of your choices do. Emory is interested in your motivation to go to Emory and prestige and weather are weak answers (although both are outstanding). You should be able to articulate what attracts you to Emory and what you can offer the Emory community. You might be just as happy going to Penn, Vandy, or Tufts, but explain what attracts you to Emory in particular.
@bernie12 Agreed. It’s a little ridiculous to focusing on GPA, SAT/ACT, and extracurriculars JUST for Emory. @ab2002 NHS is not really seen as a significant or important extracurricular because so many high schoolers are in it. Your PSAT score is somewhat low (86th-ish percentile), so you’d definitely want to start prepping now. A 1450 SAT score is in the 96th percentile, which is a 10-percentile jump. Your extracurriculars seem okay. Four clubs is a decent amount; most people aren’t in that many clubs. You should be fine for a polysci major.
@needtosucceed27 No offense, but your entire comment was completely false. I am not focusing just on Emory, I simply asked what I can do to improve my chances (visits, emails, summer camps). I didn’t say NHS is significant either. Also, my PSAT score for a sophomore was in the 92nd percentile, not the 86th. I also remember you making a thread asking for advice on how to improve your PSAT score, which was a 1310 and you said it was the 97th percentile, so I don’t know where you got that mine was the 86th. You’re also a sophomore who’s made threads asking what ECs to participate in and how to start a club. So, I am not saying your comment isn’t valid, but commenting on the thread telling someone their ECs aren’t that strong, when you haven’t established your own, is slightly ridiculous. It’s also Poli. Sci. for future reference. Please don’t take this as rude, because I am just being honest.
@needtosucceed27 : I think the problem with the ECs is “being in some clubs” for the RD (yes, I believe they will be applying RD) round is just dull even for a polysci major. Also, this person is confused (as indicated by other threads) and thinks they have little use for math in political science. Not so at Emory which is really research heavy and has aligned its curriculum with the research goals of the department. You must take an actual statistical inference class plus an additional methods course where you use the analysis techniques. The way this person describes political science majors makes it seem as if they are thinking it is a joke major requiring very little analytical rigor when, especially at an elite school, they tend to focus on the way the field is studied and various empirical methods that are quantitative in nature. And from an admissions standpoint. Emory has a huge debate and model UN pull and can easily get students who are already deeply engaged and do well at areas congruent with political science. Many of these candidates may stick out better than someone who has a very rosy idea of what political science is like at the university level. I know many end up disappointed with history study because they loved how in high school it focused primarily on knowing “things” (like factoids and details you need to know for Jeopardy or quizbowl tournaments) whereas a good university will focus more on big ideas, overlap with philosophy, and research in the field, so more process than details. A person who likes learning historical details without a context or without having to explore different interpretations and implications of historical events may not like university level history.
I digress. I do think Emory already receives many applicants that stand out even they “only” claim to be interested in political science. Some have done what I said above, done research or a deep academic project in a similar area, or even helped with political campaigns or causes. If they can do something that genuinely shows an interest in the area or some other social science, it could help.
Oh and I never knew the percentile of a 1450 lol. Thanks. Kind of lends itself to the ideas I already have…that stats whoring schools are really just cherry picking for diminished returns (especially if they aren’t selecting spiky students). In a truly rigorous academic environment, it should be difficult to distinguish between students at (or even somewhat below) or above that level, so they cannot be doing it for academic reasons (unless the academics are easier than they would like to admit). The only thing that should be separating students in such ranges are academic work ethic (something many high achieving HS students develop less than we’d like to think) and previous exposure to whatever subject they are taking course work in.
@bernie12 Can’t tell who that diss was aimed at. So your advice is to do research or get involved in a big project? I want to get involved in a Senate campaign, but I have yet to contact the unnamed candidate.
@ab2002 : Wow, someone is a little defensive. How was that a diss? I said that you should work towards something like that because RD is competitive and draws people with certain profiles who want to be political science majors. and YOU DID keep saying that you wanted Emory specific advice on how to get in. We can go back and read:
“Well yes, but that’s for all elite schools. Do you have any advice for Emory in specific? Also, do you think my ECs are that much? I only do four clubs.”
I said that it is not about “doing clubs” (especially a specific amount) and then told what other Emory admits and matriculates interested in political science have done. Now, I did “diss” (if that is what you wanna call it. I am mainly pointing out a faulty belief by many about what people think certain majors are like at the university level, especially at certain universities) when I mentioned how you disparaged the need to do math for a political science major elsewhere. You now know that Emory’s political science has a heavy emphasis on research and a big strength in statistical and other mathematical methods. It is why the place is one of the few places that offers a fairly popular political science/mathematics joint major: http://polisci.emory.edu/home/undergraduate/pols_math_major/index.html
So while math at the level of calculus is not required for political science at Emory, a credit and serious exposure to it and maybe AP statistics or other math is highly appreciated (and would make an applicant applying to Emory claiming an interest in political science stand out). And if faculty get to read some applications, I am sure a person who fit into an area of strength within the department already would have an advantage over those with good stats and more standard credentials. They would see: “oh look, someone who could join our faculty in a research project in the very near future”.
Speaking of math: Uhmm, beyond knocking on doors and being a nice person, how do you think people gauge their chances of being elected…a lot of big data and statistical analysis.
This is the research YOU should have been doing, not us. This is what I am talking about. Good luck!
@ab2002 You’re welcome for the advice?? I know you’re not just focusing on Emory, but the fact that you made a thread titled “Increase chances at Emory” shows that one of your main focuses is Emory. I know you didn’t say NHS was significant…not sure how that really adds to this conversation, but I just mentioned that in case you didn’t know. I searched up PSAT score percentiles and it came up with 86th (I didn’t estimate). I didn’t know it was actually the 92nd percentile; that’s a bit better, but you should still start prep. I didn’t say that your extracurriculars “aren’t that strong”. I literally said “Your extracurriculars seem okay” since I’m not that knowledgeable about political science. Don’t say that I said certain things when I never said them. You make it seem as if I am insulting you or putting down your scores and extracurriculars when I clearly was NOT. I also have established my extracurriculars; I’m in five clubs and I plan on sticking with them throughout high school. Poly Sci is an appropriate way of shortening Political Science too. To be honest, you were being quite rude. It’s not too hard to take peoples’ advice instead of contradicting everything we say. I did not say most of the things that you claimed I said. There is a fine line between being brutally honest and being rude, and you were leaning towards being rude.
@bernie12 Agreed. I also think that clubs aren’t that important, unless you’ve accomplished things in them and/or have attained leadership positions. @ab2002 definitely needs to research and look into political science more. I also couldn’t tell if you were being sarcastic about the 1450 percentile? I searched it up just so she could see the percentile jump she’d have to make to reach a 1450 SAT and how that would be pretty difficult to do (since there’s no PSAT to SAT conversion).
No one is being defensive. I asked for advice for things like: college visits, programs, etc. I do not want to be rude, but do you try and sound kind of like a jerk when you write your replies to people asking for advice? I appreciate honesty on a chance me thread, but the attitude is seriously unnecessary. Really off putting for the people who are genuinely interested. I’m a sophomore in high school and you expect me to know 100% in depth about political science? I am simply a high schooler trying to find my way to college. I really don’t need a college student beating me down on a college forum. If I knew the answers to everything, why would I be on here? I will consider taking AP Stats next year then, thank you. Also, thank you so @VANDEMORY1342 for the advice.
@needtosucceed27 : Nah, I just never thought to look it up. Should have because it would make me question the admissions tactics of some schools. Knowing that makes it make even less sense to me (okay, it makes sense. They do it for the rankings and most will never admit it. They are not doing it for educational purposes).
@ab2002 : The attitude comes when some folks seem full of non-sense and then attack other posters for no reason . @needtosucceed27 in no way deserved that for such a mild response. I was the one that pointed out that Emory RD applicants considering political science often have certain profiles that may look more appetizing or are more normative for an Emory admit, and it makes sense since Emory is known for things like debate.
@needtosucceed27 I am sorry if I came off as rude. I started this thread because I genuinely wanted advice about what I could do, because schools sometimes like things such as visits and programs, but I’ve gotten a bunch of sarcastic comments and people telling me I shouldn’t be asking for advice. It’s very difficult to read emotion through text on my screen, so I can’t exactly tell how you’re coming off. When you say “alright,” I take that as average or below average, which I would disagree with. Personally, I think I’m on a good start EC wise.
. Why bother asking us? A lot of this is random. All I can say is that places like Emory and Penn (though Penn’s stats are higher than Emory’s, they are lower than more stats centric top tier privates) look like they have more preference for people with “spikes” or deep passion/talent in an area or two as opposed to super well-rounded students who “participate” or become president/vice president of something with ultra high stats (better to create something or do something that makes an impact or gets recognition). People who can demonstrate a passion or talent often have more predictable chances than do the latter (though there are a suite of schools that care more about stats than students with a spike) because “standard high achievers” are more common (and often seem as if they may be less receptive to the academic rigor of some schools. It is naturally better to get someone who may be excited and well developed in some academic areas as opposed to students who will view them more like a chore. The returns from someone with some type of passion are usually bigger, even if they were not perfect test takers in HS). Good luck getting into a prestigious school. That is obvious goal. However, I would not focus too much on it as your applications may come off as seeming contrived. Just do what you have a passion, do your best academically, and apply to places that you actually like/are a good fit. No, just because a place is prestigious and has a nice campus does not mean it = a fit