Is my College List realistic?

College Search & Selection
1

So I basically have a full-tuition scholarship to the school which is only a few miles away from my house as a great safety, but this year I had some friends get rejected by all the schools they applied to (because they were all selective) and I want to make sure that I’m not putting myself in the same position where I get rejected to everything (because it will ruin my ego lol).

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to read through this and give me feedback.

So a little bit about myself…my father was a grad student at Cornell when he had me so I was sent to live in China for 4 years as a child at boarding school. My English wasn’t the best when I came back but I learned through reading classic novels…and developed a true love for English (this is what my CommonApp Essay will be about).

Look at the schools I’m applying to and tell me if I should be applying to less selective schools because my list is scaring me into being rejected everywhere. Note that my ranking isn’t the best…

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 760 CR/ 800 Math/ 750 Writing (2nd time taking SAT)
ACT: N/A
SAT II: Math II: 800, Physics: 760, Literature: 750 (I am willing to retake physics for 800 if needed)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.85/4.66
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 39/740 weighted, 98/740 unweighted
AP (place score in parenthesis): Stats (5), Calculus BC (5), awaiting results in 6 other AP tests
Senior Year Course Load: AP Literature, AP Spanish, AP Gov, AP Econ, Linear Algebra, Research Class
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Intel ISEF two-time finalist, multiple writing awards (Youngarts Honorable Mention, Foyle Young poet, and a few others…Scholastic Art and Writing doesn’t count in my opinion)

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Science Olympiad (secretary), Speech and Debate (publicist), a few other small ones with no leadership (volunteering based)
Job/Work Experience: TA at Chinese School, reader for a few teen literary mags, research internship
Volunteer/Community service: Library (100 hours), Food Bank (for National Honors Society)
Summer Activities: Research Internship, visited China

Other
State (if domestic applicant): Mississippi
Country (if international applicant):U.S.
School Type: Public, highly competitive
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: F
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):none
one rec will be amazing, the other will be ok

Will be applying to the School of Engineering

List of Schools (correct me if I’m wrong)

UPenn (Early Decision)- Dream
Brown- Dream
Columbia- Unrealistic Dream
Cornell- Reach (legacy)
Johns Hopkins- High Reach
Carnegie Mellon- High Reach
NYU- Low Reach
University of Rochester- High match
UC Berkeley- Reach
UCLA- Reach
Case Western- Match

2

I won’t be applying for financial aid if that makes a difference

3

I’m a bit confused as to why you are applying to schools of engineering if your common app essay is about how you developed a true love for English. Wouldn’t it make more sense to write about how you developed a true love for engineering? Not sure how this essay is going to help you get into selective engineering schools. In fact, it raises questions about whether engineering is the right fit for you.

4

Be sure to show CWRU your undying love for them or they will almost certainly waitlist you.

5

A lot of schools just look at students equally no matter WHICH department you apply to. Mostly because students change departments. Don’t worry too much.

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@N’s Mom - I disagree. Selective colleges know the importance of a well-rounded education. I actually think it gives her an upper hand - her English skills may bring something interesting to the engineering field. My advice: do nothing short of being honest in your app. It is painfully obvious when someone tries to be something they’re not.

Why are they almost all reach schools? Why not apply to a couple safety/match schools?

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A lot of schools just look at students equally no matter WHICH department you apply to. Mostly because students change departments. Don’t worry too much.

8

Have you reached out to the Kelly Writer’s House at Penn? They recruit almost like athletics and can put in a good word for you with admissions…

Here’s some info: http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/about/news/20101005_recruitedwriters.php

I love the English // Engineering angle. dazzle them with your essays and all of these are realistic (which isn’t to say you’ll get into all of them, but you have a solid shot)

Good luck!!!

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@haytheir20 They actually reached out to me after some of the writing stuff I did, but thanks for informing me in case I didn’t know :slight_smile:

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@viaOllie I really hope they don’t question why I wanted to major in Engineering (I have “love of research” essay I could use too but I don’t think the quality is quite as raw as the one about English. Hmm, I don’t suppose I can apply to English as a Second Major Choice…well thanks for your input

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@bodangles Why do I need to show undying love for CRWU? If I can’t get into case western…I doubt I can get into any of the other schools…

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Also, does the fact that I’m from Mississippi and not say, California or East Coast…help or hurt me?

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So I basically have a full-tuition scholarship to the school which is only a few miles away from my house as a great safety, b


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That shouldn’t be your only safety. If you were rejected by all of your schools, I doubt that you’d want to be forced to attend a local school when you have the stats to have at least a couple other safeties with similar merit as options.

Is Old Miss your safety?

Are you a likely NMSF? What was your PSAT?

In another thread you ask about merit scholarships. You mention USC. Unless you’re accepted and are a NMF, I don’t think USC has any certain awards. I think that their other awards are all competitive.

You mention that you won’t be applying for FA. Does that mean that your family is fine paying for all costs?

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I thought that might be the case. That is essentially a major hook. My cousin went to Penn with 2020 SAT (590 math!!!) and was ranked barely in the top 10 percent due to kWH pushing for her in admissions. Also URM though. and this was 5 years ago. And she was prob one of those 20 kids per year mentioned in the article.

Yeah, but with KWH interested id say you have an excellent shot at Penn. And, aside from it perhaps helping you in admissions, it is so lovely! You’ll really enjoy it and penn should you end up there. If not, you will certainly end up somewhere really great.

15

Have you considered like a GA tech for a high-safety? Or Carnegie Mellon for a low match? And what about Olin or Rose Hullman and Harvey Mudd and Cooper Union and the like? Just $0.02.

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I’m assuming that @bojangles advice to show CWRU undying love was hyperbole. But I think it is a school that cares about “demonstrated interest” and if they sense that you are treating the school as a safety, you will be waitlisted or rejected.

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Because like uesmomof2 said, they care a lot about demonstrated interest. It was kind of hyperbole and also kind of not. Because I visited and did all that stuff to indicate it was high on my list and still got waitlisted. Only got into my safeties. And I could really see that happening with your reach-heavy list.

18

My concern is that some schools are actively recruiting women for engineering (and give them an edge in admissions). They are alert to women trying to game their admissions process by claiming that they are future engineers but in fact have no real intention of doing engineering. Their applications scream ‘non-engineer’ based on their ECs and accomplishments. OP’s ECs and essay raise a question that OP should be aware of. If she really is just a non-traditional candidate, that’s great - and hopefully her letters of rec and her research internship will back that up.

Now, many schools don’t care what you are majoring in, don’t give any edge to women in engineering, and they expect students to change their minds many times. At those schools, OP’s focus may have no impact at all. At Columbia, the question doesn’t arise since OP has to apply to the school of engineering and if she tries to switch into the liberal arts arm of the school, she will have to apply for the transfer (they are very aware of kids who try to enter through engineering and then move.)

And yes, OP, coming from Mississippi will help at schools outside of the south. Southern students are under-represented in many schools. You can check the geographic diversity stats for each school.

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@mom2collegekids Yes, Ole Miss is my local school. I’m pretty sure I will receive NMF (PSAT: 229)

I will most likely not qualify for financial aid, and my family is fine paying for it as long it’s a really good school.

20

@haytheir20 Schools like Caltech or Harvey Mudd and Cooper Union are too small for my taste.

And I guess my in-state school is my safety that I’d be ok with going with because I wouldn’t have to really pay.