IVY League Possible??? Social Scene???

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, I wanted some recommendation for which Ivy Leagues would be best for me to visit and potentially apply. I know they are all fabulous schools, but I'd like to narrow it down. I'm considering applying to five of the eight. </p>

<p>This is a little about me, to help guide you:</p>

<p>Extracurriculars are my life. Social Activism and basically "making a difference" in both school and in the community.
I've run and organized my own Charity Dinner for International causes for four years.
President of School's Diversity Club, Tolerance, Member of School's Diversity Committee, Board Member of STAND (Darfur), attended diversity conferences, MUN, very interested in world affairs.
I'm pretty much a humanitarian in terms of my extra curriculars.</p>

<p>2200 SAT.
4.05 Unweighted GPA</p>

<p>Taken hardest Rigor at my school, 6 APs at a college Prep school. Not easy blow-off AP classes. </p>

<p>My other passion is ART. I'm extremely commited to art. I was a student in AP Art Portfolio, and have taken been in a couple art shows. I am trying to combine my humanitarian efforts with art in a creative way. I'd like to continue Art in college.</p>

<p>Five Years of Latin. Currently self-teaching French.</p>

<p>Theres obviously more to me, but I'm not sure it matters too much, when my question is regarding more so what are the best schools to apply to.</p>

<p>I know there's no guarantee at any Ivy League, so don't worry I'm not taking that for granted, AT ALL.</p>

<p>I think its safe to say the once school I don't think I'll fit in at comfortably is Dartmouth. It seems much more traditional with the whole beer pong and greek life. Can anyone help to give a better definition of the different social scenes at the Ivy Leagues?</p>

<p>Thanks.....=]</p>

2

<p>

What’s it on a scale of if that’s unweighted?</p>

3

<p>4.33 A+ 97-100
4.00 A 92.5-97
3.66 A- 89.5-92.5</p>

4

<p>lol..its much more traditional with the whole beer pong and greek life!! ahh im laughing too hard.
Haha thanks for the good laugh.</p>

5

<p>Sorry for using this thread, but there is this question Ive always had (and as you mention it in your topic, Im just gonna ask it in here)</p>

<p>What is greek life?</p>

6

<p>Greek life refers to frats and sororities.</p>

7

<p>and involves learning greek and cooking greek food.</p>

8

<p>Studio Art: all the Ivies are strong in Studio Art, maybe Harvard is weakest
Urban Studies: Columbia, Penn, Brown
Poly Sci: all the Ivies are excellent, Harvard and Yale perhaps best
Area Studies: Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Brown, Columbia
Urban Studies: Columbia, Penn, Brown</p>

9

<p>Dartmouth as a pretty big non-greek “alternative” social scene. You’d probably like it more than Pennand probably Princeton. Seriously. But Brown, Harvard, Columbia, and Yale are your best bets.</p>

10

<p>If you want social activism and an alternative social scene, don’t come to Penn (not Princeton either, from what I’ve heard). I second slipper…look into Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and Yale.</p>

11

<p>I actually think Brown, Columbia, and Cornell would be your best bets. </p>

<p>While I don’t doubt that Dartmouth has an alternative scene, I think it would be a bit larger at the three aforementioned schools, all of which have a healthy history of student activism on campus. You might also want to look into Yale, but Yale always struck me as a bit stuffy and more erudite, even though it has a lot of students interested in art and the humanities. The Yale culture may just be your cup of tea, though.</p>

<p>A little bit more info on Cornell:</p>

<p>You may be interested in the College of Art, Architecture, and Planning. In particular, the urban and regional studies major offers a solid grounding in the social sciences, while allowing students to pursue interests in the arts and the liberal arts. Most students also spend a semester in Rome and may get involved in the ‘Urban Scholars’ program.</p>

<p>[Cornell</a> / CRP / Urban and Regional Studies / Requirements for B.S.](<a href=“http://www.aap.cornell.edu/aap/crp/programs/urs/degree-reqs.cfm]Cornell”>http://www.aap.cornell.edu/aap/crp/programs/urs/degree-reqs.cfm)
[Cornell</a> in Rome ](<a href=“http://www.aap.cornell.edu/rome/]Cornell”>http://www.aap.cornell.edu/rome/)
[Cornell</a> Urban Scholars Program](<a href=“http://www.cusp.cornell.edu/]Cornell”>http://www.cusp.cornell.edu/)</p>

<p>You can also get a Bachelor of Fine Arts ‘concentration’:</p>

<p>[B.F.A</a>. Concentrations](<a href=“http://www.aap.cornell.edu/aap/art/programs/bfaconcentrations.cfm]B.F.A”>http://www.aap.cornell.edu/aap/art/programs/bfaconcentrations.cfm)</p>

<p>And at a school as big as Cornell, the social scene is very diverse. I didn’t play beer pong once, and I was never at a lack for parties – lots of parties with live bands and DJs at off-campus collegetown houses. A lot of bands stop in Ithaca on their route from NYC to Toronto, and Ithaca is a haven for anti-establishment types.</p>

<p>Here’s a recent thread about Cornell’s social scene:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/512133-questions-about-cornell-s-social-scene.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/512133-questions-about-cornell-s-social-scene.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

12

<p>Why do you not suggest Penn and Princeton?
Just curious, thanks.
I’ve heard Penn is quite a diverse school, and well, Princeton is just Princeton. I always thought the people at Princeton would be ahead of the game in social activism. I’ve also heard the Woodrow Wilson School for International Relations is excellent.
Thanks.</p>

13

<p>I think Penn is overshadowed by Wharton and a couple of my friends who studied in the College at Penn felt somewhat influenced into pre-professionalism. That’s not to say that a lot of students don’t carve out their own niche at Penn.</p>

<p>I suppose you could make a similar argument that Cornell is over-shadowed by the natural and physical sciences, but at the same time there are 3-4,000 students on Cornell’s campus in the social sciences.</p>

<p>WoodyWoo and Princeton are becoming more public service oriented, especially in recent years, but I still get the sense that it is very finance and consultancy oriented. And I don’t know how oriented towards the visual, creative, and performing arts Princeton is. But if you can get in, sure.</p>

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<p>Yea, that’s what I’m nervous about too, well at least for Princeton. I’m not sure how it will cater to the arts. I do like the prospect of being near New York City to potentially keep up my art though.</p>

<p>I think the best bet for ART right now seems Brown. Brown has an affiliate program which allows students to take up to two art classes each year at RISD-the best Art and Design school in the country.</p>

15

<p>Currently I’m considering Yale, Brown, Princeton, Columbia, and Cornell.</p>

<p>Anyone feel that I should consider Dartmouth, Penn, or Harvard?</p>

<p>And possibly any opinions on Stanford?</p>

16

<p>I like Dartmouth, but mostly if you are an outdoorsy, outgoing, frisbee-playing type. And there seems to be a consensus on this board at least that there are better “fits” than Penn.</p>

<p>As for Harvard. Sure. Visit. Take pictures. Apply. But with your stats, I think you should be setting the “lower” Ivies as a realistic goal for yourself.</p>

17

<p>Okay thanks.
Which would you consider the lower Ivies?
Also, is it my SAT score that seems weak for one of the top schools?</p>

18

<p>Anything other than Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.</p>

<p>That and the fact that I’m not convinced you completely stand out as an applicant. There are a lot of other students in high schools around the country that are very involved in diversity-related activities.</p>

<p>Personally, I like the list you came up with – Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, and Yale.</p>

19

<p>I’m with CayugaRed2005 on this one. Your background and interests just scream Cornell. Do read up on what all of the other colleges there offer, especially the design courses and social-action oriented courses in the College of Human Ecology.</p>

20

<p>Okay thanks for the recommendation. I’ll look more into Cornell, I mean I’ve never been crazy about the location–Ithaca. But it’s definitely worth my consideration.</p>