<p>I'm not a huge fan of Harvard either. I had the option of applying early & essentially getting in (huge connection that my family could've pulled), but I went with Yale early instead, because it's all-around a better education. Course, deferred from Yale EA made me rethink my decision, but I'll just have to hope one of my other top schools works out RD.</p>
<p>I'm not praising Harvard at all, they certainly have their issues (Lawrence Summers fiasco, class sizes, grade inflation) and the point about choosing Harvard for a major makes sense. But at the extremes, I think I could still maintain that more Gov or Econ or Humanities people are gonna choose Harvard as opposed to say Engineering majors. </p>
<p>And I've heard over the years on this forum people say all kinds of things like "_____ University/college" is not a safety or match for anyone. I have even repeated this sentiment myself. But I think after seeing some people that come on these boards, there are a SELECT FEW who can treat a school such as Gtown as a "safety". And a decent number can call it a match, depending on your definition of the word match. If you are ranked 2nd in your class with a 2350 SAT, a couple of 800 SAT IIs, and a few meaningful activities are they going to reject you? Not unless something goes horribly wrong, like writing about how you love UVA in the essay. In which case I call Gtown a "safety" for you.</p>
<p>Duke
UVA
Brown</p>
<p>I've heard Johns Hopkins and Georgetown have some overlap.</p>
<p>In order of my preference
-UCLA-(in beautiful LA, gorgeous and chill girls, great basketball, $20,000/yr cheaper than private schools, great school academically)
Big drop off
-Claremont McKenna(in beautiful Socal, goreous and chill girls, good IR program, good school academically)
-George Washington(in DC so great for IR, has own IR school, gives out quite a bit of aid)
-UCSD(SD is chill, $20,000/yr cheaper than private schools)
-Tufts(great IR program)
-UCD($20,000/yr cheaper than private schools)</p>
<p>So basically right now its between Gtown and UCLA.</p>
<p>drummerdude your quite misguided if you think Georgetown is a safety for anyone. Not only have I heard numerous horror stories of "super applicants" being denied at gtown, but I have even witnessed a few of my closest friends and relatives who have all had 1600s (back in the day when it was outta 1600) perfect gpa's, and more than just a few meaningful extra-currics be denied. The fact of the matter is when you are talking about a school as selective as gtown or any other comprable school, ther is no such thing as a "safety".</p>
<p>First choice: Gtown, duh.
2. Tufts
3. Columbia
4. NYU or GWU
5. American
6. Georgia Tech...ugh...(shoot me first, but it's the only one i applied early too except GU and I got in)</p>
<p>I will maintain that in those cases, one of two things happened:</p>
<p>1) Tufts Syndrome. I do not know whether Gtown has ever been found guilty of this, but many schools will play strategic admissions games. If Gtown wants to go up in the rankings, it is gonna reject a couple of "superapplicants" who it, for whatever reason, believes will not choose to matriculate in May.</p>
<p>2) Something went wrong. Really wrong. Maybe something drastic like the "I love UVA" in the essay, or maybe something less so like just writing and sending a really crappy essay. Maybe they expressed interest in a program that doesn't exist, or somehow revealed a DEEP lack of knowhow about the University, thus revealing their lesser interest in the school. Maybe they had a TERRIBLE interview. Any number of a thousand things could have happened. But without these, (what I would call extenuating circumstances) the applicant WILL get in. In those cases (1600, Val, decent ECs reject), I still call it a safety. Why? Because many of the same extenuating circumstances cold have caused rejection at schools more traditionally regarded as safeties. "Safety" doesn't mean you are 100% guaranteed if you screw something up.</p>
<p>Georgetown accepted me early action, but i just sent my check and housing form to the University of Chicago.</p>
<p>Buy a good pair of gloves and Go Bears!</p>
<p>I live on campus (basically at U of C) and both my parents are deeply connected with the University, don't mean to stress you lorax, but you shoulda gone with GU.</p>
<p>Haha what is that about?</p>
<p>hmm? his earlier post...</p>
<p>RyanOG88, I whole-heartedly agree, thank you for existing</p>
<p>
[quote]
Tufts Syndrome. I do not know whether Gtown has ever been found guilty of this, but many schools will play strategic admissions games. If Gtown wants to go up in the rankings, it is gonna reject a couple of "superapplicants" who it, for whatever reason, believes will not choose to matriculate in May.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The reasoning behind "Tufts Syndrome" is to maintain a high yield, not high selectivity; yield-rates are not a significant factor in the USNews rankings.</p>
<p>And drummerdude, I strongly disagree with your reasoning which is flawed and lacks anything resembling sound evidence. Now, I proving false your claims, I must resort to resources that have been given to me in confidence; however, you will have to take my word for it, Georgetown is not a safety for anyone.</p>
<p>Also, as a matter of common sense, Georgetown is not a safety for anyone. It's not a matter of school pride that I say this (I was choosing between Georgetown, Rice and Chicago at one point), but it is rather that the facts do not necessarily imply your interpretation, and there is no way you can prove that your interpretation must follow from them.</p>
<p>
[quote]
don't mean to stress you lorax, but you shoulda gone with GU.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I agree.</p>
<p>UVA
ND
William and Mary
BU
JMU</p>
<p>I applied to (in addition to Gtown RD):</p>
<p>Yale (accepted SCEA)
UNC (accepted Early Notification)
Princeton
Columbia
Amherst
Wellesley
UVa
Duke
Wash U</p>
<p>hey jegan -- i know it's your life and you do w/e you want if it, BUT why are you applying to so many schools when you already got in SCEA?</p>
<p>I disagree... I think Lorax's decision was ON THE MONEY!!! Lol... its kinda interesting to see that there is quite an overlap between UofC and Gtown applicants (I was in the same situation last year and it was a VERY CLOSE call). Other than the fact that they are both excellent schools, they differ sooo much, yet they still seem to attract a lot of the same students. Interesting....</p>
<p>I sent in all my apps before I heard back from Yale and decided to leave them in since I'd already paid the nonrefundable fee. Just to see what happens.</p>