As much as I do want to get out of Ohio, it is a good reminder that going elsewhere is going to be a pretty big culture shock for me. A lot of people who come to OU from cities find the overly welcoming attitude to be almost annoying at times. I appreciate all your help!
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Thank you!
Thank you for the input! I plan on touring NYU later this month. I do think that NYUs lack of campus/community would be either the greatest thing that has ever happened or the worst. I would consider myself adaptable to new environments as I grew up mostly around people in the music industry my parents work with, but I will admit that I tend to be less adaptable when it comes to people around my age. I would most likely be applying to Gallatin if I do end up applying. Is this a particularly competitive school to apply to?
I know I noted that I do not want to go further south than NC, but I was talking to a friend who goes to Tulane and they said that they have really enjoyed their experience there so far. Given that I get my SAT/ACT up a fair amount, what do you think my chances are? I know little about what they typically look for during applications other than the fact that they have a pretty diverse student body.
Tulane REALLY weighs demonstrated interest heavily. To improve your chances there, you should open every email, click every link, interact with admissions, attend as many virtual/in person events as you can to improve your chances. If you are able to narrow it down and Tulane is your first choice, applying Early Decision (binding) will also help.
Applying by binding Early Decision will improve your chances at most teach schools, but that means you have to pick just one early in the process.
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For another Likely school you might check out Virginia Commonwealth U in Richmond. It is a big urban school in a very cool mid-size city. Lots of arts and music and fashion, but they also have a med school and all sorts of majors. Should be an easy admit for you. My D22 and I walked around campus summer of 2021 when it was shut down for COVID, so we couldnât take an official tour but we loved the area. She ended up wanting a smaller school, but if you are interested in a larger school I think it is definitely worth a look.
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I plan to tour a few colleges over the summer and since Iâm going to New Orleans I will probably check out Tulane, I have a feeling I will like it. I am trying to check out schools other than Brown to apply ED because I know that (unfortunately) ED doesnât do anything at Ivies and my application is not really what Brown usually looks for. What other schools weigh demonstrated interest heavily? Not that I would apply based on that, just looking for other options.
Also thank you a lot for all your help!
Thanks! I will definitely check it out. I think a mid-sized city would be a good middle ground between rural Appalachia and a big city.
Although, given the OPâs self description as genderqueer and a member of a visible minority group, and a preference for âabsolutely no conservative collegesâ, that may be the intended culture change, if the OP is dissatisfied with the situation in the current location.
However, the OP should avoid getting expectations too high about other areas, because unrealistic expectations can lead to big let-downs.
A lot of people who like Brown also like Tufts.
When I read this, I immediately thought - as did others - of Macalester.
You might want to look at Bryn Mawr. It seems farther afield from what youâve indicated, but it also seems to hit a lot of the right notes.
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Regarding demonstrated interest, when you are interested in a school, google the school name and âCommon Data Set.â Most schools will have a recent Common Data Set report on their website.
Look at Section C7 of the report to see if âlevel of applicantâs interestâ is considered. At Tulane, it is checked as âconsidered.â I would argue it should be checked as âimportantâ based on what I have read, but anyway, try to demonstrate interest at any school that considers it. Some, like Stanford, donât care.
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My sibling went to NYU Gallatin. Something to also consider - itâs one thing to visit New York, stay in hotels, and be circulating within/around a concert or show. Thatâs really fun, exciting, and stimulating.
Itâs another thing entirely to go to NYU, live in their dorms, and/or later find an apartment nearby thatâs remotely affordable (hint: it will be pretty gross and youâll be living on top of each other unless you are very, very wealthy).
New York is great! But just be certain that youâre not comparing flying in for a week and being on the side of a gig, with actually living there.
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Unless you desperately want to apply to a school that requires a standardized test, you should go test optional. Your GPA is fantastic, and your cold test scores are SO far below your GPA that you really should not waste your time on prepping for either exam. Just go test optional.
You are not gonna get any kind of a boost of any sort in applications, except maybe for coming from Ohio, and that wonât mean very much. You will be viewed as Asian American, and although the adoption story is interesting, itâs not gonna give you a leg up.
Unless you have some impressive national or international level achievement that you havenât told us about, all the Ivy schools and probably all the T20 schools would be a very, very long shot for you. You want to throw in an application, sure. But unless things change drastically before next year, itâs not going to happen.
You definitely should make options in-state. Miami U of Ohio, Ohio State, Ohio U. Although your parents have access to the money to pay for anywhere, you should plan on using this money for grad school, or for future âadultingâ needs.
Instead of Columbia, consider NYU, Barnard (even if you were female to male trans, I think that they would consider you as being eligible) and Fordham, if you want to be in the NYC area. Instead of Penn, consider Drexel, if you want to be in Philly. Instead of Harvard, Northeastern, BU, consider Brandeis, if you want to be in the Boston area.
You might want to consider the flagship state Uâs of the south and southwest, which are offering a lot of merit money, and hence attracting some strong students chasing merit money. Arizona State U, U of Arizona, Alabama, and the like.
You might want to consider womenâs liberal arts colleges, and âliberalâ LACs such as Wesleyan. But youâre unlikely to get much money from them.
With respect anyoneâs chances at Tulane, theyâre slim. Tulane had a 13% acceptance rate and the 25th percentile for both SAT and ACT are higher than your current scores. But, Tulane loves lots of demonstrated interest (while youâre in New Orleans, definitely check in to the admissions office to let them know youâre on campus and take a tour).
While youâre in New Orleans and planning on seeing Tulane, Iâd recommend you literally walk next door and check out Loyola. Itâs a Jesuit institution, so although Catholic, itâs very much a social justice type of Catholic. Students at Loyola can also take classes at Tulane. But thereâs a lot of music and creative people and I suspect youâd receive a nice merit package as well. Tulane, if you get in, is over $70k/year.
OP will have to clarify, because there are places that are not urban that are extremely liberal, progressive, and accepting. Indiana University would be one option Iâd suggest, if OP was trying to stay closer to home. So does OP want a more progressive and accepting environment, or does OP want a progressive and accepting environment thatâs in a big city or close to it?
I disagree with this part. Depending on the institution, OP should definitely send her scores in. She should do it on a case-by-case basis. If OPâs test scores are below the 25th percentile, she definitely should not submit them. But at some of the schools where she is a likely or extremely likely admit, she is likely to get very good merit with those test scores. And many universities will accept test optional applicants but give more generous merit aid to those who submit their test scores.
American University is one that likes to see a lot of demonstrated interest.
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Iâd go (in no order) - Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley, Barnard, Bryn mawr.
Bates, Colby, Lafayette, Claremont McKenna, Kenyon, grinnell, Denison, haverford, skidmore, Colgate, carleton, Emory, Vanderbilt, northwestern, tufts, bu, NEU, nyu. Gw, American.
Any of the UCs.
I donât necessarily agree with this. If you are lower/middle class, some of the âprestigeâ colleges (T50) will typically discount the sticker price of tuition. You have to run the individual net price calculators (NPC) on each schoolâs website to get a general idea of where you stand.
Hi! I would say the appeal for relocation on the basis of a different culture mostly stems from my need for change. I feel that in the area I live in, most people live the same lives and although there is nothing wrong with that, it is not what I want for myself.
In terms of the appeal of a city, the resources and just things to do are very appealing. The small-town bubble is real and it often gets boring.
Change is something that I would consider myself welcoming towards. While I do recognize that relocation from my area to really any different area will be shocking and uncomfortable, itâs something that (at this point in time) I really want. I want to be able to grow out of the âmidwest niceâ trope because not everyone is like that. I donât want to have to delay the culture shock until after college.
All that being said, I am going into this as open-mindedly as possible. If I am not meant to leave the area that I am in, then I will stay and if I am meant to go elsewhere I will.
I appreciate your help!
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Thank you!
Thank you! It is very unfortunate that being an Asian American is considered a disadvantage in the college admissions process. I am exploring other options in terms of my essay. From what I have heard, colleges seem to be interested in studentsâ niche interests framed in an educational standpoint. Would you consider this to be true?
I feel like I have been misleading in my description of my demographics. While the area that I live in is comprised of mostly lower-middle/middle-class people, my family is upper-middle class. I apologize for the confusion in my writing. That being said, it still holds true that cheaper institutions would be great as I am aware that I am not likely to get a significant amount of aid.