And these days, @Ynotgo, econ departments are very mixed. You find proponents of Keynesian thinking in Chicago, for instance. Though if you need to pinpoint the school that is the greatest bastion of Keynes and Hicks, it would be MIT, not Princeton.
For an undergraduate economics major looking at PhD study in economics, a more relevant difference between schools may be how math intensive the undergraduate economics courses are. Some offer courses that require sophomore level math like multivariable calculus and/or linear algebra (e.g. Chicago, MIT, Stanford, UCSC), others do not require calculus at all (e.g. Penn State, Florida State, Georgia Tech), while many more are in between (requiring single variable calculus). Some schools offer more than one option of intermediate economics or econometrics courses.
@flowergoddess Naviance is an awesome tool. It’s a little different at each school but it will show you acceptance history at most of the popular schools that your HS feeds into. Our local Naviance shows that well over 90% of kids with your stats get into virtually every UC they apply to. People can wring their hands and talk about ECs and holistic admissions but a 4.4 UC GPA and 2400 SAT gets you in everywhere.
Baylor has a good pre med program and they can be very generous with merit aid, if you are a desireable candidate.
Thanks, guys! Your answers, advice and reassurances are really helpful (and keeping me from freaking out too much over college apps).
I thought I read somewhere on CC that you have to self-report SAT Subject Test scores on the Common App under Testing. But since I’m sending official score reports to colleges with my SAT and SAT subject test scores, wouldn’t it just be redundant to also self report them on Common App?
On the other hand, if it’s customary to report SAT Subject Test scores twic, I don’t want to do anything “wrong” that would annoy an Admissions Officer.
So I’m just unsure if also self-reporting SAT subject tests on the Common App is necessary if I’m already sending them on the official CollegeBoard score report. I hope what I said makes sense.
I’m only asking because there’s 8 slots to self report scores on the Common App Testing section, and if two of them are taken up by subject test scores, then I only have 6 slots left to self report AP scores. I would rather report 8 than 6 AP scores.
Oh, that reminds me. Is the AP scholar whatnot worth putting in the Common App awards section? It doesn’t seem very notable, because it’s non-competitive.
And if so, I’m assuming I should only put one AP scholar award, the “best” one. Which one is that?
The University of Michigan would be worth a look. It would be a target considering your grades and scores, and if you apply EA (not binding), you have a shot at one of its generous merit scholarships.
You can use the Additional Information section to report any scores that don’t fit elsewhere. It is perfectly fine not to report scores that you will send as official score reports.
I would report all AP distinctions that you qualify for. Again the Additional Info section can be used if necessary.
Not sure if its been mentioned, but while USC does give half tuition for NMF’s its not longer guaranteed that all NMFs will get this.
Report the 3 subject tests, since it may be what the top schools go to first in the testing section - they represent content mastery that’s very easy to compare. Then add the AP scores. Finally, use the “additional information” t report any other score.
Sending them officially adds them to your file but only “confirms” what is in compact format on the CA. If there’s a quick review being they’re on the fence, they won’t have time to flip through everything.
Ack typo. It is no longer guaranteed.
@jym626 is this new for this year?
I thought it’s not longer guaranteed to be accepted with NMF but if a NMF is accepted then that student gets 1/2 tuition.
This is what I was thinking. I hope they don’t change this year.
it was NEVER guaranteed that NMF’s would be automatically accepted at USC ! 
get real people !
I believe USC still does offer 1/2 tuition scholarships to NMF’s they do accept.
This is exactly what we are saying. Not guarantee to get in, but if you get in, it is guaranteed that you will get at least half tuition scholarship.
Thank you all for your incredible input, everyone! It’s been very helpful. Just so I don’t waste anyone’s time, I’d like to request no more responses, since I won’t be checking them anyone. Once again, thanks!
best of luck to you!