Please Help Me to Select Schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so I'm having a bit of an issue selecting schools for college- the decisions are just so tough. I would like anyone and everyone reading this to just suggest some good schools on top of the schools I have listed already. Also, what are my chances of getting into UPenn? I've been obsessed with the school since 9th grade, and I really can see myself there in two years. One more thing: Do I need to take the April ACT with my 2250-2350 SAT projected score and my SATII scores (plus the three I am taking in June)?</p>

<p>WEIGHTED GPA: 4.7 (out of 4.0)</p>

<p>GRADE INFO: Have only ever received one A on my entire transcript in AP World History in 9th grade. The rest of my finals grades are A+s.</p>

<p>CLASS RANK: Either 1 or 2 of 551 students</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR LIST:
-The American Association of University Women Women's History Month Essay Winner
-National Council of Teachers of English Promising Writers Program Participant
-Spanish Club
-Model Congress Club
-Outstanding Literary Research Award
-Relay for Life Cancer Walk
-Walkathon for MS
-Marching Band Club
-The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Office work, Volunteered once a week, two hours each, December-March)
-The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Junior Board Member
-LLS Pennies for Patients Designated Fundraiser of SHS
-UPenn Model Congress Committee Member
-UPenn Model Congress Supreme Court Member
-The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine Invitee
-Long Island Science Congress Research Competition Second Place Winner
-Annual Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials Science Fair High Merit Award Winner
-Internship at ASM Capital Bankruptcy Hedgefund (Tuesday, Wednesday 10-2)
-7/11 Stockboy (12hr weeks)
-Book Review Club Member/Review Writer
-Walkathon for Habitat for Humanity
-Tunnel to Towers Run
-Habitat for Humanity (2/28)</p>

<p>ATHLETICS: One year of JV Lacrosse/Two years of JV Soccer/Three Years varsity lacrosse/Two years varsity soccer</p>

<p>LEGACY: Father attended Queens College (doesn't help) and Brooklyn Law/Mother attended Ithaca, Curry, and NYU (for graduate school)</p>

<p>PROJECTED SAT SCORE: Just took this past Saturday- I'm guessing about 2250-2350</p>

<p>SATII SCORES: Biology-730 / Chemisty- 770 / Math I- 740 / I will be taking US History, Math I (over again), and Math II in June</p>

<p>SENIOR SCHEDULE:
-AP Chemistry
-AP Microeconomics
-AP Macroeconomics
-AP Comparative Government
-AP English Literature
-AP Calculus BC
-Syracuse University Project Advance Spanish
-College Business Economics
-Gym</p>

<p>SELECTED SCHOOLS:
-UPenn/Huntsman Program (Early Decision)
-Princeton University
-Carnegie Mellon/Tepper Business School
-NYU/Stern Business
-Columbia University
-Yale University
-Brown University
-Harvard University
-Boston University (Safety)
-Binghamton (Safety)
-Georgetown
-GWU/School of Business (Safety)</p>

<p>I do intend to stay on the East coast if possible. I also am steering towards business for my undergraduate college if possible.</p>

<p>So once again: Any ideas for more safeties for a student with my credentials? What are my chances of getting into the schools I have listed? Do you think that I need to take the ACT with my 2250-2350 SAT score and my SATII scores?</p>

2

<p>Two things: </p>

<p>1) Arrange your ECs and honors in a way that makes sense and emphasizes areas of interest. (I seem to see more medicine than business...)
2) Absolutely DO NOT retake Math 1. Your score is good enough already, and it has a notoriously bad curve. Taking Math II instead is reasonable, but hardly necessary, unless your goal is a place like Cal Tech. (I don't know about the requirements of the Huntsman program.) If you are determined to take more SATIIs, taking a non math/science test to go with your others, such as US History, is a better idea for most places. If I were you, I'd only take US History, and I'd concentrate on getting a very good score on it.</p>

<p>Wait and see how your SATs are before you make any decisions about the ACT. If you get the scores you project the ACT would seem like a waste of time and energy.</p>

<p>I don't see the fit at Brown for you. Where are you in-state?</p>

3

<p>Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Harvard, and Brown do not have undergraduate business.</p>

4

<p>I live in New York, and yes- my guidance counselor sees Brown as too "hippy" for me. I kinda drive off competitiveness, and I think Penn is my best choice- I LOVE TO PARTY. I am by no means a geek, yet I do have a brain and work hard in school.</p>

5

<p>Mini- It is of interest to go to a school with a good business program for undergrads, yet not my sole factor in selecting schools. I am also looking into possibly going International Relations or the easy choice- Undecided.</p>

6

<p>I think that you would do well to drop some of the Ivies that you appear to have on the list just because they are Ivies (ie, all but Penn) and look at some places like Wake Forest, Duke, and Vanderbilt.</p>

7

<p>UPenn, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Yale, and Harvard are schools that I think I will definitely apply to. Yale, Harvard, and Princeton would suit me (I do believe). The others I would eliminate.</p>

<p>What are some other good reaches/safeties?</p>

8

<p>I also just really want to stay urban/semi-urban. I think that Duke is way too small for me.</p>

9

<p>Duke has about the same number of undergrads as Yale and Harvard: 6000+. It's not small. Duke would be a reach, not a safety, though. Wake Forest would be a reasonable safety, I think, and Vanderbilt perhaps a match.</p>

<p>For a safety in NY, how about Fordham?</p>

10

<p>How competitive is your high school? There is a big difference between being first or second in your class at a very competitive school and a not so competitive school.</p>

11

<p>Why do you need more safeties? If you have a real safety, which you do in Bing, you just need one.</p>

<p>You should certainly get into several schools on your list. Huntsman? Who knows, I'd say you have a serious shot as long as you're not one of the 10 million Asian applicants trying to use your native language.</p>

<p>Where is your language AP and SATII? That's key for Huntsman.</p>

12

<p>"Mini- It is of interest to go to a school with a good business program for undergrads, yet not my sole factor in selecting schools. I am also looking into possibly going International Relations or the easy choice- Undecided."</p>

<p>Just be aware that if you go to a school without ANY business program, that isn't a choice once you get there, easy or otherwise.</p>

13

<p>LHS- my school is super competitive and sends about 30+ kids to ivy league schools each year. I would say 75+ to top tier, and generally the top 35% of the kids go to great schools. The rest is history as it is a public school and it does have its fair share of *uck-ups. </p>

<p>As for Duke, I think I will look into it, but it may be too south for me- haha I am very picky about staying in the northeast =(</p>

<p>Any ideas for safety schools in the Northeast besides Binghamton, GWU, and BU?</p>

14

<p>IF you are looking for an IR/Business combination, American would be a very good choice. Villanova also might work.</p>

15

<p>I know this may sound crazy- what about colleges in England? I can see myself attending a school in London. Cambridge, Oxford, Edinburgh, and London are all still just as hard to get into as the average ivy- right?</p>

16

<p>Cambridge and Oxford are about as competitive as your average Ivy...UofL colleges and Edinburgh are easier.</p>

17

<p>I think you should keep the Ivies on your list. There's nothing wrong with applying to ivies just because they are ivies. They also happen to be some of the best schools in the country. Your list looks pretty soild and I think you've got a pretty good shot at many of those schools. I know a few people that are doing the penn/huntsman program and I hear that it is very difficult to get into. Also, if you need financial aid, the UK universities may not be a good option because they don't give as much financial aid to international students.</p>

18

<p>
[quote]
I know this may sound crazy- what about colleges in England? I can see myself attending a school in London. Cambridge, Oxford, Edinburgh, and London are all still just as hard to get into as the average ivy- right?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>British Us are generally all about AP scores. They don't care about ECs and the like. There is also no financial aid for foreigners. Typically, you apply to a specific program at a specific college within the university, and you would be expected to present 3 AP scores in relevant fields. For example, a kid I know was accepted into a medical program at Cambridge pending 5s on AP Chem and Bio, and a 4 in AP Calc. She had to take some other kind of general exam for foreigners wanting to attend Oxbridge, and also interviewed. You'd need to do some research on the programs and their requirements.</p>

<p>BTW, I was just looking at your scores when I said Duke was a reach. Given your grades, I'd think your chances were good. I also think you have a good chance at the Ivies, assuming that your SATs are as projected. (Note that the Ivies are not wild abobut people who obsessively take standardized tests over and over again...) I agree with Hmom5 that if you are in-state for SUNY Bing, you don't need other safeties, financial or otherwise.</p>

19

<p>I think it's more of an issue of finding a safety I'd be happy at- I think I'd be SO depressed to be at SUNY Bing because I think I have worked too hard to end up there. I think I will add Villanova, Duke, and American as hopefully somewhat safeties. I mean my application process will be simple (as I wish it to be)- I am going to have all my apps ready for many schools but hold them until I hear from Penn early- if I don't get in, I'll send out some apps. So I think it's okay to have lots of schools on my list, but I'm not sure. Advise me as you please, I need help haha.</p>

<p>As for APs- I have a 5 on World and Euro History, and hopefully will get a 5 on AP Lang/Physics B/US History this year. So I think I will look into Cambridge and Oxford a bit more, it could be a very good cultural experience (and alcoholic experience hah).</p>

20

<p>I'm not sure I'd term any of those three schools as safeties, certainly not Duke. If you don't think you will be willing to attend Bing then it's not a safety. Perhaps look at other good B schools?</p>