<p>Ivy, my suggestions were to beef up REASONABLE reaches so you don't get burned. Sure you might get into Dartmouth or Brown but don't depend on it. The gap between your reaches and matches is too great, you need some REASONABLE reaches like Tufts, Emory, and the like to hedge your bets. </p>
<p>BTW:I mentioned GW because it tends to do very well in the political scene.</p>
<p>Why post the question if you don't want honest answers? It's awfully hard, IMHO, to find an unhooked Dartmouth admit with a 1370.</p>
<p>*****************"I lived in Washington DC for 5 months, and have lived on Georgetowns campus for weeks. I dont like the city, nor do I like any schools in the city. </p>
<p>I have to disagree with some of the people posting on this boarding saying that a difference of 60 points (1360-1430) is the difference of ivy league vs george washington.</p>
<p>To tell me to dump dartmouth college because of my 1360 alone is irresponsible and ignorant. I am fully aware my SATs have room for improvement. But if we can learn but one thing from posting on these boards, its that SAT scores are not everything.</p>
<p>Princeton is a reach, as is Brown. I feel that Penn, Dartmouth, and Swarthmore are all REALISTIC reach schools. Penn state is a safety... I have had people tell me that is a match school. I know people in my class who have been accepted to penn state with a lacking application all around. I feel safe about CMU, NYU, and BC. </p>
<p>I will wait this out and see, but knowing my application, I predict I am accepted to at least 2 of my 5 reach schools."*********</p>
<p>You disagree with people who have been through the process, are very educated about the process, and are only here (most of the time) to help you with the process? </p>
<p>Irresponsible and ignorant? </p>
<p>1430-1360=70 points, not 60. And even a 1430 makes ivy a slight reach. The average academic index for an ivy acceptee is 211. You have a 199. What do you expect people to tell you? Maybe you are ignorant. </p>
<p>And no one is telling you where to apply or not. Tha's your choice, do it if you want.</p>
<p>i love how there is a poster on this board with a 2000 cumulative SAT being told to apply to princeton and harvard bc he is a URM.</p>
<p>gotta love it</p>
<p>Do athletes and the rich and famous offend you too? How about that Asians need higher SATs than whites? These are private colleges that get to decide who they want to compose a class. Just like companies get to decide who they want to employ. Clubs decide what members they want....</p>
<p>Ivyleague, while I get that you may not like DC, judging by your reach options (and resistance to critique by people here) I'd almost say that you're simply applying to those schools because they're Ivies. I mean, I'm looking at Dartmouth, but my hesitation with applying there is that it's simply not the strongest school for polysci (from what I've seen, at least--they don't even have a PolySci major, just a government one, which is similar, sure, but not the same thing). And, as far as Princeton goes--it's great for politics, but only in the Woodrow Wilson school, really, and if you're a way-reach for just getting into Princeton, what are the chances of you getting into WW as well?</p>
<p>Sorry to be harsh, but that's the truth. You really should look at more realistic reach schools that fit your profile better--Tufts would be a great option.</p>
<p>Might want to add Holy Cross-Top30 LAC-1 hour from Boston. Holy Cross has many good internships in Washington and strong politcal alumni network-Senator, several Congressmen etc,. HC is SAT optional. Colgate is another good school.</p>
<p>there is no need to get defensive. People are simply posting their opinions which you asked for by posting on this forum. iN TH E end you msut do what you feel best. u have a preetty strong score. i KNOW people who get into many top notch schools with 1300s and if you have a good essay...ec's and the rest of your application is as strong there is no need to stress. NUMBERS ARENT EVERYTHING. PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY TELLING YOU TO TAKE SOME REACH SCHOOLS INTO CONSIDERATION. NO ONE IS ACTUALLY MAKING YOU APPLY TO THEM.
THATS ALL :)</p>
<p>i do appreciate the advice of everyone here. Suze seems to be terribly argumentative. Maybe she can utilize her debate skills some place that isn't a blog? Just an idea :O)</p>
<p>Either way, of course I am applying to some schools JUST because they are ivy league. I am looking for a great undergraduate education.. political science being my major...or government..or whatever. </p>
<p>My schools are chosen mostly by distance. I do not want to travel to Michigan or even below the Mason Dixon line for schooling.. which explains my hesitation to go to DC or Emory. I am planning to eventually go into Law school, if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>Also, I am trying to stick to the Common App for most of my schools.</p>
<p>Any suggestions there?</p>
<p>Thanks guys, you are making me push myself harder.</p>
<p>Even with all that new reasoning, I STILL don't see why you're not considering Tufts. It may not be Ivy, but it's a really great school with an amazing polysci program--common app (sure, with a big supplement, but it's worth it), in the exact same area as the Ivies, and definitely more in your reach.</p>
<p>And, while there's nothing wrong with applying to Ivies just because they're Ivies, you shouldn't have your reach schools be waaay reaches, and you don't need to apply to so many of them. I'd say pick one or two that you like--the ones with the best polysci programs--and then select the rest of your reach schools from schools you have a better shot at getting into.</p>
<p>This isn't a blog, but then nothing on this thread makes much sense....My goal is to help those applying understand reality before April by presenting facts, not to argue.</p>
<p>Is Amherst any better as a reach school?</p>
<p>Slightly better, though not really--but you're still avoiding my original question! What do you have against Tufts?</p>
<p>Ivyleague14,</p>
<p>do listen to sphairistic. I'm also planning to major in politics/international affairs, and Tufts is VERY famous in that area.</p>
<p>Its Elliot School of International Relations is world famous, if now even better than what you'd get at a school like Upenn or Brown.</p>
<p>Jimmy: Tufts' IR is indeed better than the IR at Upenn and Brown, but the school is called FLETCHER SCHOOL OF LAW & DIPLOMACY. </p>
<p>It's the oldest IR school in the nation. While Fletcher is a graduate school, the undergraduate IR department is run from an office in Fletcher, and Tufts undergraduate get to fully participate in the Fletcher community. Additionally, IR undergrads are often taught by Fletcher professors and upperclassmen IR students who are academically qualified can take classes at the Fletcher School.</p>
<p>For full disclosure: I am a Tufts senior, majoring in IR.</p>
<p>Yeah, and if you're looking for something "elite and impressive," Ivyleague, Fletcher's just about as elite as it gets in the politics/IR world. Supposedly Georgetown's program is the best, but Tufts is #2--and that INCLUDES IVIES.</p>
<p>^ ^ ^ For undergrad, however, several rankings place Tufts as #1 for IR, above Ivies and Gtown. However, my transfer friend from Gtown says he would say Tufts and Gtown's IR programs are very very similar.</p>
<p>Either way.. Ivyleague, forget applying to far-reach schools just because of their name, and apply to one that's a much better fit--Tufts!</p>
<p>There, I'm done. Because if you can't see the argument of so many people on your thread here, you're probably not approaching your future in the field of polysci in an intelligent way anyways. And I know that sounds harsh, but it's honest.</p>
<p>I agree that Tufts is a great choice. DC is really close to the east coast, I think its a mistake for someone who wants to work in politics to not apply to Georgetown.</p>
<p>All that being said, Ivyleague14, Tufts and Georgetown are still reaches for you, but yes, more reasonable. You need to bring your SATs up. Try the ACT? And can you retake SAT IIs and rush your scores?</p>