<p>^haha, thats just some ■■■■■. Though I wish tic tac toe could be an impressive EC. (I have slow internet Fluxed, so I didn’t see your post XD)</p>
<p>Dont be too discouraged about stats. I promise, it’s not worth it. When I look at my resume and then someone else’s, I am usually dazzled by the other person’s achievements. But in turn, the other person is usually impressed by mine. Maybe there is something about dismissing one’s own accomplishments? Idk, I did not do a study about it, but sometimes I feel like that.</p>
<p>Dreaminapples, I agree with you. One’s own accomplishments, despite how great they may be, tend to appear typical and largely unimpressive to whomever they belong. Only a totally outside source (Princeton) can accurately compare them and make judgments accordingly.</p>
<p>Let’s hope you two are right, because that’s exactly how I feel. I guess I compare myself too much to others. “Oh, I have a 4.0 but you have better standardized test scores.” etc. etc. Also, things just generally seem more impressive when others do them, don’t know why.</p>
<p>Well some things that others I see have done, I KNOW are more impressive than my own experiences. I mean I’ve never done any sort of study-abroad program or mission trip to some unfortunate country or summer camp at some Ivy or other top university or anything like that. But I’ve never had the opportunity to do most of those things (or things of that caliber), so I hope the admissions counselors consider that.</p>
<p>First off, about the opportunities thing. Adcoms DO take this into account, and the thing Princeton specifically looks for is that you take opportunities as much as you can, whenever you can - opportunities to get involved, to learn more, etc.</p>
<p>Secondly, you can be SURE that even though helping a third-world country through some service program is somewhat helpful for your application (and is a great experience) unless you show an amazing amount of passion for something specific in that perspective, and it ties back in to who you are, what you want to accomplish, and really cements the idea of your personality in the application reader’s mind…it will look like something you did just to put on your application.<br>
We all know of that person or those people who wrote the following essay:</p>
<p>“Last summer, I visited <insert third=”" world=“” country=“”> and helped them <insert menial=“” task=“” world-changing=“” actions=“”>. It was an amazing experience, and I learned blah blah…
…
And now I know how to solve all of the world’s problems."</insert></insert></p>
<p>And the adcom reads the essay and thinks “Why does this 17-year-old think that he/she knows more about the world than I do? Lol” and tosses it aside, etc, etc…</p>
<p>LONG STORY SHORT you don’t need to do that kind of thing to make yourself stand out and be a good person ^_^</p>
<p>Don’t worry, I’m sure they will. I’m the opposite, study abroad two years and volunteering and programs every summer, but practically no APs and low standardized scores. My school did not offer APs until very recently though so I had no way of taking them. </p>
<p>On another note, I just got my acceptance from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland), which was my second choice, so my stress level went down 150% haha :D</p>
<p>Oh, and edz504, that e-mail scared the ***** out of me too. I actually got it right after I’d finished jumping up and down because of my U of St. A acceptance and my reaction was pretty much “OH MY GOD, I CANNOT handle this right now!”</p>
<p>DMADL92, congratulations on that acceptance!
And yeah we’re in relatively similar boats with the opportunities thing.</p>
<p>And @edz, yeah I guess you’re right. I’ve tried to demonstrate a passion and motivation for being helpful, social, interactive, encouraging, and developing people skills, and I think my ECs, essays, AND recommendations reflect that, so I’m hoping that various components of my application back up all the others.</p>
<p>@gotocolleges00n YES, but I’m starting to get the feeling that that’d just make the fall harder, you know? maybe not from others’ perspectives, but my own, yeah.</p>
<p>Just got a “letter of intent” in the mail from Princeton.
It’s not really a letter of intent, so much as a written agreement?
Recruited for Track.
Apparently the kid who threw one spot better than me at Nationals for discus, committed to UPenn?
Go figure</p>
<p>Usually they do.
From what the reps at Princeton, Stanford, Harvard told me, all I need to do is submit an application to the University. It just can’t be crappy. But it’s been guaranteed that I will get in.</p>
<p>Hey, do you guys think NOT applying for financial aid will increase your chances into the Ivies? No one dared to say that, but I heard it is true, especially since those college endowments suffered big loses due to the financial crisis in the last 3-4 years.</p>
<p>I don’t think so.
Considering endowments are running close to 1 billion plus, financial aid is not a problem considering many schools, like Wharton, are offering paid work programs for students, as well as student grants instead of loans, like Princeton and Harvard.
checking off that financial aid box will not affect your chances.</p>
<p>But then why must we submit the CSS Profile on the same due day as the SCEA date (Nov 1)? They could admit us on Dec 15 then send the aid award letter in March/April, if aid and admission are irrelevant.</p>
<p>I think you are over-analyzing that due date.
For example, most schools require the CSS profile to be turned in by that date.
Princeton requires it much later (January 1st)</p>