Schools to apply to like Cornell?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Ok, Since my Criteria are basically confined to the Northeast, my old list of 32 schools became around 20. Its a considerable reduction, but this list is much more realistic. Here it is:</p>

<p>1- Cornell
2- NYU
3- U of R
4- Boston U
5- Brandeis
6- Brown
7- Lehigh
8- Colgate
9- Vassar
10- Tufts
11- Georgetown
12- GWU
13- JHU
14- Syracuse
15- SUNY Bing
16- SUNY Buffalo
17- SUNY Stony
18- SUNY Geneseo
19- U Pittsburgh
20- Union College
21- Penn State</p>

<p>What is your opinion on the list, considering im doing ED Cornell? Good avg, really good extracurriculars, the normal Cornell wannabe. </p>

<p>I will narrow this down to a 10-12 anyway so i need to cut out 8, leaving some reaches, possibles and safeties.</p>

2

<p>You need to post some sort of stats, even if it is general, for anyone to help you. Information of what your looking for in college would help too.</p>

3

<p>As for my stats:</p>

<p>-3.9 GPA (94.0 cumulative unweighted)
-SAT's - unknown at the moment, taking them in June (what should be my goal for Cornell, and other schools that i listed?)
-Im taking 2 APs now (US Hist/Bio) and 2 SAT IIs in May (US Hist/Bio)
-Taking AP English and AP Physics B next year
-Im in Spanish Honors for 3 years, and Pre-Calc Honors for a year</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
-President/Founder of Young Democrats chapter at my school
-Chairman of Transp/Mass Comm Committee at NYC Model Congress
-Editor/Sci Advisor of school's Biology Journal (publication)
-Did 100 hrs of hospital volunteer work
-Currently researching epilepsy at a research hospital; going to publish a journal dissertation to be submitted to several competitions like Intel Science and Siemens-Westinghouse
-Conducted a cancer fundraising campaign at school
-Member of Arista and Archon
-Member of Amnesty International</p>

<p>Awards/Nominations
-Nominated on various writing contests- Poetry and Essay Contests Nationally
-Invited to National Student Leadership Conference
-Invited to National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
-National Honor Roll
-Whos Who Among HS Students</p>

<p>My combined interest in Medicine and Politics have been stated as a unique combo which i can use to my benefit for my college app essay or something of that sort.</p>

4

<p>Eliminated
Dickinson, Drexel, Amherst, Swarthmore, Williams, Fordham, Columbia, UPenn, UCT, Univ of Sciences in Philly</p>

<p>You may wonder why i eliminated AWS--liberal arts schools...dunt think its right for me, also VERY competitive and small.
Columbia and UPenn because they are too competitive and there are so many great schools on my list that considering my 10-12 skool application limit, it would be a waste to apply to them.</p>

5

<p>what im looking for in a college is a fairly large school...favorable is 5000+, diverse student body, good pre-med but also strong in others like social sciences, and law-related fields...like Cornell basically. All those schools are located in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic. Thats where i prefer to stay. Urban/rural isnt really a factor, since i love being near a city, but my number 1 is in Ithaca, so i cant really rely on that. Based on my GPA, my activities, interests, etc, thats how i formed this list after eliminating 10 schools listed on another post.</p>

6

<p>HELP! I need to narrow this down to around 5 reach/5 possible/ 5 safety</p>

7

<p>Until you have SAT/ACT scores, we cannot give you accurate information.</p>

8

<p>Well, im guessing i will get in the 1300s range..I took a diagnostic and i got a 1250, but its early, im taking it in June. I know 1500s wont happen. 1400s probably not either. </p>

<p>So tentatively, thats my "score".</p>

9

<p>Have you considered taking the ACT?</p>

10

<p>If you really like Cornell, Vassar should not be on your list...it's got very little in common with Cornell.</p>

11

<p>Im trying to eliminate several that are totally out of my league when it comes to academics...campus life...etc etc...considering my number 1 is Cornell.</p>

<p>For example, i eliminated Dickinson and Drexel, though fairly good schools, i heard and research that the academic level at those schools is too low for my intellectual standard (considering my GPA, involvement, etc)</p>

<p>So for now, i DONOT need a list of the schools i will ACTUALLY APPLY TO...I need a list that is tentative and has the schools that fit me. Because im sure some of these schools completely do not fit me and i just need a person who knows this to tell me.</p>

12

<p>Well i live in NYC...ACT not very popular here...not at all on the East Coast for that matter</p>

13

<p>Its really strange...i heard to keep Vassar considering I love Cornell.</p>

14

<p>Well if you really think about it, then all the liberal arts schools left on my list...Colgate, Vassar and Union are not like Cornell.</p>

15

<p>I live in New York and have taken the ACT. There are a fair number of highschools in NY that offer the ACT. The ACT-Midwest stereotype is quickly fading away.</p>

16

<p>But i take princeton review SAT....going to the ACT completely derails everything.</p>

17

<p>I find it odd that you are eliminating some schools because they are "too competitive", but then your goal is Cornell.</p>

<p>Cornell is about as competitive a school as you will find, my friend. I went there a good long time ago, but I hear the reports of the current students at our alumni functions and this has not changed.</p>

<p>If you are desiring something a bit more mellow do not attend Cornell. You won't find what you want there.</p>

<p>Unless, of course, you were just talking about admission odds. That's a different story.</p>

18

<p>
[quote]
I find it odd that you are eliminating some schools because they are "too competitive", but then your goal is Cornell. Cornell is about as competitive a school as you will find, my friend.

[/quote]
I was surprised by this as well. Cornell has never had a "grade inflation" problem, like some schools--quite the reverse. It's usually described in Swarthmore-like terms: "Anyplace else, it would have been an "A".</p>

19

<p>No, actually, i thrive in competition at my HS now with about 100 people with averages over 95. My HS is one of the best in the nation, by the way. I took off competitive schools because i dont see the point in wasting time, energy, and money in applying to schools like the trio, AWS, since they are extremely competitive and extremely small compared to Cornell. Many people have told me that my chances in Cornell are VERY GOOD. So i dont see Cornell as VERY competitive for me. Even my college counselor told me that. Columbia/UPenn i drew out for various factors, not just competitiveness, though the competition for Columbia is HIGH! Please believe me when i tell you that, its so high, that in my HS, only TWO PEOPLE make it every year to Columbia. There are so many people at my school with higher averages and SAT's like 95+ and 1400+ that there would be no point. </p>

<p>Therefore, i'd rather invest my time, energy, and money in good schools like U of R, Brandeis, Cornell, Boston U, and NYU where my chances are higher. </p>

<p>Lets get something straight about admissions, I have seen many seniors at school and the whole admissions game is so disgusting to me. I know a guy who knows someone who works in admissions at Columbia and he got in. Thats ridiculous! Also, i think we should all announce the fact that all the Ivies are just pathetic in their strong focus on SAT scores, ESPECIALLY at Columbia. </p>

<p>I think people need to wake up and breathe some life into them to realize that what will guide you in life as not only a successful student, but a successful person is individuality, uniqueness, motivation, and aspiration not a 3.8 hour test that doesnt test anything but how well you use process of elimination. It just makes me very angry, sorry. </p>

<p>So thats why i hate Columbia. Plus their retention rate is much lower than Cornells which is about 96% i believe, VERY HIGH.</p>

20

<p>Also, to answer to the grade inflation/deflation comment. Yes, its true that im fully aware of Cornell's grade deflation problem, and as you say, Swarthmore too. But what can you do. People get into great graduate schools after Cornell. I find it odd that at the Cornell University thread, the attitude towards Cornell is quite different, that of ardent appraisals. </p>

<p>Grade deflation is a problem at Johns Hopkins too, but its a great school, what am i supposed to do, go to the schools where its easier to get a high grade? Yes, in the end, i will scream at myself for not going to an easy school, but i would like to have the name Cornell on my resume. But DONOT assume that i want Cornell just for that. FAR FROM THAT. </p>

<p>After doing extensive research, i grew very fond of the school and i decided it was my dream school about a year ago, back in sophomore year! Again, i know about the grade deflation problem, im sure its not as prevalent as you say it is.</p>