<pre><code> I know that I don't have what it takes to be accepted at an Ivy League school. I barely study and I know I should have worked harder in school and studied harder for the SAT. The problem is, my parents think that I'm this amazing student and that I have a shot except they haven't seen the stats of the students that get into these type of schools. I have no problem staying in state. I had originally told my dad that I did not want to go out of state for financial reasons but now that is no longer a good reason because he has offered to pay. I would be grateful if i could get into Cornell or NYU or Northwestern or Carnegie Mellon. But is this a realistic goal?
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<p>I'm so stressed out that I'm having trouble even writing the supplement essay. They want me to apply to almost every Ivy League school, which means more than 8 essays by Jan 1st. I really don't want to disappoint them. </p>
<p>Should I even apply to these top schools?
What should I do?</p>
<p>Can you show your parents the median GPAs and test scores for the schools they want you to apply to? I agree, adding these schools, to which NO ONE has a high chance of getting accepted, is not something you need to be dealing with right now! Good luck.</p>
<p>Is your dad saying that he’ll pay if you get into an ivy…does that mean that he won’t pay if you get into another good school? Is his offer to pay only contingent on an ivy admission?</p>
<p>Are your parents together?</p>
<p>Yes…show your parents the mid quartile ranges for various ivies…</p>
<p>Here’s some to help you out…</p>
<p>Princeton… (again, this represents the 2 middle quartiles…25% are below these number (like athetes) and 25% are above this number)</p>
<p>Test Scores Middle 50% of First-Year Students </p>
<p>95% in top 10th of graduating class
100% in top quarter of graduating class
100% in top half of graduating class
83% had h.s. GPA of 3.75 and higher
11% had h.s. GPA between 3.5 and 3.74
4% had h.s. GPA between 3.25 and 3.49
2% had h.s. GPA between 3.0 and 3.24</p>
<p>Cornell</p>
<p>Test Scores Middle 50% of First-Year Students </p>
<p>My parents do know the middle range for these schools. However, they think that because I am an URM and have good extracurriculars( I am on Varsity and was a State Representative for my Track Team) that this changes everything.</p>
<p>Thank You for posting information about Princeton and Cornell, but I have looked over this myself again and again, and so has my dad. </p>
<p>Yes, my parents are together.</p>
<p>My dad has offered to pay if I get in the Top 15-20 school.</p>
<p>Wow your dad is sort of being unfair, even the most talented of students get rejected from top 20 schools…There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to a school ranked below 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 or 60…it’s all about what you can make out of the opportunity.</p>
<p>But if you do want to get into an Ivy, Cornell would probably be your best bet…but it’s still extremely difficult.</p>
<p>Listen, I understand your stressed. You should sit with your parents and have a heart to heart discussion with them. Tell them you don’t want to do this and explain why. I’m sorry to say your scores are mediocre and I would be surprised if you got in. If you are happy going to state school then do it. Make sure your parents understand that its you going to school, not them.</p>
<p>First off: it sounds like you’re going to work harder in college. I’m sure you’re going to end up making your parents proud in the long term. </p>
<p>The first big question is if you really WANT to go to any of these schools. You say you “would be grateful if i could get into Cornell or NYU or Northwestern or Carnegie Mellon”. That’s not the same thing as saying that you’d love to attend. If there are one or two or three schools on this list that make your heart go thumpety-thump with excitement, then apply to those. Don’t apply to the entire Ivy League. Tell your parents that since you have limited time to work on supplements that you want to concentrate your efforts on a few schools so that you can really make those essays sing. This, incidentally, is a wise approach regardless of your stats. Spread your efforts among too many applications and none of them will be compelling to an admissions representative. </p>
<p>If you don’t want to apply to any of these schools and you find yourself too stressed, then don’t stress about it at all. Turn in whatever you have, then look convincingly contrite when thin letters (thin emails?) arrive. Your parents will never know. :)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
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<p>Were you a recruited athlete at any of the schools you mention? If not, that should be another indicator to your parents that your track team accomplishments aren’t going to be enough to grant you admission.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posts that if you don’t really want to go to these top schools, just submit your apps without any huge effort and let the results fall as they may.</p>
<p>Since your dad has stated that he’ll pay for a top 15 school, I’m not sure what that means. Does that mean his checkbook is shut if you don’t get into one of those schools, but get in elsewhere? Does that mean he won’t pay ANYTHING for anywhere else?</p>
<p>Anyway…sometimes when parents do/say (dumb) things like this, it’s best just to proceed with the apps and when they see that they’re wrong, they probably will pay for wherever the best school that you do get accepted to. Because, what can they do/say at that point? It’s not like they can claim that they can’t afford it or that you didn’t try.</p>
<p>Wow, I know exactly how you feel. I tried explaining to my parents how I felt, but they replied back with “if you try it won’t hurt.” In the end I decided it was the least I could do for them, but I told them I would cap the Ivy application # at two.</p>
<p>Maybe you can do the same? Pick out the two you like best, actually try for them since you won’t be as stressed applying to a bunch of them, and then see how it goes? It’s all out ouf your hands once you submit.</p>
<p>Well if your parents are REALLY adamant that you apply to an Ivy League, I would recommend one of Cornell’s state-funded schools -like ILR. I know a guy who had similar stats (but he was 1/2 Native American/lived in Ithaca), and got in ED to Agricultural. His SATs were probably similar to yours too. Good luck.</p>
<p>See if there’s a way you can only apply to a few Ivies. They’re all unrealistic (you know that), and there’s no reason to burden yourself with 8 apps.</p>
<p>I don’t know if they keep track of stuff like this since they get a ton of applicants, but will submitting a horrible application for undergrad affect my chances for graduate school at a certain school?</p>
<p>Honestly I don’t think they have the time to keep track.</p>
<p>However, I wouldn’t recommend sending in a bad application. In my opinion, if you’re gonna bother applying, try your best because you don’t want to wonder what if, or be unhappy that you did it poorly. Pick one or two and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>I know Columbia has a short supplement and Harvard’s is optional. However, you might want to look at the others for a closer shot?</p>
I know a guy who had similar stats (but he was 1/2 Native American/lived in Ithaca), and got in ED to Agricultural. His SATs were probably similar to yours too. Good luck.</p>