<p>Hello all, after some tinkering and thinking and theorizing and other such painful abstractions, here is the latest version of my list.</p>
<p>I want to change it.</p>
<p>I want to take out a school, maybe two, and add one in, maybe two. So, without posting my curriculum vitae or anything, I would appreciate it if you guys looked over this list and tell me anything that jumps out at you. I plan to major in engineering.</p>
<li><p>MIT (EA) <- my #1 choice.</p></li>
<li><p>Stanford</p></li>
<li><p>Olin</p></li>
<li><p>Harvard</p></li>
<li><p>Cornell</p></li>
<li><p>Carnegie Mellon</p></li>
<li><p>Rice</p></li>
<li><p>UMichigan</p></li>
<li><p>Case Western Reserve</p></li>
<li><p>UMass-Amherst <- my state school</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If, for instance, you can tell me why I should not apply to Stanford or Harvard, it would be helpful I’m trying to fit UIUC somewhere in here, although I hear some bad things about it. </p>
<p>I really need to fine-tune my list soon. Thanks!</p>
<p>harvard isn't really known for engineering, so you'd be applying only for the name...and i don't think that's a good reason to apply to a school
if u wanted to drop a school it should probably be harvard</p>
<p>I don't think ten is too many schools, especially as four of the schools are lottery schools for anyone. At this point, I'd stop worrying over the list and start working on the applications. That would be a far better use of your time and energy at this point in time than fretting over whether to drop School A or School B. After the results are back, you can fret all you want about which school to attend. :)</p>
<p>Harvard has a very minimal engineering program. You should drop it from your list. Don't waste the application fee. Olin is an unusual engineering school. Make sure it is the kind of experience you want. The rest on your list are excellent choices for engineering.</p>
<p>Maybe substitute U Penn or Princeton for Harvard. Maybe sub UIUC for U Mass (or Olin if it is not what you want), unless you want the financial option of the instate public.</p>
<p>I would definitely have a student-run tour or stay overnight at Olin before applying. You might end up questioning Harvard or Olin once you dig deeper.</p>
<p>Olin is a lottery for anyone. Predicting who gets an offer of admission after Candidate's Weekend is pretty difficult (after all, Candidate's Weekend is generally 150 great kids).</p>
<p>Olin is also a pretty nice financial option. Yes, fit is important, but it sounds like the OP has been tinkering with this list for a while and is probably aware that Olin is unique.</p>
<p>Yep, I've looked into Olin and know what it is, only I haven't gotten around to visiting it. I'll look more into Harvard's engineering program and may end up applying to Princeton (or UIUC, or both) instead, although I rather like Case Western as a school.</p>
<p>x_x </p>
<p>For the next few weeks I'm going to pretend there is one school only on my list and then if I have time, think about this afterwards.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You might end up questioning Harvard or Olin once you dig deeper.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Any special reason you say this? I can see questioning Harvard because of intended major, but as far as Olin goes? Yes, Olin is unique, but no two schools are exactly alike and no school is a fit for everyone...</p>
<p>If you really think you have a legitimate shot at MIT, Stanford, Olin and Harvard, you can probably consider CMU, Michigan, UIUC and Case Western as safe match or safety. You don't need four safeties.</p>
<p>I agree that you should substitute Princeton for Harvard.</p>
<p>If you are looking at MIT and Olin maybe also look at Harvey Mudd for Engineering. If you are going to drop Harvard for minimal engineering Mudd would be a good school to replace it with.</p>
<p>There is no reason to limit your number of apps at an arbitrary number (like 10), other than it is a big effort just to submit them. The 11th or 12th school you apply to might offer you a big scholarship. But don't apply to a school that you have no intention of enrolling in.</p>
<p>If you like MIT best, then you should consider CalTech and Harvey Mudd. The only school that doesn't follow form is Harvard, other than they let you take engineering classes at MIT. Another excellent EE school not yet mentioned is Rose-Hulman. If you like Case, keep it on the list. The student experience there is very different than UIUC and more like MIT's.</p>
<p>If you have the stats to be a serious candidate for MIT or Olin, then you can take off UMass.</p>
<p>Some of these apps are free anyway when done on line.</p>
<p>WS17, you say "the student experience there is very different than UIUC and more like MIT's." What do you mean by this about the student experience at UIUC? </p>
<p>I looked at Caltech before, but I really don't want my list top-heavy and ultimately decided to narrow it down to just Stanford (out of CA schools). I've also heard student life at Harvey Mudd is dull and unhappy, and that Rose-Hulman is very heavily disproportionately male, although I don't doubt that either of them are fine academically. </p>
<p>Right now I'm keeping UMass as my state school fallback and because I would qualify for free tuition, because all these other schools amount to astronomical costs; I'm a US Permanent Resident and don't know how that would affect the financial aid side of things. Although someone did mention, and I agree, don't apply to a school to which you really have no intention of going, and I suppose that's a little true of UMass. </p>
<p>-> I should note, if I get into MIT EA, then that will be it, I will be happy, and the stupid application process will be all over =)</p>
<p>UIUC is a huge state school, known for having classes taught by TAs, in a farm region, 90% of students are from IL, and possibly the largest greek community in the nation. You do get a Big 10 sports experience. Case is similar in size to MIT, also located in a major city, a more national student body, athletics are DivIII. I'd expect you would have more faculty and advisor interaction at Case than UIUC.</p>
I’m trying to fit UIUC somewhere in here, although I hear some bad things about it. </p>