Trying to Figure out Where I Stand

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Hi All,
I'm new here, and as I start the college process I'm trying to understand where I should be looking and how I should be understanding my chances, and I'd love to get a little bit of wisdom from the crowd. I'm working very hard to have a healthy attitude about college, with my number one priority being going to a place where I will be happy. I generally pride myself on keeping college admissions within perspective, knowing that it is not the be-all-end-all of my existence, and not even of my academic career. That being said, I'm trying to figure out how dillusional I am about the schools I want to apply to, and would appreciate anyone's feedback on the kind of standing I'm in. Here's a bit about me, I'm happy to share more:</p>

<p>I'm a white junior boy at a prep school in New England.
I've taken the hardest classes available to me, and -- with the exception of a B+ in art -- I've had all As and A-'s in my time here.
I have a 2290 (800 cr, 720 m, 770 wr) on the SAT I and a 760 on SAT II Chem.</p>

<p>My two big passions are science (especially biology) and politics/political action. With regards to science, I've interned at a lab at an ivy league school and will be a co-author on a couple studies to be published. I'm the head of the science newspaper and I was a member of a robotics team from elementary school through this year but have had to quit because of family circumstances. In politics, I've volunteered and been a youth leader in a campaign and I am the head of my political group at school. I've started a political newspaper and worked to get people at my school more involved, including going a trip with spiritual leaders in my community to lobby for social justice in washington. </p>

<p>Outside of my big interests, I'm a three season (definitely not varsity) athlete, I had a summer job programming at a consulting firm, I do community service and went on an exchange last year with my school.</p>

<p>So that's my bio, I hope it's not too long. I want to be in an intellectually passionate school where it's still possible to have a social life, and I think my top choice is Princeton. I also really love Brown. So here comes my question. I know that those schools are reaches for most people, including me, so I can understand that. But I met with my college counselor recently, and he seemed to think that those were big reaches, and so were most of the other schools I want to apply to, including Tufts, Michigan, William and Mary, CMU, UNC, USC, Rice, and Emory. Are these really all reaches? How do I start whittling down the list to find safeties and middle-level schools? </p>

<p>I hope this isn't too long a post, and any feedback is welcome.
Thanks a ton!</p>

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<p>I’d say it’s kind of a toss-up. Unfortunately, you’re going to find that it’s really difficult to overcome that prep school/New England/white/male status. I was accepted to Rice this year, and I’m ecstatic because after looking through the stats of other students who were accepted and rejected, I’m lucky I got in. I scored 2140 on SAT, 34 ACT, 5 AP Bio, 4 AP Lit, and I’m immensely involved in ECs. Fortunately, I really stressed my upbringing (poor rural farm kid from Midwest) as a diversity factor, even though I’m white/female. Honestly, find something that makes you different and exploit that to your utmost ability, because in the sea of amazing test scores and credentials, you have to stand out somehow.</p>

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<p>So apply SCEA to Princeton!</p>

<p>Princeton: Reach
UMI: Low match (can you pay full freight?)
W&M: Match
CMU: High match
UNC: Reach
USC: Match
Rice: High match
Emory: Match
Tufts: Reach</p>

<p>Get yourself a safety!</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot for your input. Yes, I will need financial aid, probably a reasonable amount. I have an unusual family situation and one of my parents left (ugh I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told to use that as a college essay – definitely not). I’ve had a somewhat difficult high school experience because I’ve had to deal with my family, who have struggled with mental illness and that is why I now do not live with one of my parents.</p>

<p>I forgot to ask about Penn, Brown (I’m legacy), and Duke, but I assume those are the same?</p>

<p>I guess what I dont understand is what else I could be doing. I don’t mean this in an obnoxious way, I know there are plenty of well (better) qualified kids. But if I have activities outside of school where I am a leader, very involved, and very passionate, and I have grades and scores that are right in the ranges of all of these schools, what am I missing? I really am genuinely passionate about what I do, and I’ve gone out of my way NOT to join/do things just for college because that always upset me to see people doing.</p>

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<p>Oh, and one other thing I forgot to add about my passions. I love to build things. I’ve been involved in electrical engineering and computer science as a hobby for a while. I dont want to pursue them as a career but I really like to tinker and build neat projects on the side.</p>

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<p>I know it’s hard to use a tough family situation as a springboard for an essay, but if you could somehow share your unique story and NOT make it a sob-story, that’s going to set you apart, especially if you can tie it to your major and career goals. Legacy at Brown will be a huge advantage. That little bit of spitfire we got a hint of in your last post is what you need to set you apart. Emphasize passion and loyalty, colleges love that and it sets you apart.</p>

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<p>With the “tinkering” thing–I can see this as a potential for a really good essay. If you could somehow connect “tinkering” with your viewpoint on life (striving to achieve? “tinkering” aspects in your life to benefit you just like they would a machine?) I could see that being really interesting and different.</p>

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<p>You have a great application, however those schools are still reaches. They are for everyone and you can’t guarantee that you will get in. Really, there isn’t anything else you can do except, as my dad says “cast a wide net, and hope you catch a fish”. Make sure you apply to a lot of school, but don’t expect to get into places like Harvard, brown, duke, Princeton.
As far as non-reach schools go, have you looked at Villanova? It seems to be up your alley and a place you Should get in to. Also I would tell you to find a slam dunk school that you like. A school that has your major, you can get a scholarship to, and you would be happy at. That is something like penn state if you live in pa or university of Alabama I you live in Alabama. I’m not sure what a New England equivalent is, but maybe look into holy cross (if you are catholic) or Boston university.</p>

<p>As far as solid schools you will get into go, I would suggest you look at the following as backups(in no particular order):

  1. St Joseph’s university, Philadelphia PA
  2. Loyola Univeristy Chicago, Chicago
  3. Loyola university maryland, bit more MD
  4. Univeristy of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA
  5. Providence, providence RI</p>

<p>If you need more of these kinds of schools because you google these and don’t like them, let me know and I can list 10-15 more like it.
These should be the backup type schools for you that you know you will get into and then the dukes and princetons are your stretches…</p>

<p>Hope this helps!!!</p>

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<p>very good!</p>

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<p>TBH, my interest in biology is actually really related to my family. The most exciting and interesting part of biology for me is where it interfaces with psychology (Penn has a major called biological basis of behavior which seems incredibly cool), and this interest has drastically shaped and been shaped by how I see mental illness in my family. I love philosophy (but have no formal academic experience in it) and work very hard to develop a consistent credo, which frequently involves my knowledge and work in biology. What’s happened in my family makes me think a lot about the biological basis for our actions – what is our fault, and what is illness? if we attribute abnormally hurtful actions to mental illness and therefore absolve the individual of responsibility, do we take away responsibilty for abnormally great actions as well?
Sorry for the rant, just thought i’d give a clue about how I think about things…</p>

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<p>axsd67 thanks a lot. I just had been getting the impression today that there was something I was doing wrong…
I think my school like that might be McGill? By the admissions standards, I’m in, and I love it. A lot.</p>

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<p>See, that “rant” sounds like a really great starting point for an amazing essay to me. I’ve never heard of McGill, but if it’s a school you could really see yourself in, then I would start showing that loyalty. Schedule an on-campus interview. Tour. Get in contact with admissions, but don’t seem too needy. Those little things show a school that you’re really interested, and that matters greatly.</p>

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<p>I had not thought of McGill, but that is a great school! I actually had a friend who goes there and loves it! And I think I’d agree that you’ll get in there for sure.
Glad my post helped, and best of luck to you!</p>

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<p>I too love McGill and am looking at going there! It’s awesome because not a lot of Americans know about it, but it’s constantly ranked higher than universities like Northwestern, Georgetown, and Berkeley. McGill would definitely be a safety school for you. . .33 on the ACT will qualify you for merit aid.</p>

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<p>Try Berkeley as a non-reach if you can afford it… The only reason McGill is ranked higher than Berkeley to some people’s eyes is because Berkeley, while fantastic in many graduate areas (economics, physics, engineering, etc.), is a little lacking for undergrad. </p>

<p>As far as getting into McGill is concerned, no consideration of ECs, no letters of recommendation required; I would recommend that school for people who, for a reason or another, have had horrible ECs, yet are 3.5+/2000+ students, especially if one intends to do something other than STEM (since STEM is overpriced).</p>