Hey everyone,
I’m filling out the questionnaire for Stony Brook right now and it’s asking me the course level for a class.
What is the difference b/w accelerated and advanced? Also, do I put an AP course where I am not enrolled in the class but am taking the exam and self-studying?
Also, it is asking me about honors: “Do you wish to report any honors related to your academic achievements beginning with the ninth grade or international equivalent?*”
In what orders should I list my academic achievements? I listed all of them as the first post in the thread.
Some NY CCs and 4-year colleges offer different programs during your junior or senior year of HS, usually for students who already completed all of their graduation requirements before senior year started. If you were taking “accelerated” or “advanced” classes, you would know. The difference is in the number of credits/courses taken as well as which school you were taking them from.
Unfortunately, most schools do not care about which AP exams you are self studying for. If it isn’t a class that appears on your transcript, you don’t list it. You can self report scores for exams you have already taken and you could certainly list your intention to take others but in the test section, not in the class section.
For my school, there are HONORS courses. Does that count as accelerated? My school weights honors, AP, and regular courses all the same so being in an accelerated program does not mean I can graduate early.
No. If you are filling out the SUNY app, it is specifically asking about the “accelerated” and “advanced” programs, like these 2.
https://www.corning-cc.edu/admissions-future-students/asy.php
Ask your high school counselor— that’s what my daughter did.
What is the difference b/w University Scholars and Honors College? Which one do CS honors fall under?
“You may apply to The Honors College, WISE and University Scholars, however, applicants can only be accepted into one program. Indicate your preferred program.”
@stressed_out_high I don’t have answers to your current questions, but just wanted to say that I was really glad to read your recent post and to know that you are making progress with your applications. We’re all rooting for you!
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement!
On Naviance, Brown University said “Great News! Brown University would like to connect with you!”
I thought this was just an ad that was given to everyone, but apparently, it wasn’t (according to my friend).
What exactly is the significance of this? I was checking our school’s acceptance rate to Brown which only 9/162 got accepted (2021), so I was planning to ignore applying to Brown but this message suddenly popped up.
Marketing. Pure and simple. Read nothing else into it.
This is marketing. Your friend is only right in that it might be targeted to high SAT score receivers. But other than that…it means nothing.
On Common App which has “Sort by Deadline” and “Sort by Name”, is there a way to default to sort by deadline instead of constantly switching back to name?
I have no idea about how to sort the common AP. My reply was about the Brown contact which is marketing.
Unfortunately, if there is, I’m interested for the same reasons as you are. 
It’s seriously annoying. I sent them a message about it a few times. 
No, they do not count as accelerated classes.
In your case, accelerated classes would be classes that you took in Middle school that you received high school credit for.
If you took an honors course, that is what you put down.
@helpingmom40 is correct, the self-studied APs do not matter. Are you self studying for an AP course that was offered at your school? If yes, why did you not take the course at school?
WISE- Women in Science/Engineering (that would most likely not be you)
Hey everyone, working on my college apps rn: want to further distill my list of schools.
I came up with this somewhat-comprehensive list of schools. However, given the amount of time left, it is not a good idea to do all of them.
Please give me some advice on which schools I should prioritity. My plan is ED2 UChicago.
Safety:
• SUNY Bing
• SUNY Stony Brook
• NYU
• Emory
• Georgia Institute of Tech
Target:
• University of Michigan
• UChicago
• Carnegie Mellon
• Cornell
• Harvey Mudd
• Rice
Reach
• Vanderbilt
• Columbia
• Brown
• CalTech
• Pomona
• Stanford
• UPenn
• Yale
All of these schools are reaches except Suny Bing and Stony Brook. You need to cut back on the list, you can not adequately do all of these supplemental essays in the next few weeks.
I am not sure how to cut them…maybe the ones farthest from home that will cost $ to get to? The smallest ones? I would limit your reach applications to 3…which are your favorites?
Then I would add a few targets, unless you would be happy at the Sunys and they are affordable (are they?). I don’t think you have a safety either, but the SUNYs may be highly likelies. @sybbie719 what do you think? Should OP add Buffalo?
ETA: Have you requested the LoR from your HS GC?
Pick 6-8.
I think all are reaches except the two SUNYs, which I am assuming are safeties based on previous posts. If they are matches instead of safeties, then definitely add another safety or two.
Is Chicago a clear favorite for you? If so, why? Note that their essay requirements are like no other school’s and will likely require a lot of work that can’t be repurposed for other applications.
Given your math strength, I would keep CalTech on your Reach list if the NPC works out and if it appeals for other reasons. Maybe Harvey Mudd as well.
If you would be fine at the SUNYs, then I don’t think you need matches and can focus on the reaches. I would order the reaches by priority (make sure the finances work, though, by running the NPC for each college) and work your way through them. Stop when you’ve had enough of writing essays.
Note that it can be really helpful to make a spreadsheet with all the supplemental essay requirements for each college (including word length). When you see some that overlap enough that you can repurpose some essays, then that makes it easy to apply to both. Don’t underestimate how much time it can take to answer even the simple, short-answer questions — or to make a long essay shorter due to different word length requirements.
Good luck! I’m rooting for you!
Edited to say: don’t underestimate the time it takes to answer the questions and essays well. These are all critical parts of the application and should be given care and attention.