WASH U - ED II Chances

Colleges & Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I am planning on applyging to Wash U ED II if I get deferred from Duke ED and thus I was wondering if my stats are qualified and if I have a good chance at Wash U.</p>

<p>-Profile:-</p>

<p>-Asian Indian from New Jersey</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT I- 1480/ Math IC - 760, Math IIC - 800, Bio- 790, Physics- 790, Latin- 750, Writing- 640/</p>

<p>8 APs: Biology, AB Calc, BC Calc, Latin: Vergil, Chemistry, Physics B, English Language, Statistics
-Mostly 5's and 4's</p>

<p>Grades:
Freshman year, I had attended a prep school in which I received a 98.5 average with the highest GPA of a 4.2/4.2 with the most difficult courses and perhaps ranked in the top three students academically.</p>

<p>(Sophmore-Senior)
I attend an elite boarding school, Deerfield Academy, where about 33% of the seniors attend the Ivy Leagues. At this difficult place, I, personally, have an 88 average. The school, however, does not rank. The kids who get accepted to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale get around a 90-93 average. Thus, this school is very competetive and a feeder to the top universities. I am on target for perhaps the lower end of the Ivies and other great institutions.</p>

<p>I actually just graduated and I enrolled at Vandy but I am taking a year off. I did not get into Cornell RD and got waitlisted at JHU. My current plans are to attend a biomedical science college in India, do research, do many community service in the neighboring areas and in hospitals, and come back with a solid foundation entering pre-med in college. I hope this is a good idea to benefit myself as an individual and also for colleges to look upon.</p>

<p>Also, another question, as I take a year off, will colleges consider and lean towards primarily on my senior year grades and what I do the year off?</p>

<p>P.S.- Those sat IIs and 4 additional Ap courses are new and after the deadline that I am adding for my re-applying process this year so I dont want you guys to consider that the same results would proceed again this year.
Also, I realize the 640 SAT II writing is bad, but I heard that they may not consider writing so my 1480 is pretty legit as one component.</p>

<p>I have a great list of extra-curriculars which I have not compiled yet but will do so. But I have had many leadership obligations and awards with a well-rounded base that ranges from amazing,
- excellent community service from all kinds with many hours and extends to an international scope.
-Dance for 5 years and choreographer and leader of various genres. We have an excellent program
-Vbaseball 2 years - went to new england championship. Varsity Soccer and swimming for 1 year.
-Debate with a few awards. Math team with many awards and great scores & percentiles nationally.
-President of several significant clubs that have made impact on the community and to myself. -Dance, Yoga, Black student Association, Vocal percussion-
-Piano for 7 years- taking lessons, performing in recitals and bands. Some accapella (vocal percussionist).
-Big Brother/Math Tutor/Buddy system/Head Tour Guide/Technology Proctor/Website Editor/Hospital Volunteering</p>

<h2>I have additional great activites plus awards whcih I have not listed. But most ly, I hope what I have done in such an environment and caliber of my school is what will be impressive to colleges.</h2>

<p>Reccs: 7 reccs (too much probably, but I know the will read it as they will provide different perspectives on myself)
-2 history, 1 Latin, 2 Science Reccs from (India), 1 Advisor, 1 Dance Teacher</p>

<p>-I will make a community service portfolio with my excellent activities that ranges from international experiences to my local community.
-Also I will send a dance tape and resume as well as a reserach report(s) of the science work I do from India.
-Also, my grandmother passed away during exam week during a term where I received an average of 83. This was sophmore year and I hope WUSTL understands this number as I will be sure to write a letter.</p>

<p>Other than, I am not sure about ED II because I realize not that many colleges have it. But, can you guys rate my chances?</p>

2

<p>you can never really rate ur chances. Its all based on whether WashU can find a place for you on campus. Make sure you're unique</p>

3

<p>lol, you will get in</p>

4

<p>You have solid stats, however your writing score prompts me to suggest that you check your essay over and over with many people in all departments (is it compelling? correct grammar? etc etc) Even people with solid stats get rejected for mediocre essays so now that youve got the stats focus on the essay. </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

5

<p>thanks, i may not apply because of cutthroat pre-med. But if I do a math major, will it be better? then I may consider WashU. If I dont get into Duke ED, do you I have a better shot at WashU ED II compared to Johns Hopkins. Cornell, and Northwestern. Its just the ED part that is a bit different in terms of comparing one's chances.</p>

<p>Thanks...</p>

6

<p>You got waitlisted from JHU and denied from Cornell. Looking at yours stats I would say you definently passed the first rounds (formula based) and lost the second round of essays and interviews. If you got rejected by your stats, then the students of your year are insane and I cant help you, but I highly doubt that. So im assuming your essay was not written very well. No offense of course, but that is the logical explanation. Hopefully you havent submitted your essay to WashU or Duke yet, so here are some pointers.</p>

<p>Essay
1) Does your essay talk about who YOU are? </p>

<p>2) Does it fall into generic categories such as "my parents forced me to play piano and it filled my life with so and so drama, but in the end I learned so and so lesson" and "I did this in high school and this and this and this and this, by the way im very deep because i write poetry, and this and oh yes I was the president of the next 40 clubs..."? The reader of your essay will be reading hundreds of essays, if you fall into generic categories you will either be rejected or pushed torward the bottom of the pile. Readers are looking for students with potential, students who understand themselves and their actions not their accomplishments. THEY ALREADY KNOW YOUR SMART AND THAT YOU LOVE YOUR COMMUNITY FROM ROUND 1. ROUND 2 IS ABOUT WHY YOU DID THOSE THIGNS AND WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FUTURE!
Remember your essay is in essence a marketing device for YOU. What appeals to people? A generic intro like "when I was four so and so CHANGED MY LIFE OMGOMGOMG" or "That day she fell out of the tree and died of a hemmorage. I had watched her die." You might think this is an extreme introduction. In fact it is and thats what makes it great. It focuses the reader immediatley on key words and grasps the reader's attention. Whether or not you KEEP the readers attention now depends on how you unfold your story and how YOU INCORPORATE YOUR CHARACTER into it. After 30 essays about students struggling and gaining inspiration through "revelation" you need to put a new twist on your essay and send the reader on a roller coaster ride instead of on Its a Small World After All with the song repeating over and over again except in different languages. I think Ive made the point here</p>

<p>3) DID YOU CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR?</p>

<p>4) DID YOU CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR A SECOND TIME?</p>

<p>5) DID YOU CHECK YOUR SPELLING? AGAIN?
Many top colleges will reject you the moment they find more than 2 or 3 errors because it shows you really dont care enough to check and have others check. After all you have an English teacher, you have WORD for heaven's sake and you have time. Its not drastic at all. Effort Shows Desire.</p>

<p>6) Are you trying too hard? When they say write 900 words, dont try writin 5 million. 900-950 is fine anything less than 900 is unacceptable and although more than 900 is okay, overboard writing just drags the pain on for the reader. If your going to write more than asked for you better be damn good and i mean DAMN good or else your just shooting yourself in the foot. MORE IS NOT GOOD, MORE IS ONLY GOOD WHEN THE WRITING ITSELF IS OF HIGH CALIBER.</p>

<p>7) Did you have other people read it? Sure its embrassing, sure you might ifnd it uncomfortable, but hey if your embarased enough about sharing your essay with others that youll sacrifice an opportunity to a college education that by the way less than 50 of 1000 people in the world will get, then sorry better luck next time. BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT IT IS NECESSARY AND VITAL FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO READ YOUR ESSAY FOR YOU. You can immediatley tel from their reaction if your essay is good enough. If they give a paused reaction like they sort of stare at your paper a little and slowly tell you that its uh pretty uh good....yeah..its good...relly its pretty good. Then its probably not interesting. If they skim over it then either one they dont really care to be helping your or dont have the time so them reading it wont be worthwhile anyways (so get them when they arent busy) or else they are skimming because the theyve lost interest in the middle of your essay but dont want to hurt your feeling so they skim to read faster but seem like they are just fast readers. A truely good essay will get a wow from your trusted friends. Even better a wow from a counslor you dont know very well.</p>

<p>those are a few tips. but yeah really your stats are good enough that you can assume its your essay that shot you down with JHU and cornell so really concentrate on your essay</p>

7

<p>Yea, it wasnt much of my academic base but the quality of my application...not a great reccomendation but good, and perhaps not great esays.</p>

8

<p>gl7, you are really hardcore with advice and I love it.. if I get peaced from DUKE early decision, WASH U ED II maybe...but assuming good essay, how do you compare my chances ED II (WUSTL) with NWU, Cornell, and JHU -RD ??</p>

9

<p>WUSTL right now is in what I call "its time to make ourselves look better" US NEWS is a big player in that and the way ranking works in that has alot to do with SCORES, so that is actually in YOUR favor because your scores are nice. That means you have a higher chance of being accepted at WUSTL. Since you already applied to JHU CORNELL and lost you no have experience to provide a BETTER application to WUSTL. Really EDII doesnt do much except give you a higher up line in the order of readings. Youll still get rejected if you have a bad essay interview etc. EDII just shows that you have a greater interest and it will give you brownie points, but then again youve got to consider most EDII are pretty sure they will go to that school. EDII gives you bonus points and that is strictly set by each school and their respective famous secret formulas for round 1. I do not work for them so I wouldnt know and if I did it would be illegal for me to tell you. I personally would say you have a good shot at WUSTL with EDII and ultimatley I think youll like WASHU better than NWU Cornell JHU for a variety of reasons so applying EDII at WASHU is better. HOWEVER once again you have a good chance ANYWHERE really with EDII IF YOU HAVE A GOOD ESSAY. EDII will not simply tip the balance. I personally suggest you apply to WASHU because of there current state of "we want up in the ranks whoring" but tahts your choice. Remember EDII is binding! And dont just shake that off. Cornell is in the middle of nowhere with on road going in and out which has the potential for blocking off and then all the Cornell students are stuck in the isolated area prime for scary things, NWU is also in the middle of nowhere but not as bad. JHU is in a very veyr bad town, and I mean bad I visited all these places. JHU was the worst by far. Dont say Academics is all your looking for. Believe my comfortable surroundings is BIG factor in your ability to perform and utlizie academic opportunities (ITS SCIENTIFIC!) I mean consider this, if your at Harvard but you hate everything abou it, you wont try as hard, because your set in a negative mindset. Same here EDII is binding, unless your just absolutley desperate seriously consider what YOU want in a college. WashU is in St. LOuis and in the good par tof St. Louis and the campus is beautiful, St. Louis although not LA is an urban city and so has thigns to do (Nelly, is from here after all).</p>

<p>BTW if you think WASHU premed is cutthroat I really dont understand why you want to apply to CORNELL and JHU which are by FARRRRRRRRRRRR worse places. Cornell's pre med students are notorious for unfair practices or messing up other people's labs, etc etc JHU is FILLED with pre meds who are just insane to say the least. WASHU as many many will tell you has PRE MED STUDENTS WHO ARE HUMBLE AND FAIR. I am myself a pre med student and thats why I chose WUSTL. The students are very studious, but they do their own thing and strive to compete with fairness. Sure there are rotten apples but there are rotten apples in every bunch. WUSTL does not have the arrogance of an IVY league. In fact, Pre Meds here help each other which is really unheard of at other colleges. PREMED is cuthroat at any high end college. the seperating factor is fairness and respect which WASHU is known for. </p>

<p>For example I just septn an hour giving you advice ahahah jpjp </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

10

<p>thanks a lot man. That was good advice, but you seemed to focus a lot on location. JHU I understand that it is all gangsterr and hardcore street because I personally do not want to get shot or anything. But Cornell and NWU are decent locations and NWU has great sports for an active envioronment. Both NWU and WASH U are places I both like a lot. It is great that you are a premed to get advice from. So I mean, I think I will actually major in math and minor in bio or physics and thus I guess I won't experience the cuttthroat atmosphere. But I still have a few mroe specific questions if you can answer since you yourself were making this decision several years ago.</p>

<p>1.) Which has grade inflation, or at least the highest inflation and great curves..particularly in subjects such as science and math..I hear Cornell is brutal and JHU is pretty bad...not surea bout NWU</p>

<p>2.) Which provides better oppotunities for a pre-med.</p>

<p>3.) This question is big because I am not sure if I should commit ED II unless it significantly makes it harder for me to get in. The thing is, percentage wise, JHU, Cornell, and NWu all have higher acceptance rates Reg Decision. So, in your opinion would ED II really bolster and improve my chances more than RD. I mean I was wondering if you can base this on my stats and assume I will have a good essay.</p>

<p>4.) P.s. what do you think about my chances for Duke ED..?</p>

<p>thanks.</p>

11

<p>Very very hard. If you didn't go to Duke Visits or anything like that, they probably won't take you. I got waitlisted to duke and the main reason why (my college counselor called them up and demanded an explanation) was that I showed very little interest.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I showed a lot of interest with WashU and got in when many more qualified people didn't because they just considered it a "safety" school.</p>

<p>In fact, no school in the top 12 is a safety school</p>