First time here, forgive me if I do something wrong.
So I am applying to Princeton Single Choice Early Action. Curious about what people think of my chances.
Profile: URM, upper-middle class, strong private school
GPA: 3.78 UW on 4 scale. 4.23 weighted
SAT: 1460 but retaking with goal of >1490
Subject Tests: US History 720 and taking Math Level 2 with goal of mid 700s
AP: Euro - 4, US History - 4, English Lang - 5, enrolled for 5 APs for senior year
ECs: success at national and state level in speech/debate;
leadership role in service club, leadership role in NHS, captain of science/math comp team that has qualified to national tournament every year;
ran school fundraiser for charity and planning to do so again;
freshman orientation leader, contributor to school magazine; Math Honors Society; a couple other smaller clubs
Awards: Harvard Book, full-scholarship to attend my high school
Other: travels to developing country every other summer (family) and conversational in their language; probably will be my essay topic
Thanks for reading. Looking forward to some honest, helpful answers!
Seriously. Before applying to any tippy top, look at how your stats compare. Learn what the targets value and look for. I’m not sure if you’re pulling our legs.
After looking at what the college shows, check past chance me threads on CC for an idea of their stats and accomplishments.
Haha, wasn’t joking. I guess you are saying I have no shot. Doesn’t matter much anyway as I am applying there REA no matter what (financial reasons.) Also, I was really more curious about the strength of my ECs and other stuff as I know how to use the Internet for simple stats about schools. Anyways, thanks for your help. Also, new to this website, is there a way to specifically look for threads about Princeton chance mes?
I don’t understand what this means. Princeton financial aid will be the same if you apply and are accepted SCEA or RD. However, with Princeton SCEA you give up the opportunity to apply ED anywhere or EA to private schools…are you sure you want to lose those options?
Edited to add: No one here will be able to chance you, to approximate the likelihood of admission. Princeton is a reach for all applicants.
It’s complicated but I meant that I am applying to Princeton REA because they have the best financial aid of the schools on my list. If I get in, I could definitely afford to go. There are less competitive schools I could ED or EA at but unfortunately their financial aid packages would not work for us.
Have you run each of these school’s NPCs? And at Princeton it’s SCEA, not REA.
ETA: What other schools are you applying to? What are your match and safety schools? Are they affordable per NPCs?
Your GPA and SAT are low for Princeton. Your ECs are nothing spectacular. What is the breakdown (EBRW/Math) for your SAT? Are you a first-generation student? You’d be better off not wasting your SCEA on Princeton. Not sure what “financial reasons” has to do with applying SCEA. Can you explain your thinking on that?
Yes, I have run NPCs on my other schools. The bulk of my list is actually schools that offer a certain scholarship I am eligible for. I like all of these schools. I will almost def be admitted to all of them and it just a question of which give me the scholarship. Also, some of them are not very competitive so I would have a solid shot at a standard scholarship. I am not worried about going to a good school I like for cheap, just ideally it would be a dream school.
750 Math and 710 English. English can definitely go up at least 30 points. Math, I don’t know.
As for the financial stuff, “It’s complicated but I meant that I am applying to Princeton SCEA because they have the best financial aid of the schools on my list. If I get in, I could definitely afford to go. There are less competitive schools I could ED or EA at but unfortunately their financial aid packages would not work for us.” And yes, I checked the NPC for all of the schools on my list.
Many colleges that meet full need are a lot less competitive than Princeton. You’re doing it backwards. Instead of making a list of schools you want and then checking affordability, you need to work from the list of schools that meet full need and then make your application list from among those colleges.
Why apply to colleges you know you can’t afford? (Or you mean, not easily afford?)
“I will almost def be admitted to all of them and it just a question of which give me the scholarship.” I’m confused on what sort of scholarship, since P is “meet full need only.” Just be certain.
Your lead ECs boil down to debate and math team. It’s not fundraising or honor societies, etc. Magazine is fine, Might be interesting to know the “smaller clubs.” You should state your major. The two 4 scores can be an issue.
In the 3.70-3.79 gpa range, a 2.8% shot. But adcoms will look at the transcript and see grades and rigor and see where you got less than an A. If you do get a 1490, a roughly 4.5% shot (you saw that, right?) Since the 75th percentile in math is 790 and EBRW is 770, you need to aim higher if you retest. Usually, for tippy tops, the bar is about 750 in each (and subject tests.) Princeton is tough. All that is the nature of the competition.
Your choice whether to apply. But “eyes wide open.” You have time to fine tune ECs and be sure of your approach.
Unfortunately, even for the schools which “meet full need,” it would be too much for my parents. And plus, because of the schools on my scholarship list, I definitely can go to a school that will be totally affordable, so we would only be willing to pay a lot for a real dream school.
I appreciate your help, but my situation is complicated in terms of the financial stuff. I am really quite confident my college list is final. I was really more curious about my odds for such a competitive school. Thanks again
“Why apply to colleges you know you can’t afford? (Or you mean, not easily afford?)”
Well, the idea is that if by some chance, I get in. We would talk with their financial aid office, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. Those are only 2 of the schools on my list of 12.
My intended major is econ/finance. My junior year UW was a 3.89.
Could you explain more about my ECs? Are you saying the fundraising and honor societies hardly matter? If so, that’s fine. But I would like to know why the math team is so much more impressive when in reality, it is a very small part of my life. Also, what could I do to improve my ECs? Other than success in speech early in the year?
Thank you for your perspective. I am definitely applying with the very low odds in mind. Just wanted to know what some people with no relation to me would think.
Feel free to apply. But applying REA is a waste. It won’t increase your chances and your will forgo the opportunity to apply to other private schools EA. It’s important to apply to safe schools EA. But you won’t be able to…
Actually, as far the rest of my schools, only 3 offer EA. They are also 3 of my 4 least favorite, so no big worry there. Thanks again for your help! Is it safe to say the general consensus is that I have no shot?
Let’s look at it in context. What is your list of schools? How much money do you have available for college? What is your household income? I still don’t understand, if FA is the limiting factor for you, you need to draw you list from among the colleges that offer the best aid. You plan to “talk with their financial aid office, and if it doesn’t work out it doesn’t work out” is magical thinking. It’s not a plan. You can end up with nowhere to go.
For more details like that, I would rather chat privately.
Also, I may not have really described this well earlier. Frankly, my reach/dream/T10s (whatever you want to call them) schools are not a big part of my list. The bulk (and the part I care most about) are schools with a certain scholarship that I have a strong shot of getting. I am probably not getting into any of my T10s, so the whole financial aid thing is not really a plan. For 2 of those 4, we know we could afford them. One might be tight. One had a surprisingly bad NPC for us. I don’t understand what you mean when you see I have nowhere to go? This is not ED. I have those 8 other schools. Also, to be clear, I am applying to that one school which we probably could not afford because it is my favorite school, and their financial aid info looked great for us but somehow NPC was not. Worst case scenario: I get in to said dream school, get surprisingly weak financial aid package, cannot get a bigger package, have to go to a different school which I also like.
I said that you can end up with nowhere to go, not that you have nowhere to go. How could that happen? If you don’t get into any schools that you can afford.
Oh, the T10s are just extras. I am fine financially, just applying to the other 8.
Parent of an alum here. I have been reading through these threads and think a point of clarification is warranted. Many applicants ask, “What about my EC’s?” in hopes that strong enough EC’s will secure an admissions spot. Essentially EVERY viable applicant to Princeton has strong EC’s plus top grades/test scores. Most of those don’t receive an offer of admission. Applicants with EC’s such as top, nationally-ranked athletics achievements, major awards (think Intel etc), national or world-ranked awards etc. get on the admissions’ committee’s radar. This is not to say other EC’s are unimportant, but they will not carry an applicant when other applicants also have good EC’s and even better grades/scores.
Princeton certainly has a wonderful FA program but getting admitted is the first priority. Since you asked for, ‘honest, helpful answers’ I will say the odds of admission are significantly lower than the stats Princeton posts due to recruited athletes, legacies, children of major donors/faculty/dignitaries etc. However, if you can afford to apply, it will deal with the “what if” question you may carry through life if you don’t. I wish you well!