<p>Hey... I need some help. I want to attend Vanderbilt University, however, the school is getting more competitive each year and I need to face the fact that I might not get in. (I'm applying EDI) Therefore, I need to choose a school that I will apply to for EDII. Here are some places that I am considering and some feedback would be greatly, GREATLY appreciated as I am completely lost. (The list includes RD acceptance rate, and ED acceptance rate... I want one that is difficult to get into, with increased chances ED to a much more obtainable number.)</p>
<p>Skidmore (44% RD 66% ED)
Kenyon (36% RD 64% ED)
Davidson (27% RD 49% ED)
Macalester (44% RD 47% ED)
Reed (45% RD 66% ED)
Washington and Lee (29% RD 59% ED)
Trinity (39% RD 64% ED)
Carnegie Mellon (39% RD 58% ED)
Case Western (I added this because it is a really prestigious school with a fantastic medical program that seems worth looking into. It only has EA, but all the same... so some feedback on this one would be appreciated as well. 68% RD 82% EA)</p>
<p>I want a school that is competive. The surrounding area is not terribly important as far as location/weather etc. I would like a school with some prestig</p>
<p>I have no specific advice to offer on your college choices, but I do think you should make a point of stating on your college applications that you stopped studying Spanish after Level II because Level III was not offered at your school due to insufficient enrollment. Also, if you did not take English, biology, and physical science at the honors level because your school does not offer honors-level courses in these subjects or because the school limits the number of honors-level courses that students are allowed to take, you should say that, too. (If you could have taken honors-level courses in these subjects but you didn't, keep your mouth shut.)</p>
<p>Your grades are excellent, but 1) you did not take five academic courses during either your sophomore or junior years and 2) not all of your academic courses are honors. You are going to be competing for admission with students whose high school curricula were more rigorous than yours, and this may count against you (although it will count against you less if your guidance counselor can say that it would not have been possible for a student at your school to take a more rigorous curriculum than yours).</p>
<p>Try to visit Carnegie Mellon if you can. It's quite different in its academic focus and urban location from many of the other places on your list. A visit would help you to figure out whether this school feels right to you.</p>
<p>I think you have pretty good stats. The colleges will probably take into account that your school doens't offer that many AP, and being a first generation student with only one parent will help you also. I'm not sure about ACT that much, but I think you may even wanna add another reach school for ED.</p>
<p>I just wanted to add that you should consider visiting Reed (probably others too, but I attend Reed so I have the most experience with it) before you go and apply EDII to it. Its a very strange school, and definitely very intense. And, with most people, it's really hit or miss. You either love it or hate it.</p>
<p>It's a myth that you have a much better chance ED. ED numbers are bloated by recruited athleats, l;egacies and other special populations. The average candidate may get a slight boost. As ACTs are your key weakness, you need to look closely at a ACT numbers at the schools. If you're at least over the 50% you should be OK given class rank and geography.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! That is all excellent feedback. And yes, it is true that our school is limited in how rigorous the schedules offered are. In some classes, because of advice from my mother (who didn't attend highschool, but meant well all the same) had given me. However, in most of my classes I took the highest offered. As far as my Junior yr not having 5 core... the "Virtual Enterprise" is the name of one of our economics classes offered at my school. Basically it's just a year long and you run a business, whereas the reg economics is half a semester... so I do beleive that makes 5... same with soph year. However, my schedule rigor and ACT score scare me the most with my chances... hopefully I won't have to worry about ACT score anymore after the Oct. one. I hope to improve significantly.</p>
<p>xachilleusx, do you like Reed? Just curious to your opinion.. what sort of things make it strange?</p>
<p>Bobby, my ACT is within the middle 50% right now of most of those schools.. with some about a point below. However, if I reach my goal of somewhere between 29-32, I will be above the 50% for most of them, or at the high end of the middle.</p>
<p>Marian, I do plan on mentioning that Spanish III was not available at my school so thanks.</p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone! Any further advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Really? I'm very very heavily considering Case. I don't know if I'll be able to visit.. mainly money issues and no time, however, I might save up and go visit. I have heard that the surrounding area isn't too nice, and the only thing that sort of worries me is name... is it known? Does it carry prestigé? I think I have a real shot at getting in and I've heard it's med program is unparrallel to most. Do you know anything specific about Case by any chance?</p>
<p>Why are you worrying about the name and prestige?? What you should really be asking is if the school is a good fit for you...</p>
<p>On that note, I looked into Case for engineering...and it is considered to be in the top 5 in most engineering areas in the nation (since you're wondering). It is an EXCELLENT school that is up and coming really fast...but you have to see if it really fits what you're looking for in a college.</p>
<p>Thanks so much guys. I know Reed is different in some of the aspects that people look at (size/location/greek life etc) but I'm looking at the classes... majors... med school acceptance rates, etc. etc. more than anything.</p>
<p>And as far as looking at the name and not fit, that is not true. While the fit is always important, it is very important to me to have a school that is recognized for medical school reasons. It helps your chances and can ensure that you get into the best residency programs... vital to be successful for what I want to do. This is the only reason.</p>
<p>I really think I might be interested in attending Case. I just can't seem to make a decision! How do people do it? They are all so great and I don't know how to decide, and to be honest I don't have the money to go see them all. Does anyone have any advice to narrow it down some? Maybe I am taking the wrong approach as far as taking advantage of ED, but it seems like the smart thing to do, no? I dunno...I know I want Vandy EDI, but after that... I'm so lost. Why is this so confusing? I'm normally a very structured and organized person and without it I seem a bit lost. I mean -- this is my life I'm deciding. Does anyone have any tools to do more research on colleges.. perhaps a specific site? And how did you all do it?</p>
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Thanks so much guys. I know Reed is different in some of the aspects that people look at (size/location/greek life etc) but I'm looking at the classes... majors... med school acceptance rates, etc. etc. more than anything.
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<p>The thigns you talk are indeed important, but to take the med school example, if you work hard at any good school you'll be able to get into med school. I would urge you to look into location and atmosphere because you can get a good education at loads of schools, but you might not be happy at all of them</p>
<p>Yes, I suppose you are right. I just want the perfect school academically I suppose rather than atmospherically. However, I suppose I will be living there for at the very least four yrs - assuming I go to med school away - so I need to like it.</p>
<p>I've lived in Cleveland all my life; I suppose I know a bit about Case. ;-) </p>
<p>Anyway, its best programs are science-y: Medical, Engineering, etc. They also have a well-respected business degree (and someone actually told me their French Studies program is good as well, but not sure if that was a joke). </p>
<p>Cleveland used to be one of the prominent cities of America, but its status as a manufacturing icon has since waned. The average Clevelander is very pessimistic about the city among themselves, but if an outsider insults it, they will go ballistic. We're all very proud of the city and especially proud of University Circle, the gem of Cleveland. Parts of the city are run-down and dotted with ivy-covered abandoned warehouses, but University Circle was set aside solely to house the various universities in Cleveland. As as those universities continue to expand, so does the Circle, slowly reviving everything it touches. It's sort of sentimental for a lot of us Clevelanders -- we're working-class and look at a school like Case with a bit of suspicion, but its the thing bringing our vibrant city back to life. We're all so friendly to the kids at Case, because they're the ones putting our city on the map again.</p>
<p>You're not going to get your social life through Case Western (though it does have a lot of really active clubs). Nothing against Case, its just that many of the kids there are not social people. But be ambitious and search the city; it has so much to do. An excellent night life, three sports teams and arenas (including LeBron and his crew, of course), etc.</p>
<p>Here's an entry on University Circle that might help:</p>