<p>I know you don’t want more financial input…but…some of your answers indicate you may not have a clear understanding of Merit Aid offered by institutions, Need based aid offered by institutions, family EFC (based on family income from wages AND investments, as well as assets) and outside merit aid. Even if your father is a college professor and your mom doesn’t work outside of the home, they may have other income or assets that might not make you eligible for need based financial aid. Outside merit aid (like the stuff you see on …FASTWEB…) is a real long shot and more competitive than admission to some of the schools you are considering. And it takes a lot of work study, research etc. to get to $50,000 per year. (Even $45,000 per year taking into account the grant from Lehigh for faculty kids attending other schools.)</p>
<p>You may be a very mature teen, but the questions you have asked about what to do about your EC’s and your essay reveal a naivete that would indicate you might benefit from waiting a year…</p>
<p>With that said, if you are sure you are going to apply to schools this year…</p>
<p>Be sure you have carefully read the admissions pages of the schools you are considering. Also be sure to see if they give credit, and how much, for AP courses. And look at their admissions sites. Princeton and Harvard have some very good, specific information on how to approach applying to their schools.</p>
<p>“Most Princeton students were academic standouts in high school. Most of them also invested their energy and talents in significant ways outside the classroom. We want to know what you care about, what commitments you have made and what you’ve done to act on those commitments.”
[Princeton</a> University | Admission Requirements](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/requirements/]Princeton”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/requirements/)</p>
<p>“There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard. Academic accomplishment in high school is important, but the Admissions Committee also considers many other criteria, such as community involvement, leadership and distinction in extracurricular activities, and work experience. The Admissions Committee does not use quotas of any kind. We rely on teachers, counselors, headmasters, and alumni/ae to share information with us about applicants’ strength of character, their ability to overcome adversity, and other personal qualities–all of which play a part in the Admissions Committee’s decisions.”</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Frequently Asked Questions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/faq.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/faq.html)</p>
<p>The essay must be in your own voice…anyone reading it should know it was written by you…and not just because of an event or accomplishment that’s mentioned. I have found this list of opening lines of admitted applications from Stanford provides a lot of insight into how an essay that stands out might start:<br>
[STANFORD</a> Magazine: September/October 2008 > Features > Admissions Essays Opening Lines](<a href=“http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2008/sepoct/features/essays.html]STANFORD”>http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2008/sepoct/features/essays.html)</p>
<p>And…although this link about writing essays is from a school you would probably never consider applying to, it is a brief, excellent and concrete guide to writing an undergraduate admissions essay:<br>
[University</a> of Georgia :: Undergraduate Admissions :: Suggestions For Writing Admission Essays](<a href=“http://www.admissions.uga.edu/article/suggestions_for_writing_admission_essays.html]University”>http://www.admissions.uga.edu/article/suggestions_for_writing_admission_essays.html)</p>
<p>This may seem like an odd suggestion, but it’s likely you could find a friendly person at the Lehigh admissions office who would be willing to give you some helpful advice on how to present yourself for pre-graduation admission to the type of schools you’re applying to. Make sure they know you’re a faculty member’s child. They might work very hard to get you go to Lehigh…but…it’s also very possible they’ll be willing to help you out.</p>