<p>I mean grades and test scores are imp. how about some other factors that you think are underestimated??
i'd think recs are a lot more important than ppl think. a good rec can easily make up for a bad sat 2 score.</p>
<p>how do you think of essays? v imp? imp? not imp?</p>
<p>A great essay will set you apart from everyone else. A decent essay won't necessarily hurt you. Showing up on campus a few times definately helps. A good impression at an interview with an admissions counselor at West College will go a long way because they will remember you.</p>
<p>They don't do on campus interviews...</p>
<p>I had one. you do it in a group.</p>
<p>It's not an interview. That is essentially their information session.</p>
<p>Princeton cares most about essays. Princeton cares a lot more about who you are (obvious by their essay topics) more than anything else. the more you can tell about yourself in your essays the better it is. Essays for princeton set you apart from everyone else. this is true for all top schools. everyone has great test scores, GPA, rigorous courses. ECs could do some splitting, but i think its mainly the essays and the teacher recommendations</p>
<p>which recs are most important/ gc or teachers??</p>
<p>and i always thot that essays alone can never get someone rejected or admitted... :S</p>
<p>$$$$$$$$$$$$ They put a very high value on "ability to pay". </p>
<p>(the rest, is press)</p>
<p>Don't look like you might end up at HY. They'll sniff you out just like that and can you.</p>
<p>toblin no they dont lol. most people that attend princeton get financial aid. the average is about 23k. i dont know anyone who attends princeton that doesnt get financial aid.</p>
<p>i think its the essays that can make you or break you. they are what set you apart from everyone else. princeton always asks "what can you contribute to princeton". you should be able to convey that message or answer it through your essays</p>
<p>the teacher recommendations are more important than GC. Although i have a great relationship with my GC, many GC's have too many kids to concentrate on one to really get to know who they are. it is the teachers who actually know you the best. and since most people arent that connected with their GC, teachers have more emphasis</p>
<p>yea the GC report is usually pretty dry. It just relates your grades to other people in your school. Usually GCs don't know the kids on an individual level.</p>
<p>i think everything's equally important but i suppose the only thing that we can change now (or, maybe not, as most of us early-ers have submitted our apps) is essays. u can't change ur gpa, ecs and teachers' recs, can u?</p>
<p>"princeton always asks "what can you contribute to princeton". "
which essay question is that?</p>
<p>i think all questions indirectly ask "what can you contribute to princeton?". you don't want to write in your essays that you're a very unsociable person or you like to steal your roommates' stuff... rather, you want to write about your ecs (and the possibility of contributing that talent to pton's community), your reaction to certain situations, your intellect, your humor, etc. never boast though!</p>
<p>the question "what can you contribute to princeton" is a hidden question, but the ad coms always say that you should address this in your essays. your talents, your knowledge, your passion. what about you do you love so much that can add to princeton's already flourishing society. basically. you dont want an entire essay describing an event but theres no insight and they learn nothing about u. from their essay prompts, its obvious that they care about who you are exactly. what activities you do that mean a lot. most schools dont really care who you are, but just ask you for a generic essay (like harvard and yale).</p>
<p>They used to do on-campus small group interviews, but they stopped doing them this year.</p>
<p>shrek and e1 - thanks for clarifying!</p>