What went wrong/What should I do now?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello guys!
First of all, congratulations to all my seniors. We've worked really hard this year, and I hope that you are all happy with acceptances :)</p>

<p>Now, to the serious stuff:
I was accepted at a lot of great schools, but I got rejected/waitlisted by all of the schools that I really wanted to go to (that would be Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, UPenn, Yale, and Brown).</p>

<p>I thought I brought decent stats:
SAT: 2320
6 AP Tests: 5s in Chemistry, Eng Lang, Calculus BC and AB subscore, Psychology, US History, and a 4 in AP Euro.
I'm taking 8 AP classes this year: Physics C E&M and Mechanics, MicroEcon, US Gov, Stats, Enviro, Spanish, and Eng Lit.
SAT IIs: 780 US History, 780 Math Level 2, 780 Chemistry
Valedictorian, GPA: 4.7</p>

<p>ECs: Varsity Badminton Captain, Speech and Debate President, President of Science Club and Careers and Professionalism Club, VP of Key Club, I started a charity that performs eye surgeries for poor villagers in rural India, and I play principal chair cello for the local university orchestra, and I was valedictorian for the Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Program.</p>

<p>My question is: Was I really lacking in my application (is there a systematic reason why I was rejected in so many places)?</p>

<p>Also, I'm currently trying to decide between Northwestern (as a Murphy scholar), UC Berkeley, UCSD (with Regents), Harvey Mudd, and USC (with full ride and honors college) for a comp sci and finance double major/minor. Can anyone help guide me, because I'm really confused!</p>

<p>Any and all input is appreciated! Thank you! :)</p>

2

<p>First, congratulations on your many wonderful acceptances!! As I’m sure you’ve read on many other similar threads no one has an answer for you. Your stats are great, but you know that. All those schools have very very low admit rates, but you know that. There are many many students with your credentials, but you know that. So, hopefully your real question is about helping you decide which of your fantastic options you should choose, yes?</p>

3

<p>It’s because you don’t play the viola and volunteer at your church. I understand that people with stats like yours who do that usually get into all of the Ivies. </p>

4

<p>Hahahaha yeah.
I’m pretty sad that I didn’t get into the schools I wanted, but I got into some great schools, and I need help in deciding between them.</p>

5

<p>This isn’t the first time I read a thread like this. I doubt anyone except those who made the decisions can really tell you what was lacking. I am sure they have many qualified applicants who feel as you do. It is what it is.</p>

<p>Going forward, check with the waitlisted schools and if nothing pans out, realize that you have some outstanding options.</p>

6

<p>Tough to say what went wrong. </p>

<p>Stats and ECs are definitely in-line for an Ivy admit, but they just get you to the next level. You would be surprised how many students started charities and companies and helped poor people in a 3rd world country. It could easily be that your application was the 5th in a row to have that and the adcom got tired of reading the same profile and off to the other pile you went. </p>

<p>Additionally, without seeing your essays and letters of recommendation and how you presented yourself in your application, there is no way to tell from the stats. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of students have the same stats. </p>

<p>Absolutely you can handle the top schools given your other acceptances, but Ivys require something extra, unique. Your stats are standard Ivy league admit stats for the upper-end student. If I were to guess, I think your application was probably weak on how you presented yourself and in explaining how your ECs define you.</p>

7

<p>Really? You’re in at Berkeley and Harvey Mudd, have Regents at UCSD, and a full ride at USC, and you’re wondering what went wrong???</p>

<p>I’m sorry - I know that getting rejection letters hurts. And it doesn’t help when almost all of them arrive on the same day . . . :frowning: But your sense of entitlement is unbecoming. You did great stuff in high school - you should be proud of that, and the decisions you got don’t change anything. Who knows why you didn’t get in . . . maybe each of them figured you’d be okay if they denied you because, with your stat’s, you were certain to get in somewhere else just as good. It happens. They had their shot and they blew it. Now it’s time to move on and do great stuff in college. <:-P </p>

8

<p>" Now it’s time to move on and do great stuff in college"
Nuff said.
Go to USC and show the colleges that rejected you that their loss is your gain…</p>

9

<p>^^ Yes, time to move on as the above poster says.</p>

<p>I should add that I did not get a sense of entitlement at all from your post. You asked a legitimate question of what possibly happened that you did not get one of your preferred schools. </p>

<p>You do not sound bitter, and your smiley faces indicate you are fine and simply asking a question. In fact, I found your tone refreshing, as you did not castigate and yell at the schools. You will do well wherever you go, I am sure.</p>

10

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<p>Seems like you have lots of good choices here.</p>

<p>With respect to the super-selective schools, your stats are fine, but they are typically looking for something extra in addition to high stats, either a “hook” (most of which are outside of your control, like being the kid of a big donor) or a very high level achievement or award (like state or national level).</p>

11

<p>“Also, I’m currently trying to decide between Northwestern (as a Murphy scholar), UC Berkeley, UCSD (with Regents), Harvey Mudd, and USC (with full ride and honors college) for a comp sci and finance double major/minor.”</p>

<p>Do finances matter? If so, are you a CA. resident? Harvey Mudd is very distinctive on this list – much smaller than all of the rest, tech/stem-oriented, small LAC – is that attractive to you – or not? Do you care about public vs. private? Staying in CA? Finally, is there any school that you like so much better that it’s really worth turning down the full ride and honors college at USC?</p>

12

<p>There’s so many factors, how many kids seem just like you, did you stand out, how many from your school or state. Did they feel your essay? You know there’s not enough room so they have to make very fine distinctions and vary the class, maybe they have too many CS people this year. But you did get into Northwestern and Mudd which are also selective as some on your list. And you got those nice offers elsewhere. So what is the confustion about at this point, which to accept? If you haven’t let the rejections get out of your system, just consider each, try to dig into what it is like as a student at each. What is special about each that you would take advantage of. You still have some time.</p>

13

<p>Northwestern is the school which is most similar to the ones which rejected or waitlisted you. So you should seriously consider it. </p>

<p>Harvey Mudd is fantastic if you are sure you want science and engineering.</p>

<p>Only choose USC if the money is important or you love something about the school. All the other colleges are just as good, overall, or better. USC is awfully big considering that it is a private university. Personally, I prefer Berkeley and UCSD over USC.</p>