Which applicant would you choose?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi. I've lurked around here for a while for college app tips, and I decided to join today. This question has been bugging me for a while. My friend and I are really good buds, but we're also very competitive with each other. Both applying to top schools. Who would you choose?</p>

<p>Applicant A
-Rank: 2 out of 500
-GPA: Less than B by .37 or more, weighted
-Rigor: pretty rigorous
-SAT: 1300ish/2000ish
-ACT: 29-32
-APs: 3 APs 5,4,3; 5 AP senior yr
-Race: White
-Recs: Excellent
-Essay: Decent/good
-EC: Not as involved but more leaderships than B
-Community Service: good amount, more than B
-Awards: little more than B</p>

<p>Applicant B
-Rank: 1 out of 500
-GPA: Differ with A by .37 or more weighted though
-Rigor: Most rigorous, takes extra classes, in special program
-SAT: 1400ish/2100ish
-ACT: N/A
-AP: 2 APs all 5's, 5 AP classes senior yr
-Race:Asian
-Recs: Excellent
-Essay: Very good
-EC: Very involved, decent leadership
-Community Service: 50+
-Awards: little less than A</p>

2

<p>From what you have listed, I would pick Applicant B.</p>

3

<p>Applicant B. But SATs are a bit low for both for “top schools.”</p>

4

<p>Applicant B in my opinion.</p>

5

<p>B over A. But realistically, if a college/uni thinks you’re both good enough and worth accepting, they’ll admit you both and find someone else to reject.</p>

6

<p>Applicant B…but neither has a strong chance at top 20 schools.</p>

<p>I hope you’re both applying to matches and financial safeties that you like.</p>

7

<p>I think the OP wants to imply whether colleges would student with good academics (GPA SAT and stuff) or good community involvement (community service, achievement, activities, award)</p>

<p>But if it’s me, I would choose B</p>

8

<p>I’d pick them both :)</p>

9

<p>A’s (and B’s) scores are a little low for very selective colleges. I’d pick B.</p>

10

<p>I’d pick “B”. But neither has great chances for top 20 schools.</p>

11

<p>

</p>

<p>maybe for most selective, but certainly not very selective.</p>

12

<p>^Why, apart from the SAT scores, do the applicants not have a good chance at top 20 schools?</p>

13

<p>ECs don’t matter (unless they’re world class) until you have the stats. Neither seems to have the scores for the very top schools. </p>

<p>But to answer your question, the vast majority of schools would accept B. The schools that use leadership and service to differentiate are generally very top schools with lots of top of class applicants with 2300 plus scores who look very similar on paper.</p>

14

<p>The only schools that care about ECs, CS when it comes to admission are places like Harvard, Amherst, Stanford, which can use those factors as they pick and choose from an overabundance of high stat applicants. Neither A nor B has the scores for such top schools.</p>

<p>Even if they had the scores, there’s nothing remarkable about the ECs or CS when it comes to top schools. Even students with regional leadership or awards don’t stand out for ECs in top schools. The top schools also are more interested in the impact of one’s leadership or CS than hours or positions. They don’t want students who view CS and ECs only as resume dressing. They want students who’ll contribute to maintaining an active, involved student body.</p>

15

<p>B and they will get into top 20 schools, you don’t have to have a 4.0 and 2400 like everyone this site thinks.</p>

16

<p>It’s true that you don’t need a 4.0 and 2400 to get into top 20 schools, but I think you need higher scores or stronger ECs than what A and B have. Go to the CC boards for the colleges that interest you and compare your stats with those of students who were admitted last year.</p>

17

<p>No chance at top schools? How can you guys tell what OP’s ECs are when he/she didn’t even list them? I have similar stats to the both of them, maybe a little bit better, but I applied to top schools. Do both applicants not have any chance at top schools such as UVa, Duke, Brown, etc.? Now I’m worried :x</p>

18

<p>“How can you guys tell what OP’s ECs are when he/she didn’t even list them?”</p>

<p>Of course, we’re just going on what the OP has posted. Since the OP hasn’t mentioned any EC accomplishments, then it sounds like attaining leadership positions was the OP and his friend’s greatest achievements. Meanwhile, for top 20 schools, they’d be competing against people who are team captains of regional championship teams and people who have organized major fundraisers and other projects with their clubs. For instance, I know someone who has SGA president got all of the high schools in a district to build a Habitat for Humanity house. That is a major accomplishment that would stand out in admissions for top 20 school. This particular person didn’t apply to Ivies, but did get the top scholarship offered by his state’s flagship university.</p>

<p>For community service, the top colleges also care more about what one accomplished than the total hours one put in. They aren’t interested in students who do random things to rack up hours to decorate their resume, but don’t really make a difference for an organization.</p>

19

<p>Please realize a school isn’t choosing between A and B but from several thousand applications.</p>

20

<p>A! heehee. Just going against the grail here.
In reality both of them sound pretty close to one another. I think it depends on a little bit of luck.</p>