So, after talking with my mom a bit, we were thinking as to which other Ivy League school I should be applying to.
Let’s skip the grades. Let’s skip the GPA. Yes, those factors are important, but I’m just looking generally. Let’s look at the demographics. The area. The location. The community. The vibe. The life that I would be living for 4 years for undergraduate school.
Unfortunately, I personally do not know what to list as to my interestes, accomplishments, goals, etc. I want YOU to ask me questions, so I can answer them. Then, based on how I answer (whether it be 1 question or 10), you tell me what you consider is a good option.
I’m open for questions. Shoot them at me. I’ll be happy to answer them! I just need help figuring out and making a decision :((((
Rural, urban, suburban? Size preference? Are there a few majors you have in mind? Are you interested in Greek life, or the “work hard, play hard” atmosphere? Are you big on outdoorsy activities? What interests you about Harvard, other than prestige?
Would you consider other selective research universities besides the 8 Ivies?
Do other locations besides New England and the Mid-Atlantic have any appeal? What about the South or the West Coast, which offer milder weather? How about someplace “Midwest Nice”? How would you rather spend a Saturday afternoon: Exploring a big museum in Boston/NY/Philadelphia … or doing a road trip along the Pacific coast?
Would you like your college to have stronger D1 sports programs than most of the Ivies? For example, have you considered Stanford, Duke, or Northwestern?
Are you interested in stronger business or other pre-professional programs than most of the Ivies offer? What about a STEM-focused school such as CalTech, MIT, Olin, or Cooper Union?
Would you consider liberal arts colleges (LACs) as well as research universities?
Are consistently small class sizes important to you?
Would you like to be taught by experienced professors in virtually all classes … or are you o.k. with some ~200-student lecture classes and discussion sections led by grad students?
Would you consider less selective colleges that offer lower sticker prices (or big merit scholarships for students with your stats)?
Can your parents easily afford the ~$65K Ivy League sticker prices?
If not, have you run the online Net Price Calculators on any of the 8 Ivies? Have you asked your parents if they can afford the Expected Family Contributions?
Would Cornell or UPenn at the full sticker price be worth ~$50K/year more to you than a good state school with a full tuition merit scholarship? After spending that much more, would your family still be able to help you with graduate or professional school costs?
Would you be happy being an ~average student in a school full of over-achievers? Or, would you prefer to stand out without having to study quite so much? If you plan on medical or law school, have you considered how hard it might be to maintain a competitive GPA?
What about the college academic and social atmosphere? Would you be comfortable around many very wealthy, well-travelled, competitive students … or would you prefer someplace more laid-back and with a bit more more socio-economic diversity?
Answering questions in posts #4 and #5 would enable posters to give you comprehensive answer. And while forgetting grades and test scores may be fine, do keep in mind that students with less than stellar grades and scores stand virtually no chance of admission into Ivy League schools and other top universities.
You had some financial aid questions at one time regarding your custodial parent income vs non-custodial? Will you be in range for need based aid or will you be full pay?
@bloxJacket , If it seems like people aren’t answering you seriously, its because your question is just not the right question you should be asking. You should apply to schools based on whether they have the academic programs you want, and other non-academic aspects that you find desirable (size, urban vs rural, greek life or not). It makes no sense to pick a school just because it is in the Ivy League. The Ivy League is not a magical place. It is a sports league made up of some of the older and more selective schools in the northeast. There are many other schools that are not in the Ivy League that are just as good academically. If you would like help in choosing a school, then tell us what you are looking for, and people can then make reasonable suggestions.