<p>DiamondT - One more thing - If 100 out of 300 seniors in your class get into Ivy League schools, then just going to Exeter is a hook for you regardless of your stats. In that case, you have an advantage, by virtue of going to a prestigious boarding school, and maybe that is why you are defensive. Exeter is a hook for two reasons 1) the colleges know the rigor of the program 2) most are big development admits - meaning potential for big donations. That's not the case for most people on this board. That means that most people have to justifiably be concerned with things like testing , (which according to the dean of admissions himself, makes up 40% of the decision) IN ADDITION TO an awesome hook. We don't have the luxury of JUST "having the passion." Most of us know testing is the not the only criteria. Just an important one. I hope you can understand where some of us are coming from.</p>
<p>ok.......stop kicking the poor lad. hopefully he's either penitant or long gone. let him go.</p>
<p>awww... as harsh as Diamond may be, I agree with some of what he said. Although there are a lot of people on this forum with above 1500's, a 1300 is by no means low! And I already made my point that being from Oregon is not a hook.
However, I do feel that this thread was started to make all of us who are anxious and nervous feel a bit of hope... Since a lot of people get rejected from Penn with above 1500's. So it is suppose to be seen as a motivational type of thing.</p>
<p>26e, this goes back to your MUN post. Where are you from, I was at Vandy. I REALLY dont like USN.</p>
<p>Port Charlotte, FL. Were u in the conference? What committee?</p>
<p>And why don't u like USN?</p>
<p>Being from Oregon helps, but it's not like it's auto-acceptance. Plenty of people I know with stats comparable to those in say, NY or NJ, were rejected at top schools. This year Penn had a LOT more people applying from Oregon because it's gaining popularity. You still need good stats coming from a state like Oregon (which is actually not considered synonymous in density with a state like North Dakota or Alaska... go look at the density maps for acceptance/attendance).</p>
<p>If anyone cares, I am a Penn student from Oregon :)</p>
<p>That makes me think of another factor in the whole admissions game - one thing we don't have stats on is how many are applying from a given state. That could give us more insight into who really has the advantage!</p>