StraferKev

So far I have around 10 schools on my list. In my school, I'm allowed to apply to all 10, but there are 2 schools on my list that I'm not sure I should even try to apply for since I don't even think I can get in. They are Northwestern and Vanderbilt Engineering.

My SAT Score is a 2020/2400 or 1370/1600 (780 Math, 590 Reading, 650 Writing). To add, I'm also south-east Asian and I've only taken 4 AP classes. My Grades are mostly As and a few Bs. I think that I do have a strong list of extracurricular activities, but nothing superb enough to be a major hook.

My reasons I'm having second thoughts on applying is as followed
1. I don't even think I can get in
2. I really like these schools, but they aren't my first choice schools anyway, and there are a lot of other schools that I really like.
3. Everyone seems really smart at these schools and I feel like I would fall behind when put in an environment surrounded by a lot of competition and smart geniuses.

Given my information and reasons, Do you guys think I should still apply?

momo1616

I'd say go for it. When all the acceptances come around (with scholarship, financial aid, & honors etc. info), you want to have options. But if you don't want to even go to those two schools, don't waste your $$ applying.

BeanTownGirl

This is all up to you. There is no right or wrong answer.
If you think in April you would be wondering "Gee if I had applied to Vanderbilt I wonder if I would have got in?" - then apply.
In general, I am a big fan of having as many options as possible. You don't really know how many acceptances you'll get at the other 8, including your first choice schools, so why not try?
If you can get good grades in high school including AP classes and have a 780 on the Math component, you are probably just as smart as most people at those schools. The school won't admit you if they think you can't handle the workload.

ucbalumnus

If you like them less than your safeties, then there is no reason to apply to them.

On the other hand, if the schools you like better than them are non-safeties, then they may be worth applying to if their net price calculators indicate reasonable affordability. But they would likely be a reach, given that your SAT CR and W are in the lower 25% of entering freshmen at those two schools.

StraferKev

^Yeah, its not that I like them less than my safeties, but that because most of the schools I'm applying to I haven't actually visited yet, so I don't actually know how much I will really like a school till I visit. I am basing how much I like a school purely based on the looking around their website, and the notes from my research.

ClassicRockerDad

You say that these schools are not your first choice.

Do you have access to Naviance from your school?

If you do, use the following algorithm:

1. Rank the schools in order of your preference
2. For each school, using Naviance, estimate your probability of getting in. Round to the nearest 10%.
3. For each school calculate YOUR probability of attending there. This is the probability of getting in times the probability of getting rejected by all higher choices.

Now you should know the most likely schools to attend.

If you have a reach as your 4th or 5th choice, where the probability of attending is really small, say 2%, it doesn't seem worth it to spend a lot (or any) of your time on it.

This is just a rough algorithm, but the idea is to figure out how to allocate your time and energy.

Make sure that you have two safeties.

pinklemonadeNE

Assuming those two are your reaches, if you got into every school on your list would you go to one of those two? If so, I would apply- you aren't completely out of the range, and you don't want to keep asking yourself what would have happened if you applied. On the other hand, if you see schools that are easier to get into for you and that you would also choose over NU and Vanderbilt, then don't bother (waste of time and money)

BeanTownGirl

It sounds like you are still trying to nail down your picks because you haven't visited schools yet. In that case, all the more reason to add these to the list. You might visit a few of your top picks and completely change your mind about them. I saw that happen with my son when we started visiting; lots of schools dropped off the list ;-)