can more graduated seniors do "actual results" threads? - Page 37

CollegeBound2007 · 10-06-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookAddict

I didn't get rejected at any schools. However, I did not get the scholarships at several schools that I needed in order for it to make it reasonable for me to attend. Duke, for instance, is way too expensive for me and my family without a scholarship, though I don't qualify for financial aid. And I didn't even bother applying for the Ivies, as they don't give out financial aid

My family thinks along the same lines. My parents can afford to pay the full private tuition, but don't want to, and I don't qualify for financial aid. So I will probably go to a State University with a scholarship or a 2nd tier (according to USNWR!) private U that gives me a full ride (I have stats for Ivys). But I have bothered to apply to H, Y, Br because my guidance counselor insists on it. I have to listen to him so that he gives me a strong rec. It'll be fun to reject an Ivy in case they accept me!

BookAddict · 10-06-2006, 01:53 PM

Quote:

My family thinks along the same lines. My parents can afford to pay the full private tuition, but don't want to, and I don't qualify for financial aid. So I will probably go to a State University with a scholarship or a 2nd tier (according to USNWR!) private U that gives me a full ride (I have stats for Ivys). But I have bothered to apply to H, Y, Br because my guidance counselor insists on it. I have to listen to him so that he gives me a strong rec. It'll be fun to reject an Ivy in case they accept me!

I kind of wish I did apply to an Ivy, just to see if I could have gotten in. Especially since I got accepted to all the schools I applied to.

But at the time, I really didn't want to apply to more schools than I did (12). For one thing, I don't think my parents would have shelled out the money for more apps, and I don't have enough money on my own.

But oh well, I was still very happy to get into Duke and a few other of the schools!

laxmom07 · 10-06-2006, 10:22 PM

There is a LONG way from an Ivy to a state school (depending, of course, on which one, and no, I'm not going to touch that one! LOL!). If you really have the Ivy stats, there are plenty of truly terrific schools that will give you tons of money to get there. My oldest daughter chose not to even consider making that search, even though she was NMF, and I still think it was a mistake. She's perfectly content where she is, but, in retrospect, I wish she had known more about her options. (Moreover, there's nothing to stop YOU from taking out loans, if it's important to YOU.)

Northstarmom · 10-07-2006, 03:50 AM

" My parents can afford to pay the full private tuition, but don't want to, and I don't qualify for financial aid. So I will probably go to a State University with a scholarship or a 2nd tier (according to USNWR!) private U that gives me a full ride (I have stats for Ivys). But I have bothered to apply to H, Y, Br because my guidance counselor insists on it. I have to listen to him so that he gives me a strong rec. It'll be fun to reject an Ivy in case they accept me!"

If you want to go to the best university that you can, you also could do careful applications for merit scholarships. If your stats and ECs are good enough for your GC to insist that you apply to Ivies, you have the ability to get some very nice scholarships if you do an extensive search and careful applications. It also would help if you read books about how to get merit scholarships. An excellent one is by Ben Kaplan, who financed his Harvard education that way.

You also can work and take out loans.

This way you could avoid having to turn down Ivies for financial reasons, something that does happen particularly when students assume they'll get rejected, so don't bother to apply for merit aid.

There also are some excellent first tier universities that give excellent merit aid. Some are listed in the long thread pinned to the top of Parents Forum.

CollegeBound2007 · 10-07-2006, 07:45 AM

This is a fantastic piece of advice, Northstarmom. I am pretty much done with my application process for the set of colleges that we put together. Now I'll use my spare time investigating what you suggested above.
Thank you.
Fortunately, my parents will pay the app fee etc for any number of colleges. I also have unutilized teacher goodwill for more recommendations!

jtoc06 · 10-14-2006, 08:39 PM

Attending: George Mason University (with intent to transfer for fall 07)
Accepted: James Madison University
Waitlisted: Virginia Tech/Later rejected
Rejected: University of Virginia, William & Mary

School Type: Public
Location: Virginia
Race/Gender: Asian
Prospective Major: Undecided (on applications)
Unweighted GPA: 3.3
Class rank: County does not tabulate ranks

ACT: 26
SAT: (Best Possible) 1730
SAT II: 600 World History, 680 US History

Extracurricular Info:
-Science Club/Olympiad (11)
-Show Choir (10-12)
-Jazz Choir (12)
-Mens A cappella Choir (10-12)
-Computer Club (Co-President) (9-12)
-Young Democrats (11)
-School Television Network (Editor in Chief) - (11)

Honors:
-District Chorus (12)
-All State Honors Chorus (12)
-Tri M Music Honors Society (11-12)
-A/B Honor Roll (9-11)

downarabbithole · 10-15-2006, 11:26 PM

RE: “..i thought becuz my gpa had a crazy upward grade trend it would help, but as i learned, they don't really care about that at ALL“

wait, colleges dont care about upward grade trends at all? so if you go from , say, a 32 to a 40 in a semester, that isnt such a big deal?

i just read that and realized it looks slightly sarcastic, but i genuinely want to know.

Figgy · 10-16-2006, 12:17 AM

No they do care, I am an example of this (I assume...obviously there is no way to know...you just have to get lucky eyes I guess)

gplayer745 · 10-19-2006, 12:26 AM

Currently Attending: UC Irvine

Colleges Applied: 8
Accepted: 3
-UC Riverside
-UC Merced
-UC Irvine
Rejected: 5
-New York University
-UCLA
-UC Davis
-UC Santa Barbara
-UC San Diego

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Resident Status: CA Resident
High School Attended: Public, California Distinguished School

APPLICATION INFO:
High School Unweighted GPA (10-12): ~3.1
High School Weighted GPA (10-12): ~3.7
Converted to UC GPA (weighted): ~3.55

High School Transcript Summary:
9th Grade: 0 Honors, 0 AP, Grades ranging from A, B, C
10th Grade: 0 Honors, 0 AP, Grades ranging from A, B
11th Grade: 1 Honors, 1 AP, Grades ranging from A, B, C
------------------------------------------------------
12th Grade: 1 Honors, 3 AP, Grades ranging from A, B
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

************************************
TEST SCORES:
Highest SAT: 1720
SAT 2 Math: 630
SAT 2 Chemistry: 620

NO AP SCORES SUBMITTED
*************************************
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
--Strong extracurriculars involving mostly sports and music accomplishments

APPLICATION ESSAYS (personal statements):
-For the most part, my essays were "Good"

guildenstern · 10-23-2006, 03:32 PM

Graduated in '06
Asian female at public school in Northern California
Accepted: Bowdoin, Wellesley, UC Berkeley, UCSB (Regents), Santa Clara University (Dean's Scholar and Honors Program), Gettysburg College (Presidential Scholar)
Rejected: Brown

SAT: 2100, breakdown of 730, 710, 660
SAT II: USH 780, French 720, Bio 660
Class rank: 1/476
GPA: 4.00 UW, 4.87 W on a 4.0 scale
APs at the time of app: USH (5), French Lang (4), English Lang (4), Bio (4) - took 4 more exams senior year

Recs: One very good one, one decent one
Essay: When I visited Wellesley's Spring Open Campus for admitted students the admissions lady remembered me from my essay and commented on its strength. It differed from the norm in that I explained my Civil War obsession via personal background as a Korean adoptee.
ECs/awards: varsity swimming and water polo (recruited at Bowdoin and Wellesley for swimming), NHD state finalist, summer research as scholarship recpient at Gettysburg College Civil War Institute, president of high school's history club, 400+ hours of community service comprised mostly of living history presentations to elementary schoolers, club swim team for 12 years, club water polo all high school, AP Scholar, valedictorian, marching and concert band for 2 years

Comments: Most of my ECs had a history focus and I had/have a very definite plan of what I want to study, this may have helped me in being what admissions officers like to see as "egg-shaped" rather than "well-rounded." As other people have reiterated here I feel the essay is an important part of the app...but obviously the transcript is #1 priority. Board scores probably were one of the factors that held me back at the Ivies. Looking back I feel I should have had more reach schools.

laxmom07 · 10-23-2006, 04:08 PM

So, where did you go? LOL! Are you swimming?

Laxmom!

guildenstern · 10-23-2006, 04:10 PM

I'm at Bowdoin and am on the swim team. It was down to Bowdoin, Berkeley and Wellesley. Obviously I wouldn't be able to swim at Cal, I wasn't nearly good enough for their team so that was one of the factors in my decision.

guildenstern · 10-23-2006, 04:19 PM

Oh yeah and to add on to my thing I took the following AP courses-
Junior year:
English Lang
French Lang
Bio
US History
Calc BC

Senior year:
Macroecon
Microecon
Studio Art
French Lang
English Lit
US Gov (self study)

Yale admissions officer Jeffrey Brenzel was quoted in a NYT article saying they don't look for "sheer AP firepower, 10 APs" so you can take that as you wish.

CollegeBound2007 · 10-24-2006, 06:56 AM

Quote:

but obviously the transcript is #1 priority. Board scores probably were one of the factors that held me back at the Ivies.

I think you are right. Did you give the test only once?

Puppetzz · 10-30-2006, 09:02 PM

27ACT
3.6GPA
Instate
Top Quarter
I have a job
I play hockey

Accepted: MSU, WMU
Rejected:None