toastmaster

thank you again

Wwoody123

I noticed that you mentioned Dartmouth as one of the schools you may be interested in. Since you're in-state you should definitely drive up and see it this summer. One of its biggest turn-offs to many is the location, but since you're a New Hampshire native you might find the setting comfortable. If you wouldn't mind explaining your concern about the school I'd be happy to share what I know about it with you.

With a 1530 SAT and a rank somewhere in the top 10 out of 300 you definitely have the academic credentials and I think your extracurricular involvement will also make you highly competitive. I had pretty similar stats as you when I was applying last year and basically did a 'shotgun' approach applying to all the ivies (except Cornell) and was only accepted at Dartmouth. It wasn't until I started comparing it to other schools I got in at (Pomona, Rice, UChic) that I realized how great it really was. In terms of quality of undergraduate education and focus on the students, Dartmouth is the best out there. Now, I would still have gone to HYPS for the increased prestige factor and because the education would have been almost the same, but Dartmouth comes in at the top of the next group imo (rejected waitlist offers at Duke and UPenn).

Best of luck to you and let me know if you have any more questions about the application process!

toastmaster

Any thoughts on retaking chemistry, as it is my intended major?

PS, Columbia thoughts?
Sorry, I've been hugely annoying on this thread.

atrophicwhisper

Unless you're applying to an engineering college within a university, I wouldn't retake. Colleges know that your major might change.

BZ-B

Wow, you must the most humble/stupidest(jk) person in the world thinking you wont get into an ivy.

toastmaster

uh..., what?

Phead128

He is just kidding, Your are definitely competitive GPA and SAT score wise, but the lack of EC leadership involvment would hurt. He is just praising your really good scores.

toastmaster

Yea, the lack of leadership has come up a lot
Not really much I can do about that now... gotta make do.

toastmaster

psst, what about brown.

CDK

xjis-nicely done...but ead did not take the bait, although he did, of course, suggest duke

schoolmarmABC

Investigate Rice.

toastmaster

I'm not a huge fan of texas...

Wwoody123

If you can stand the heat, Rice does have a remarkably strong undergraduate education, particularly in engineering and the sciences. Also, the school is very cheap and they hand out merit scholarships to a lot of people who apply; it may wind up costing less than half as much as attending an ivy and if you know you're going to graduate school the slight loss in education quality and loss in prestige will likely be made up by the fact that you aren't knee-deep in loans.

BZ-B

Dont apply to Rice so I can get in..lol, jk again.

Seriously, you have a pretty good chance of getting in an Ivy

DunninLA

I think your parents are wise.

Your class rank: check
Your SATs: check with a star
Your Curriculum most rigorous offered: check
Your school's ability to prepare you for difficult college - check minus

So, academically you appear to be a strong match for any Ivy. As I mentioned in another thread, you are therefore one of the approx. 10,000 Harvard applicants (out of 27,000) who have demonstrated academic excellence and test taking proficiency.

How will you separate yourself from the 8,200 academically superior (and who would have no problem with the difficulty of courses) Harvard applicants for whom there is no room in the entering class, and become part of the 1800 for whom there is room? That will be your challenge with any Top 20 program. Your essays and recommendations need to make a Top 20 adcom say -- Yes! that's interesting! I think this person would add to our campus!