Replies to: Is Ivy League for me?

• #1

  pingotip Registered User Posts: 68 Junior Member

  May 2018

  People with full ACT scores get rejected from Ivy Leagues. Plus, many other factors besides GPA, and ACT score affect the college's decision

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• #2

  ninakatarina Registered User Posts: 1,633 Senior Member

  May 2018

  Congratulations! You have the grades to be considered for admission to a lot of excellent schools. For advertising/media I suspect Columbia is where you'll find the best within the Ivies due to their New York location and their contacts, but you can get a great education at any of them. If you get in to any of them you are likely to get a decent financial package.
  
  But the bad news is that though you have a possibility of being considered for the top Ivies, it's not a high probability. You'll NEED a solid backup plan.
  
  Have the hard talk with your parents as soon as you possibly can about what they think they can contribute, if anything, to your college education. Once you have a number, go on the FAFSA website and find out what the government thinks your family can afford to pay for your college education.
  
  https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate (FAFSA4Caster)
  
  if there is a big gap, you need to chase schools with merit aid. Look in the Financial Aid and Scholarships section of this forum and you'll find info on some colleges with competitive big scholarships. A lot of schools are generous with merit aid. The Parents Forum section of this website has a thread pinned near the top that has lists of schools we have had success with in the past.
  
  If there isn't a cost gap, you want to find a college that meets full need. Here is the list for last year:
  
  http://blog.****/blog/colleges-that-meet-100-of-student-financial-need/
  
  
  

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• #3

  bjkmom Registered User Posts: 7,971 Senior Member

  May 2018

  It's the "let alone get in" part that I'll focus on.
  
  By all means, apply to any of the Ivies that seem like a good fit.
  
  But know that, for every single kid who applies, it's the academic equivalent of buying a lottery ticket. Sure, taking a chance is worth it. But don't pin your hopes on that lottery ticket. Every single kid who applies is incredibly gifted and talented and qualified, yet the acceptance rates are still in the single digits.
  
  So do your homework. Find a list of schools that seem like a good fit: academically, financially, socially, and all the other ways. Find a school that seems to be a place you can happily live and learn for four years. Find a school with other kids just like you. My daughter visited a number of schools. One in particular was a great fit on paper, but just had a vibe that wasn't her. When we found the right school, she knew it.
  
  Good luck!

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• #4

  skieurope Super Moderator Posts: 43,634 Super Moderator

  May 2018

  I want to major in something to do with communications, advertising, or media.

  That's a broad spectrum. Penn is great for communications. But in general, there are plenty of universities that are not Ivy League that are better for communication and media - USC comes immediately to mind. The bigger issue is for you to find a school that will be affordable. The 29 will be an issue for top schools, so work to improve that. Good luck.

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• #5

  JD7777 Registered User Posts: 18 Junior Member

  August 2018

  I can give 1 perspective of a person who came from a small, west coast town to an Ivy League school... I don't think the Ivy League is "for" everyone. You get a prestigious name but depending on where you end up and the field you enter, it may not be very valuable. I entered the public sector on the west coast and the name recognition value of my degree was no more than if I had attended any state school here.
  
  However, if you are absolutely sure you will attend a selective grad school path (medicine) or are going into finance, the name and connections are incredibly valuable.
  
  For my pathway, the cost doesn't pencil out (although I had a very positive experience).

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• #6

  compmom Registered User Posts: 10,613 Senior Member

  August 2018

  For your interests, Ivies may not be best. Have you looked at the majors offered at the various Ivy League Schools. There may be some options but overall, for many reasons, I would look at other schools.
  
  Consider, for instance BU (School of Communications), Clark U. ( see their major in Media, Culture and the Arts) or Emerson- options in MA alone. As well as your state university. UMass has a Communications major. If you are more business-oriented there are many public options. Again, in MA, Babson might be a good private one. You can find similar opportunities in other states- these are examples to look at.
  
  
  If your academic performance is solid, as your GPA would suggest, but you are not a good test-taker, here is a list of schools that don't require or emphasize test scores. If you need merit aid you might still need to provide them though. There are many top schools on this list. For instance, under B you will find Bowdoin, Bates, Barnard, Brandeis, Bryn Mawr, Bard, Bennington and Beloit, among many others.
  
  http://fairtest.org/university/optional

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• #7

  TomSrOfBoston Registered User Posts: 15,591 Senior Member

  January 17

  ^^^Nope. You can be great in everything and still get denied at all 8 ivies.

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• #8

  ShanFerg3 Registered User Posts: 221 Junior Member

  January 19

  I believe the Newhouse School at Syracuse University is top for communication.

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