Acceptance with Merit Aid?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>D is currently a Jr.—Hoping for acceptance (with Merit Aid?) at the following schools:</p>

<p>Brandeis
American
BU
Syracuse
Muhlenberg
NYU-music business/Steinhardt
GW
SUNY Binghamton
Brown-? (guidance counselor suggested applying—says you never know)
Harvard-?</p>

<p>Depending on school, may double major/minor in English or Communications with music or theater</p>

<p>STATs:</p>

<p>SAT (1st try): 680-V, 650-M, 670-W (1330/2000)
SAT2’s: 670 Bio (as freshman), 640 Math I (as sophomore), US History–640 (as junior)
GPA: 97.6 weighted–top 5% (Competitive Long Island Public School) Probably higher after this year’s final grades
All honors (except Chem) and AP’s (By senior year will have taken AP Eng Comp and Lit, AP US, AP Gov, AP Eco, AP Calc AB, AP Physics B, AP Environmental, College Spanish)</p>

<p>Talented vocalist and artist
All-State Choir, All-County Choir
Accepted NYU Summer '07 Steinhardt MT program (by audition)
Founder and Director of 18-member Co-ed Acappella Group (many benefit concerts)–started as a freshman
Associate Manager Honors Choir for Senior year (has been on Exec Bd as PR chair–junior year, section leader–freshman and soph)
Spring Musicals–freshman, soph and jr years (Fantine in Les Mis as junior–hopefully female lead as senior?)
All-County Artist (Nassau County)–for collage, Painting published in district’s art/ literature magazine.)</p>

<p>Additional EC’s
Elected Executive Board President for Senior Year (School President) Freshman and Soph Sec’y, Executive Bd Sec’y Junior Year
Freshman Homecoming Princess
Arts and Entertainment Editor of School Newspaper-Soph and Jr Year (probably same for senior year)
Vice President Thesbian National Honor Society (senior Year), (Webmaster–exec board–10,11)
Independent Research in Social Sciences (9-11) Will enter Intel as a senior.
(Won American Psychological Award for sophmore year)
Teens as Leaders–100+ hrs of community service</p>

<p>Took SAT’s and ACT’s in June. Waiting for scores.</p>

<p>Would like to have your opinion on acceptances (Reach/Match/Safeties) and whether merit aid is a possibility at the private schools…Any other schools to suggest that offer merit aid----5 hours from NYC----Jewish population of 15%+??)</p>

<p>Thank you!!!</p>

2

<p>It bewilders me that a counselor at a competitive high school would recommend that a kid apply to a school where her stats are considerably below average. Most kids have enough of their own reaches!</p>

<p>If she is an amazing musical talent, anything is possible. Otherwise Harvard and Brown, neither of which give merit aid, are not on the radar. </p>

<p>Merit aid is going to depend on if she has what they want so she should be talking to music departments at these schools.</p>

3

<p>D is a rising senior (!)
What are her chances for acceptance at the following schools?
Hoping for Merit Aid, since we won’t qualify for any financial aid.</p>

<p>*Obviously Ivies listed don’t offer merit aid and we know they are a real reach–but her GC suggested she try on the basis of her talent, EC’s (leadership), solid academic record, fundraising through acapella concerts, and excellent recommendations.</p>

<p>Brandeis
American
BU
Syracuse
Muhlenberg
NYU-Steinhardt
GW
SUNY Binghamton
Brown
Columbia
UPenn</p>

<p>Depending on school, may double major/minor in English or Communications with Music or Musical Theater</p>

<p>STATs:</p>

<p>SAT (1st try): 680-V, 650-M, 670-W (11 essay) 1330/2000
(2nd try): 650-V, 650-M, 780-W (12 essay) 1330/2110
SATII’s: 670 Bio, 640 Math I, US History–640
ACT’s: E-30, M-33, R-30, S-27 Composite-30
GPA: 97.6 weighted–top 5% (Competitive Long Island Public School) Probably higher after junior year’s final grades
All honors (except Chem) and AP’s (By senior year will have taken AP Eng Comp and Lit, AP US, AP Gov, AP Eco, AP Calc AB, AP Physics B, AP Bio, College Spanish)</p>

<p>Talented vocalist
All-State Choir, All-County Choir
Accepted NYU Summer '07 Steinhardt MT program (by audition–selected by department head who runs the program)
Founder and Director of 18-member Co-ed Acappella Group (many benefit concerts)–started as a freshman
Associate Manager Honors Choir (12), Exec Bd Choir as PR chair(11), Section leader (9, 10)
Spring Musicals (9-12) Fantine in Les Mis as junior–hoping for female lead as senior
Will audition/send DVD as a supplement to application</p>

<p>Good artist–will submit portolio whenever possible
All-County Artist( 11)
Artwork published in district’s art/ literature magazine several times</p>

<p>Additional EC’s
Elected Executive Board President for Senior Year (School President) Freshman and Soph Sec’y, Executive Bd Sec’y-Junior Year
Freshman Homecoming Princess
Arts and Entertainment Editor of School Newspaper (10-12), Contributing writer (9-12) Won Quill Award
Vice President Thespian National Honor Society (12), Webmaster, Exec Board-(10,11)
Independent Research in Social Sciences (9-11). Will enter Intel as a Senior.
(Won American Psychological Award for research in sophomore year)
Teens as Leaders–100+ hrs of community service (9-12)
Raised approx $10 M for charity as participant and organizer of accapella concerts
School leadership awards–High Honor Roll every quarter–NHS</p>

<p>Would like to have your opinion on acceptances (Reach/Match/Safeties) and whether merit aid is a possibility
Any other schools to suggest that offer merit aid----5 hours from NYC----Jewish population of 15%+??</p>

<p>Thank you!!! Know these posts are long, so I really appreciate your consideration and time</p>

4

<p>Collegekid’s reply has been bothering me for a while, so I’ve decided to reply.</p>

<p>Obviously all Ivy league schools are reaches for everyone. Even perfect scores or a #1 rank does not guarantee admission. What bothered me about collegekid’s reply was his (her) OUTRAGE that my daughter would even consider applying or that her guidance counselor would suggest it as a reach. I don’t see anything that bewildering about it. She is top 5% of her class, president of her school and has a 2110 sat/ 30 act. She is also an accomplished vocalist (all-state) who founded and directs an accapella group.
She’s a good artist (all-county) and has many leadership roles. She scored
99th %ile on SAT writing (with a 12 essay) and 99th %ile in ACT math.</p>

<p>I am not saying that she will be accepted. (And I know that Ivies don’t give merit aid)…but to say that it is bewildering that she would even consider sending in an application or that it is unbelievable that her guidance counselor considers her a candidate…to me that attitude is bewildering. </p>

<p>If her scores increased by 100 points to 2210, would I have gotten the same reaction? Or would I then be permitted to spend my $80 on an application?!I think it is sad that people would advise others not to take a shot at something because of a 100 point (or even 200 point) spread. Do people really believe that a descrepancy of 100 points drops someone to the category of “don’t insult us with your prescence in the applicant pool?” I thought that “reaches” could include long-shot schools that you could be accepted in if the stars align for you!</p>

<p>I hope that admissions counselors want to see a more diverse range of applicants than collegekid implies by his response.</p>

5

<p>I don’t think it matters to colleges (AT LEAST not much) when you took the SAT IIs
IMO you might get into a lower ivy… better chance with EA or ED.
As for merit aid… depends on what the school offers and who you’re up against.</p>

6

<p>Sorry, it is just planin fact that an unhooked kid with a 1330 has almost no chance at an ivy. I left the door open if your daughter has unusual musical talent. That’s the only way she has a chance.</p>

7

<p>I don’t believe collegekid was trying to be insulting. His point was that there are so many schools that she should pick reaches that are more of a match. My friend who is 3rd in his class of 400 with a 2200 SAT isn’t applying to Harvard. Honestly, any article in the NYtimes about colleges just states how ridiculous Ivy acceptance has become. </p>

<p>Good luck</p>

8

<p>She’s got a good chance of merit aid at Muhlenberg. According to their website,

</p>

<p>(While admissions at Muhlenberg is SAT optional, you have to submit SAT or ACT to be eligible for merit aid.)</p>

<p>They also have some talent scholarships available, with a very strong theater, music and dance program.
<a href=“http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/music/joinus.html[/url]”>http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/music/joinus.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/theatre/admission.htm[/url]”>http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/theatre/admission.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>She also has a good shot at American, both for admissions and for merit aid (depending on which program she applies to).</p>

<p>NYU isn’t very generous with merit aid.</p>

<p>Be aware that Columbia and Brown are very different schools. Columbia has a pretty heavy Core requirement; Brown has very few, if any, required courses. Very few students who are happy at Columbia would be happy at Brown, and vice versa. Don’t forget to consider a school’s “feel” in addition to her chances for admissions as you whittle down this list.</p>