My biggest suggestion…get your sure thing applications done ASAP.
Is there some reason why you can’t just apply regular decision to both BC, and NYU…and all the others?
1 Like
While I agree with @thumper1 that you should apply where you want regardless of what others say - that you say this now and on your other post mentioned ChemE - not to beat a dead horse but BC makes no sense and I certainly wouldn’t be considering it.
There are other schools like BC that will give you flexibility to pursue that engineering path if you so choose - in the case NYU or another doesn’t work out.
Maybe these aren’t exact but Bucknell (rural), Case Western, Col School of Mines, Illinois Tech, Lehigh, U of New Haven, Notre Dame, RPI, Rochester, Syracuse, WPI, etc.
The other thing is - you don’t have to ED. It’s not a requirement. it’s a choice. No need to bind yourself - especially at a school that can’t provide the major you might want to study.
Good luck.
Edit - just saw the list you wrote to @thumper. Many would be better for Chemistry and all but GW will have ChemE with UMN being outstanding. U Del is another to consider - you’d have all your bases covered - Business and Chem or Engineering.
All you listed are great schools although I might replace a GW (no ChemE) with Syracuse for your interests and just know engineering (if you go that route) at FSU is off campus, a few miles away, shared with Florida A&M. An Alabama would be similar/safe admission wise, get you as good an outcome, and would be a safety…but more importantly, all be in one place.
First of all, admissions in the US is very unpredictable. Most applicants to Cornell and other top universities are very well qualified to attend. The vast majority are rejected. You cannot know why you were rejected. You are clearly a very well qualified candidate. However, I expect that if you were to see the list of other rejected candidates, you would find a very impressive list of very strong students such as yourself. There probably was nothing else that you could have done. Admissions to highly ranked schools in the US is unpredictable, and is not entirely based on merit.
One personal comment on Cornell: In applying to graduate programs, it was my “dream school”. I also was rejected and felt bad at the time that I was rejected. A week or two later I got an acceptance to my second choice. I attended my second choice, did very well, and loved it. It was the right choice for me (admissions got it right at both schools). You are a very strong candidate and you will similarly find a very good university to attend.
Regarding ED2, my main concerns are finding the school that really is your second choice, and the cost of attendance. If you apply ED2 anywhere, then you are mostly committed to attending that school if you are accepted. If you do not apply ED2 anywhere, then you get to see where you are accepted, and you get to compare the cost of attendance along with everything else while you decide where to attend. UBC is a very good university. Some of my academically stronger relatives went there and did very well there. One still lives on campus (there are some condos on campus, which I have visited and which are quite nice). UBC is well regarded across both the US and Canada, is well known by graduate admissions and employers in the US, and will save you a ton of money compared to the US schools (probably more than enough to pay for a master’s degree in the US).
3 Likes
This…and thus my query about why you need to apply ED2 anywhere!
1 Like
Well, things have gone from bad to worse. I just got my SAT back, and it was 1330, which is unbelievable since I consistently scored 1450 on practice tests. I will be studying for the Feb ACT since I’ve contacted a few schools, and they will take that late of a test RD.
1 Like
Tests are a funny thing.
My son, on the ACT, got a 32 or 34 on the English after getting a 24. I think different versions come with different scores - yet the kid is the same.
1330 is very good by the way - high 80s percentile wise - and will work for a ton of great schools.
While you can’t submit it for BC (if you go that route), only 50% of BC students submit one per last year’s CDS.
If NYUs CDS is right, it’s over 90% - so that would cause pause.
Tons of great schools out there that would love to have you - and would be great for Chem, ChemE, business, and more if you pivot elsewhere.
Good luck.
Wondering whether Bucknell might be worth looking into. Or Holy Cross. (Both RD, with BC for ED2 since you really seem to like it).
You can send your commonapp essay (dm) to the official Cc readers, they’ll tell you what you can work on.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/follow-these-instructions-to-get-essay-help/3640959/
1 Like
So you apply test optional.
@ravk06 any chance you can post your college list on this thread?
1 Like
My list is changing pretty often, but here is my list so far:
Safety/target: UC Riverside, UMN, Penn State, ASU, U of Arizona, UBC (Canada), Syracuse, Udel, UW, U Indiana, UC Davis, UC Irvine, FSU, UMass Amherst, UMD,
Reach/High Reach: U Mich, UIUC, Notre Dame, BC, BU, Tufts, UT Austin, Holy Cross, WUSL, Wake Forest, UVA, U Miami, USC, UCLA, Berkeley, UCSD, Rice? Penn?
Those are all the schools on my list/applied. Some of them come and go, though.
I am applying to Holy Cross RD. It’s been on my list for a while, and I interviewed with them about ten days ago. I’ve also considered Bucknell, but I need more information about them.
1 Like
I think you have a good and varied list of schools with varying costs as well as selectivity. I think you did a great job.
I hope you applied to your sure things first…some give a fast response.
2 Likes
I have already applied to all the UCs, UW, UMN, and UBC. I’m a little concerned about my reaches, though, that I won’t get into a single one, and I’m just going to go to some regular public Uni.
Don’t apply to any school you don’t want to attend and what’s a regular uni?
Because UMN, for example, is every bit as good as any school on your list if you are going by pedigree for Chem. And it’s a great B school too.
And some schools you may have missed the deadline for priority - the publics - so check them b4 wasting time.
US News ranking doesn’t make one school great or another not. So get that out of your head.
There’s not a bad or ‘regular’ name on your list.
2 Likes
If you didn’t apply EA to UMD, you’re unlikely to get in during RD. Sorry.
4 Likes
I’m going to be very frank with you. There are very very smart kids at “regular public unis” too. There are. And some very successful and happy people who are graduates.
I hope you can celebrate the acceptances to those colleges, because they have the potential to set you up for a very successful adult career and life. Ask me how I know!
4 Likes
I agree bout UMD…they accept over 75% of their incoming class in the early round.
I suggest you get your Arizona applications done asap…you will get an admissions response with pretty fast turn around.
1 Like
Thanks for providing the full list for reference, all in one place 
Would you really attend UCRiverside or UCIrvine over UBC?
You’re going to run into a problem at some universities : EA and priority deadlines have passed, as well as Honors college deadlines.
You’ll be evaluated “on a space available basis” and forget ChemE. 
If you’ve not applied to UDel yet, it’s going to be difficult to get into Chem and Honors college deadline was Dec1 for sure.
UMD is almost impossible at this point (very few spots are available.) You can gamble there are still a few spots in Chemistry but it’s a gamble that Im not sure is worth taking since you already have a very good list.
At Penn State, to have a shot, apply DUS and Summer (directly). In your “statement”, explain you’re applying DUS because you hesitate between Chemistry, ChemE, and (another science-related major NOT in Eberly nor in COE - LOOK at colleges of Earth&Mineral Science and Agriculture.) Perhaps add that since you were French immersion you hope to continhe with a French minor, perhaps a French business minor. The essay counts for little and that’d be a way to make it count.
Apply to Arizona and ASU (+ honors) ASAP.
UWisconsin and UMN are superlative for your academic interests, you have a great shot at admission, and I think they automatically consider you for Honors College or invite you to apply after admissions (look into it and complete the steps).
I wouldn’t apply to more the above, ie., cross out Indiana, GSU, uMass, UmD, and probable UDel&PSU as well.
I think you have a good shot at Syracuse.
Choose your favorite 5-6 reaches to focus on.
Lehigh, Bucknell and Colgate are rural and smaller than BC but they offer the same vibe, high level academics, and resources. They are a good cross reference for kids who like BC but not necessarily the Jesuit aspect. One of them may appeal to you and is worth a shot RD. If you don’t have a favorite, you can run the NPC and pick the one that returns the lowest/least high estimate.
You’ll get into a great university that’ll be a good fit - in fact, I’m willing to bet you’ll get into several! because your list was thoughtful and your academic&EC profile is good.
1 Like
With your stats you’ll get into UBC which is a great school in a beautiful place, or McGill where you could really maximize the experience given your French immersion background. Being at either of these T50 schools, both in beautiful cities, is not a worst case scenario 
If your grandparents have money saved for you, let them use it to pay for an expensive professional school later (you might eventually want an MBA or an MD), or for a down payment on a house when it comes time, rather than a large lower-ranked US school at 3-4x the price of the Canadian option.
4 Likes
Delete
Agree that if you’re going to pay for a US school, it makes sense to attend one that has value added over what you get in Canada and Colgate is a great example. It is small, with a great reputation, and is similar to BC in a lot of ways, with predominantly white, preppy students on a beautiful campus. 96% of students say profs put a lot of effort into their teaching, which is something you had said was important, and is a lot higher than some state schools. A negative is the small town, but it is in New York State where you mentioned you have family. (Contrast: Nearby Syracuse U is sized like a Canadian school, has 80% of people saying profs put effort into classes and is ranked as a top 5 party school in US.)
1 Like