**help me choose between stanford rea and wharton m&t ed
Demographics**
US domestic
State/Location of residency: Michigan
Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public
Other special factors: None
Cost Constraints / Budget No aid required
Intended Major(s)
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 3.85-3.88 depending on school i believe(5 Bs, 1 in freshman year, 1 in Linear Algebra dual enrollment) definitely my weakest point
Weighted HS GPA: 4.18/5
Class Rank: N/A
ACT/SAT Scores: 1590 superscore 800RW 790M (unfortunate) 1570 single attempt
List your HS coursework
(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)
English: AP Lang (4), AP Lit (sr. yr)
Math: AP Calc BC (5), AP Stats (5), Calc 3, Linear Algebra, Discrete Math (current), Diff Eq. (next sem)
Science: AP Chem (4), AP Physics C (current), AP Biology (current)
History and social studies: APUSH (5), AP Economics (5 on both), AP Gov (5), AP Psych (self study 4)
Language other than English: Chinese 2…
Visual or performing arts: Orchestra all 4 years
Other academic courses: Some business courses, honors english, comp sci 1
Awards
Wharton Investment Comp Semifinalist - Team Leader, (50/5,000 teams)
DECA ICDC BFS Test Top 10 / State Champ
NYT Open Letter Finalist (180/10,000+)
John Locke Econ Essay Shortlist (waiting for further results)
State Personal Finance / EconChallenge Runner-Up
Extracurriculars: Include leadership & summer activities
Tech Startup/Nonprofit Co-Founder, COO: Helped 10,000+ reentrants find jobs using AI-powered software, raised alotta money (mid 5 figures), etc.
Powerlifting: Team USA for IPF international comps, national champ in usa, legit nat records
GTM role at startup: AI police tech, presented at conferences, got some sales, paid role and the youngest employee
Job: 100+ customers hourly at restaurant, managed them efficiently
Varsity Powerlifting Team Captain: managing personalized programming after the old coach was fired and the club got bombed, establishing as sport for next year,
Youth Group Student Leader: Raised 5k+ for missions trips and conferences, planned a bunch of stuff
Boys State Lt. Gov: won a bunch of elections and passed a ton of bills, good supp. essay topic
9 and 10 i have stuff but theyre not super impactful, atleast not yet.
Essays/LORs/Other (Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)
Schools (List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if unsure, leave them unclassified)
Stanford REA or UPenn M&T ED (help me decide please)
Stanford is my dream school, but REA doesn’t help with admissions chances. M&T is amazing as well, and is my second choice. If I apply to M&T ED, should I say no to being considered for Wharton ED?
Harvard
Berkeley MET
UMich Ross (in-state)
Yale
Columbia
Northwestern
CMU
targets and safeties that i havent really decided on yet
This is your answer. Frankly, your chances are very low at most of the schools on your list. Michigan is slightly better as you are in state. I’d consider an ED app there before Penn.
These are the most important schools on your list.
I agree. It is not a good idea to apply binding somewhere when you are also applying somewhere else you would prefer.
I also agree with this, and I note there are a variety of colleges that have some version of this type of program (combining business and engineering/technology interests).
So the OP could build a robust list of Likely/Foundation, Target/Match, and Reach colleges around this theme.
The most important college(s) on everyone’s list are these…so find them now.
Your list is very top heavy. You have a chance of acceptance at them, but no way to chance someone on schools with such low acceptance rates. Also you don’t have a clear number one choice. My suggestion…apply RD everywhere. If you want to, you could apply SCEA or REA someplace, but look at the rules about where else you can apply.
I’m curious why you think I have a very low chance at most of those schools? Obviously they’re the most competitive programs in the nation, but is my profile not strong enough?
Stanford REA is what I want do, but my parents are very adamant that I don’t.
You have a low chance of acceptance because every unhooked applicant has a low chance of acceptance. Stanford and Penn M&T accept under 5% of applicants – many of whom are outstanding. There are simply not enough spots for these universities/programs to accept all of the well qualified applicants. That is why, IMO, it is impossible to chance at the hyper-competitive schools.
By all means take your shot – but as others have said be sure to also seek out match and safety schools that you would be excited to attend.
And to answer your earlier question if Stanford is your top choice I would not ED to Penn M&T. If you do get into Penn you might always wonder “what if I applied to Stanford?”
The majority of the schools on your list all have acceptance rates under 10% which make them extremely unlikely for all applicants, not just you. It’s not personal!
Note that Berkeley is test blind so they won’t see your SAT scores but they also won’t use your freshman grades in their GPA calculation.
I agree with your parents that REA to Stanford has no benefit to you as the applicant. But, if that’s your #1, I wouldn’t ED anywhere so you have all the options on the table.
If you are trying to leverage ED to boost the probability of an acceptance, Northwestern fills more than half their class in ED and the acceptance rate is 23% vs 7% in RD. Obviously the safest bet would be to ED to Michigan since you are instate and have an amazing school in UM.
Am I reading correctly that you only went through 2 years of foreign language? Be aware that many of the schools on your list recommend 3-4 years of FL, including Stanford.
Let us know if you’d like some help building your safety and target list. I agree with the other posters who say that is the most important part of your list. Some great target schools give a big preference for EA applicants so don’t wait on figuring out those schools.
Your GPA is a tad low, but your biggest problem in my opinion is a lack of course rigor. Most of these schools recommend at least three if not four years of foreign language. It’s a hole in your application.
Stanford and others will have tens of thousands of applications that do have higher rigor.
In state Michigan seems your most likely acceptance, but even that is not assured. Please find some likelier schools that you’d be happy to attend.
I see plenty of rigor in everything but foreign language. And I agree that could be a problem.
For other students reading this thread - do not sacrifice your core classes to double up in another area. Everyone that is college bound should be shooting for 4 years of math, English, science, history and foreign language. If there was a logistical reason why that couldn’t happen, your guidance counselor should address it in their LOR.
I agree with everyone else that you need to find target/safety schools that you would like to attend. This list is very top heavy and you could very well be shut out. At the most competitive schools, your gpa is going to be seen as being a tad on the low side, also, they like 3-4 years of foreign language and not 2. It’s still worth applying as you are a really strong student, but it is important to have realistic expectations.
Yeah, I’m definitely worried about the foreign language. I don’t really have any excuse for not taking it, just wanted to do more APs/rigorous classes and both the mandatory business class for DECA and orchestra was taking up space in my schedule so I decided to cut language.
Not sure how big of a red flag this is though.
I don’t think I will ED to Michigan especially because my school sends about 100-120 kids there every year. I should be okay with EA.
Sounds fair. Just to be clear, my full list is much larger and does have more target schools. I just listed the reaches here because I’m trying to decide on my early college.
Why would you bind yourself to a school that isn’t your top choice? Have you been to either - the environments are very different. You have to be there four years.
Penn admitted 1235 of 8683 ED - so people think - much better odds. Don’t forget, athletes, QB and others are in that #. People think - nearly half of Penn students got in ED. But an equal # turned down Penn - so 3523 were accepted - so another 2300 or so were accepted beyond ED.
Agree with others - you need to add targets / safeties - schools like Purdue, Lehigh, UNL Raikes, Babson.
That should be your focus - it’s easy to pick big names - what, for example, will you major in at each. Stanford Management Science and Engineering I imagine?
What about the others?
So how did you even come to pick this school list?
As for your record, Chinese two - no third year of language? That’s going to hurt you - unless the school only went up to Chinese 2 and you meant to take 3 and they didn’t offer it. If that’s the case, make sure the counselor notes that.
But to answer your question asked - Stanford REA. This is your college experience, not your parents. But I see your list as tough - maybe with UM as the only admit - but not necessarily Ross being safe so could be 0 for.
You have an incredible record - but any kid with this school list has to plan for 0 for. If you get into any, it’s AWESOME - but one should play defense. More and more schools seem to offer the merge of tech/business type programs and some may be better suited to you quite honestly than you have listed (which are simply big names - i.e. it’s clear you are chasing prestige).
If Stanford is your favorite, apply there. Same goes for Wharton. However, if it is a strategy (meaning trying to maximize your chances at a super competitive school), you’d be better off applying ED to a school a tick down from those because the ED figures are misleading - they include lots of hooked students which makes it seem higher than it is in reality.
Wish I could go back and edit the post - this is about 1/3rd of my total list. I do have a lot of other programs and colleges I’m applying to that are targets. I just didn’t list them as I’m really trying to decide on my early choice right now.
I know Ross is very difficult but being in-state at a feeder school that sends 100+ kids to UMich and 10-15 to Ross, I feel comfortable with that as a target school. Most likely the college I’ll be attending.
Not sure how much it helps but I am pretty sure colleges look at this: we send about 0.75 kids to Stanford on average per year and 3-4 to UPenn every year.
What does your guidance counselor say about your list and your chances? If you are at a feeder, they should have a better idea than we would!
Also note that this is the first cycle that UM is offering a binding ED option. It’s difficult to predict how that will impact EA and RD and how much of their class they’ll elect to fill in ED.
You are you. I wouldn’t worry about #s of who goes where. Often that’s based on who applies.
Take your shots - but think long and hard about the others.
I hope you get into Ross - but don’t assume anything. You need to love where you attend - so find those. - to be safe. And target doesn’t mean safe - even if it’s 50/50 or 60/40, there’s a chance you don’t get in - so you need others - and not just random names because you didn’t want to take the time to dig into each individually thinking you won’t need them.
If you get into any on your list, that’s awesome - but in life, you always need that safety net. You don’t just want to say Michigan State or Indiana, etc. because they are names but what is it about them that you want.
Might a UNL Raikes work better than IU Kelley based on what I think your goals are. Or a Lehigh IBE - that’s what I’m getting at - don’t just come up with a list but deep dive. Who has the curriculum you want?
That’s far more important than a big name. Maybe not to your parents it sounds like - but in life - as you have goals to pursue.
I would do that for every school - reach and otherwise - look at curriculums - who really hits that sweet spot of what I want. Babson is a top b school and has a technology entrepreneurship concentration, as an example whereas other schools might not offer those type things. Those are the types of things, in my opinion, you should look for.
I bet it was easy for you to come up with where I want to apply - my reaches. It shouldn’t be - and for your targets/safeties - it definitely shouldn’t be because with your list, it’s 50/50 or better you’ll be at one. Hopefully not but…..
OP is looking at Penn’s M&T program which is very small (approx. 50-55 acceptances per year) and incredibly competitive in terms of admissions (estimated admission rate of 3%).
I understand - that’s why I’m saying look at curriculums vs. just big names, especially when looking at targets/safeties - there are other programs which will merge tech or engineering with business - but not necessarily others on the list. I’m saying - if that’s your interest, dig deeper - might Lehigh, Purdue, even UNL be more related subs than many other on the list - or at least as they develop alternatives (safeties/targets) I’m just noting to be more intentional than just picking names for the sake of names. But yes, I was trying to match M&T.