Wow - this is so helpful. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into the response. As a non-recruited athlete, I am hoping that I will be able to get at least a letter or something from the coaches explaining the situation. I didn’t go in-depth because it is a bit complicated, but I am at the level that any school would want me on their team.
All of these programs look great and are perfect for my list. That is actually the one thing I have been looking for because my list is all highly selective, and these are perfect schools that are one tier lower but still amazing. The Bucknell program looks crazy good. And the Georgetown one is really fascinating. I like how it incorporates international affairs. The one thing that is hard to balance is my passion for different academic fields. I do love business/engineering and it is definitely something I want to pursue as a career. But I also love studying international affairs, Middle East and Islamic history and its role in the modern day, as well as a bit of Latin. I know there is no perfect world, but I like the idea of international affairs. Thank you for all the advice, suggestions, and help, it is so helpful, and I am truly so thankful.
Yes, it sounds great, and I have a very strong connection with the school through my mom. The sailing team is also phenomenal. The one thing that scares me is the testing at Georgetown because they require all tests. I have taken it 4 times. I fortunately have an amazing tutor and worked with him before my first test without studying on my own. I thought I would be able to wing it and do well, but definitely not the case. I got my results back two weeks before my second test and went in with the same level of studying which did not go well either. Then I studied a lot and got better up until my current score. In order: 1340, 1370, 1490, 1550. I get it shows improvement, but they require submitting all scores, and I am worried about the 1300s. I do not know much about this, do you know?
Also very quick question, because you seem very knowledgeable about all this. For my senior year course, I am debating between 5 and 6. I am signed up for Honors Calc B/C, Advanced Calc-based physics, Latin 5, Econ, Random English Elective. I have an option to add Statistics (year-round) as a 6th class. I was considering swapping it with Latin, but some schools want to see 4 years of a language. As I mentioned, my counselors were all about what makes you feel happy and gives you the least stress. With my intended majors, stats would look great, but it is also a 6th class senior year during college apps and senior spring. Some friends are taking 5 academics and others 6 so I am not really sure. My other 5 are also all very challenging. Would you recommend adding Stats as a 6th?
Sorry, also had one more question. I have 0 APs. I have taken all the hardest classes at my school, besides in math because there are so many high levels, but I am taking a sufficient level at an honors level next year so I think that is fine. My school focuses on mastering instead of memorization which is what APs are. I have very little time to take any APs, is this something that I need to stay competitive, or will I be fine with 0 considering the rigor of my school? Thanks in advance for the help!
Very good question, something that I have been thinking a lot about. My priorities in order are:
Academics (especially pertaining to my intended majors)
Tied 2. Location and sailing program
Anything else (Social life, food, campus, etc.)
So I guess it is not really a dealbreaker, but something I would love to have. The example I have thought about which comes to mind is Harvard vs. Princeton, my top two REA choices at the moment. Harvard has one of the strongest varsity programs in the country with great coaches and athletes on the team (they won nationals last year). Princeton has a club team, which still competes, but they are not the most competitive or quite good. I know people on both teams and the coaches and they are all great. There are pros and cons to each so its a great question that I am not sure about. A varsity team is a big commitment and would not give much opportunity to participate in other activities outside. But, it is also regarded as an actual sport and there is a lot of training which I enjoy and will force me to be active. I also love sailing and will improve the more I am surrounded by better sailors. A club team is less competitive, with more beginner sailors, but also a lesser commitment. I would also be able to be one of the better sailors as a freshman though and have more opportunities to compete in bigger events. Varsity level sailing is not a deal breaker per se, but something I would take into higher consideration once I get into the schools. I know at least I can walk onto any school’s team. If there was not so much pressure and competition regarding applying to colleges and “doing well in life,” I would probably not even go to college and pursue sailing at an Olympic level or do skiing or surfing full time. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
I do not really know their practices well enough to comment. My guess is you should go ahead and at least apply if you really like the program, but maybe still treat it as a harder admit.
Personally, I would not. Stats is the sort of thing you can probably best learn in college anyway, and I think getting a jump start in HS is not necessary. I also think the truism that applying to a lot of highly selective colleges is basically like taking another class is pretty accurate. So I would keep your 5 (which look excellent) and leave it at that.
Technically this is another question for your counselors, but our feederish HS offers very few APs, for the same reason (we think teaching the test would actually dilute the class rigor), and we do fine because colleges apparently believe that claim. I am pretty sure colleges are similarly going to be quite familiar with your HS and will know this is a non-issue for applicants from your HS.
Ok, all very helpful advice. That makes sense for the Georgetown part. That perspective on stats is very interesting and clears up a lot. I will consult my counselors on the last question, but thanks for your perspective. Thanks again for all the help, much appreciated.
That was a lot to unpack. I’m going to go out on a limb and say, you’re in at Stanford, but generally, I’m with @hebegebe. This is a case for your college advisor.
Ok thanks, sorry for the long message, just wanted to make it clear about the difference and offer my reasoning in case others had a different opinion or thoughts. I will definitely consult my college advisor - thanks!
Yes, and they will likely be more familiar with which highly selective colleges will be more likely to see your profile as a good fit from their point of view (rather than the usual outsider viewpoint of seeing all of them as generic reach for everyone).
You can consider Middlebury for Econ and Harvey Mudd for Math/STEM. These are still highly ranked schools but outside the Ivy World. These have small class sizes and set you up nicely for graduate study in the T20 colleges.
You’re clearly a very well-qualified candidate for the Ivy+ schools on your original list, and it’s certainly possible that one or more will accept you. That said - knowing your school - so are 60-80% of your classmates, who will be of a similar grade + test profile. So you’re in a big mixer and it makes it difficult to predict for you, your counselors, and especially for us. The most useful thing we can do is point out alternative views.
To that end: one significant differentiator between you and some of your peers is your legacy status at Cornell and Columbia. At many of these very competitive independent high schools, with dozens of similarly-great applicants, the legacy hook is a genuine differentiating factor. It’s also a factor that matters a lot more in the ED process than later. So I’d encourage you to take a hard look at both places and see if you can get excited about either as an option. (Note that the reverse of this is true as well: you almost certainly have classmates who are legacies to Princeton and Harvard.)
At this point, your ECs are your ECs - they’re the things you have done. Do you have some fellow students who have done something wildly more spectacular? Probably, but not as many as you might think. So the worry won’t do much for you. The one note I’d make is that you don’t have any of the spikes that would probably differentiate you at MIT. If I was forced to bet, I’d say that’s your least likely admit, and also I might be wrong.
With a bit of knowledge of the space, I do think your sailing background may be interesting to some of the competitive programs that depend more on walk-ons (because, as you noted, there are usually 0-1 recruitable spots in men’s sailing programs), but you’ll never really know if that got you over the line.
Rice isn’t a likely for anyone, including even top students at OP’s school.
It’s a bit like the EC’s - nothing else to do at this point. If you’re excited, you should apply, and as someone always says on this board, if you don’t get in, it won’t be because you took it so many times. They might think you were coached up to that score, but you can’t do anything about it .
Other schools: I’d spend some real time in your school’s provided tool looking at places that are of various sizes (as you nail down what’s most interesting to you) and which get fewer applicants and/or have a higher acceptance rate from your school than others - a little more off the beaten path. With the increased number of applications everywhere, that’s hard, but think of larger schools like UVA and UNC (also mentioned above), medium-sized schools like Boston University and Rochester, and smaller schools like Hamilton and Colgate (though not for engineering). There are schools that are just better known in regions outside of the Pacific NW and have the same level of quality as the ones everybody else is applying to. This is also a conversation your counselor may be able to have with you that’s not the same as the normal conversation they’re having with students. This will give you some match schools (and maybe even some likelies) that don’t look like everybody else’s.
Very interesting and very helpful response. It is very true that many of my classmates have similar stats and that will be a major source of competition for me. However, many of the top schools do not have any issues accepting multiple students from my school, so although it is still a “competition,” I think it is manageable. I think everyone will have great essays, LORs, and supplemental, so it really comes down to ECs and Grades as a differentiation. My grades are solid enough that I think they should not be an issue. I have 2 A- soph year, but that is probably not a deciding factor and my SAT is pretty high. I think I am at the threshold where it is also good enough and not a deciding factor. That leaves ECs and Awards. Personally, I think they are well-rounded, strong, and meaningful. Especially considering the longevity of each and the national and international awards. And doing all this while sailing at such a high level which is a major commitment. I think all put together, it is pretty unique but it will be interesting to see - you are right though - I can only control so much and I have done what I have done. What do you think about the uniqueness?
I am interested in both Cornell and Columbia so I will definitely utilize that, but it is a tough decision to make -do I apply Early to my top school, such as harvard, or a school such as cornell which I have a higher chance of getting into, which is no doubt amazing, but slightly “lower” than harvard.
The one note I’d make is that you don’t have any of the spikes that would probably differentiate you at MIT. If I was forced to bet, I’d say that’s your least likely admit, and also I might be wrong.
Completely agree, there are a lot of students who love STEM and are very passionate about it at my school who also have amazing stats. The business school is amazing there, so that was my main reason, but I also was certainly not a fan of aspects of the school when I toured it. It will probably be one I apply and if I get in, I get in and will be considered but not one I am banking on or hoping for. Same goes for Georgetown in that aspect.
Your last point is good. My counselors suggested that schools like BC and BU are “likely.” I am a bit skeptical of that bc the acceptance rate for those is like 15%, but then again they have good knowledge of my stats and previous acceptances, and nothing is guaranteed. I will definitely consider the types of schools you suggested. There are so many great schools so I guess it just comes down to researching them. Thanks!
Your college counselor may be in a better position to know how interested Harvard, Cornell, and Columbia would be in an applicant of your profile, which would likely result in a recommendation of which of these to apply ED (or REA if Harvard) to.
The first might be obvious: You are a very strong applicant to any university in the US or in Canada (not counting the Canadian universities that teach primarily in French).
The second thing that comes to mind is that prestigious and highly ranked universities are not all the same. The eight Ivy League schools are not all the same. I think that it would both strengthen your application and improve your chances of being happy wherever you end up if you take some time and effort to think about which universities would be a good fit for you.
The third thing that comes to mind is that you need safeties.
Regarding safeties, you might want to look either in-state or in Canada. Toronto and McGill both seem very likely. Assuming that “Washington” means Washington state (rather than DC) the University of Washington might be worth an application, as might UBC.
I noticed your interest in applied math and ORFE. My bachelor’s was in applied math and my masters in Operations Research. I have described OR as “its great fun and they pay you”. Stanford was very good for OR when I was there, so I am assuming that it probably still is although I have not looked at the program for quite a few years. I do think that Stanford is worth an application for you, as are Princeton and Harvard.
I think that your ECs are very good. You might want to read the “applying sideways” blog on the MIT admissions web site. The point as I understand it is to do what is right for you, and do it well. To me this sounds like what you are already doing. I believe that this approach also works for other top schools, and not just for MIT.
I agree - from what I have gathered from speaking here and elsewhere is that my app is competitive and has potential almost anywhere I apply, it just comes down to a bit of luck and what the school is looking for. Canadian schools are definitely great options, but I would prefer to stay US
Yea, I definitely need to do a lot more research and find the programs and places where I would really enjoy. I think I came in with a mindset of apply to the best places and get into where I get in and then chose. But there is a much better way of going through the process
I agree that I need more safeties. Canada schools are really good options and I am guaranteed entrance to every Canadian school (can’t say why bc I don’t want to be identified - but it is pretty easy to do so already…), so no issue there. UW is a great option, but I hate Seattle. I moved here during covid from CT to be closer to family but the weather is the worst. I have found a lot from what people have suggested here.
That is a good insight on OR. It seems like a very interesting major. I was not aware of Stanford’s program so I will check that out thanks!
That is a great article! I wish that was more publicly shared to combat the stigma of the process. But I agree, I think that is what I have done but huge credit to my parents for shaping my “story” this way. Nothing I have done is really for college, and there is a lot of overlap btwn my ECs and academics which is purposeful and has helped me enjoy what I do and enjoy learning. But yea that is an amazing article! Thanks for the response!
.