Hey CC,
I’m a freshman, soon-to-be first-generation Caucasian at a public high school looking forward to the college application process. My dream school is Wharton, but I’m early in the search process and will obviously consider other options as Wharton is a huge reach for anyone. I’m considering making a finance app to help with my ECs, as I’ll need a standout achievement to distinguish myself. Anyways, I’d just like to know some stuff early on to avoid making mistakes that could kill me later in the college process, so if all of you who are much more experienced in this than I could answer a few questions, it would be greatly appreciated.
I’m in the Baltimore County school system, which isn’t entirely too competitive-however, students from last year’s class got in to Harvard and Oxford. Considering that I have friends that would be difficult to leave behind, should I attempt to transfer to a prep school in order to boost my chances (and possibly provide essay fodder about “overcoming difficult transitions”) or would I be safe with staying where I currently am and enjoy?
How many AP classes are too many? I’d obviously like to take the hardest course load possible and feel like I’d be able to handle it, but I’m just wondering based on all of your experiences if you’ve avoided some APs (my school doesn’t offer IBs) and still managed to get into highly selective schools.
How much of an advantage would being a first-generation college student give me, considering that I’m not a URM?
How should I approach essay-writing prep and SAT prep? Which is more important in the eyes of highly selective colleges, GPA, SAT scores, or ECs, based on your experiences?
In order to get into great business schools, should I focus on trying to build a successful business myself or should I focus on business-related ECs more? Should I also do a lot of non-business related ECs to create a “well-rounded” image or should I focus on building a “spike”? When volunteering, should I try to focus my efforts in a business-related manner? (Ex: Is it better to spend more time working with people with special needs directly or is it better to spend slightly less time creating a fundraising organization that would help raise money for people with special needs?)
What fairly high-level, but fairly non-selective colleges (above 25% acceptance) should I apply to as safeties? How many colleges should I apply to, and should I apply ED to Wharton if, when application submission time rolls around, it feels like a reach to me, or should I apply to a school that is slightly less selective but still fairly elite?
Again, if you can answer even one of these questions, I would be very grateful for some experienced guidance that can help me get a head start on the rest of the 2019 class.