I am debating whether or to to apply to Princeton because of the slim chances of actually getting accepted, but my counselor is telling me to go for it. I’m paying for my own applications so I don’t want to waste my money if I am definitely not going to get in.
Major: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
stats-
GPA: 3.9 (unweighted)
AP’s: 14 (passed all exams, mostly 4s and 5s)
SAT: 1560 with an 8 on essay
800 on math 2 subject test
790 on physics subject test
EC-
president of the neuroscience club ( we have won two competions in the time that I have been pres.)
president of my school’s National Honor Society
internship at NASA
STEM club member
member of the varsity soccer team
part time job
I am also a mexican woman. I’ve been told that that will improve my chances but I am not sure if that’s entirely true.
you should have a better chance with SCEA, especially with your stats. ECs are a little on the lower side, but frankly affirmative action should help too.
I think you have a realistic chance of acceptance. It would be risking the application fee, but if you’re accepted it would be an incredible opportunity. I vote give it a shot. Good luck!
“I’m paying for my own applications so I don’t want to waste my money if I am definitely not going to get in.”
There’s no such a thing as “definitely” with those top colleges with holistic admission policies, such as with Princeton, let alone any colleges. If you’re a Mexican woman, then you have URM hook to your advantage. An URM in STEM is another advantage. At a place like Princeton with 5.5% selectivity rate, don’t bother asking what your chances are. Not because you have zero chance but simply because no one knows. Your URM status and your academic stats, however, show that you’re a very capable applicant. I say go for it.
Princeton’s policy regarding fee waiver might be worth your attention should its description applies to you:
"Fee Waiver
We want to make sure that Princeton is accessible to all candidates, regardless of their individual family’s financial situation. If you are from a low-income background, or if the application fee is a hardship for your family, and you are applying for financial aid, Princeton will waive your application fee. Additionally, we will waive the application fee for all candidates who are serving or have served in the U.S. military. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways:
Select the fee waiver option on the Common Application, Coalition Application or the Universal College Application. Your college or guidance counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax.
Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, NACAC or Realize Your College Potential. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver.
Upon submission of your Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application with the Princeton Supplement, the checklist in your Princeton Applicant Portal will reflect that your fee waiver has been granted. Please note that applying for a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way."
You are a strong candidate; but you are correct that many strong qualified candidates are not admitted due to class size limitations. Your SAT scores are competitive. For enrolled students the Middle 50 percent Math SAT Scores are: 730-790. That means that 25% of students scored at or below 730 and 25% of students scored above 790. Your counselor is giving you good advise; you do not want to wonder for the rest of your life if you could have been admitted. If the application fee is difficult then you may qualify for a fee waiver.
You may request an application fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the Coalition Application, Common Application or the Universal College Application. Your college or guidance counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, NACAC or Realize Your College Potential. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor. For more information on application fee waivers email the admission department at uaoffice@princeton.edu or call 609-258-3060.
You may be interested in the life story of Frances Arnold, a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering major from the class of 1979. She was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in chemistry. https://paw.princeton.edu/article/evolution-gets-assist
Princeton is very interested in attracting women to study STEM at Princeton. Of the students offered admission last year 48.3 percent of engineering students were women. Wherever you attend you should consider the support the school provides women engineering students. In too many schools women engineers are discouraged by male dominated classes and drop out of engineering. Here is a discussion of this issue: https://www.princeton.edu/news/2014/04/03/perseverance-and-support-keys-womens-success-stem
The immediate past president of Princeton was Shirley Tilghman, a molecular biologist. She is a strong advocate of encouraging women to study STEM and worked to make Princeton a good environment for women STEM students and professors. Here are two lectures that she gave on encouraging women to excel in STEM: http://www.princeton.edu/president/tilghman/speeches/20081029/
You shouldn’t apply to Princeton because you have a chance to get in but because it’s a good fit with what you want to accomplish as an undergrad. That goes for every school you are considering.