Privileged Mediocre White Jewish Girl Shooting Too High

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Hey, so as the title suggests, I think (know but am in denial) that I’m shooting a bit high, but hey, why not shatter my hopes, dreams, and confidence in the form of plenty of rejections?

Objective:
ACT (breakdown): 36 (superscored) SINGLE: 35C: 35E, 36R, 34S, 36M w/ 9 Essay
SAT II: 790 Math II, 740 Chem, 710 Physics
Reported Average: ~96
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 20% (competitive school)
APs: World History (4), English Lit (4), Comp Sci A (5), Calc BC (Currently taking), Physics C (Currently taking), Stats (Currently taking)

Awards:
National Merit Semifinalist
National AP Scholar
National German Bronze Medal

Subjective:
Great and extensive ECs focusing primarily on politics with some Math Stuff thrown in. Don’t feel like listing it all, and it probably wouldn’t be read anyway. I founded a political organization and helped manage a campaign-stuff like that. Also, I’m class president, if that helps. The biggest thing is I did a prestigious program over the summer. Think along the lines of a niche TASP level. Admissions people generally know it. I’m a realist, but my ECs are good-probably 8 or 9/10.

Recommendation letters and essays: Hopefully pretty good, but also probably run of the mill

Intended Major: physics and/or philosophy and/or comp sci (As you can tell, I really have my crap together)
State (if domestic applicant): NY
School Type: Public Competitive Magnet
Ethnicity: White (Jewish)
Gender: F

Schools:

Yale Early
Regular: Princeton, Brown, Williams, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Bowdoin, Pomona, Harvard, Amherst, Rice
Is it dumb to apply early to Yale? I don’t know how comfortable I am EDing anywhere, but if it’s my only way in, I’m open.
Note: I’m applying to more realistic schools as well, but I’m not including them here

2

@Galileyom Well, first off you’re not mediocre. Second, your stats and ECs are sufficient to have your application taken seriously so it’s worth trying for some reaches. 3rd, there will be many applicants that are similarly qualified. Many of these reaches have single digit admit rates, so you have a better than 90% chance of being rejected by them.

If you’re not comfortable about applying ED, don’t.

You’ve got 11 reaches listed. Plus targets and safeties, that’s a lot of schools. You might want to trim the list a bit so you don’t get completely stressed out preparing all of those applications.

If you haven’t yet had the money talk with your parents, make sure that these schools would be affordable for them.

Good luck, you have a lot to offer!

3

Your list is fine. You just need to add a list of the next tier schools that you know you will be accepted to. You know how it goes - the match, reach, safety. Just add to your list and see what happens. That’s all you can do.

4

I think that you need to trim that list of reaches. I am sure most of those have supplemental essays and interviews - you will be spreading yourself too thin. Also, some of these schools have very different feels - what is it you are looking for in a school? What do you like about these schools, or are you just applying because they are elite?

5

I’d take some off that list. if Yale and Brown are what you like, Bowdoin and Williams probably arent. Vanderbilt has z different vibe than many on your list. I’d put a school like Tufts in in its place.

Your stats will put you in the group for serious consideration but as you know, there will be many more like you in that pile than there are spaces in the class. And yes, if you like Yale best, go for it in the early round, knowing that if you are not accepted, odds are you will be deferred, not rejected.

6

Shana Tova…
OK… You need matches and safeties. Every year high Stat students don’t get accepted into the top programs. Just too many high Stat students out there. Make sure your essay is the best it can be by being unique, personal and most of all interesting. Besides some ECs what else is there to separate a 35 from a 36 act with great GPA? Also get ready when the 32-34 student gets accepted to schools that you don’t. It’s not the highest score wins. That would be too easy.

7

Your stats are not mediocre, as I suspect you know. They put you in the ballpark for top level schools, which of course doesn’t mean you will get in given their low acceptance rates You will just have to take your chances like every other high achieving unhooked applicant. As far as your list goes, I agree that there are too many reaches and your schools are all over the place. Figure out what you really want and then pick three or four reaches that fit the bill. If Yale is in that group, no reason not to apply early, but I wouldn’t necessarily count on it giving you a boost. Finally, come up with some safeties that you can afford and would be happy attending.

8

Have fun writing those supplemental essays. Hopefully you love each of those schools for their individual characteristics and aren’t just applying to a bunch of high reaches in the hope you will get lucky. I think you should apply to Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT too. At least make it an even dozen high reach schools.

Self-deprecating humor is good, but disingenuousness isn’t.

9

Look at all your schools and really see if they are where you truly want to go to… Fit not expectations. We started with like 38 schools for my engineering son just to make a complete master list. He had a 34 act with same GPA at the top school in our state. That list quickly got narrowed down but I made him keep some safeties to his safeties. He only wanted to apply to like 6-8 schools and he ended up applying to like 14. But close to the deadline… MIT, Stanford, and a few others came off. He just evaluated the chances and decided against it. The end result was he is at Michigan and very happy. If he just applied to his original 6-8 schools the outcome would of been the same with his last 3 choices. Plus that one ivy rejection week or whatever it’s called can be brutal so have a good attitude as it seems you do. Many seem to take it personally… It’s really just one big game.

10

@mamaedefamilia @Empireapple @Momma2018 @gardenstategal @Knowsstuff @TheBigChef @Lindagaf Wow! Thank you for all the responses!!! So, I’m also planning on applying to Michigan and Grinnell, and then Binghamton and Buffalo. I’ve visited a good amount, and I really love all the schools on my list, albeit some in different ways. If you’re able, would you be able to group some of those schools together? It seems some of you started a bit. I hadn’t really been thinking of it that way, so I’d love to hear your thoughts.

11

Cornell is certainly one of the outliers on your list. Larger and more rural setting.

Also, Michigan for an out of state applicant will make it a reach.

Your list seems very reach heavy but the SUNYs should be good safeties.

12

Any financial concerns ? Able to be full pay ? Need merit money ? Qualify for financial aid ? Or does “privileged” mean wealthy ?

If full pay, then why are you reluctant to utilize ED ?

Have you considered Stanford University ? Northwestern University ?

The biggest concern might be that your class rank is only in the top 20% as opposed to top 10%.

What are your primary wants in a college or university. (And from my perspective, prestige is an okay want, but there needs to be more.)

13

With a 35 ACT score (36 superscored) and a class rank only in the top 20%, I think that it is wise to apply to 12 reach schools in addition to your safeties.

Essays are important.

14

@Publisher I forgot to mention Northwestern, but that’s on my list. Pretty high, actually. I’m not rich but money isn’t an issue due to forethought on my parents’ part that I’m very grateful for. My discomfort with EDing isn’t financial, but more about the “what ifs” any my neuroticism. I don’t think I’d be happy doing ED anywhere, no matter how much I love the school. In a school, I really just want a strong sense of community, some level of academic flexibility (distribution requirements instead of required classes, for example), and general happiness. One of the reasons I love Yale is that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Sorry, that was a bit of a ramble.

15

Your response seems clear to me.

I’ll PM you how to do the Yale & Northwestern essays if you want me to.

Actually, you can PM me for essay advice since you have more than 15 posts.

16

@momofsenior1 I’ve spent a lot of time at cornell since I have a close friend currently in her sophomore year, and I feel comfortable with the environment despite the size. Also, the college of arts and sciences itself only has like 4000 kids total, which is way fewer than the sum of all undergrads. Also, Mich loves my school and kids going down to the 30% or even 40% mark go every year.

17

Look at Harvey Mudd – you can take classes at Pomona and it is a top science school, that is actively working for gender parity in the sciences.

I will tell you from my son’s experience last year, right now you think “why not apply to xyz top schools?” BUT the rejections do really hurt even when you “knew” you wouldn’t get in. Yale, Harvard, Brown, Cornell, Princeton are all very different schools. Focus on what you are looking for and maybe trim those down. Also apply to Brandeis and you will get offered a top scholarship which will make you feel good!

18

You will definitely get into Buffalo and Binghamton.

19

@astute12 Hahahahaha that’s def an interesting motivation to apply to Brandeis. On Harvey Mudd, I’ve thought about it, but I still may want to major/double major in Philosophy and they don’t really offer that at all.

20

I’ll state the obvious: Each essay needs to be tailored to a specific school as no elite, ultra selective college or university wants to feel like a second choice.