So how did I do, and what do I do next?

Applying to College
1

<p>Before I sign off these forums for good, I wanted to throw my personal case out there for the first time for people to evaluate. I went a bit college crazy, applying to twelve schools (most of which I knew were beyond my range), so please tell me how you think I did and where I should go at the end of it.</p>

<p>First, stats:
SAT: 2270 - 720V, 800M, 750W
SAT II: 800,790,760,750
ACT: 34 + 36W
GPA: 3.98 UW, 4.36 W
Rank: 16/609 at a competitive public
Schedule: Full IB Diploma, took extra math (Calc III online this year), and an extra period after school
Sports: 12 years of rec soccer (basically none)
Jobs: Several years working as a soccer referee
Leadership/Service: VP of NHS in 9th (at my junior high) and 12th, VP and co-refounder of Math Club, Founder and co-president of fantasy sports club, section editor for school newspaper, board of directors for french club, assistant chess coach at local elementary, math club teacher at same elementary, assistant soccer coach, on the leadership committee of a local service organization, key club 10-12.
white/asian, male, would call myself charismatic
economics major from WA</p>

<p>Now for the colleges:
Accepted:
U-Washington (Honors)
U-Michigan (Honors)
Northwestern (MMSS)
Cornell
Pomona</p>

<p>Waitlisted:
Johns Hopkins
Dartmouth
UPenn</p>

<p>Rejected:
Georgetown
Yale
Stanford
Princeton</p>

<p>When the final package came yesterday (Pomona) I knew that I’d be in for a tough decision, especially since Pomona and Cornell/Northwestern are so fundamentally different in terms of the type of education I’d likely receive. I plan on majoring in economics and hope to involve myself in some sort of extracurricular journalism (radio or newspaper). Right now I am thinking it will likely be between Pomona and Cornell… I visited Pomona last fall and loved it, and will be flying down to NY to check out Ithaca during spring break. </p>

<p>So now I turn it to you guys (always the experts): Did I apply to the right places? Do the decisions I got reflect my stats? I really was hoping to get into Georgetown (which was at one time my top choice), especially considering that it was less selective than Cornell and Pomona both. Should I stay in line on those waitlists? And ultimately, where do you think I should go?</p>

2

<p>Well done, but i hope you arent talking about cal poly pomona…</p>

3

<p>Pomona as in the Claremont College, the small liberal arts school.</p>

4

<p>Congrats! Enjoy Ithaca, It’s beautiful right now. My adivice to you would be to go out of your way to talk to students who go to these schools. Go to the coffee shops in College Town (College Town Bagels and Stellas are excellent choices) and talk to the students there. You’ll get a much clearer and more realistic idea of college life than by only talking to tour guides and people being paid by admissions offices. </p>

<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>

5

<p>any more feedback?</p>

6

<p>Pomona would be my choice because you have a small LAC experience within the context of a larger consortium of colleges.</p>

<p>That being said, I’d go with the best fit.
IB</p>