Colleges Anyone? Accepted? Waiting?

[MTChong]

Hey, with the end of March and beginning of April in just a couple of weeks, who else is waiting for college decisions? Has anyone on here gone through the grueling process and is simply awaiting decisions? Post!

[chrisplchs]

Eh.. a few years ago I went through it. That was a lot of money

[DiabloTS]

hope ashton got into harvard....

[thejackal]

its a pain in the arse all the way.

[angharad]

I went through that a few years ago, but was accepted in December so I didn't have a long wait (only about a month).

[drhopz]

I just got accepted to University of California Irvine :]
I'm waiting for ucla, ucsd, and ucb.

[MTChong]

Awesome stuff - anyone else? There surely have to be more of us young anc chipper seniors on the board.

[lorenza]

yup, went through all this last year, although i already knew when i applied to the schools i wanted to go to that i would be accepted, so really wasn't that bad for me :D

[thejackal]

i got pretty good credentials (ap, top SATs, etc.) and applied to a couple of ivy leagues. im thinking of taking a year off though, if i dont get into a top school

[shrakkie]

I went through it all last year. Now I am studying in Brighton,good times.

[Fedace]

Does anyone know who are the top Juniors that is going to accept scholarships this fall to a major colleges?

[El Diablo]

One daughter just finished at Wesleyan (Connecticut) last year and now another is off to University of Arizona in August.

[meh]

Gotten UCLA, UC Irvine, and Cal Poly SLO, and waiting on the rest.

[MTChong]

El Diablo - Wesleyan is a great school! It's awesome that your daughter chose a smaller liberal arts college; they get no love from most Americans that are only aware of the Ivies (and only the Harvard, Yale, Princeton, any maybe Columbia and Cornell at that), Stanford, MIT, CalTech, and flagship state universities. Is your daughter pretty happy there; and if I may also ask, what compelled her to attend an LAC?

[El Diablo]

Plenty of people want a small college -- her mother had gone to Williams and really liked it, so it was already a bit of a bias for her. People worry too much about where they go; do really well at any good school and all will be fine.

[MTChong]

Well, it all comes down to fit; hard to do well if one hates the place. I also like smaller schools for the most part, which is what deters me (mainly) from UCLA and Cal - so big!

[Starlite]

I applied to 5 schools: University of Chicago, Princeton, Northwestern University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and George Mason, and I have heard back from GMU (got in!) and Northwestern (denied). My first choice is U of C, but I might go to Princeton if I get accepted. The application process was a pain in the butt, but I'm actually still not done - since I'm applying as a music major, I have to go through auditions too!

[malakas]

I wish you Good luck Starlite!:D
Wow I didn't know you were still in school!lol thought you were much older.:/

[DX_Psycho]

i got accepted to UCSB. waiting on the other UC's.

[Voltron]

I applied to 5 schools: University of Chicago, Princeton, Northwestern University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and George Mason, and I have heard back from GMU (got in!) and Northwestern (denied). My first choice is U of C, but I might go to Princeton if I get accepted. The application process was a pain in the butt, but I'm actually still not done - since I'm applying as a music major, I have to go through auditions too!

U of C is a great choice, I'm thinking of going there myself. (If I get in) It's also really convenient for me. Good luck!

[Starlite]

I wish you Good luck Starlite!:D
Wow I didn't know you were still in school!lol thought you were much older.:/
Thanks for the compliment, Sani! I try not to come off as a stupid high school kid that everyone complains about. :p

U of C is a great choice, I'm thinking of going there myself. (If I get in) It's also really convenient for me. Good luck!
Cool! I really loved the campus, location and their educational "philosophy" when I visited Chi-town last summer. It's just a really nice place and I can't wait to hear back from them.

[MTChong]

Those are some competitive schools Starlite; I'm really hoping Princeton accepts me, too. It would be really awesome were that to happen; they have a phenomenal financial aid program.

[meh]

Well, UC acceptances coming out in a few hours.

Fingers crossed, everyone.

[DX_Psycho]

just got rejected from UCDavis. guess i'm going to UCSB

[MTChong]

So I take it you got into SB then Psycho? Congrats.

Whoohoo - rejected from MIT, as completely expected! Now, when the letter arrives, I'm going to frame it and hang it up.

[zapvor]

i like to think big schools are better. more fun anyways.

[chrisplchs]

I disliked U of C when they flew me up there for a visit. I can see why they have to accept 44% of the applicants (or at least that what it was when I applied) to fill their freshman class. It's a miserable and depressing place (at least thats how I viewed it) and I didn't like the whole quarter system.

But, we all have our own different views. but you might think differently of it

[meh]

Got Cornell (CALS). Waiting for the other privates...

[MTChong]

meh - that's awesome; how far up is that on your list? I got into Dartmouth early via likely letter.

Yeah, I don't know; big schools that are overcrowded just don't do it for me.

[Steve Dykstra]

i like to think big schools are better. more fun anyways.

Definitely more fun.

[zapvor]

yea someone else knows. where do you go?

[Steve Dykstra]

I go to Cornell. Weird, it used to say that under my profile. In fact, it looks like my whole profile is essentially gone.

[LarougeNY]

Steve, are you a sophmore?

[Steve Dykstra]

Steve, are you a sophmore?

Nope I'm a senior. I think they must have changed the profile system, maybe when they updated the boards, and mine must have been cleared. I remember it was different, I had down my racquet, string, and stuff like that. There isn't a place to put that information down anymore I don't think.

[LuckyR]

How much is four years going for nowadays?

[GRANITECHIEF]

just got rejected from UCDavis. guess i'm going to UCSB

If i were you, i would be ecstatic. SB vs Sac, total blowout 6-0,6-0.

[El Diablo]

Beware U of C. Has a reputation as a place built more for graduate students than undergraduates. One of my brothers went to grad school there and also felt he wouldn't have wanted to be undergrad there.

[LuckyR]

Beware U of C. Has a reputation as a place built more for graduate students than undergraduates. One of my brothers went to grad school there and also felt he wouldn't have wanted to be undergrad there.

Yeah but Universities with awesome grad programs usually equal more prestigious letters of recommendation to get into Grad programs. Colleges that are all about teaching undergrads can do so, but make sure the diploma carries the weight you want it to...

[ohplease]

Beware U of C. Has a reputation as a place built more for graduate students than undergraduates. One of my brothers went to grad school there and also felt he wouldn't have wanted to be undergrad there.

El Diablo is right: make sure you think good and hard before picking the UofSee.

Essentially, it's a very polarizing place. People grow to either love it or hate it. You'll also hear quite a few true stories about alums either doing very well or very badly, given the educations they got there.

As far as location - it's not that different from UPenn or Columbia - tough, urban and slow gentrifying neighborhoods.

If you can deal with being out on your own in those kinds of environments - you'll thrive. If you need to keep the training wheels on in some college cow-town sandbox first, you won't. It really depends on the kid. At this point, you'll know better than any of us as to whether or not it'd be a good fit.

Either way - best of luck.

[meh]

Anybody manage to sneak onto to the MyUCLA page last night? They leaked the admissions through that, but closed it off today.

[M1KE]

How does everyone plan on paying off $200,000 + in loans after graduation?

I'm looking at colleges and think I coud get into a pretty good one, but financial aid is very important for me. As much as I'd like to get a great education and study abroad, it seems like I'll have to settle for a state school. The price of an education is really ridiculous. When I was younger, I dreamed of going to MIT and was very motivated. Since then, I've decided I'd rather go to a college where I would have time to play tennis and study abroad occasionally. Hopefully Northeastern, Tufts, or Boston University will be very generous.

I wish I lived in California; you guys have some good state schools.

[tennistensai]

fudge i hate this time. I got in at UCSB and UCR but those were the last two schools I wanted -_-. I know I have a good shot a Irvine but there still not saying anything. LA and Berklery are just miracle chances I just applied to so Im not expecting anything from them. man I really wanna go to Irvine

[snoflewis]

accepted:
- UC davis
- UCSD

rejected:
- UCSB

waiting:
- UCLA
- UC irvine
- Cal

i only applied to UCs...but getting into UCSD was miraculous enough for me.

[drhopz]

Accepted
UCI
UCSD <- most likely to go tthere

Waiting
UCB
UCLA
USC

[MTChong]

accepted:
- UC davis
- UCSD

rejected:
- UCSB

waiting:
- UCLA
- UC irvine
- Cal

i only applied to UCs...but getting into UCSD was miraculous enough for me.

UCSD is an awesome school! I'm also surprised with UC Davis as I was under the impression they seriously over accepted; almost doesn't make sense to get rejected from SB... but SD and Davis are both awesome! Davis is near (relatively) where I live.

[snoflewis]

UCSD is an awesome school! I'm also surprised with UC Davis as I was under the impression they seriously over accepted; almost doesn't make sense to get rejected from SB... but SD and Davis are both awesome! Davis is near (relatively) where I live.

where are you planning to go as of right now?

[MTChong]

where are you planning to go as of right now?

I am still waiting on some more acceptances but to date, I've been accepted to Dartmouth, UCB, UCLA, UCSD, Carnegie Mellon, and Harvey Mudd (this last one just today). [It looks like I may have underestimated myself during college apps; I'm always pessimistic when it comes to myself, but optimistic when it comes to my friend and most others].

As for where I intend to go, I am not quite sure; if I get accepted to Princeton or Stanford, I would be really thrilled, almost as thrilled as I am right now (my school just won California's Mock Trial Championship this past weekend :D ). Otherwise, it'll be whichever school is the cheapest for my parents and me to pay.

How about you?

[thejackal]

ha, i did mock trial this year. good times

[Fedace]

Do you guys know of top 20 ranked Juniors that is interested in attending Stanford University next year ?

[jamauss]

Never went to college - self taught w/ books.

Still make plenty more $$ than what my friends with degrees do. :) (Tech)

Harvey Mudd is a real great school from what I hear. Congrats MTChong.

[MTChong]

Never went to college - self taught w/ books.

Still make plenty more $$ than what my friends with degrees do. :) (Tech)

Harvey Mudd is a real great school from what I hear. Congrats MTChong.

Thanks! It has been in my (limited) experience that most people have not heard of it unless they are either one: looking for a college of the sort that I was looking into, or two: are involved in a field that draws or ******** people from such schools.

[jamauss]

A friend from high school that scored 1600 on his SAT went there, that's how I heard about it.

[MTChong]

A friend from high school that scored 1600 on his SAT went there, that's how I heard about it.

My oh my, that's impressive; I'm not quite in the same league. 1500. They say that 1500-1600 is all luck, but I think that's just to make people feel better (this isn't to say that SATs are an end all be all gauge of intelligence because it's often a combination of that and test taking skills). And I can say that I don't think 1500-1600 is luck; that's just amazing to get that score.

[thejackal]

i got a pretty good score too. i think im just good at multiple choice. ive been told by a classmate in ap gov that i've got good intuition at these things.

[Starlite]

On Thurs. I hear back from Princeton. Wish me luck!

How does everyone plan on paying off $200,000 + in loans after graduation?....

Scholarships or Gov't $$$.

[snoflewis]

How about you?

haha...honestly, i have no clue. i applied to 6 colleges..only really plan on going to 3: UCLA, UCSD, UCI...so far, i've only heard from SD and got in, which was completely unexpected since my gpa barely broke 3.0....

but the only thing that would prevent me from going to UCSD would be an acceptance to UCLA :)

[MTChong]

Well, they're decision is coming out soon so best of luck!

[meh]

On Thurs. I hear back from Princeton. Wish me luck!
Most private schools seem to be releasing admissions on Thursday...waiting for Dartmouth, Northwestern, and Columbia on Thursday too.

[snoflewis]

Most private schools seem to be releasing admissions on Thursday...waiting for Dartmouth, Northwestern, and Columbia on Thursday too.

uc berkeley also comes out thursday evening and i heard brown as well...

[sloe_torture]

I graduated from high school in Chicago. My school was considered a 'feeder' school to good ******* (censored... Mi dwest) schools like ND, NU, UMich, or U of I and there would be a handful that made their way out East. I was one of the few that decided to make his way out to the west coast to attend UCLA.

Now here's my question: What's your perception California colleges? With the exception of maybe Berkeley, CalTech, and Stanford many Chicagoans thought that the California schools were easy-going, party schools. Many found it hard to believe that UCLA was also similar in academic reputation to a UMich or a UNC.

Good luck with applications. If you didn't get into your choice school (like me), don't worry about it. College is more of what you make of it. Just make sure you get a sampling of everything it has to offer and, especially if you plan on doing some grad work, do the sampling in moderation.

[drhopz]

I'm happy with UCSD. I applied to UCLA AND UCB for fun, but i would never know. I might get lucky. Ahhh...thursday, what a beautiful day.

[MTChong]

I graduated from high school in Chicago. My school was considered a 'feeder' school to good ******* (censored... Mi dwest) schools like ND, NU, UMich, or U of I and there would be a handful that made their way out East. I was one of the few that decided to make his way out to the west coast to attend UCLA.

Now here's my question: What's your perception California colleges? With the exception of maybe Berkeley, CalTech, and Stanford many Chicagoans thought that the California schools were easy-going, party schools. Many found it hard to believe that UCLA was also similar in academic reputation to a UMich or a UNC.

Good luck with applications. If you didn't get into your choice school (like me), don't worry about it. College is more of what you make of it. Just make sure you get a sampling of everything it has to offer and, especially if you plan on doing some grad work, do the sampling in moderation.

Well, with respect to the view that I have of California colleges... including UCLA, I dont' think of them as easy-going, party schools. In fact, one thing that deters me from UCB and UCLA, especially, are their highly competitive environments where there are very large numbers of students.

[chrisplchs]

After talking to one of my friends from SD, he tells me the culture of the colleges in CA. UCB and UCLA are highly competitive and people don't party a lot other. SD I hear is getting the same way. However, USC is truly a party school I hear so hmm.. thats more my type of school (top rep/ranking and huge partying)

Also, it was quite funny how you didn't mention UVa as a school with high academic reputation. I would rate that school as the 2nd best public university in the country. That said, I would kill myself before I would wear pastels and have my collar popped

[Micky]

After talking to one of my friends from SD, he tells me the culture of the colleges in CA. UCB and UCLA are highly competitive and people don't party a lot other. SD I hear is getting the same way. However, USC is truly a party school I hear so hmm.. thats more my type of school (top rep/ranking and huge partying)

Also, it was quite funny how you didn't mention UVa as a school with high academic reputation. I would rate that school as the 2nd best public university in the country. That said, I would kill myself before I would wear pastels and have my collar popped

I graduated from USC and it is a great school socially and academically. Thursday nights at the fraternity row was crazy...the 901, the 502...but that was in the 80's jejeje. I miss my engineering days. I miss LA. I miss my women of LA.

[Max G.]

I am still waiting on some more acceptances but to date, I've been accepted to Dartmouth, UCB, UCLA, UCSD, Carnegie Mellon, and Harvey Mudd (this last one just today). [It looks like I may have underestimated myself during college apps; I'm always pessimistic when it comes to myself, but optimistic when it comes to my friend and most others].

As for where I intend to go, I am not quite sure; if I get accepted to Princeton or Stanford, I would be really thrilled, almost as thrilled as I am right now (my school just won California's Mock Trial Championship this past weekend :D ). Otherwise, it'll be whichever school is the cheapest for my parents and me to pay.

How about you?

W00t for Harvey Mudd! :) I'm currently a junior there, loving it very much. If you want any inside info about it, feel free to IM me ;) Though I don't think it passes the cheapness criterion :( not exactly an inexpensive place.

PCMD, if you remember him from way back when, is also here.

[sloe_torture]

After talking to one of my friends from SD, he tells me the culture of the colleges in CA. UCB and UCLA are highly competitive and people don't party a lot other. SD I hear is getting the same way. However, USC is truly a party school I hear so hmm.. thats more my type of school (top rep/ranking and huge partying)

Also, it was quite funny how you didn't mention UVa as a school with high academic reputation. I would rate that school as the 2nd best public university in the country. That said, I would kill myself before I would wear pastels and have my collar popped

Nothing wrong with UVA and it's one of the top public universities. It just wasn't a popular choice for students at my high school.

As for partying, I'm sure the UC's get their fair share of partyers. After all, they are state schools with sometimes up to 20,000 undergraduates that represent the academic priority spectrum. There was no need to have huge student-run apartment or fraternity parties at UCLA (or any other metropolitan school) because there was always a party that a friend-of-a-friend was throwing at a house (or at a club on Sunset, or at the desert, or at Vegas) and it was typically on a grander scale than a house with keg stops in every other room, not that there's anything wrong with that.

[tricky]

Now here's my question: What's your perception California colleges? With the exception of maybe Berkeley, CalTech, and Stanford many Chicagoans thought that the California schools were easy-going, party schools. Many found it hard to believe that UCLA was also similar in academic reputation to a UMich or a UNC.


I would say UCLA is, depending on the department, close to or on par with Michigan.

The technical department of the UC system is overall very competitive, because most majors have a curve where the mean is calibrated a B- and C+. Typically, in any given class (again, talking the technical areas), only about 15-20% will be eligible for some form of A, and about 20-25% or so will get a C- or lower. Now keep in mind that your typical student at UCLA or Berkeley is probably a top-10 student with a 1400+ SAT. That means in a class of 200, only about 20-40 are going to get a B+ or higher, whereas as many as 40-60 will not get even a 2.0 grade point. UCSD is also very competitive like this.

Also, at UCLA and Berkeley, certain majors are inherently difficult to get into. Typically, if you enroll in computer science, only about 20-25% of any given student body will be elligible to apply for it after 2 years into college. Meaning, if you're not averaging a A-/B+ average, you may have to sign up for a different major. Anybody will hire a Cog Sci major? ;)

If you have aspirations for graduate or med school (again in a technical major), it's easier to get there by private school. Because the competition can be high at a UC, your GPA will probably be significantly lower than the private school grad, even if your effort works out to be the same. Only about 20% of a very smart student body will have at least 3.5GPA by the end of your tenure.

On the flip side, the UCs will make you grow up quicker, because you'll pretty much fight tooth and nail for everything you deserve. You were special in high school. You'll struggle to be mediocre in college. Rather like the corporate life. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. :D

[snoflewis]

lol..im 0 for 3 today. got booted from cal, la, and irvine...

im off to UCSD

[drhopz]

UCLA!!! WOO I GOT MY ACCEPTANCE!!! I cant reject them, my parents would probably stab me. :]

[MTChong]

Rejected from Yale, and Waitlisted by Princeton; tomorrow's Stanford decision doesn't look good either.

[BreakPoint]

Rejected from Yale, and Waitlisted by Princeton; tomorrow's Stanford decision doesn't look good either.
Did you also apply to Harvard? I wonder if the trend in this article today is the same at all the Ivies, plus other top private colleges like Stanford, MIT, etc.?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070329/us_nm/usa_harvard_dc

[chrisplchs]

breakpoint, it is pretty much true. I know that Duke acceptance rate this year was 2 percentage points lower than of what it was last year. (supposedly somewhere around 18% this year). combine that with the fact Duke feels morally obligated for some reason to take a higher percentage of students from NC and SC and it comes out to that the acceptance rate from students outside the Carolinas is 13-14%

[Steve Dykstra]

Did you also apply to Harvard? I wonder if the trend in this article today is the same at all the Ivies, plus other top private colleges like Stanford, MIT, etc.?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070329/us_nm/usa_harvard_dc

How can you be sure that it is actually harder for a given individual to get into these schools? Another likely explanation is that more people who have little chance to get in are applying to more schools, many of which they don't deserve to get into. I think people now apply to more schools on average than they used to, and this would create lower acceptance rates for most schools than they have had previously.

[BreakPoint]

How can you be sure that it is actually harder for a given individual to get into these schools? Another likely explanation is that more people who have little chance to get in are applying to more schools, many of which they don't deserve to get into. I think people now apply to more schools on average than they used to, and this would create lower acceptance rates for most schools than they have had previously.
Uh...did you even read the linked article? More students are applying now because there are just more kids of college age now than in the past 25 years or so because all those baby boomers' kids are now of college age.

I've also heard that a higher percentage of students are applying to the top schools than ever before and that a higher percentage of these applicants are qualified than ever before. I also read somewhere a while ago that Harvard, for example, now regularly rejects hundreds of applicants with perfect 1600 SAT's every year. Combine that with the fact that schools like Harvard are accepting fewer students, in absolute numbers not just percentages, than before (again, as cited in that article) and you have a scenario in which it's much tougher and more competitive to get into the top schools like the Ivies.

I guess I'm just glad I got in when I did because I may not be able to get in today.

[yodudedudeyo]

I got into the University of Notre Dame today! I'm stoked! 79% of their students scored above a 30 on their ACT, and most of the kids that go there are like 4.0 GPAs. I also got into the University of Michigan a while back, but now i have to choose between the two.

ND is like 40k a year, U of M is like 20k a year.... I wish i had a buttload of money...then i wouldnt have to incorporate college costs into my decision...

[Starlite]

Update: I got into the University of Chicago and George Mason University. Denied from Princeton, but I don't really care, that was my "reach" school. Fascinating article, breakpoint, thanks for posting.

[hyrulemaster]

Breakpoint, what college did you go to?

Did you apply to multiple?
If so, what were your backup school if you didnt get in to your top choices?

[tennistensai]

well today is the last day and im still pending for Irvine ( got rejected from CAL and LA, accepted R and SB) i think they would have told me so im just going to assume i got rejected

[MTChong]

Did you also apply to Harvard? I wonder if the trend in this article today is the same at all the Ivies, plus other top private colleges like Stanford, MIT, etc.?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070329/us_nm/usa_harvard_dc

I actually didn't apply to Harvard; I kept them mainly to the more undergraduate focused schools. Although I was notified by Dartmouth earlier of my acceptance, which was officially awarded just Thursday. I got rejected by Stanford as well; but I still have a good choice of schools to choose from, and I am very fortunate. I just wish that maybe some things could have swung in my favor (those some things being Princeton and/or Stanford)

And good article. Nationwide, at many elite universities, they're all posting record numbers of applications. The problem is that at the "elite" universities and colleges, all the applicants are very similar, and often, it simply comes down to the admissions officers' preferences or biases - what they prefer or can relate well with. In fact (I don't recall which school, perhaps Princeton) said that they could make a very diversified and equally-good freshman class many times over with the students that they reject.

[Ztalin]

Update: I got into the University of Chicago and George Mason University. Denied from Princeton, but I don't really care, that was my "reach" school. Fascinating article, breakpoint, thanks for posting.

Chicago's a great school. You going there?

[BreakPoint]

I just wish that maybe some things could have swung in my favor (those some things being Princeton and/or Stanford)

Sorry to hear that you didn't get into Princeton. I just got the news that my niece got into Princeton (along with Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Williams, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, and a few others). I think she's still waiting to hear from Yale and a couple of others. Tough decision.

BTW, her dad mentioned that the acceptance rate for regular admission to Princeton this year was about 5%, so don't feel so bad.

[Joe Average]

I just got the news that my niece got into Princeton (along with Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Williams, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, and a few others). I think she's still waiting to hear from Yale and a couple of others. Tough decision.

I worked in Ivy admissions back in the 1980s 90s, and I remember one fellow, a mediocre student from a high-priced New England prep school, who came to the office, after the notices had gone out, to beg to admitted to the college. His father was an alum, and I guess a hefty "donation" was talked about. Now, this guy hadn't even applied. And he was begging to be admitted well after all the deadlines. Turns out he applied to your usual line up of Ivies -- Harvard, Princeton, Yale -- but, get this, his safety school was Tufts, which rejected his B-minus a$$. Didn't see that coming. We didn't admit him. We recommended a "post-graduate" year of prep school, and strong consideration of 2nd tier colleges.

But it seems you guys made a bunch of good choices. Congratulations.

In what has to be the worst reject letter ever written, a former college roommate of mine, told me the Amherst College letter actually had the line "perhaps in four years you can prove us wrong." My friend joked that perhaps he should show up at the Amherst admissions office, after graduation, to see if they had any regrets.

[MTChong]

Sorry to hear that you didn't get into Princeton. I just got the news that my niece got into Princeton (along with Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Williams, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, and a few others). I think she's still waiting to hear from Yale and a couple of others. Tough decision.

BTW, her dad mentioned that the acceptance rate for regular admission to Princeton this year was about 5%, so don't feel so bad.

Congratulations to your niece!

Yeah, Princeton has a real low acceptance rate; but what irks me is I wasn't flat out rejected and instead, waitlisted. It makes me wonder "what if they knew about x or y" that I have done since sending the applications way back in December.

[BreakPoint]

Congratulations to your niece!

Yeah, Princeton has a real low acceptance rate; but what irks me is I wasn't flat out rejected and instead, waitlisted. It makes me wonder "what if they knew about x or y" that I have done since sending the applications way back in December.
Thanks!

Yeah, getting waitlisted sucks because you still have to give a firm reply to the other schools that you were accepted to, so what do you tell them? You can't really tell them that you're only going to their school contingent upon if you get off the waitlist at Princeton, can you?

I remember when I applied to grad school and was waitlisted at an Ivy business school but accepted at another Ivy business school. The first school would have probably been my first choice but the second school offered me a full tuition scholarship to do an intensive foreign language program during the summer prior to the start of the first year of business school. So I took them up on the offer and moved all my stuff to the school and spent the summer studying there. At the end of the summer, the first school admits me off of the waitlist, so what do I do now? It was originally my first choice but now I had already moved my stuff to the other school, signed a lease for an apartment there for the school year, and already made some friends with my classmates. Quite a dilemma. Anyway, after long consideration I decided to stay where I was. Ha ha, it was the first school's loss. They should have accepted me earlier. ;) LOL

[BreakPoint]

I worked in Ivy admissions back in the 1980s 90s, and I remember one fellow, a mediocre student from a high-priced New England prep school, who came to the office, after the notices had gone out, to beg to admitted to the college. His father was an alum, and I guess a hefty "donation" was talked about. Now, this guy hadn't even applied. And he was begging to be admitted well after all the deadlines. Turns out he applied to your usual line up of Ivies -- Harvard, Princeton, Yale -- but, get this, his safety school was Tufts, which rejected his B-minus a$$. Didn't see that coming. We didn't admit him. We recommended a "post-graduate" year of prep school, and strong consideration of 2nd tier colleges.

But it seems you guys made a bunch of good choices. Congratulations.

Thanks!

The amazing thing is that my niece went to a public high school and never went to any prep schools but that Princeton usually prefers to admit students from prep schools. In fact, Princeton has always had the highest percentage of its student body from prep schools in the Ivy League, which is why it has the reputation of being the "preppiest" Ivy.

I think Williams is also pretty preppy, isn't it? Although a cousin of mine, who also came from public schools, went there.

[MTChong]

Thanks!

Yeah, getting waitlisted sucks because you still have to give a firm reply to the other schools that you were accepted to, so what do you tell them? You can't really tell them that you're only going to their school contingent upon if you get off the waitlist at Princeton, can you?

I remember when I applied to grad school and was waitlisted at an Ivy business school but accepted at another Ivy business school. The first school would have probably been my first choice but the second school offered me a full tuition scholarship to do an intensive foreign language program during the summer prior to the start of the first year of business school. So I took them up on the offer and moved all my stuff to the school and spent the summer studying there. At the end of the summer, the first school admits me off of the waitlist, so what do I do now? It was originally my first choice but now I had already moved my stuff to the other school, signed a lease for an apartment there for the school year, and already made some friends with my classmates. Quite a dilemma. Anyway, after long consideration I decided to stay where I was. Ha ha, it was the first school's loss. They should have accepted me earlier. ;) LOL

Actually, when waitlisted, you can still send in a deposit to school A; and should you be lucky enough to be accepted to school B off the waitlist, you can choose to go there. You just lose your deposit at school A. Unfortunately, Princeton accepted 0 from the waitlist last year, so I don't think it bodes well for me; they have an incredible yield given their amazing (virtually unparalleled) financial aid program.

I'd definitely have taken that full tuition to a business school! That's awesome; what did you study while an undergrad?

[Also... Williams is considered somewhat a preppy school but is known more for being a jock school among the WASP (Williams, Amherst, Swartmore, and Pomona)].

[Joe Average]

The amazing thing is that my niece went to a public high school and never went to any prep schools but that Princeton usually prefers to admit students from prep schools. In fact, Princeton has always had the highest percentage of its student body from prep schools in the Ivy League, which is why it has the reputation of being the "preppiest" Ivy.

I think Williams is also pretty preppy, isn't it? Although a cousin of mine, who also came from public schools, went there.

Williams is one of the "potted" Ivies: Amherst, Haverford, Swarthmore, being some others. They're as difficult to get into as the Ivies. A lot of the elite schools are actually more diverse than other schools. Princeton, for instance, will have students from all 50 states. Compare that with a state school, or even very competitive schools like Oberlin, Reed, and Rice ... they won't have that kind of diversity. As was explained to me, if you just punch in the numbers ... SATs, ACHs, GPAs, you can spit out a class in 30 seconds. And, believe me, the Ivies can fill their ranks from feeder schools with no problem, based on grades and scores alone. A school like Columbia can admit 30-40 students from Stuyvesant or the Bronx H.S. of Science, but instead they'll admit only five or six from those schools. They'll send recruiters to Hawaii and California, to schools that have never sent an alum there. Geographic diversity is very important. A diverse student body is also important, and that includes economic class, interests, and experience. Does any liberal arts college really want a class where 60% major in computer sciences or business administration? Elite colleges will say that their mission is to educate, not reward. You're not rewarded for three years of good grades. Consider it like arranging a dinner party. You're going to want interesting people who will be engaging.

[BreakPoint]

Actually, when waitlisted, you can still send in a deposit to school A; and should you be lucky enough to be accepted to school B off the waitlist, you can choose to go there. You just lose your deposit at school A. Unfortunately, Princeton accepted 0 from the waitlist last year, so I don't think it bodes well for me; they have an incredible yield given their amazing (virtually unparalleled) financial aid program.

I'd definitely have taken that full tuition to a business school! That's awesome; what did you study while an undergrad?

[Also... Williams is considered somewhat a preppy school but is known more for being a jock school among the WASP (Williams, Amherst, Swartmore, and Pomona)].
Thanks for the reminder, it was a while ago. So yeah, I would have also lost my deposit if I had switched to the other school after the summer.

BTW, the scholarship was just for the summer language program. I still had to pay the full tuition for the two years of business school out of my own pocket. :-( There's really no such thing as scholarships for graduate business school for the most part because I guess they expect most graduates to be able to make enough money afterwards to pay off their own loans. :-( Oh, I studied mechanical engineering as an undergrad.

You're probably right about Williams being a jock school as my cousin who went there was indeed somewhat of a jock.

BTW, just wondering, but did you go to a prep school?

[Starlite]

Chicago's a great school. You going there?

Maaaybe. I'm thinking of staying one year local at George Mason and then transferring.

[ohplease]

There's really no such thing as scholarships for graduate business school for the most part because I guess they expect most graduates to be able to make enough money afterwards to pay off their own loans. :-(

Not true. I know quite a few people who were awarded scholarships to top MBA programs. Just cause you didn't get one doesn't mean they don't exist.

[BreakPoint]

Not true. I know quite a few people who were awarded scholarships to top MBA programs. Just cause you didn't get one doesn't mean they don't exist.
I'm referring to purely merit based scholarships that are available to anyone without any type of restrictions whatsoever, and NOT based upon any sort of financial need (because I wouldn't qualify anyway). So not scholarships for minorities, nor women, nor industry-specific, nor funded by certain companies with strings attached, nor any other type of restriction that would allow only a segment of the applicant pool to be eligible to qualify. I'm talking about scholarships based purely upon merit that 100% of the applicants are eligible for.

When I appled to the top business schools (mostly Ivies) many years ago, they did not exist. I think I would have known about them had they existed since I filled out all the applications. And even if they existed at some of the other top schools, they would have been extremely rare. I have never heard of anyone getting a full tuition merit-only scholarship (no other criteria to qualify) to business or law school or even to medical school, as many do to undergraduate college. That's why most people who graduate from business, law or medical school end up with huge debt burdens.

[ohplease]

I'm referring to purely merit based scholarships that are available to anyone without any type of restrictions whatsoever, and NOT based upon any sort of financial need (because I wouldn't qualify anyway). So not scholarships for minorities, nor women, nor industry-specific, nor funded by certain companies with strings attached, nor any other type of restriction that would allow only a segment of the applicant pool to be eligible to qualify. I'm talking about scholarships based purely upon merit that 100% of the applicants are eligible for.

When I appled to the top business schools (mostly Ivies) many years ago, they did not exist. I think I would have known about them had they existed since I filled out all the applications. And even if they existed at some of the other top schools, they would have been extremely rare. I have never heard of anyone getting a full tuition merit-only scholarship (no other criteria to qualify) to business or law school or even to medical school, as many do to undergraduate college. That's why most people who graduate from business, law or medical school end up with huge debt burdens.

The fact of the matter is that some applicants are simply more desirable than others. In fact, some are so desirable that they need not apply for scholarships at all - their merit and desirability are obvious. Consequently, the money finds them, not the other way around.

You're right in that there's no such thing for 100% of the student body, because 99.9% of the students, even at elite programs, simply aren't good enough to be given financial incentives in an effort to make them come. Like you, they're just happy to be there and will gladly pay for the privilege. Sure, they're still quite capable, but don't think that just because "most" people weren't being thrown cash, that also means that it doesn't happen.

[BreakPoint]

The fact of the matter is that some applicants are simply more desirable than others. In fact, some are so desirable that they need not apply for scholarships at all - their merit and desirability are obvious. Consequently, the money finds them, not the other way around.
When you say "desirable", I believe you are saying that they belong to an underrepresented minority group, have worked in certain industries and will return to that industry, or are sponsored by employers or companies. Schools don't pay you to go to business school unless you fulfill some specific need at the school. Having top grades or GMAT scores are not the qualifying criteria.

You're right in that there's no such thing for 100% of the student body, because 99.9% of the students, even at elite programs, simply aren't good enough to be given financial incentives in an effort to make them come. Like you, they're just happy to be there and will gladly pay for the privilege. Sure, they're still quite capable, but don't think that just because "most" people weren't being thrown cash, that also means that it doesn't happen.
I think you're referring to financial incentives to people that would otherwise not be able to afford going to business school. That falls under financial aid and not merit based scholarships.

You said you know quite a few people that got scholarships to top MBA programs. Do you know the names of these scholarships and the details of the criteria to qualify? If you don't, you'd better first ask these people that got them before making these overriding statements.

[MTChong]

Thanks for the reminder, it was a while ago. So yeah, I would have also lost my deposit if I had switched to the other school after the summer.

BTW, the scholarship was just for the summer language program. I still had to pay the full tuition for the two years of business school out of my own pocket. :-( There's really no such thing as scholarships for graduate business school for the most part because I guess they expect most graduates to be able to make enough money afterwards to pay off their own loans. :-( Oh, I studied mechanical engineering as an undergrad.

You're probably right about Williams being a jock school as my cousin who went there was indeed somewhat of a jock.

BTW, just wondering, but did you go to a prep school?

No, I just go to a standard public school, which I think - in all honesty - may have limited me. I coasted through without much effort and pulled good grades; so I have yet to be tested that much. As such, I think it may have limited me; but at the same time, I am really looking forward to college!

Mechanical Engineering major is good; that's what I'm intending to do anyhow - or some other engineering.

[Swissv2]

*sigh* its that time again. So long ago was this for me :D

[thejackal]

i went to a french private school ranked #1 in the part of canada im from. that pretty much screwed me over with all the american schools due to the tougher grading they give.

[ollinger]

Two members of my family went to Williams; more than half the class is now from public schools. And it is indeed very jockish there; two others in the family looked at it and were appalled by the jock environment (they went to Swarthmore and Wesleyan).

[ollinger]

Joe Average makes a good point....schools tell you they want the best CLASS more than the best STUDENTS and will strive for a measure of diversity to accomplish this.

[Joe Average]

Joe Average makes a good point....schools tell you they want the best CLASS more than the best STUDENTS and will strive for a measure of diversity to accomplish this.

Yep. Modern admissions practices have their origins in what was once called "The Jewish Problem." You can probably substitute Jewish for Asian, nowadays, and you get the idea. But the elite colleges, for better or for worse, decided then, that they needed well-rounded students, culturally-enriched. And this includes athletics. And this is why extracurricular activities count for so much. Suddenly the rules of the meritocracy changed. I mean, there really is a bit of history here.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/harvard.html

[MTChong]

There were a couple Princeton professors that wrote about the affirmative action policies, explaining the effects of "race" on admissions at elite schools. Essentially, Asians were negatively affected while Hispanics and African Americans were aided; whites were hardly affected, just slightly disadvantaged.

I understand the need for diversity and the such at colleges, but it's hard to get around the feeling sometimes.

[Joe Average]

This from the NYTimes 4/4:

A Great Year for Ivy League Schools, but Not So Good for Applicants to Them

By SAM DILLON
Harvard turned down 1,100 student applicants with perfect 800 scores on the SAT math exam. Yale rejected several applicants with perfect 2400 scores on the three-part SAT, and Princeton turned away thousands of high school applicants with 4.0 grade point averages. Needless to say, high school valedictorians were a dime a dozen.

It was the most selective spring in modern memory at America’s elite schools, according to college admissions officers. More applications poured into top schools this admissions cycle than in any previous year on record. Schools have been sending decision letters to student applicants in recent days, and rejection letters have overwhelmingly outnumbered the acceptances.

Stanford received a record 23,956 undergraduate applications for the fall term, accepting 2,456 students, meaning the school took 10.3 percent of applicants.

Harvard College received applications from 22,955 students, another record, and accepted 2,058 of them, for an acceptance rate of 9 percent. The university called that “the lowest admit rate in Harvard’s history.”

Applications to Columbia numbered 18,081, and the college accepted 1,618 of them, for what was certainly one of the lowest acceptance rates this spring at an American university: 8.9 percent.

“There’s a sense of collective shock among parents at seeing extraordinarily talented kids getting rejected,” said Susan Gzesh, whose son Max Rothstein is a senior with an exemplary record at the Laboratory School, a private school associated with the University of Chicago. Max applied to 12 top schools and was accepted outright only by Wesleyan, New York University and the University of Michigan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/education/04colleges.html

[MegacedU]

I'm living the dream.

[chrisplchs]

There were a couple Princeton professors that wrote about the affirmative action policies, explaining the effects of "race" on admissions at elite schools. Essentially, Asians were negatively affected while Hispanics and African Americans were aided; whites were hardly affected, just slightly disadvantaged.

I understand the need for diversity and the such at colleges, but it's hard to get around the feeling sometimes.


I don't believe Asian are negatively affected by any type of affirmative action. It may seem that way as your hispanic or african american classmate can obtain admission with much lower standards but almost all universities set the bar the same regardless of race. then they will decide to lower these standards for particular races if deemed necessary.

i found that race really had virtually no impact, especially at the highest tier colleges in terms of admissions. the greatest impact, however, is being the progeny of influential alumni or being a recruited athlete

[BreakPoint]

I don't believe Asian are negatively affected by any type of affirmative action. It may seem that way as your hispanic or african american classmate can obtain admission with much lower standards but almost all universities set the bar the same regardless of race. then they will decide to lower these standards for particular races if deemed necessary.

i found that race really had virtually no impact, especially at the highest tier colleges in terms of admissions. the greatest impact, however, is being the progeny of influential alumni or being a recruited athlete
I'm not so sure about that. I've known Asians that were told flat out that they were rejected because the school already had "too many Asians".

[MTChong]

I don't believe Asian are negatively affected by any type of affirmative action. It may seem that way as your hispanic or african american classmate can obtain admission with much lower standards but almost all universities set the bar the same regardless of race. then they will decide to lower these standards for particular races if deemed necessary.

i found that race really had virtually no impact, especially at the highest tier colleges in terms of admissions. the greatest impact, however, is being the progeny of influential alumni or being a recruited athlete

If I find the link to the study, I will link it; basically, after they analyzed the results, they found that being white had no difference. Being Asian would equate to about -50 pts on SATs, being white would have no effect, being Hispanic would equate to +185 on SATs, and being African-American would equate to +230 on SATs. (This is centered around the 1600 point scale, not current 2400).

But that is not something I want to talk about right now; I just want to know how college worked out for everyone. Affirmative Action can be reserved from another thread, but I will say this now: it is real and to say it isn't is senselses and ignorant - the UC's being a perfect example of its existence.

[MTChong]

I'm not so sure about that. I've known Asians that were told flat out that they were rejected because the school already had "too many Asians".

Also true; there's an adverse stereotype against Asians that they're all the same and have the same interests. There was an article that detailed how one student was speaking to an admissions officer and virtually told the same thing: there are too many Asians. He has no social skills anyway, etc.

[TokyopunK]

I'm not so sure about that. I've known Asians that were told flat out that they were rejected because the school already had "too many Asians".

That would be me............ Northwestern.......4.8GPA............NO!!!!!! GET LOST AZN!!!!! GO EAT RICE!!!...........SOB SOB!!!!!!

[MTChong]

That would be me............ Northwestern.......4.8GPA............NO!!!!!! GET LOST AZN!!!!! GO EAT RICE!!!...........SOB SOB!!!!!!


Really? What SAT and extracurriculars do you have? Well, and rank - GPA without rank is pretty meaningless.

We also have the toughest pool right now; so many students

[chrisplchs]

Well.. Asian have to distinguish themselves, like everybody else when applying to college.

If all you do is play a sport or two, play a instrument and get good grades but you aren't spectacular at anything besides academics, it is going to be hard to get in to the top colleges.

Distinguish yourself somehow and you're chances will go up tremendously. Everybody takes hard classes in high school and do well in them. Not everybody can start up a company or be a grandmaster in chess (I say these as examples as I know kids who I go to school with did this in high school)

[drhopz]

I may one of the few lucky ones that got into a UC-UCLA even though i'm asian. I had mediocre S.a.t. scores and 3.8 gpa. The community service and sports do help alot.

[MTChong]

I may one of the few lucky ones that got into a UC-UCLA even though i'm asian. I had mediocre S.a.t. scores and 3.8 gpa. The community service and sports do help alot.

That's because the UCs do not practice affirmative action to any noticeable or marked extent; that's why they are flooded with Asians.

[drhopz]

Oh, but they promote diversity within different regions. A girl from the Orange County area with the same gpa and better s.a.t. score as me but was rejected from most the school i got into. Students from inner school areas benefit by having a big boast compared to the rich areas.

[MTChong]

Oh, but they promote diversity within different regions. A girl from the Orange County area with the same gpa and better s.a.t. score as me but was rejected from most the school i got into. Students from inner school areas benefit by having a big boast compared to the rich areas.

Yes, because they try to get socioeconomically diverse people. Easily, a school such as Berkeley or LA can fill their freshman class with students only from Palo Alto and LA County easily were that their desires and intentions.

UCSD actually published how they use a point scoring system in their admissions process. You can try searching for it.