Applying To Colleges

[California8429]

None of those are schools I could get into, so I don't see any reaches there.

Well, I feel that way about the top six or so (minus Cornell), but I think I could get into at least one or two of them.

Cornell is easy to get in relatively to the other ivy leagues but harder to get out...

[ilikeverin]

For those who are thinking Ivy, I say never, ever avoid applying to at least one big state school.  Turning down Brown for Michigan State was one of the best decisions of my life.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

This is what I'm beginning to look at

Harvard
Princeton
Yale
MIT
University of Virginia
Georgetown
University of Pennsylvania
Washington and Lee
George Washington
William and Mary
University of Chicago

Somewhat in that order ish. And no, there's really nothing that would keep me anywhere but the east coast for schools. And now that I look at it this list creepily closely resembles Ben's...

With the exception of MIT, I am (at the very least) extremely interested in all of those schools.

[Psychic Octopus]

None of those are schools I could get into, so I don't see any reaches there.

Well, I feel that way about the top six or so (minus Cornell), but I think I could get into at least one or two of them.

Cornell is easy to get in relatively to the other ivy leagues but harder to get out...

That's what I hear... no grade inflation at all. Cornell ED has something like a 35% acceptance rate, but the workload is intense.

[Хahar 🤔]

None of those are schools I could get into, so I don't see any reaches there.

Well, I feel that way about the top six or so (minus Cornell), but I think I could get into at least one or two of them.

Sorry, meant safeties, not reaches.

[fezzyfestoon]

For those who are thinking Ivy, I say never, ever avoid applying to at least one big state school.  Turning down Brown for Michigan State was one of the best decisions of my life.

Amen

[Verily]

Harvard
Yale
University of Virginia
Northwestern
Duke
Columbia
William & Mary
University of Pennsylvania
Georgetown
James Madison
American
George Mason

Why no GWU when you're applying to American?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Why no GWU when you're applying to American?

American is a safety that I may or may not apply to; GW is simply too expensive to justify over a school like AU or JMU.

[Hash]

Ontario has an online application system called OUAC where you pay one fee which allows you online, free applications to 3 Ontario unis. I was a bit on the lazy side and I didn't feel like going out of town, so I only applied to 3 unis. If I had wanted to apply out of province, I would have needed to do it myself and pay extra (I also would have needed to pay extra to apply to 4+ unis in ON).

So... I applied to the 2 in Ottawa and Queens in Kingston (just as a necessary third choice)
Carleton University: accepted with full scholarship+rez advantages within days
University of Ottawa: accepted with full scholarship+rez advantages a few days later
Queen's University: accepted in late March but no scholarship iirc

My first preference had been Carleton because uOttawa requires 2 mandatory ass-boring English courses which I could be dispensed of based on IB results. So I took a chance and accepted Ottawa over Carleton, which was a Very Good Choice.

Carleton called me likes 5 times between January and May to basically beg me to accept. Ottawa called me a few times, Queen's iirc never called.

[California8429]

Why no GWU when you're applying to American?

American is a safety that I may or may not apply to; GW is simply too expensive to justify over a school like AU or JMU.

^ This. Considering it costs just as much as the ivys. I would only consider it if I got a good scholarship.

[© tweed]

Is that for the full... is it three or four in the States? Anyway... years, or...?

it's a scheme to get people saddled down with unbankruptable private debt.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

^ This. Considering it costs just as much as the ivys. I would only consider it if I got a good scholarship.

Yep.  GW is a fine school and all, but I'd certainly never pick it over UVA, W&M, or really any other school on my list unless I received a healthy scholarship.

[California8429]

Just wondering, did anyone else take the Explore and Plan tests? The Pre-Pre-Pre and Pre-Pre ACT?

I take the PSAT in October

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Just wondering, did anyone else take the Explore and Plan tests? The Pre-Pre-Pre and Pre-Pre ACT?

I take the PSAT in October

No but I've taken the PSAT. I only got a 182.

[Antarctic]

As an elderly foreigner I have only a vague idea of what GPA and SAT mean let alone any concept of "weighting".
I know I could google them but I'd sooner have some first hand explanations.

A few questions...assuming SAT is an examination when do you sit it and can you make further attempts in order to improve your results?
Is your GPA an ongoing score through your high school career?
What are average scores and really good scores?
What is "weighting"?

Our universities are competing for students so they'll accept anyone (as long as they can pay or get a student loan).It can difficult to get into individual programmes e.g. medicine but they'll accept any undergraduates.
Of course all our universities are government-funded and not privately run.

[ilikeverin]

Just wondering, did anyone else take the Explore and Plan tests? The Pre-Pre-Pre and Pre-Pre ACT?

I take the PSAT in October

The PLAN was somehow required in my school, or something.  I was mostly excited because there was an interest inventory, which promptly told me I had no interests

[Foucaulf]

A few questions...assuming SAT is an examination when do you sit it and can you make further attempts in order to improve your results?
Is your GPA an ongoing score through your high school career?
What are average scores and really good scores?
What is "weighting"?

The SAT is a privately run examination that tests one's "reasoning" ability. While the company (College Board) offers watered-down versions of it to younger grades, the actual test is taken between the middle of 11th grade to early 12th. You can take it multiple times, and since it's made up of three sections you can combine the best score in each section for a "superscore".
American GPA is an average of your grades from 9th grade, the first year of high school. Almost all involves assigning points to a grade or a range of percentages, hence "Grade Point Average". GPA is all relative, though to apply for top private schools a GPA of at least 3.8 out of 4.0 is necessary.
So far I have only described the unweighted GPA, but because many high schools have advanced "honours" or university-level Advanced Placement courses, taking those means you're graded on a higher scale. For an AP course, the highest point possible could be a 5.0 while a C grade is still worth 3.0. The bonuses you gain for taking these courses account into the weighted GPA, which can exceed the 4.0 barrier of the unweighted one.

Our universities are competing for students so they'll accept anyone (as long as they can pay or get a student loan).It can difficult to get into individual programmes e.g. medicine but they'll accept any undergraduates.
Of course all our universities are government-funded and not privately run.

Don't think that most private schools aren't competing for students either! The problem is that Americans can apply to many, many schools with the advent of technology, and as you can see all of these kids try for the top 20 in the country. These schools have low admission rates, but outside this bubble there are many people who are willing to go to a public state school.

[tmthforu94]

Just wondering, did anyone else take the Explore and Plan tests? The Pre-Pre-Pre and Pre-Pre ACT?

I take the PSAT in October

I took the PSAT - don't remember what I got exactly, but my best section was ironically math.

I took the ASVAB last year - of all tests to do well on, this had to be it! I think I got a 94 on it, only doing poor on the automotive section (lol). Anyways, I've been getting lots of phone calls from the military now. The full-ride scholarship to any public school is tempting...

[TeePee4Prez]

UNC-Greensboro- I was planning on trying to transfer there in a few years, but they are going thru budget problems and are raising tuition

Appalachian State- I really want to go here as well in a few years. They charge a low tuition for a non state school.

Winston Salem State- Good school with a low tuition but it is an all black school. I would not fit in.

Greensboro College- Great school and love their colors but they charge way too much to go there.  Good a great history department.

UNC-Charlotte- Like the school and is not as expensive. If I do good enough at my Community College I can maybe get a scholarship.

I don't know what I want to do yet, either become a history teacher, get a Political Science degree, or something in TV. I also did not take the SAT in high school either which I should have done.

No ECU?  If I were to do it over again, I'd look into there.  SMOKING HOT women!

[California8429]

Just wondering, did anyone else take the Explore and Plan tests? The Pre-Pre-Pre and Pre-Pre ACT?

I take the PSAT in October

I took the PSAT - don't remember what I got exactly, but my best section was ironically math.

I took the ASVAB last year - of all tests to do well on, this had to be it! I think I got a 94 on it, only doing poor on the automotive section (lol). Anyways, I've been getting lots of phone calls from the military now. The full-ride scholarship to any public school is tempting...

If you want to go to the military go through an Academy. This way you're an officer and get paid through college, not owing a dime. Otherwise ROTC. But don't just enlist

[Antarctic]

A few questions...assuming SAT is an examination when do you sit it and can you make further attempts in order to improve your results?
Is your GPA an ongoing score through your high school career?
What are average scores and really good scores?
What is "weighting"?

The SAT is a privately run examination that tests one's "reasoning" ability. While the company (College Board) offers watered-down versions of it to younger grades, the actual test is taken between the middle of 11th grade to early 12th. You can take it multiple times, and since it's made up of three sections you can combine the best score in each section for a "superscore".
American GPA is an average of your grades from 9th grade, the first year of high school. Almost all involves assigning points to a grade or a range of percentages, hence "Grade Point Average". GPA is all relative, though to apply for top private schools a GPA of at least 3.8 out of 4.0 is necessary.
So far I have only described the unweighted GPA, but because many high schools have advanced "honours" or university-level Advanced Placement courses, taking those means you're graded on a higher scale. For an AP course, the highest point possible could be a 5.0 while a C grade is still worth 3.0. The bonuses you gain for taking these courses account into the weighted GPA, which can exceed the 4.0 barrier of the unweighted one.

Our universities are competing for students so they'll accept anyone (as long as they can pay or get a student loan).It can difficult to get into individual programmes e.g. medicine but they'll accept any undergraduates.
Of course all our universities are government-funded and not privately run.

Don't think that most private schools aren't competing for students either! The problem is that Americans can apply to many, many schools with the advent of technology, and as you can see all of these kids try for the top 20 in the country. These schools have low admission rates, but outside this bubble there are many people who are willing to go to a public state school.

Thanks...I appreciate your reply.

I guess population size is the big difference...we have thousands of new entrants each year and the Americans must just about have millions.

It's only been in recent decades that University educations have moved away from just being for the academic elite....in the early 1970's I was one of a student body of 4,000.The same University now has over 20,000 students.
The big difference was that it used to be entirely government funded...not only did I have no loan but the Government paid me to study.Nowadays it's a revenue gatherer for the universities as they charge tuition fees directly to the students and receive government funding based on their student rolls....more students,more money.

[Platypus]

Sooooo many Kiwis at ANU. Half the med post-grads were Kiwi.

I've got to decide whether to return to ANU or transfer to a uni down here next year. Swinburne os five minutes walk away and i'd be accepted withoit any hassle, but it's also a third tier university. Top of the third tier, sure, but a big step down from ANU. Otherwise Melbourne, LaTrobe or Deakin. Melbourne might be a fight to transfer to, LaTrobe is convenient and second tier, and I have a sh**tload of mates at Deakin.

[Хahar 🤔]

My parents seem to have gotten it into their head that I will double major in Economics and Statistics, apparently without considering whether I actuall have any interest in either.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

My parents seem to have gotten it into their head that I will double major in Economics and Statistics, apparently without considering whether I actually have any interest in either.

Economics could be cool.  Majoring in History is the best one, though.

[phk]

UCSD