Applying To Colleges

[Kaine for Senate '18]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

No, he is entirely aware what the best field to major in is

Linguistics?  Very boring (and impossible for someone like me who lacks a facility for language).

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Oh, right, I just forgot that linguistics was learning a bunch of different languages.  Silly me.  I'll just drop my major, then

As you should   What is involved in a linguistics major?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

What's the point of majoring in history? It's interesting, but what does that get you besides teaching history in high school where nobody gives a sh**t or being a history prof?

Seeing as how I want to do those things, it works perfectly.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

teaching history in high school where nobody gives a sh**t

That's not actually true, in my experience.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Ah, okay.  That sounds interesting, especially the neuro-related parts.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

How would the quality of education I receive differ between a more prestigious school that I could get into and a more bland state college? Is the extra cost of attending a more prestigious school worth the education in all honesty?

It depends on the quality of the state college.  In Virginia, only a couple of schools are probably worth not going to UVA or William and Mary, or even JMU.  In other states, like Alabama or Idaho, it probably is.  Especially if you intend to go on to grad school, and can go to a good in-state school.

It really all depends on where you live

[Kaine for Senate '18]

UW-Madison
UM-Ann Arbor
UBC
University of Minnesota (maybe)
UDub (maybe)
UC-Boulder (maybe)

I wanted to go to UCLA but I realize how futile that is so I'm not even going to bother applying.

Madison and Michigan are great schools, certainly close to some top tier institutions (which Michigan actually is).  I'm not familiar with some of the others, but those two are excellent.  Michigan really gouges people who are not from Michigan, though.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I got contacted by Brown today to go to a Brown, U Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, and Rice joint info session in Denver. Finally and Ivy league knows me!...even though I don't care to go to Brown haha

Those things are the worst.  I went to a UPenn, Duke, Stanford, and Harvard one, and it was a total waste.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

One of the reason I like Columbia is the core.  It looks fascinating.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Congratulations on IU!

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Michigan StateMichigan StateMichigan StateMichigan StateMichigan State!

What makes State better than Ann Arbor?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I've figured out that for Early Action I'll be applying to:
University of Virginia
Georgetown University
University of Michigan

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I thought it was only possible to do two early actions?

I don't think so.  I'll have to check, though.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Hmm, I always thought it was your ambition to attend Harvard. Why not apply there early decision? By the way, are you applying to Georgetown College, or the School of Foreign Service?

It's a strategic decision.  I have a better chance applying Regular Decision to Harvard, when my test scores will be higher, and I can now apply to additional schools - UVA is very high on my list too.  And I'll likely be applying to Georgetown College, although Walsh is tempting as I wish to study Diplomatic History/become a diplomat.

Isaac: I decided to apply to Michigan essentially as a safety; I've heard it's easy to get in to for an out of state person with my qualifications, so I'm going for it.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Michigan's a safety? What?

My grades and test score line up well with Michigan, and my extra-curriculars are excellent.  Plus, I'm out of state.  They can charge me up the wazoo.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I don't think Harvard has early action anymore, do they? Or did they just do away with early decision? I remember they were changing their admissions procedures while I was applying to colleges in 2006/2007.

Harvard and Princeton just added early action back

Harvard is also Single Choice, meaning I cannot do EA anywhere else.  If it were unrestricted, like UVA, Georgetown, and Michigan, I'd go for it.  But I'm now better off waiting.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The acceptance rate will be higher (twice as higher according to the last years they did it) if you apply early for them though. How will waiting increase your chances?

Higher test scores and grades, and more tournaments to win.  Plus applying EA to multiple schools is just more comforting.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Is college that much harder to get into?

Pretty much.  More applicants + intensive college training = hell of a time getting in anywhere.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Come to UW, I think you have a shot at getting in. I think you have a shot at getting in most of the top-tier public schools.

In that case he should go to UVA.  #1 public school in the nation.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

According to their website, Speech & Debate "generally is not accepted"

Very odd.  If you do Speech and Debate, I'd consider a school like GMU, especially if you do OO or Extemp.