Applying To Colleges

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

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

Remember to get to know the admissions officer.  That's always your ticket.

I got the same thing though I don't think I'd want to go to U Chicago -- I visited there during my summer classes at Cornell.  It is undoubtedly a great school, but it just isn't my taste.

My friends who went to Brown say that it is a really great school.  Many of those who went to summer programs at Cornell and Columbia are looking to apply to Brown instead.

As for my list, I think it's currently:

Cornell (Already lived at the campus and took classes there, so I know the lifestyle well and I really like it)
Northwestern (Visitied along with U Chicago -- it's seems like a wonderful school and Evanston isn't too far from the city)
Harvard (It's been my dream school since I was in elementary)
Stanford (My second dream school, and it's pretty close to home)
UC Berkeley (I can walk there on any given day, so room and board isn't a problem)
UCLA (My friend tells me the campus there is amazing -- then again, I'm probably going to do the full UC circuit when I apply)
Columbia (I've always wanted to go to school in NYC)
Brown (Supposedly it has one of the best open curriculums)
Princeton (This one is rather out of left field, but my friend from Cornell lives there and tells me that it's a really good program to get into)

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

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This is not all "supposedly"; there are no specific classes at Brown, or even categories of classes, that Brown requires you to take.  You have to have at least one "concentration" and have a certain minimum of credits, and that's it.  It was wonderful.

Given that you care about that, I have no idea why Columbia, a school that has 6 classes that every single student is required without exception to take, is on your list.

Meanwhile, the Honors College at Michigan State requires 2 Natural Science, 2 Social Science, and 2 Humanities classes, each of which can be fulfilled by multiple departments' classes and AP credit

I don't really care too much about the open/closed curriculum thing to be honest.  As for Columbia, it's more of the environment I'm looking for, as opposed to Providence.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

As a former student of the place, Cornell is a wonderful school for sure. Of course, if you plan on being anywhere close to major human civilization, well.....it isn't the school for you. Otherwise, the campus and town is quite beautiful.

But yes, there always was this unspoken thing about death at the school that sort of hung on everyone's minds. I mean, things do move on, but if you're not careful, you can get hurt bad. Two students died through accidents when I was there -- one of them was caught underwater for a while while another slipped off a ledge. It's disheartening at times.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Just finally filled out the Common App, finished a draft of the personal statement, then I open the Yale Supplement and I cry a little to myself.

Yeah, I know trying to do Yale is sort-of insane, but because they have a restricted early-action program anyways, I figured why not. I actually liked New Haven, and after being able to take classes there and getting a feel of the campus and the school system, I honestly think it is exactly where I want to be.

But after Yale, the list is pretty undecided. Is it even worth it to apply to the UC system considering I am beyond a shadow of a doubt getting the hell out of California?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Just finally filled out the Common App, finished a draft of the personal statement, then I open the Yale Supplement and I cry a little to myself.

Yeah, I know trying to do Yale is sort-of insane, but because they have a restricted early-action program anyways, I figured why not. I actually liked New Haven, and after being able to take classes there and getting a feel of the campus and the school system, I honestly think it is exactly where I want to be.

But after Yale, the list is pretty undecided. Is it even worth it to apply to the UC system considering I am beyond a shadow of a doubt getting the hell out of California?

Woo! You and me both.

Sweet! What college are you doing it for?

Also, should I go ahead and try applying for Georgetown? I've been back and forth on going there, particularly because of the weather, but the internship opportunities seem to be so great.

For reference, my current list:

Yale
Columbia
University of Pennsylvania
Cornell
New York University
Boston University
Northwestern
Brown
UC Berkeley
UCLA

Also, because of my childhood dream, Harvard for the hell of it. I don't think that'll actually happen though, but who knows?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Why don't any of you guys have LACs on your lists? Just curious, because to me, they seem really appealing, especially ones like Occidental, Swarthmore, and the Claremonts, because they are within reach of the major cities.

Personally, I just never felt right with any LACs. I considered Sarah Lawrence and Wesleyan, but, I guess it was just a secondary thing for me. I need to limit the amount of colleges I apply to anyways, just so I don't have to pay over 800 bucks just paying admissions fees.

I guess the usual remoteness and the size bothers me more than it should. And also, Yale is a liberal arts college.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Anyone applying early action/decision? I've been working through the wee hours of the morning for the last two weeks, only to completely throw out a supplemental essay and change the topic...with a day to go! haha

I submitted mine's just yesterday, you're EAing to Yale too, right?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Bumping this for some more discussion. Less than two weeks until Dec 14 EA decisions (: Though I don't expect to be accepted

I don't think any of us do, to be honest.: /

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I've know we sent out decisions today, so anyone have any good news?

A couple friends of mine got in, it was really cool to see. The rest of us get our news over the next week or so.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Well I was deferred, so now for all those other supplements...

ArchangelZero, how did you fare?

Same. We have a long four months ahead of us lol.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

My main argument for applying to private colleges (at least as a Filipino California student) is that the financial aid is far easier to access if I go to a private institution than a UC.

Financing higher education is ridiculously unbalanced at different income brackets and it needs to be reformed entirely. (Yes, it's stating the obvious, but it does need stating)

That said, a person is always only as successful as their drive and work ethic anyway. But it doesn't hurt to get into a school that would be willing to pay off most of my tuition.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Rejected from Duke So I have no hope for tomorrow except maybe for Cornell. Oh well, I still can go to Colorado for free

Thanks Ben

It's alright man, we're both going to go to Yale, right?

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Waitlisted from Penn and Chicago, rejected everywhere else.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Now it's between Boston University, Sarah Lawrence, and UC Berkeley. I just hope SLC gives good aid because right now Berkeley and Boston look like they cost around the same (with Boston costing just a little less).

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Now I'm stuck in a dilemma between UC Berkeley and Sarah Lawrence. I like SL's learning style and class size but Berkeley costs less (albeit only $4000 less). Not exactly sure what I want to do in this situation.