How can I make top colleges consider me for their school rather than the next person? What can I do extra?
I am going to be a junior next year and MIT, CalTech, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, NYU, Brown, Cornell, etc. are some of the colleges I am considering attending. These colleges are extremely selective and have high prestige. I know when I apply, I need to put something on my application that will make the selective committee consider me.
Right now, I am working on my PSAT, volunteering at a library, attending Speech & Debate workshops, being involved in school activities, and taking as many AP classes as I can. I am also in a summer program that gives me college credit, but I know I need more.
Do you have any ideas on what I can do to make these colleges consider me? And do you know of any summer opportunities available (either for this year or next) that will heighten my chances of getting in as well as online programs that provide AP or honor classes?
Actually, I haven’t narrowed down my choices at ALL. I am interested and open to everything! I am in speech and debate, which led me to mock trial, presiding as a lawyer in an older case. I am applying for an internship with a pediatrician, reading books about the female human brain and college sociology textbooks about marriage. Everything sparks my curiousity an insane amount. I love to write, help others, argue, dig up artifacts. I have yet to narrow down the list of possible careers available by even one. 
My counselor could not even help me…
Really? My friend took AP classes every year, received a 2100 on her SAT, was ranked fourth in her class, and involved like crazy at school, but she only got on the waiting list at Columbia. She did not end up being accepted. Anything special you did?
Thanks! I know it’s extremely difficult to be accepted to a schools like this, which is why I am trying to find something that sets me apart. My HS does not provide many different opportunities, but leadership positions are reserved for seniors in most cases. The colleges on this list are completely different, but I just really want to get into an Ivy League School (not just a sister school). I am in a wide range of ECs because I am trying to figure out just what I want to do with the rest of my life. I figure experience goes a long way. You, at least, know what it’s like (or get a glimpse). Luckily, I have one teacher/mentor who writes awesome recommendation letters! One of the problems with interviews and visiting the campus is that I live in Texas, and most of the schools I am interested in are in New England. I visited there once when I was younger, and that is how I know I like it, but I cannot afford to go again (except if I get accepted). Thanks again! I really appreciate it!
How do you see yourself in the future? Like what would you like to do? Well what ever state you are in, look for local Universities and see their high school programs. And if you can get recommendations/recognition in what you’d like to do, it can further your chances.
I’m in the Engineering program (FU), at Columbia. And I only took 3 AP classes in High school(Stats, Calc AB+BC.), 2200 SAT.
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I won my district’s engineering science fair twice. And placed 3rd in the Mass State science fair.
I ran track, was like one of the slowest runners, one of the few sports you need experience in. You should try a sport, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Cornell looks like a great school for you but getting into any of them is an honor.
Dig deep for your college essay on the Application and request an interview even if the colleges don’t require one – I was accepted early decision
Be involved in as much as possible at school AND your community, have leadership roles in as much as possible, have an awesome entry essay, keep your grades as high as possible, etc. It’s alot of work, but it will pay off and you will be oh so glad you did it!
First, cover the obvious bases–take your school’s hardest classes, get all A’s and work hard to get at least a 2250 SAT or 34 ACT. Those things will put you solidly in the game.
Next pay attention to your ECs, they should reflect your passions and show you have focus. Achieve as much as you can. If you’re a math/science person male sure to do AIME, etc.
Use your summers well. They should show you seek academic enrichment. Take college classes, apply to RSI or TASP. Volunteer.
Get to know your teachers and counselor well to get the best possible rec. Spend months crafting your essays.
It’s the most difficult time ever to get into top colleges, tens of thousands of qualified kids are being rejected, so the last thing you’ll need is a lot of luck!
As terrible as it sounds, with the thousands of applications that each of these schools receives, you will not be able to stand out that much simply because your competing for acceptances sought after by so many other highly qualified applicants also trying to stand out. Here are the important things:
GPA – Simply put, if you don’t perform well in high school, colleges will not have reason to believe that you can do well after high school. To get into the schools you mentioned, your weighted average should be in the A+ range.
Class rank and school history – Certain colleges look more favorably at graduates from schools whose past graduates did well at the same college.
SAT – Each school’s average SAT range is well documented in college guides. If you don’t have a book filled with college’s info and descriptions, get one. I’d recommend the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
Academic Rigor – Taking a few AP/honors is necessary. Taking 4 or 5 AP’s is just ridiculous and possibly overdoing it. It could make you stand out a little, but it’s only worth it if you can get consistently high grades in those courses.
Interest – You MUST show interest in the schools you apply to. A college may see a student with a 4.0 GPA and 2400 SAT, but not be all that interested unless that students indicates that he/she actually intends to go to the school if accepted. You can show interest by applying early decision to one place, coming to college info sessions/meetings, visiting the campuses, and sending updates to the schools. (If you get a scholarship or an honor, inform the school so they can see your interest and put it on your resume.)
Recommendations – You need at least 2 recommendation letters. If you work closely with someone for an activity, that could be a good person to request a recommendation from. Otherwise, go with teachers preferably ones in your area of interest. Recommendations show your personality and can make you stand out. They’re more inportant than you’d think.
Extracurriculars – You seem to be in good shape for this category.
Interview- – Doing an interview shows interest. Have a few questions about the college prepared for the interview. Other than that, as long as you have basic social skills, you’ll do fine.
Application essay(s) – If you write a good common application essay, you could stand out, but the essays aren’t a huge factor of admission. Each school has its own system for essays in addition to the common application essay. For example, Cornell basically asks, “What field of study interests you, why does it interest you, and why do you want to study it at this school?” Penn, on the other hand, has about 5 (I’m not exagerating) essays that you have to write specifically for that university.
Online programs probably won’t help significantly, partly because many colleges refuse to accept credits from certain sources.
Cornell and NYU are not particularly difficult to get into to. These schools are looking for well-rounded individuals who are strong academically, with numerous extracurriculars and volunteer hours.
If I were you, I would aim for UPenn. If you can get into either one of those, most of the other schools are all but assured (with the exceptions of MIT and CalTech).
MIT and Caltech are incredibly specialized schools. I would not apply unless you are 100% positive you want to pursue a career related to math or science. If this is true, then I would quickly change your high school course over the next two years to reflect your passion and focus for math or science. This means extracurriculars focused on math or science, AP classes concentrated in math or science, and, if possible, school or outside awards related to math or science. Speech and Debate workshops won’t help you at all. They will fill up your resume, but you will be considered a second priority when placed next to another student who has shown that he is serious about becoming, say, an aerospace engineer through his participation in the Robotics club.
UPenn is a much better goal, because you do not have to change course as much. I would suggest at least a 2300 on the SAT, and a 35 on the ACT. Aim for at least a 4.25 weighted GPA. (I had a 4.3 GPA and a 2350 on the SAT and I was still wait-listed by one of my schools.)
As for activities, procure leadership positions within your activities. Editor-in-chief, President, Captain, etc. Anyone can join a club. Not everyone can lead it.
A PSAT score of 220 would really help. I live in California, where it is really competitive. I scored a 217 out of 240, and I only got National Merit Semifinalist. In many other states, a 217 will be enough to get you National Merit Finalist, a title that looks fantastic (and may help with scholarships later on!).
As for summer opportunities, there is nothing I can recommend more than taking community college courses. I am majoring in biomedical engineering, which is a combination of biology and physics. Unfortunately, my school only lets me take one AP science class. I took AP Physics at my school, and I took college-level biology at a communtiy college near where I live. This helps you show your focus on your major, and it looks good on your resume.
Keep the volunteer work up. It’s not as important, but it definitely helps fill in the spaces.
Make sure you’re a good writer. College essays are incredibly important; they are sometimes the make-or-break factor admissions committees consider. Write well, and use an original, creative idea. Be yourself.
All of the schools on your list are schools ranging from good to fantastic. Aim for fantastic, then you will be guaranteed the good schools. But NEVER EVER EVER apply to a school just because it is prestigious. Prestige is nice, but a school that will give you the best education possible is much more important. I do not understand why you are applying to CalTech and Brown. Those schools are too different. If you are interested in what CalTech has to offer, then Brown will be a terrible fit for you and vice versa.
Good luck. I’m really impressed by the fact that you are considering all this before your junior year. You’re getting a great headstart on other kids.