Top 30 Colleges Database

THE SYNOCATE HANDBOOK

A GUIDE TO THE TOP 30 U.S. COLLEGES

Overview

Admissions Officer Notes

Princeton University

• Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States.

• Princeton is distinctive among research

universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching.

• The number one criterion the admission office looks for is academic rigor. The number two criterion is a commitment to extracurricular activities.

• Two readers read student applications, and

files with the most promise are sent to a committee for a decision and a vote.

Admissions Data

Acceptance Rate

5%

19%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

Regular Decision Early Action

Average SAT: 2215 Average ACT: 33 Average Unweighted GPA: 3.9 Total undergraduate size: 5,323 Yield: 65%

US News Ranking – #1


ACT SAT

3

5 4 4

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

Math Writing Critical

Reading

Average

The average ACT is 33 with a standard deviation of 4

78 89 88

700

720

740

760

780

800

820

Math Writing Critical Reading

The average SAT is 2210 with a standard deviation of 255


Competitive applicants normally have 2100+ SAT and >3.9 UW GPA

25% 75%

Math 32 35

Writing 30 35

English 31 35

Average 31 35

25% 75%

Math 722 800

Writing 711 800

Critical Reading 712 800

Average 715 800

Deadlines and Tuition Essay Structure

Traditions and Culture


Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: N/A 1. Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read

in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay. (250-650 words)

2. If you are interested in pursuing a B.S.E. (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) degree, please write a 300-500 word essay describing why you are interested in studying engineering, any experiences in or exposure to engineering you have had, and how you think the programs in engineering offered at Princeton suit your particular interests.

3. Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held. (About 150 words)

4. “Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful.” Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy, chair of the Council of the Humanities and director of the Program in Humanistic Studies, Princeton University.

5. Other Essays

Tuition: $41,820 Average Financial Aid: $10,455

• For more than 260 years, Princetonians have shaped and cherished a remarkably rich body of traditions, from the athletic competitions of Cane Spree and the Big Three bonfire to the colorful spectacle of the P-rade and songs and cheers passed on by generations of students and alumni. Over the years, countless Princetonians have embraced and helped to grow these traditions, ensuring the connection to the past while looking toward the future. We are all guardians of Princeton traditions.


Princeton has 5 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Overview


Harvard University

• Harvard is made up of 11 principal academic units – ten faculties and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

• The university offers 46 undergraduate

concentrations (majors), 134 graduate degrees, and 32 professional degrees.

• The annual goal of the admissions committee is to “create a mosaic” of students. Academic credentials are most important.

• The College also places high importance on

an applicant’s extracurricular activities. students have to stress their strengths in their application, whether they be academic, athletic or in other extracurricular areas so that they stand out.

Admissions Data

Acceptance Rate



6%

19%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%


ACT SAT

The average ACT is 34 with a standard deviation of 3 The average SAT is 2118 with a standard deviation of 282


Harvard University US News Ranking – #2

25% 75%

Math 31 35

Writing 33 35

English 32 35

Average 32 35

25% 75%

Math 713 800

Writing 705 800


Average 706 800

4

2 3 3

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36


Reading

Average

87 95 100

700

720

740

760

780

800

820




Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 1 1. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that

marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

2. Indicate a person who’s had an influence on you and describe that influence.

3. You may wish to include an additional essay if you feel that the college application forms do not provide sufficient opportunity to convey important information about yourself or your accomplishments. You may write on a topic of your choice, or you may choose from one of the following topics:

• Unusual circumstances in your life • Travel or living experiences in other countries • What you would want your future college roommate to know

about you • An intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion,

paper, poetry, or research topic in engineering, mathematics, science or other modes of inquiry) that has meant the most to you

• How you hope to use your college education tie into a couple motivations from common app

• A list of books you have read during the past twelve months


Harvard has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Harvard University US News Ranking – #2

• Clayton Christensen (Harvard Business School) The author of “The Innovator’s Dilemma” and the originator of the now-ubiquitous idea of “disruptive innovation.” • Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation’s pre-eminent African-American scholars, is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor and public intellectual.

Overview


Yale University

• Yale University comprises three major academic components: Yale College (the undergraduate program), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the professional schools.

• Yale encompasses a wide array of centers and programs, libraries, museums, and administrative support offices.

• We are looking for students we can help to become the leaders of their generation in whatever they wish to pursue. Our goal is to assemble a diverse, well-rounded freshman class, and that means admitting exceptional individuals of all types.

Admissions Data

Acceptance Rate



5%

15%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%


ACT SAT


Competitive applicants normally have 2100+ SAT and 4.00 UW GPA

Yale University US News Ranking – #3

25% 75%

Math 32 35

Writing 32 35

English 32 35

Average 32 35

25% 75%

Math 710 790

Writing 710 800


Average 707 797

3 3 3 3

30.5

31

31.5

32

32.5

33

33.5

34

34.5

35

35.5

Math Writing CriticalReading

Average

80 90 100

640

660

680

700

720

740

760

780

800

820




Regular Decision: December 31 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 1 1. What in particular about Yale has influenced your

decision to apply?

2. In this essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something about which you would like to say more. You may write about anything—from personal experiences or interests to intellectual pursuits. (Please answer in 500 words or less). Before you begin, we encourage you to go to http://admissions.yale.edu/essay, where you will find helpful advice.

3. If you selected one of the engineering majors, please write a brief essay telling us what has led you to an interest in this field of study, what experiences (if any) you have had in engineering, and what it is about Yale’s engineering program that appeals to you.


Yale has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Dr. Saltzman (Biomedical Engineering Department) • One of his publications dealt with creating more

efficient drug delivery systems that rely on convection to deliver drugs uniformly to all regions of the brain, which causes a stronger response and limits side effects.

Yale University US News Ranking – #3

• Yale University students rub the Theodore Dwight Woolsey statue's foot for good luck.

• Yale University has the second-largest academic library in the nation, with over 9.5 million volumes.

http://admissions.yale.edu/essay





















Overview


Columbia University

• Columbia follows a committee-based approach; no candidate is admitted to Columbia College or Engineering without discussion and examination of the application by multiple officers. We read teacher recommendations carefully to understand a candidate’s contributions in the classroom and what that candidate might offer his or her Columbia classmates.

Admissions Data

Acceptance Rate



• It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States.

• Columbia operates Columbia Global Centers overseasin Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and Nairobi.

7%

19%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%


ACT SAT



80 90 100

640

660

680

700

720

740

760

780

800

820


25% 75%

Math 32 35

Writing 29 35

English 31 34

Average 31 35

25% 75%

Math 700 790

Writing 700 790


Average 700 787

3

6 3 4

25

27

29

31

33

35

37


Reading

Average

Columbia University US News Ranking – #4



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 1 1. What single activity listed in the activity section of your

Common Application are you most proud of and why? (150 words or less)

2. Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)

3. For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time. (300 words or less)

4. For applicants to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section.

5. Other essays


Columbia has 5 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Columbia University US News Ranking – #4

• The Columbia University Marching Band has a habit of busting into the Butler Library reading room before the big Organic Chemistry exam to play as loudly as they can, which studying students may or may not enjoy...

• Columbia University houses the most filmed lecture hall in America: Havemeyer 309 is featured in movies like Spiderman, Kinsey, Ghostbusters, and Mona Lisa Smile.

• Columbia University's Baker Field was the site of the nation's first televised sports event, a baseball game between Columbia and Princeton universities, broadcast by NBC in 1939, and is also Manhattan's only football stadium.

Stanford University

Overview


Admissions Data

• Stanford has surged as a powerhouse in undergraduate education because of its strong engineering and humanities program

• Still, about 40% of the class has ties to California

• It also has one of the most rigorous applications


Acceptance Rate Admissions Officer Notes

5%

11%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%


• Most students have 2 assigned readers who grade the student on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the best

• The rubric includes a “+” if the candidate is not at the next level but is close, and grades on intellectual vitality, course rigor, and, extracurricular strength

• On a final page, a summary of scores is shown

• Each reader also has a free form response

Stanford University

ACT



4

2

3

3

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

Math Writing Critical Reading Average

75 93 103

640

660

680

700

720

740

760

780

800

820


SAT

25% 75%

Math 725 800

Writing 707 800


Average 710 800

25% 75%

Math 31 35

Writing 30 32

English 32 35

Average 31 34


Stanford University Deadlines and Tuition


Essay Structure

Stanford has 10 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

1. Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (100 to 250 words)

2. Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — know you better. (100 to 250 words)

3. What matters to you, and why? (100 to 250 words)

4. Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit)

5. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

6. Tell us what makes Stanford a good place for you. (1800 characters)

7. If someone were to take a page out of your journal, describe an important moment in your life. Or, describe a person who has influenced your life thus far.

8. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

9. What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them?

10. Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating.

Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 15



• The Stanford Band, or LSJUMB, is known for its quirky and random culture

• Stanford Alumni Mentoring (SAM) and the Career Development Career (CDC) are strong resources for students to get to know recent graduates or to learn about new careers – alumni often mention these programs in exit interviews

• The Stanford Design School (d.school) is known as the birth child of IDEO founders and is an interdisciplinary program between engineering and art

• Several computer science professors like Mehran Sahami are world-renowned and industry experts

University Of Pennsylvania Overview

US News Ranking – # 9

Admissions Data

• UPENN is a place to pursue knowledge beyond traditional boundaries.

• That tradition lives today through the creativity, entrepreneurship, and engagement of our faculty , students and staff.

Average SAT: 2119 Average ACT: 33 Average Unweighted GPA: 3.90 Total undergraduate size: 9,712 Yield: 63% Acceptance Rate Admissions Officer Notes

• Engineering applicants are strongly encouraged to take the highest levels of physics and calculus available in their secondary schools. • Wharton applicants are strongly encouraged to take the highest level of calculus available in their secondary schools. • Nursing applicants are encouraged to pursue a strong secondary school preparation in the sciences—particularly chemistry. • The Admissions Selection Committee will review your curriculum within the context of what courses are available at your secondary school. Competitive applicants will have taken the most rigorous courses.

9%

25%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%


University Of Pennsylvania

ACT SAT

The average ACT is 33 with a standard deviation of 4

78 89 88

700

720

740

760

780

800

820


The average SAT is 2210 with a standard deviation of 255



25% 75%

Math 31 35

Writing 32 32

English 33 35

Average 32 35

25% 75%

Math 720 790

Writing 700 780


Average 713 0

4 5 4 4

262830323436

Delta

25%

Average



University Of Pennsylvania

Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 15 1. The Admissions Committee would like to learn why you are a good

fit for your undergraduate school choice (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or Penn Engineering). Please tell us about specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania that resonate with your background, interests, and goals. (400-650 words).

2. Which of the academic communities and social communities that now comprise the University of Pennsylvania are most interesting to you and how will you contribute to them and to the larger Penn community?

3. To be completed only by applicants to the Wharton/Engineering Coordinated Dual-Degree: Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. 2a. Discuss your interest in combining management and technology. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in business and engineering help you to meet your goals? Please be sure to address the nature and extent of your interests in both business and engineering.

4. Autobiography (Robotics).


• Alumni Weekend brings together Penn's most enduring traditions with the innovative ideas of its leading scholars and alumni. Whether you are a young alum, a member of the Old Guard, or somewhere in between, this annual celebration in May provides a perfect opportunity to pursue intellectual and cultural interests while reconnecting with friends. The traditional Parade of Classes is a perennial favorite while new tours, receptions, and parties are offered each year for Penn alumni and their families to enjoy.

• Created by Claes Oldenberg and installed in front of Van Pelt Library in

1981, the Button is 16 feet in diameter, weighs 5,000 pounds, and is cast in reinforced aluminum.Oldenberg once told the Philadelphia Inquirer that "the Split represents the Schuylkill. It divides the button into four parts—for William Penn's original Philadelphia squares.

• Penn students are known for their involvement in community service

and civic responsibility. The Civic House is the University of Pennsylvania's hub for student-led community service and social advocacy work, promoting connections with the West Philadelphia community and beyond. Through education, community connections, and other resources, Civic House prepares students for responsible and effective civic engagement.


Pennsylvania has 4 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

California institute Of Technology Overview


Admissions Data

• Caltech is a world-renowned and pioneering research and education institution dedicated to advancing science and engineering. Caltech was founded on the premise of learning through discovery, and cultivates an environment where scientists and engineers can pursue solutions to the world's greatest challenges.

Average SAT: 2154 Average ACT: 34 Average Unweighted GPA: 3.90 Total undergraduate size: 977 Yield: 41% Acceptance Rate Admissions Officer Notes

• Place well in competitions such as the International Science Olympiads or the various international science fairs (Intel, Siemens, etc). Learn your AP- level math and science very, very well.

8%

15%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%


California institute Of Technology

ACT SAT




25% 75%

Math 34 36

Writing 33 35

English 33 35

Average 33 35

25% 75%

Math 760 800

Writing 700 790


Average 720 793

2 2 2 2

31323334353637

Delta

25%

Average

40

90 90

650

700

750

800

850




California institute Of Technology

Regular Decision: January 3 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: February 15 1. Members of the Caltech community live, learn, and work within an Honor System

with one simple guideline; 'No member shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community.' While seemingly simple, questions of ethics, honesty and integrity are sometimes puzzling. Share a difficult situation that has challenged you. What was your response, and how did you arrive at a solution? (200 word max)

2. Caltech students have long been known for their quirky sense of humor, whether it be through planning creative pranks, building elaborate party sets, or even the year-long preparation that goes into our annual Ditch Day. Please describe an unusual way in which you have fun. (200 word max)

3. In an increasingly global and interdependent society, there is a need for diversity in thought, background, and experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity of Caltech's community? (200 word max)

4. Scientific exploration clearly excites you. Beyond our 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio and our intense focus on research opportunities, how do you believe Caltech will best fuel your intellectual curiosity and help you meet your goals? (500 word max)

5. What three experiences or activities have helped you explore your desire to study and possibly pursue a career in STEM? (200 words max)

6. Interest in math, science, or engineering manifests itself in many forms. Caltech professor and Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman (1918-1988) explained, 'I'd make a motor, I'd make a gadget that would go off when something passed a photocell, I'd play around with selenium'; he was exploring his interest in science, as he put it, by 'piddling around all the time.' In a page, more or less, tell the Admissions Committee how you express your interest, curiosity, or excitement about math, science or engineering.

7. Other essays


• Traditions abound at most colleges and universities, but at Caltech, they don't center around the typical fight songs and mascots. Common to many of the student houses is the tradition of sit-down dinners served by student waiters. The houses also each host an "interhouse" party during the year. Each house also has unique customs. The Flems, for instance, fire their cannon several times a year; every Halloween, Dabney House stages a pumpkin drop from the top of Millikan Library, the highest point on campus; and before winter break, Lloyd House constructs a "light tree" on Millikan Library..


Cal Tech has 7 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Dartmouth College Overview


Admissions Data

• Dartmouth instills a love of learning among its students and empowers them for a lifetime of leadership. At Dartmouth, differences are embraced and ideas are challenged. Our diverse community of students, faculty, and staff come together to share perspectives, learn, and grow. The Dartmouth curriculum itself is designed to build global awareness, and its distinctive Study Abroad programs are a vital component of that process.


• Each application receives an academic index score, which is based on GPA and standardized tests. A low score is usually a dealbreaker, but still all applications are considered. • Each application will be read by 2-3 readers, who recommend either "admit," "deny," or "possible," sometimes qualified with "strong" or "leaning." Readers also rate each candidate out of 10 for academic and personal qualities, which take into account things like socio-economic background. • It's much easier to be admitted during Early even though most schools tell you it's just as competitive, it's simply not true. That's standard administrative rhetoric, but it is much more difficult to be admitted during regular. We've already admitted 30 to 35 percent of the class Early.

9%

27%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%


Dartmouth College US News Ranking – # 11

ACT SAT



2 2 2 2

31323334353637

Delta

25%

Average

40

90 90

650

700

750

800

850


25% 75%

Math 30 34

Writing 30 34

English 30 34

Average 30 34

25% 75%

Math 680 800

Writing 680 790


Average 720 793

Dartmouth College US News Ranking – # 11



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: February 15

1. We believe it is critical that your candidacy reflect the interests, experiences and pursuits that are most important to you. To this end, is there anything else you would like us to know?


• Dartmouth is also home to many cherished traditions, including Dartmouth Night and Homecoming, when alumni return to their alma mater and, along with current students, take part in a parade and bonfire, the latter dating back to 1888.

• The annual Winter Carnival began more than 100 ago as a way to showcase the College’s winter athletes. In 1955, Sports Illustrated said the popular celebration “is a 30-ring circus that makes Ringling Brothers look like a two-wagon job on a vacant lot.” The current incarnation includes a hugely popular “Polar Bear Swim” in Occom Pond.

Dartmouth has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Johns Hopkins University

Overview


Admissions Data

• John Hopkins ranks first among U.S universities in receipt of federal research and development funds. The School of Medicine ranks first among medical schools in receipt of extramural awards from the National Institutes of Health. The Bloomberg School of Public Health is first among its peers in research support from federal government.


• To make admissions officers sit up and take notice, show evidence of abiding interests (academic or extracurricular) that you’ll be able to continue and deepen during your time at college. It also means that a freshman year slip-up is looked at way more leniently than plummeting grades in a student’s senior year, even if the end-result GPA remains the same. • Such an approach values interpersonal qualities and actual experiences and engagement, over raw data • But for the Johns Hopkins admissions team, at least, the test scores are not as definitive in determining admission as many students think.

15%

33%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%


Johns Hopkins University US News Ranking – # 12

ACT SAT



6 4 4 5

25

27

29

31

33

35

37

Math WritingCritical Reading

Delta

25%

Average

100 90 90

550

600

650

700

750

800


25% 75%

Math 29 34

Writing 30 34

English 30 34

Average 30 34

25% 75%

Math 670 770

Writing 660 750


Average 660 753

Johns Hopkins University US News Ranking – # 12




1. John Hopkins University was founded in 1876 on a spirit of exploration and discovery. As a result students can pursue a multi-dimensional undergraduate experience both in and outside of the classroom. Given the opportunities at Hopkins, please discuss your current interests-academic or extracurricular pursuits, personal passions, summer experiences, etc. –and how you will build upon them here. (500)

2. Other Essays


• The Peabody Institute, the nation's first conservatory, is home to some of the world's most gifted musicians and puts on more than 50 events each year that are open to the public—orchestral and jazz concerts, operas and symphonic performances, Renaissance music and modern arrangements that defy description.

• For the more visually inclined, the Center for Visual

Arts gives students a studio environment to hone their painting, drawing, cartooning, design, and photography skills. For inspiration, drop by the neighboring Baltimore Museum of Art (which is right next to our Homewood campus), explore one of the university's three museums, or visit some of the many other museums or galleries around Baltimore.

Dartmouth has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Northwestern University Overview


Admissions Data

• Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research, and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community. Two campuses are located on Lake Michigan: a 240-are campus in Evanston, the first suburb north of Chicago, and a 25-acre campus in Chicago. One campus is located in Doha, Qatar. Northwestern was founded in 1851.


• The Admissions Selection Committee will review your curriculum within the context of what courses are available at your secondary school. Competitive applicants will have taken the most rigorous courses. • The Admissions Selection Committee does not have a preference between the ACT or SAT. Take whichever test you’re more comfortable with. • Letters of recommendation should be from teachers who taught you in your junior or senior years of high school in core academic subject areas.

11%

33%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%



Northwestern University US News Ranking – # 13

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 30 35

Writing 31 34

English 32 35

Average 31 35

25% 75%

Math 700 790

Writing 690 770


Average 693 773

5 3 3

4

26

28

30

32

34

36


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

90 80 70

600

650

700

750

800


Northwestern University US News Ranking – # 13



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: May 15

1. Northwestern Statement: What are the unique qualities of Northwestern –and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying- that make you want to attend the university? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified? (300 word maximum)

2. Explain the factors that are driving you towards a

career in medicine.

3. Write about a time when your friend saw a situation or problem one way, but you saw it differently. How did you handle that.


• Sore and blistered feet have become a badge of honor on the Evanston campus since 1975, the year Dance Marathon -- one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the country -- was launched at Northwestern. • During the past 26 years, Dance Marathon has raised nearly $5 million for more than 20 Chicago area charities thanks to the thousands of committed University students who have volunteered their time and energy for various charities.

Northwestern University has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Washington University Overview


Admissions Data



• The Admissions Selection Committee will review your curriculum within the context of what courses are available at your secondary school. Competitive applicants will have taken the most rigorous courses.

• The Admissions Selection Committee does not have a preference between the ACT or SAT. Take whichever test you’re more comfortable with. • Letters of recommendation should be from teachers who taught you in your junior or senior years of high school in core academic subject areas.

15%

27%

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5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%


Washington University US News Ranking – # 14

ACT SAT


Competitive applicants normally have 2100+ SAT and >4.00UW GPA

25% 75%

Math 31 35

Writing 32 34

English 33 35

Average 32 35

25% 75%

Math 720 790

Writing 700 770


Average 707 773

4 2 2

3

2930313233343536


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

70

70 60

650

700

750

800


Washington University US News Ranking – # 14



Regular Decision: January 15 Early Action: November 15 Transfer: May 15

1. Topic Of Choice


• Traditions are an important part of GW's culture, enriching daily life and cultivating pride within our community. Our oldest traditions date back to 1904 when Columbian College became The George Washington University. With the adoption of its new name, GW embraced a rich array of customs and symbols complementing the University's character and vision. Today, many of our traditions incorporate the legends and lore linked to our namesake, President George Washington. • Over time, diversity and a broadening range of student interests have brought additional traditions that are shared by faculty, staff and alumni. Old and new, these are celebrated through athletics, student organizations, spirit groups, University publications and hallmark events. Campus landmarks, including the Tempietto, brick walkways, University Gates, busts of George Washington and the lovable bronze hippo, join the traditions, helping GW to leave an indelible mark on its charming neighborhood in the nation’s beautiful city of monuments.

Washington University has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Cornell University Overview


Admissions Data

• Cornell is a private. Ivy League university and the land-grant university for New York State. Cornell’s mission is to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge; produce creative work; and promote a culture of board inquiry throughout and beyond the Cornell community. Cornell also aims, through public service, to enhance the lives and livelihoods of students, the people of New York, and others around the world.


• Show the origins and development of your academic interests. Cornell needs to know that you're not selecting a major simply because that's one of the questions on the application. They expect you to have defined academic interests and they want to know the story of those interests. • Focus on your genuine interest, maybe even excitement, for the subject matter. • Tie these interests to Cornell. • Successful Cornell applicants can tell you with some clarity how they'll be spending their academic time at Cornell, why their chosen course of study is the right one, and what they're most excited about when it comes to learning, particularly at Cornell.

12%

31%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%


Cornell University US News Ranking – # 15

ACT SAT


Competitive applicants normally have 2100 + SAT and >3.8 UW GPA

25% 75%

Math 30 34

Writing 30 34

English 30 34

Average 30 34

25% 75%

Math 680 780

Writing 650 750


Average 707 757

4 4 4 4

28

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34

35


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

100 100 100

0

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Cornell University US News Ranking – # 15



Regular Decision: January 2 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: May 1 1. Tell us about an engineering idea you have, or about your interest

in engineering. Describe how your ideas and interests may realize by-and linked to-specific resources within the College of Engineering Finally, explain what a Cornell Engineering education will enable you to accomplish. (Please limit your response to 650 words).

2. Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell’s College of Arts and Science be the right environment in which to pursue your in your interests? (Please limit your response to 650 words).

3. Recount an incident or a time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

4. Some students have a background or sorry that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

5. How have your interests and related experiences influenced the major you have selected in the college of Agriculture and Life Sciences? (Please limit your response to 650 words).

6. Other Essays


• Each year in late March, first-year students from the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) create and parade an enormous dragon across campus. Accompanied by AAP students in costume and heckled by rivals from the College of Engineering, the dragon lumbers to the Arts Quad to be consumed by a symbolic bonfire. Formalized by AAP students in the 1950s, Dragon Day's roots are actually traced back to the antics of the architecture Class of 1901.

• The heartbeat of campus life, the Cornell Chimes have been

marking the hours and chiming concerts for more than a century. The original set of bells first rang out at the university's opening ceremonies October 7, 1868. The chimes continue to ring daily concerts, making it one of the largest and most frequently played set of chimes in the world.

Cornell University has 6 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Brown University

Overview


Admissions Data

• Brown is an independent, coeducational Ivy League institution comprising undergraduate and graduate programs, plus the Alpert Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, and the School of Professional Studies. Brown is frequently recognized for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting


• They look for self-directed learners. Because the open curriculum allows so much flexibility, it also gives the student the chance to flounder about directionlessly. Those who can demonstrate that they know what they want and pursue it, even if it isn't the easy well-trod path, are more likely to deemed a good fit. • Brown seems to favor essays about volunteer and public interest work.

8%

19%

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6%

8%

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12%

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16%

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Brown University US News Ranking – # 16

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 29 35

Writing 28 34

English 29 34

Average 29 34

25% 75%

Math 670 780

Writing 670 770


Average 667 770

6 6 5 6

25

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29

31

33

35

37


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

100 100 100

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Brown University US News Ranking – # 16



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 1 1. Many applicants to college are unsure about eventual majors. What factors led

you to your interest? What experiences beyond school work have broadened your interest? (Feel free to elaborate on one of your previous responses.) (WC: 220)

2. Most high school seniors are unsure about eventual career choices. What experiences have led you to consider medicine as your future profession? Please describe specifically why you have chosen to apply to the Program in Liberal Medical Education in pursuit of your career in medicine. Also, be sure to indicate your rationale on how the PLME is a “good fit” for your personal, academic, and future professional goals. (Please limit your response to this question to 500 words.)

3. Since the Program in Liberal Medical Education espouses a broad-based liberal education, please describe your fields of interest in both the sciences and the liberal arts. Be specific about what courses and aspects of the program will be woven into a potential educational plan. (Please limit your response to this question to 500 words.)

4. What concept in your anticipated major were you most proud of mastering?

5. Briefly describe the course(s) you have taken relating to your chosen field. 6. Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated in our Member Section,

earlier in this application? If you are "undecided" or not sure which Brown concentrations match your interests, consider describing more generally the academic topics or modes of thought that engage you currently. (150 word limit)

7. Tell us where you have lived - and for how long - since you were born; whether you've always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places. (100 word limit)

8. We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you. (150 word limit)

9. Why Brown? (200 word limit)


• One of Brown’s most well-known former faculty members—professor of psychoceramics (the study of cracked pots) Josiah S. Carberry—never actually existed. But his name lives—Carberry is the namesake for the beloved late-night eatery “Josiah’s” and for the Brown library online catalog.

• Students gather every Halloween at midnight in Sayles Hall for the annual organ concert. Blankets and pillows in hand, students gather on the floor of the vast hall and listen to the university organist play a selection of appropriately spooky tunes on the largest remaining Hutchings-Votey organ in the world. A similar assembly happens right before winter break, when many of Brown’s singing groups perform holiday themed concerts in Sayles.

Brown University has 9 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

University Of Notre Dame Overview


Admissions Data

• The gilded Golden Dome and statue of Mary atop the Main Building proclaim the Notre Dame campus as a place where faith is treasured and diverse traditions shared and respected Notre Dame has a unique spirit. It is traditional, yet open to change. It is dedicated to religious belief no less than scientific knowledge. It has always stood for values in a world of facts.


• Academic performance in high school. • High school academic requirements. • Extracurricular activities? More like passions. • We request two—and only two—letters of evaluation from every applicant. Your guidance counselor will complete a counselor evaluation and short personal letter, and one of your high school teachers will complete the other. • Essay: Reflect, have fun, show us who you really are.

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University Of Notre Dame US News Ranking – # 17

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 32 34

Writing 32 34

English 32 34

Average 32 34

25% 75%

Math 680 770

Writing


Average 447 507

90

0

90

0

200

400

600

800

1000


2 2 2 2

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33

35


Reading

Delta

25%

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University Of Notre Dame US News Ranking – # 17




1. Why Notre Dame?

2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3. Prompt: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?


• We believe that underlying today’s modern ethical conflicts is a broader argument between complex traditions of moral thought and intellectual inquiry. Our approach to ethics, then, begins from the supposition that systematic and rational discussion of these problems must be rooted in traditions of thought and practice. Recognizing, too, that ethical issues are always in part a function of cultural formation, the Center for Ethics and Culture is interested in exploring in an interdisciplinary way the formative role and ethical implications of art, literature, music, media, technology, law, science, and politics in modern society.

• As a traditions-based center committed to our Catholic intellectual heritage, we welcome engagement and dialogue with all moral traditions as we grapple with the most pressing and complex questions of ethics, culture, and public policy today.

University of Notre dame has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Vanderbilt University Overview


Admissions Data

• We have long encouraged students to study across disciplines, then bring them together to address problems from new perspectives. It’s a school of thought that favors collaboration over competition in true Vanderbilt tradition.


• Rigor of Secondary School Record.

• Class Rank.

• Academic GPA.

• Standardized Test Scores.

• Application Essay.

• Character / Personal Qualities.

15%

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Vanderbilt University US News Ranking – # 18

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 32 34

Writing 32 34

English 32 34

Average 32 34

25% 75%

Math 680 770

Writing


Average 447 507

5 2 3 3

25

27

29

31

33

35

37


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

80

90 80

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Vanderbilt University US News Ranking – # 18



Regular Decision: January 3 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: June1 1. Describe a place or environment where you are

perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?


• We also have a tradition of celebration around here throughout the academic year. Among the most popular events are Homecoming Weekend, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture Series, the National Pan–Hellenic Council Step Show, Quake, and Rites of Spring, our pre–finals music festival on Alumni Lawn. Ludacris, Nelly, The National, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum - they’ve all had a good time with us here at Vanderbilt. • While Nashville draws some of the hottest musical acts around, it is also home to the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Country Music Hall of Fame, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Grand Ole Opry, and the historic Ryman Auditorium. When you need to get away, there are plenty of outdoor adventures to be found.

Vanderbit University has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Rice University Overview


Admissions Data

• At Rice, there is no "what if" that can't become "what is." It just takes some radical thinking to get there — and a community of brilliant, passionate dreamers and doers to lead the way. It takes unconventional wisdom.


• Be unique and passionate. • Demonstrate your passion through extracurricular activities. • Rice accepts students who are smart and creative, so bring out the latter in your application to distinguish yourself. • Take the most challenging classes in high school while maintaining a high GPA.

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Rice University US News Ranking – # 19

ACT SAT


Competitive applicants normally have 2100+SAT and >3.82 UW GPA

25% 75%

Math 30 35

Writing 31 34

English 31 35

Average 31 35

25% 75%

Math 700 790

Writing 670 770


Average 680 773

5 3 4 4

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Reading

Delta

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Average

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Rice University US News Ranking – # 19




1. Please elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit)

2. Outside of academics, what do you enjoy doing most?

3. With the understanding that the choice of academic school you indicated is not binding, explain why you are applying to that particular school of study. (150 word limit)

4. How did you first learn about Rice University and what motivated you to apply? (250 word limit)

5. Describe the most difficult adversity you have faced, and describe how you dealt with it.

6. The Committee on Admission is interested in getting to know each candidate as well as possible through the application process. The following essay question is designed to demonstrate your writing skills and facilitate our full appreciation of your unique perspective.


• Undergraduate life at Rice University differs from that at many universities because of Rice's tradition of residential colleges. One of the unique features of Rice is its residential colleges. Before matriculating, each of the university's 3,708 undergraduates becomes a member of one of 11 residential colleges, which have their own dining halls, public rooms, and dorms on campus; most of the first-year students and about 75 percent of all undergraduates reside at their associated colleges.

• A faculty master, who is assigned to each college and lives in an

adjacent house, helps cultivate a variety of cultural and intellectual interests among the students, as well as supporting an effective system of self-government. Other faculty or members of the community serve as associates to individual colleges.

Rice University has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

UC California-Berkeley Overview


Admissions Data

•The University of California was founded in 1868, born out of a vision in the State Constitution of a university that would "contribute even more than California's gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations."


• All applications are read in their entirety by professionally trained readers. That means, we review each application in its entirety, word by word, page by page. Many applications are read two or even three times.

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18%


UC California-Berkeley US News Ranking – # 20

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 27 34

Writing 27 33

English 26 34

Average 27 34

25% 75%

Math 630 770

Writing 620 750


Average 640 760

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33

35


Reading

Delta

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Average

140 130 90

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UC California-Berkeley US News Ranking – # 20



Regular Decision: December 30 Early Action: November 30 Transfer: N/A 1. Describe the world you come from--for example,

your FAMILY, your community or school--and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

2. Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

3. Other essays


• In 1961 the students requested that the week before final exams become “Dead Week,” which we now refer to as Reading, Review and Recitation week. Quizzes, projects and activities are not scheduled to allow time to study and prepare for exams.

• Soon after the Student Union complex opened in 1960, the

nearby fountain became the favorite spot of a German short-haired pointer named Ludwig. Ludwig spent every day in the fountain, and in 1961 it was named in his honor.

• Sophomore Lawn is the grass between California Hall and the Valley Life Sciences Building. Sophomore men would gather on the lawn to haze freshmen, who retaliated by burning their class numerals in the lawn at night. These days it’s a nice napping place.

University of California has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Emory University Overview


Admissions Data

• Emory University is internationally recognized for its outstanding liberal arts college, highly ranked professional schools, and comprehensive healthcare system. Emory provides for a very unique and rewarding college experience. With the prestigious and academically rigorous University paired with the entertaining and lively city of Atlanta, your experience at Emory will certainly be a memorable one.


• Be a well-rounded student with multiple extracurricular. • Emory loves diversity, so keep this in mind when filling out your application and writing your essay. • Have something unique that you can contribute to the Emory community. • The obvious stuff can't hurt. Have good grades, a high GPA, and good SAT scores. • Submit an application essay. • Visit the school to show you are serious about attending.

13%

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30%

35%

40%


Emory University US News Ranking – # 21

ACT SAT


Competitive applicants normally have 1910- SAT and >3.7 UW GPA

25% 75%

Math 29 32

Writing 29 32

English 29 32

Average 29 32

25% 75%

Math 650 750

Writing 640 730


Average 637 730

3 3 3 3

25

27

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31

33


Reading

Delta

25%

Average

100 90 90

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Emory University US News Ranking – # 21



Regular Decision: January 15 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: June 1 1. What is something you have taught yourself in the

last year? How did you teach yourself this new skill or concept and what was the result? (500 word limit).

2. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

3. Name an instance that really challenged you.


• Asa Candler, founder of The Coca-Cola Company, wrote the "million-dollar letter" to offer seed money, and he sweetened the deal by donating land in Atlanta. Emory University received a DeKalb County charter to build at its present location in 1915. The soft drink company president's brother was Emory alumnus and former president, Methodist Bishop Warren Candler, who returned to serve as its first chancellor on the new campus.

Emory University has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Georgetown University Overview


Admissions Data

• Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. we provide students with a world-class learning experience focused on educating the whole person through exposure to different faiths, cultures and beliefs. With our Jesuit values and location in Washington, D.C., Georgetown offers students a distinct opportunity to learn, experience and understand more about the world.



• The applications are then divided among the 14 admissions officers for a first reading. At Georgetown, all the applications from any given high school go to the same admissions officer for a first look.They will have them in some sort of reading order. It may be either by their GPA or their class rank, although decisions aren't necessarily based on how they come down in an order. • The admissions officers make the first cut on applications, to either admit or defer, choosing almost 80 percent of those granted early admission. The rest of the slots, the ones they are unsure about, go to one of nine committees..

12%

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Georgetown University US News Ranking – # 22

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 29 33

Writing 29 33

English 29 33

Average 29 33

25% 75%

Math 660 750

Writing 0 0


Average 437 500

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27

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31

33

35

Math WritingCritical Reading

Delta

25%

Average

90 100

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800


Georgetown University US News Ranking – # 22



Regular Decision: January 10 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: March 1 1. Please relate your interest in studying at

Georgetown University to your goals. How do these thoughts relate to your chosen course of study? Since you are applying to major in a Science, please address those interests specifically.

2. Discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.

3. Please write a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

4. Topic of Your Choice.


• Georgetown McDonough’s rigorous academic program is supported by a strong culture that encourages students to collaborate, forge close friendships, and extend their learning outside of the classroom and beyond campus. As the nation's oldest Catholic institution of higher learning, Georgetown was founded on the Jesuit principles of equality, respect, and cura personalis, or education of the whole person, and those same values define the school today.

Georgetown University has 4 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

UC California-Los Angeles Overview


Admissions Data



N.A

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University of Virginia Overview


Admissions Data

• The University of Virginia is distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing, through education, leaders who are well-prepared to help shape the future of the nation. The University is public, while nourished by the strong support of its alumni. It is also selective; the students who come here have been chosen because they show the exceptional promise Jefferson envisioned.


• Write essays that sound like you. Don't write what you think they want to hear. Avoid writing essays that lots of other students could write (like "Volleyball taught me the importance of teamwork"). • UVA requires two supplemental essays as part of their application. Some colleges' essay topics are seeking thoughtful responses, while others are inviting you to be playful. UVA serves up examples of both. • College academics aren't like high school academics; in college, you have choices. You get to pick what interests you and pursue it as far as you are willing to go. UVA is looking for students who are excited about this opportunity, and who have shown glimpses of that intellectual passion and academic initiative already.

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University of Virginia US News Ranking – # 24

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 28 34

Writing 29 33

English 29 34

Average 29 34

25% 75%

Math 630 740

Writing 620 720


Average 623 727

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35


Reading

Delta

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Average

110 100 100

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University of Virginia US News Ranking – # 24




1. Describe an experience or an event that has led you to choose your career.

2. Describe one of your volunteer experiences.

3. What work of art, music, science, math, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you and in what way?

4. What are your academic goals and any hardships you have faced?


• From the beginning, rituals, routines, clubs and societies became a lasting part of life on Grounds. Some traditions, like the Jefferson Society founded in 1825, and the Honor System established in 1842, survive to the present. Other traditions were succeeded by new ones over time. The original school colors of cardinal and gray became today's orange and blue, more visible on a muddy athletic field. Throughout its history, the University has also evolved, leading to a more inclusive and diverse student community. Through all the continuities and changes, one theme remains: abiding affection for the University—its Lawn, its traditions, its students and professors—continuing unbroken for over 190 years.

University of Virginia has 4 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Carnegie Mellon University Overview


Admissions Data

• Carnegie Mellon is a solid engineering university with strong graduate programs in dentistry, medicine, and research. Getting an acceptance to the undergraduate computer science school is significantly tougher, and the admissions committee makes this clear. Technical extracurricular activities are highly valued and a specific focus (robotics, bioinformatics) is valuable.


• Apply to H&SS if you don't think you'll get in-it's easier to get into and you can switch schools. • Be well rounded. Even if you intend to study outside of math and science-do well in all subjects. • Depth versus breadth-it's better to be deeply involved in a few extra curriculars versus every club at your school.

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Carnegie Mellon University US News Ranking – # 25

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 30 34

Writing 30 34

English 30 34

Average 30 34

25% 75%

Math 700 790

Writing 650 750


Average 663 760

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Reading

Delta

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Average

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Carnegie Mellon University US News Ranking – # 25



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: N/A 1. Please submit a one page, single-spaced essay that

explains why you have chosen Carnegie Mellon and your particular majors, departments, or programs. This essay should include the reasons why you've chosen the major(s), any goals or relevant work plans and any other information you would like us to know. For freshmen applying to more than one college or program, please mention each college or program to which you are applying. Because our admission committees review applicants by college and program, your essay can impact our final decision.


• Carnegie Mellon's oldest tradition, it's also a favorite of faculty, staff, alumni and students. Held annually, the weekend's events include entertainment and competition, carnival rides and food, and an event not to be missed: Buggy Sweepstakes. Experience Carnival through the eyes of Scotty, the university's Scottish terrier mascot.

• Buggy, the highlight of Spring Carnival, began in 1920 as the "pushmobile races" of Campus Week. Buggies — aerodynamic cylinders designed and built by student groups during the year — are pushed and driven through campus over a course measuring more than 4,400 feet and often reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

Carnegie Mellon University has 1 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

University Of South California Overview


Admissions Data

• The University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology and international business, USC's diverse curricular offerings provide extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary study, and collaboration with leading researchers in highly advanced learning environments. With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education, USC fosters a vibrant culture of public service and encourages students to cross academic as well as geographic boundaries in their pursuit of knowledge.



• Do well on your SAT. USC loves it when you do well on your SAT because it's an easily quantifiable measure of student achievement. USC is trying to improve its ranking, so facile measures of intellect such as the SAT (btw, facile is probably an SAT reading comprehension word, so if you don't know what it means get cracking on the studying) are a quantifiable way of showing the caliber of student the school is drawing.

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University Of South California US News Ranking – # 26

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 29 34

Writing 29 33

English 28 34

Average 29 34

25% 75%

Math 660 760

Writing 640 750


Average 640 743

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800


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University Of South California US News Ranking – # 26




1. USC students are known to be involved. Briefly describe a non-academic pursuit (such as service to community or family, a club or sport, or work, etc.,) that best illustrates who you are, and why it is important to you. (250 word limit)

2. Some people categorize engineers as geeks or nerds. Are you a geek, nerd, or neither? Why? (250 word limit).

3. Describe your academic interests and how you plan to pursue them at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 word limit)

4. How do you plan to use your engineering degree to benefit society? (250 word limit).


• Now a campus landmark fondly nicknamed “Tommy Trojan,” this life-size bronze statue of a Trojan warrior was unveiled on June 6, 1930, as part of USC’s 50th birthday celebration.

• The university’s seal displays three torches, representing the arts, the sciences and philosophy.

• Cardinal and Gold. Before 1895, USC's official color was gold,

and the College of Liberal Arts had its own color - cardinal. In 1895, both colors were adopted as USC's official colors.

• USC football games are famous for, among other things, the

appearance of Traveler, a noble white steed bearing a “Trojan warrior” into the arena.

University of Southern California has 4 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Tufts University Overview


Admissions Data

• Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The university is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and the French Alps. The university emphasizes active citizenship and public service in all of its disciplines and is known for its internationalism and study abroad programs. Among its schools is the United States' oldest graduate school of international relations, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.



• Tufts cares that you have either good SAT/ACT or a good GPA and that you do cool extracurriculars (not just playing clarinet for nine years or playing varsity volleyball). Also, they look for how awesome of a person you present yourself as in your essay.

19%

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Tufts University US News Ranking – # 27

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 29 34

Writing 29 33

English 28 34

Average 29 34

25% 75%

Math 660 760

Writing 640 750


Average 640 743

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800


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Tufts University US News Ranking – # 27




1. Write about the environment in which you were raised and its influence on you today.

2. What are your goals?

3. Celebrate your nerdy side!


• Tufts history dates to 1852, when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts chartered “Tufts College” at the summit of Walnut Hill in Medford. Boston businessman Charles Tufts donated the land, and Hosea Ballou, a Universalist clergyman, became our first president. Shortly after the founding, Ballou remarked: "For if Tufts College is to be a source of illumination, as a beacon standing on a hill, where its light cannot be hidden, its influence will naturally work like all light; it will be diffusive." Explore some of the campus traditions that have survived the last 160 years at Tufts. Below are a few of the most popular, from the esoteric to the esteemed.

Tufts University has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

Wake Forest University Overview


Admissions Data

• One of the nation's most respected private schools, Wake Forest University is a collegiate university recognized for its outstanding academic reputation and challenging liberal arts curriculum. Founded in 1834, Wake Forest is committed to personal education, inquiry and exploration, and service.


• Admission to Wake is very competitive, and students will need high grades and a challenging high school schedule including AP and honors classes. SAT and ACT test scores are optional. • Just as important as academics are an applicant's personal essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and interview (which is optional, but highly suggested). • Students complain that Wake asks for quite a few supplementary essays, but they are very important and should be given much thought. Ditto for interviews which are also offered in-person, over Skype, and through a written online interview.

31%

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Wake Forest University US News Ranking – # 28

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 0 33

Writing 0 0

English 0 0

Average 0 11

25% 75%

Math 0 720

Writing 0 0


Average 0 1420

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Wake Forest University US News Ranking – # 28



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 15 Transfer: N/A

1. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

2. If you could travel to any place in the world on your own, where would you go and why? Write a page from your journal that illustrates something you hope to learn.

3. Why did you chose Wake Forest University?


• Enthusiasm for athletic victories at Wake Forest University can be measured by the toilet paper in the trees. Wake Forest students, alumni and other fans celebrate game wins by “rolling the quad,” covering the center of campus with streamers of white tissue.

• At first, students were the primary rollers, but as the

tradition became more firmly established, alumni and their families also raced to Hearn Plaza (the quad) to be among the first to drape the trees in white. Following Wake Forest's win over Georgia Tech for the 2006 ACC football championship, hundreds of fans turned out to completely cover the lawn and trees with toilet paper.

Wake Forest University has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

Overview


Admissions Data

• Over 5,500 undergraduate courses are taught each term in over 100 programs. Undergraduate, graduate and professional students have a choice of 17 separate schools and colleges, 588 majors, over 600 student organizations, 350 concerts and recitals every year, as well as hundreds of speakers, symposia, films, and readings.


• We are strong in recruiting students, particularly those who visit the campus. We look for students who have clear mind-set and those who start counseling right at the freshman year, rather than those who start counseling at the last minute of the application process. We also appreciate students with alumni tie. But the tie alone is not a guarantee.

• All of the applicant’s materials exemplify superior and/or exceptional characteristics that contribute to the specific evaluation categories. • The applicant’s materials illustrate extremely strong, but not exceptional, characteristics. The reviewer may have a reservation, but there are enough redeeming features to compensate for, or outweigh, the reservation.

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University of Michigan- Ann Arbor US News Ranking – # 29

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 28 34

Writing 28 32

English 27 31

Average 28 32

25% 75%

Math 660 760

Writing 630 730


Average 637 737

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University of Michigan- Ann Arbor US News Ranking – # 29



Regular Decision: January 1 Early Action: November 1 Transfer: February 1

1. If you could only do one of the activities you have listed in the Activities section of your Common Application, which one would you keep doing? Why? (Required for all applicants. Approximately 100 words

2. Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.

3. Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?


• As you may have learned in the fight song, your new Forest is unrivaled by any. The history, events, quirks, and rituals that make Wake Forest unique help form a lasting bond among those who call themselves Demon Deacons. • In a time before Google, these were things passed from one generation of Wake Foresters to the next. Embrace them. Make them your own. And may you never look at a roll of toilet paper the same way again

University of Michigan has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations

University of North Carolina Overview


Admissions Data

• UNC-Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, ranks among the world’s leading research universities. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education.


• Admissions readers don't use formulas or cutoffs or thresholds; no one is automatically admitted or denied because of a single number. Instead, we read each application thoroughly, one by one.

• What do we look for? It's hard to generalize. We understand that students travel many different roads to get to Carolina, and we celebrate the variety of interests, backgrounds and aspirations that they bring with them.

• At the same time, it's fair to say that we seek excellence. We focus first on academic excellence, using a variety of information (courses, grades, test scores, recommendations, essays) to help us assess performance and potential. We pay particular attention to the rigor of each candidate's course of study. Successful candidates typically take at least one course in each of the five core academic disciplines (English, math, social science, laboratory science and foreign language) in each of their four years in high school.

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University of North Carolina US News Ranking – # 30

ACT SAT



25% 75%

Math 27 33

Writing 28 32

English 28 34

Average 28 33

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Writing 580 690


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University of North Carolina US News Ranking – # 30



Regular Decision: January 10 Early Action: October 15 Transfer: February 14

1. Please provide a personal statement about a challenge that you’ve had to overcome or some event that has helped to shape who you are or your view on life.

2. It’s easy to identify with the hero–the literary or historical figure who saves the day. Have you ever identified with a figure who wasn’t a hero–a villain or a scapegoat, a bench-warmer or a bit player? If so, tell us why this figure appealed to you–and if your opinion changed over time, tell us about that, too.

3. If you could travel to any place in the world on your own, where would you go and why? Write a page from your journal that illustrates something you hope to learn.


• North Carolina is rich in traditions. From crafts such as quilting and basketry to storytelling and Jack Tales, there is much to learn and enjoy. Traditions have been passed down through the generations and it is important that we preserve them for generations to come.

University of North Carolina has 3 short answer questions that range from personal inquiry to career aspirations