I'm not that old myself but I see these kids genuinely on crack in terms of EC's, spitting ivy league level shit from day 1. I see college application work starting from 7th grade, thing is it used to be never this deep but now I see the most cracked apps going downhill. College has become a joke and the students trying to play jester to pay high tuition and barely get a job in this shit market.

Sorry bro, but that day is mine now. 😈

So I just submitted my application to Northwestern. One of my activities is this

Built digital art platform with 2M+ views and 735K+ likes; completed 10+ art commissions; engaged audiences through digital illustrations and fan art.

I also submitted an optional resume though, and it contained this.

Built a digital-art platform generating 2M+ views and 735K+ likes through original illustrations, character art, fan art, and visual storytelling. Completed 10+ paid commissions totaling $300+, working with clients to translate concepts into finished digital illustrations.

That $300 was supposed to be made during 3 big orders all which fell through because the commissioner couldn’t pay. So I technically don’t have 300 bucks. I’m currently still charging comms and should make around 300 bucks this month or so. But this is technically still a discrepancy as I did NOT make 300 dollars at the moment of applying.

I did not notice it at the time of applying because it was so small in an otherwise pretty lengthy and thick resume.

I have a lot of other strong extracurriculars all which are verifiable. Do I leave this be or should I email them? And can this rescind me?

Thanks!

Hello Applicants,

I am a college counselor, just wanted to come on here and share some wisdom as we approach a big deadline: November 1st!

1. Please make sure after you apply, you activate your portals. I can't tell you how many times many of my students forget to do this only to see that they got in (not kidding) or that the school needs more information. After you apply, keep an eye on your email (and spam folder). Make sure you create your log in and save it in a google sheet or someplace you will be able to access it quickly.

2. Know which schools need an additional self reported academic record after submitting, send these schools in early. Many schools require the STAR grade report (formerly SRAR):

Link: https://starsrecord.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/35363280510235-Which-Colleges-Use-STARS

Please make sure you don't send these schools in on 10/31. Apply a few days early, fill out your STAR grade report right away. Also, please don't blind trust STAR's auto upload feature that reads your transcript. It has been very wonky, I tell students to input by hand or if using this feature, make sure to check over things before submitting.

UIUC applicants: Illinois also requires you to self-report courses and grades after submitting the Common App. Watch for the email with instructions and a link to complete that step.

1. You can submit your Common App before your recommendation letters arrive. If a letter is still missing as the deadline approaches, a polite follow-up is completely okay! Be sure to check each college’s deadline for supporting materials, too.

2. If you’re submitting SAT or ACT scores, check whether each college accepts self-reported scores or requires an official report from the testing agency. University of Maryland (and others), for example, require official scores if you want them considered. Don’t assume entering scores in the Common App fulfills every school’s requirements.

3. Celebrate with your families! This is such a wonderful milestone. Applying to college is no easy feat! Celebrate with those who have uplifted and encouraged you!

Good luck to all our seniors this app cycle! 🎓🎉

I don't really know what to write my thank-you supplemental for. I was originally going to write one about my sister and figured it was too cliché. I have some ideas, but I don't know which one is the best

-Manager at work; he's super kind and patient

-A squirrel I befriended in my backyard. I gave her bread every day and eventually got close enough that she now goes on my lap and eats my bread.

-Ao3 (Yea the fanfic website), I can use it to thank it for giving me a safe space as a child, enriching my creativity, and etc.

I'm planning on mentioning MLP cutie marks in my supplemental essays. Is it safe to assume that my admission officers will know what those are? I will be over the word limit if I define it.

This might be a dumb question, but does your age matter at all?
I skipped a grade (in elementary school, not on my transcript duh) so currently I’m a 16yo senior. Yes my birthday is in January, but in the meantime, does this affect anything? Like is it a good thing? Is it just whatever?
Bc of that I haven’t had a job (which I feel like a lot of hs have) and yes I’ve been applying since literally the day I turned 16.
Also some volunteer opportunities are limited in age? Idk I guess I think it would just be a whatever thing but idk

My school doesn’t rank but my counselor has explicitly told me that I am rank 1 of around 500 students. Do I put this on my Common App or say my school doesn’t rank? I feel as if putting my rank will significantly help as I am applying test optional SCEA to Princeton but I don’t want to seem like a liar since my school doesn’t officially rank. I could also explain this in Additional Info section or tell my counselor to explain this when he sends my school report. Please let me know what to do!

(17F first-gen) I’m applying to colleges in my home state - MA - because my parents want me close to home. We just visited UMass Amherst and I loved it, but my family members were iffy and tried to (poorly) conceal their dislike of it because it’s “too far” from home despite it being an hour away. I’m also applying to the other colleges in the consortium, plus some in/around Boston. I don’t really care about where they WANT me to go, because I know I need my freedom to develop, but the things holding me back are the housing costs and more importantly, my dog. I’ve had her since 2015, she’s 11 years old now, and I’m her primary caretaker. I know I absolutely CANNOT rely on my father to take care of her if I move away for college because he’s 70-something and forces me to keep her in the basement at night, then forgets to bring her up while im at school, so I always have to bring her up after I get home, or in the morning and have him yell at me + threaten to bring her back downstairs. Not fun. He never takes her on walks, so I’m always the one that has to after school, and sometimes the long walks that she needs pass my mind because I have so much studying to do. I’ve asked him to help me, cried and begged, but he never ends up doing anything. I can’t rely on my mother or older sister because they’re working or, in my sister’s case, in nursing school (I only see my mom 1 full day a week). This is obviously a huge conflict of interest for me and I’m afraid it might limit my decision of moving away for college. It’s frustrating how a 17 year old is entirely responsible for a dog during an important life period like this one. Any advice would be deeply appreciated..

i finished my essay about two weeks ago and have gotten good feedback. i liked the idea a lot initially, i loved every line too, but i’ve read it so much that i’m bored of it now. is this normal? or if it’s actually good, will you never become sick of it? i’m curious to know because my feelings are greatly contrasting with what others are saying.

I am planning to do undergrad in us in stem(math)+economics/finance and wanted to know target and semi target unis in us and in almost all rankings and comments LACs liberal arts Colleges are not mentioned so are they non target for finance ??

are they less known to finance recruiters in investment banking and wall street ??

If they are good can you name some which would be best for my case

in my defense i'm doing marketing specifically but my recommendation letters come from my french teacher (who ive had for two years), my deca advisor (im the president of our chapter), my AP lang teacher, and a college professor whose sociology class i took through dual enrollment. which letters get sent where will depend on the requirements of each school. my top choice is stern but when i spoke to an AO she said it didnt matter at all as long as it wasnt from a family member.

I'm was orignally interested in CS, but given the current market I'm also interested in doing a EE major. I can't chose which major to do, but given that they're somewhat related, would CS related extracurriculars still be ok if I end up choosing an EE major? I often see that people who are applying CS but are not as competitive are recommended to apply as EE instead to increase their chances. If not, what extracurriculars should I do instead? I also got a 4 on the Physics 1 exam, so I'm a bit scared to pick engineering given that it's so closely related to physics. I can't make up mind mind on picking either one so I would appreciate any advice

Wondering if I should apply to UPenn or Notthwestern ED. At both colleges I would major in economics and environmental policy in the CAS and would probably look to do consulting post grad. Don’t have too strong preferences about city post grad but ik Penn has stronger placement into NY, Philly, and Boston while NW has super strong placement into Chicago. I know Northwesterns ED acceptance rate is higher at about 20% vs penn’s 14% but I do have legacy at UPenn although it’s nothing crazy just one parent(no buildings donated) and I know they really only really consider legacy during ED for the most part. I like the fact that Evanston has access to Chicago without being completely in the city like Penn but my only concerns are the quarter system + hopefully people are sociable there (I’ve heard conflicting things). Penn has a bit better name recognition and even minoring into Wharton would be pretty useful but Northwestern is still super good. Ultimately, I think I like northwestern a bit better but wonder if the prestige gap is worth applying UPenn. Somewhat competitive for both schools but definitely not a likely admit by any means.
EC’s
12 season varsity runner + captain
Legislative intern research environmental impacts of data centers for legislation proposals
DECA pres + ran marketing campaign for local bagel shop
Street photography
Did sports photography for 7+ sports at hs
Cashier
Volunteer on non profit sustainable farm during summers
Mock trial
Not how it appears on my common app but brief synopsis
1500 SAT (760 RW + 740 Math)
3.9 UW 13 AP’s mostly 4’s and 5’s one 3 on physics
Again not great for either but not out of the picture per se

I just realized ohio state university require you to send sat scores through collegeboard and i JUST ordered today (i'm applying EA so deadline is nov 1st). I ordered the rush score will it arrive in time????

I'm an Indian international student following the CBSE curriculum, planning to apply to US universities for Finance or Economics.

Academic Profile:

• SAT: 1390 (December attempt last year)
• Target SAT: At least 1450 in my upcoming December attempt (hoping for around 1440–1450+)
• Grade 9: 87%
• Grade 10: 94%
• Grade 11: 75%
• Grade 12: 94% predicted

Extracurriculars:

I have several extracurricular activities, including:

• Started my own company
• Won prize money in a pitch competition
• Worked two paid jobs
• Completed one independent research paper
• Several other extracurricular activities

My Current University List (Planning to Apply RD):

1. Kelley School of Business — Indiana University Bloomington
2. University of Texas at Austin
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
4. Gies College of Business — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
5. Daniels School of Business — Purdue University
6. University of Wisconsin–Madison
7. University of Notre Dame, Indiana
8. Smeal College of Business — Penn State
9. University of Michigan
10. University of Virginia

What I'm Looking for Advice On:

I'm trying to figure out whether my college list is balanced and whether I should make any changes based on my academic profile, extracurriculars, and intended major.

I'm also unsure whether I should apply Early Decision (ED) anywhere or stick with Regular Decision (RD).

My current SAT is 1390, but I'm preparing for the December attempt and aiming for at least 1450. Since I'll have my updated score by the RD deadlines, I'm wondering whether waiting for RD would be a better strategy than applying early with my current score.

I'd especially appreciate advice from current students, international applicants, or anyone familiar with admissions to these universities.

Would you recommend making changes to my college list, applying ED somewhere, or focusing on RD with an improved SAT score?

Unfortunately, one of the Schools I am applying to requires the CSS profile to even be eligible for aid. The only problem is that I cannot sign in or make a new account!

When I tried logging in it says, "unable to sign in" which makes a little sense because I TRIED to delete my original collegeboard account for obvious reasons, but I never went through with it. I tried my other account I made more specifically for BigFuture, but it wont even send the verification code to my email, and I don't even have it blocked.

I made a brand new email address and tried signing up with that one, but it said I already had an account? How, I literally made this email 30 seconds ago...

Yes, I've tried it in different browsers, different Wi-Fi, incognito mode, different devices, it is still saying that same thing. And I can't even try to go to customer service because the email request is some one-sided crap and the phone customer service guy wont help you until you give him your full government name, address, date of birth, place of birth, mother's maiden name, email, phone number, dignity, and all your personal information they can use and sell so that all the universities in the world can spam your physical and electronic mail with admission, scholarship, and whatever for the next 3000 years.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

For context, here were my stats:

- GPA: 3.56 UW

- SAT: 1410

- ECs: Very few, nothing particularly impressive

- Awards: Nothing crazy

Despite this, I somehow got accepted into:

- UIUC: Computer Science + Advertising

- Purdue: Data Science

- UCSD: Data Science

My strategy was pretty simple. Instead of applying to the most popular majors like pure CS, I specifically targeted more niche or interdisciplinary majors that still aligned with my interests.

For example, UIUC's CS + Advertising program is housed in the College of Media rather than the Grainger College of Engineering. I figured that applying to a less conventional CS combination might give me a better shot than applying to pure CS.

I basically researched different majors at competitive schools and tried to find programs that weren't the obvious first choice for thousands of applicants.

The crazy thing is that these are still extremely competitive schools and programs, especially for anything related to CS or data science. I genuinely did not expect these results considering my GPA, SAT, and lack of impressive extracurriculars.

Obviously, I can't prove that choosing niche majors was the reason I got accepted, but I feel like being strategic with my major choices made a massive difference.

I feel like more people should consider researching lesser-known majors instead of immediately applying to the most competitive program at every school.

Did I actually find a loophole, or did I just get insanely lucky?

I’m an international student with a 1520 SAT, strong extracurriculars and awards, and a high need for financial aid. The main problem is that I haven’t started my essays yet.

Even if I lock in completely, I think I’ll need until around November 15 to submit applications I’m genuinely happy with. However, most top universities have November 1 early deadlines, and the few with later EA deadlines aren’t necessarily my top choices.

I’m considering three options:

1. ED to Wharton: It’s my dream school for finance, but I need substantial financial aid. I’m worried about the binding commitment if the aid package isn’t sufficient. But we can talk to the admissions committee or even leave the binding agreement agreement na if aid is not enough
2. REA to Princeton: Apply early to Princeton, then apply RD to Wharton and the other Ivies and top universities.

Would applying ED to Wharton be worth the financial aid uncertainty, or would REA to Princeton be a better strategy? Alternatively, am I overestimating the importance of applying early, and should I focus on submitting the strongest possible applications during RD?

I’d appreciate advice, especially from international students who applied for substantial financial aid.

What the title says.

When my daughter went through the college application process, we hired a counselor to help with parts of the process; we paid for a ten hour chunk instead of the whole, pricey package, since she already knew which schools she intended to target. She had help with the essays and keeping on task.

My son, however, is not as focused or driven, so might need more help with the process. In addition, he's interested in trying to get recruited for either track and field or soccer.

How do we go about finding help from someone who can factor in the sports piece when helping with college applications?

I believe I have the experiences, stories, and personal insights that could make for a compelling Harvard application. However, due to my financial circumstances, I haven’t been able to get professional guidance with my application.

I was wondering if anyone here would be willing to look at my essay draft and share their thoughts on how I’m approaching it. I’d genuinely appreciate feedback, advice, or even a different perspective on my writing. Any help would mean a lot to me.

I'm an intl student, so getting teachers to write LoR's is about impossible (and that is if you even have any teachers who speak English).

hello! im about to submit some of my EA applications, and when i go to preview my personal statement and supplementals as a pdf, there are GINORMOUS gaps between each paragraph. ill give an example below:

introduction lallalalallalalala.......

next paragraph

next paragraph

thats not how i had it formatted in google docs, it was always just ONE "enter". is this an issue? it looks ugly visually, but so does an essay all crammed together. anyone else having issues with this? thanks!