My 5-year-old son has decided that his dream is to attend UPenn Wharton and break into quant finance. As his mother, I want to raise him to be able to fulfill his dreams. That is why my question to any Ivy League students on this sub is: how did your parents raise such smart and capable individuals? And how can my son get admitted to UPenn and make his dreams come true? I appreciate your help and insights in this matter.

My parents are kind of freaking out that I haven’t been visiting schools or drafting my essay out yet, which I guess is understandable given their lofty expectations for me. But to be honest, I’m somewhat weary of the whole process already.

As a likely Nat’l Merit Finalist, I’ve done my due diligence (so to speak) on schools like the University of Alabama, which give a full ride to such students. And the thing is, I really like Bama’s programs and opportunities, which has me feeling somewhat apathetic about other more selective schools.

Would it be smart/fair to just apply there and save myself the stress (and tuition costs)? Or should I go about the application process like everyone else does to appease my parents?

I hear lots of people saying they go to competitive/uncompetitive high schools, but what does that mean? Like, my high school sends 1-5 people to ivies each year, 5-10 national merit finalists, with an SAT average of around 1000. There is a relatively large student population (2000+), but the difference between the top and bottom students is huge. I would call my high school uncompetitive, but I still dont really understand what that means exactly.

Just a piece of advice for people choosing between them. The ACT is a far superior test, and much easier to score well on. As long as you can get the math down, you'll score well. The English is incredibly easy and the Reading answers are literally all in the passage. The SAT is much harder, and requires much more work to score well on. I have friends who got 33s and 34s on the ACT who wouldn't have even sniffed 1400s on the SAT. This is coming from someone who got a 1520 on the SAT and a 35 on the ACT. Let me know if you disagree, but I would strongly recommend anyone to take the ACT. (only con for the ACT is that there is far less good, and free online test prep, but I only used the free version of one prep for ACT and still got a 35.)

THE MOST UNBIASED OBJECTIVE RANKING IN HISTORY /s

(Think it’s relatively accurate but obviously tell me any changes you think I should make!)

1. Duke
2. UCLA
3. UMICH
4. Vanderbilt
5. Notre Dame
6. UPenn
7. Dartmouth
8. Stanford
9. Northwestern
10. Yale
11. Brown
12. UC Berkeley
13. Harvard
14. Princeton
15. MIT
16. Columbia
17. JHU
18. Cornell
19. CMU
20. UChicago

UNDISPUTED OFFICIAL RANKINGS OPEN TO CHANGE

1️⃣ Hogwarts
2️⃣ Monsters University
3️⃣ Greendale Community College
4️⃣ Harvard
5️⃣ Oxford
6️⃣ Stanford
7️⃣ MIT
8️⃣ Caltech
9️⃣ UC Berkeley
🔟 Columbia
11. Yale
12. Dartmouth
13. Princeton
14. Penn
15. NYU
16. UCLA
17. Brown
18. Notre Dame
19. Xavier’s School
20. Duke
21. Jujutsu High
22. Northwestern
23. Cornell
24. UChicago
25. JHU
26. University of Mumbai

Is a 1470 SAT enough for McDonalds? How many burgers could I get? 40 pieces? I’m really hungry. Does Harvard have a McDonalds? Which schools have the most McDonald’s on campus? Also, is a 4.0 unweighted enough for McDonald’s? Will they accept me even though it’s unweighted? Should I try to make it weighted so they will let me in? I am really stressing about getting into McDonalds. Has anyone ever gotten into McDonald’s with less than a 1500?

If you had a bad experience with Elise or her company, lmk everything.

PLEASE CORNELL I WANT U SO BAD I WANT TO GO TO AN IVY LEAGUE I HAVE COMPETTIVE GPA/SAT I HAVE GOOD ECS JUST LET ME GO TERE

Dougherty Valley High School

I have been doing a little bit of research as Im a rising senior and what I’ve found is that a lot of people have very very very similar ecs. Like tutoring nonprofit is one I see a lot and then of course, speech and debate and other common school clubs maybe a few leadership positions. I think all of these are pretty great but what is that distinguishing factor in the end? Ik ppl are going to say essays but can essays be the only thing that differentiates you in these higher levels? People I’ve seen getting into t20s this past admission cycle and posting their stats online often don’t have crazy ecs but a coherent narrative that ties it together. I even saw this girl on yt getting into like Stanford and Harvard and mit for class of 2030 but she said herself that her ecs weren’t anything crazy (not going to post link cuz of privacy reasons but feel free to look up). Not saying this in a bad way, she deserved to get into those schools and they chose her for a reason, but I want to figure out what is the most important aspect of a college application. Conversely, I have been seeing ppl on subreddits posting college results with insane ecs and awards but not getting into the schools they wanted. Has any one else observed this recently. Curious as to hear what are your thoughts?

Sigh after almost 6 months being on the waitlist

Is a 1520 enough for the leagues? I only took 14 AP classes and got all 5s but also a 4 in Calc :,) I'm applying to UPenn, Princeton, and MIT. Although I only have 1 IMO Silver and 2 IPhO Golds, I think being published at Wall Street and having my own business will make up for it. Itzhak Perlman also lent me one of his violins, the guy told me he's never heard anyone play with so much clarity as me.

To those who got in for "less", what's ur secret 😳🤞

upenn will accept me early 🧘‍♀️🧘‍♀️🧘‍♀️

got an email saying its closed for co 2026 ggs

Which colleges/universities previously had a negative reputation but are now looked at positive overall? Any that you can see shifting in the future?

Hey!
I’m a dual major at community college (biotech and biology) in New Mexico
I’m looking to finish summer of 2027 and transfer to a four year college get my bachelor and then get my masters and possibly phd
I love research and animals!
I met with a career advisor yesterday and we couldn’t find anything bio related stuff in the state at all
I had mentioned maybe going to El Paso and studying at state for the animal sciences stuff
She kept pushing for UNM but I was told it’s super biomed focused with a lot to do with cancer research that’s also highly competitive which doesn’t seem to be calling me
She recommended California and Massachusetts
Possibly to do a RUE at a school and then transfer there afterwards
I saw that UC schools were good and that MIT was good but I wanted some actual insight into what made them good from real people
I’m looking to actually move out, and put a down payment on a condo or a mobile home or some land for a mobile home and I don’t think I would ever be able to afford a actual house but I would still like to own where I live
I’m pretty openly queer and would like to go somewhere that’s accepting
I’d prefer if tuition was affordable and that if there was grants or other forms of tuition assistance

Any help is appreciated!
Thank you

TLDR
I’m moving next year and hoping to go to a good biology school
Looking to get masters and maybe phd
Looking to also settle down wherever I go to school (condo or mobile home)
Low tuition or good financial aid is a must
I’m mostly interested in things to do with animals and not super medicine focused
I’m looking for low cost institutions in a city that’s queer friendly

Edit:
I posted this to another subreddit and someone suggest nmsu which was my original choice before yesterday

Hi! We are considering applying Early Decision to Lawrence University through the Lawrence Advantage program, and I would really appreciate hearing from current students or families—especially those from low-income households.

Our biggest concern is the actual all-in annual cost of attendance after financial aid. The Net Price Calculator estimate is currently quite high for our family, but we understand that it may not reflect the possible Lawrence Advantage benefit connected with Early Decision.

For anyone who applied ED and qualified for Lawrence Advantage, what was your actual final cost after all grants and financial aid if you don't mind sharing? Did Lawrence bring your cost close to zero or to a genuinely affordable amount based on your family’s income? Was your final award significantly better than the Net Price Calculator estimate?

We would also love to know whether there were any unexpected costs involving:

• Housing and meal plans
• Books and course materials
• Health insurance
• Student fees
• Study Abroad
• Travel and airport transportation
• Cost increases in later years

Was your financial aid renewed consistently each year, or did your family’s contribution increase?

The student is a U.S. citizen, but our family lives abroad, and the cost of international flights would make it difficult to fly home multiple times each year. We are therefore trying to calculate the real cost of remaining in Appleton during school breaks.

How much do winter-break and summer housing cost? Can students stay on campus for the entire winter holiday? Are dining services or meal options available, and does campus feel extremely quiet or isolated during that period?

We are also trying to understand airport transportation. Does Lawrence provide a shuttle or arranged transportation between campus and the nearest regional airport, especially around major breaks? If not, are Uber or Lyft generally available in Appleton, and approximately how much does a ride between the airport and campus cost? Are there other affordable transportation options students commonly use?

A few additional questions:

• What is the experience like for students who are not studying music, given Lawrence’s well-known conservatory?
• How easy is it to find a job on campus or in town, especially during the first year? Are there enough work-study positions for students who depend on employment income?
• What is the social atmosphere like? Is it welcoming and easy to make friends, or are there noticeable cliques?
• Are there any financial or practical challenges that families should know about before making a binding ED commitment?

We genuinely like what we have learned about Lawrence. We are just trying to understand the true all-in cost, including breaks and travel, before committing through Early Decision. Thank you so much for any honest insight and for the very long list of questions!

I want to apply as a history undergrad (preferably to UCs), but I’m only in STEM clubs at school and have only participated in STEM competitions. I have taken all the history related classes my school offers, but my application still looks too STEM-oriented. Any tips on how I should frame my application?

hi everyone,
I’m writing this post because I currently work for my schools pre-admissions department and I’ve helped a lot of students whether transfers or incoming freshmen apply to my university; and I’ve been enjoying reading and commenting on some posts here that all tend to be about the same thing, people’s stress and struggle with not feeling good enough to attend college.

I just want to let everyone know that college IS achievable to most.

I graduated highschool in 2024, so my application season was 2023. I was also the last grade of students to be in highschool during the pandemic, so we might have had different circumstances. I had always struggled with my mental health all throughout highschool. At the time of applications I had a 2.6 gpa, but I had always been a very social person and was able to do many extra curricular activities. My junior and senior year I really wanted to turn my life around and put myself through many activities. I was an officer of my schools theatre club, the captain of a club, as well as a volunteer at several organizations and non profits in my city. I knew my grades wouldn’t get me in anywhere, so I wanted to show that I at least had a drive.

I went to a slightly competitive highschool, we were a graduating class of 170 students, and in the end over half of our class went to colleges with 3 of my classmates getting into Harvard, and many others going to Ivy League schools. I compared myself a lot to my peers, but this was a small school, and our sample size wasn’t enough to really show what it’s like for normal people struggling with mental issues like myself.

My school paid for my college applications, which I know is not a privilege that everyone has. I applied with a major in studio arts to 10 different calstate university. My gpa wasn’t even good enough for UCs to be an option.
Leading up to May 1st, out of the 10 colleges I got into 7 of them. The rejections hurt, but it happens to more people than you think. I watched some of my smartest peers get rejected from UCs and private schools all around me.

I chose to attend SJSU. As it’s one of the best public art programs and public schools overall in the nation. It’s also affordable. I’m someone who pays for college completely on my own. I get the maximum amount of aid because I have been unclaimed by my parents.

Sure, the school I go to isn’t the most prestigious, or have the best title, but I went to college. I graduated with a 2.9 GPA, and I got accepted into 7 schools and now go to a great university. College is accessible, it is possible. Whether it’s through CC or straight from highschool, university is something that is available to all students.

If you ever have questions about applying to schools, please reach out to the schools preadmissions departments. I can almost promise you that 99.9% of the time they are willing to help you through the process of applying.

I just took the July ACT, and I got a 33 Composite (36 Math 35 English 29 Reading 36 Science). I'm applying as an engineering major, so I'm obviously not concerned about the STEM score. My ECs are pretty good (ISEF, etc.), and I have a 4.0 UW GPA with 8 APs so far with all 5s except a 4 in a non-engineering related course. I want to apply to T30 engineering schools, and I'm obviously going to retake, but in case I don't get a 34+, would colleges possibly reject me or negatively view my application because of my score? I heard that 34+ is the "elite" tier, and 32 and below is considered non-competitive, so I don't know how to feel about my score right now. I'm not in the Bay Area or anything of that sort. I'm looking at schools like UMich, UIUC, GT, Purdue, Cornell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, UMD, CMU, Rice, Minnesota Twin Cities, etc. I frankly just want to know if the ACT will "kill" my app in case I don't get a 34 in September. Sorry if it seems like I'm seeking validation; I am genuinely just confused because ik that applications are holistic and the ACT is just one part of it

Hi yall,

I'm an international currently attending a UWC high school. I need to narrow down my list of preferred colleges to 10 for the fall intake in '27. As someone passionate about social sciences, arts, philosophy and such, and enjoys the counter-culture/artsy socially engaged, welcoming to introverts vibe, which colleges would be a good fit for me? It is also quite important (but not non-negotiable) to be situated in a considerably sized city, or at least have a good access to culture and social life outside of campus. I also would appreciate a flexible curriculum and great access to opportunities. I'm currently predicted 43/45 in IB and had a 3.82 GPA prior to IB, and will be taking SAT this August (hoping for 1500+). Would love college recommendations which meet full need, however I'm not too worried as most T-100 colleges are UWC Davis partners anyway and meet full need for students most of the time. A great perk is also that due to the Davis partnership and rigour of the UWC life, getting accepted becomes a tad bit easier.

Currently, I'm really interested in Brown, Wesleyan, Macalester, however, I don't have a complete understanding of these schools yet. I'm also conflicted on whether I should apply ED, mainly to Brown, however it's a different question if I want to do that purely because of the prestige or because it's a great fit. Please do let me know what you think.

I'm an east asian female trying to develop an idea for my diversity essay, and I really want to talk about my heritage and how that's important to me. The thing is, I feel like AOs will roll their eyes when they hear another story about an upper middle class asian girl going to her parent's home country during the summer and/or something along those lines. Any advice?

Serious question. I want to apply as a computer engineer and robotics is my main extra curricular (very common i know). I make roblox games in my free time and one of them recently blew up. Would this be a good extra curricular to put showing diversity of skills and dedication?

hi im a rising senior and is planning to apply for bio / public health major

my main EC is built around something pretty unusual its personal to me and connects to my major, but its prob not something AOs have seen before. i also have normal research so its not only that

i submitted a project on it to a competition and didnt place, and my teacher said the topic was "probably too specific." thats been stuck in my head since

so is a niche EC actually an advantage cause its clearly authentic? or do AOs like stuff they can immediately categorize (hospital volunteering, research, HOSA etc) better

not asking if i should drop it, just wondering if "too niche" is a real thing or only a science fair problem

im also planning to write my personal essay around this too