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Hi, I couldn't find a post where people just listed tips or things that they learned after they went through the whole application process. If you could go back, would you have changed anything?
Just thought it might be cool if people listed what they learned from their experiences.

apply to all your schools' peer schools; leverage for aid. i don't care if you can't see yourself in ithaca.

IAFG wrote:apply to all your schools' peer schools; leverage for aid. i don't care if you can't see yourself in ithaca.

This.

Don't sacrifice your life to TLS .

Don't try to write kitchy crap in your PS.

Be optimistically reasonable. (Don't be applied to Yale with a 146 to have your soul crushed.)

Follow the advice you hear on TLS because it is solid and will rarely lead you astray, but if your heart tells you something that goes against TLS advice go with it because people here can be overly harsh and probably prevent a few people every year from getting into reach schools they could have managed had they tried.

Though to qualify: If your heart tells you that Harvard wants your 155, 3.0 WASP self, you are unfortunately stupid.

Get it in early. I don't care if you have to pay someone else to do it for you, it had better be in before January.

Anastasia Dee Dualla wrote:Don't sacrifice your life to TLS .

Don't try to write kitchy crap in your PS.

Be optimistically reasonable. (Don't be applied to Yale with a 146 to have your soul crushed.)

God, so credited.

I know the earlier, the better but is there a real difference between going complete Nov 25 vs. Dec 5ish?

JJDancer wrote:I know the earlier, the better but is there a real difference between going complete Nov 25 vs. Dec 5ish?

I dunno, but is it worth finding out that there is without a good reason for the delay?

stratocophic wrote:

JJDancer wrote:I know the earlier, the better but is there a real difference between going complete Nov 25 vs. Dec 5ish?

I dunno, but is it worth finding out that there is without a good reason for the delay?

True. lol

I'm sticking to the apply ASAP but when your app is well-done philosophy.
I still need to work on my PS etc so I'll need 2-3 weeks.

i applied to about 13 schools and spent over a grand on applications. If I could go back, I would have either asked for fee waivers or narrowed down my choices more.

JJDancer wrote:

stratocophic wrote:

JJDancer wrote:I know the earlier, the better but is there a real difference between going complete Nov 25 vs. Dec 5ish?

I dunno, but is it worth finding out that there is without a good reason for the delay?

True. lol

I'm sticking to the apply ASAP but when your app is well-done philosophy.
I still need to work on my PS etc so I'll need 2-3 weeks.

Numbers is numbers in the admission game. Just remember, every day you wait in December, someone else is taking a spot that you might have taken from them. Also, 3 weeks? It should not be taking you that long. Suck it up, crank it out in a week, and launch it. There's an econ concept that deals with this. When it's late-November/December vs. your personal statement, the law of diminishing marginal returns is about as applicable as it gets.

Also, adcomms like 'em rare. *ba-dum tss*

stratocophic wrote:

JJDancer wrote:

stratocophic wrote:

JJDancer wrote:I know the earlier, the better but is there a real difference between going complete Nov 25 vs. Dec 5ish?

I dunno, but is it worth finding out that there is without a good reason for the delay?

True. lol

I'm sticking to the apply ASAP but when your app is well-done philosophy.
I still need to work on my PS etc so I'll need 2-3 weeks.

Numbers is numbers in the admission game. Just remember, every day you wait in December, someone else is taking a spot that you might have taken from them. Also, 3 weeks? It should not be taking you that long. Suck it up, crank it out in a week, and launch it. There's an econ concept that deals with this. When it's late-November/December vs. your personal statement, the law of diminishing marginal returns is about as applicable as it gets.

Also, adcomms like 'em rare. *ba-dum tss*

Lol. Yeah I think im just giving myself a cushy deadline because I will have a panic attack if I'm not done by my deadline but I think I will have at least a couple of safety apps where I'm not writing any extra essays or putting too much into the app, done within a week. Then I'll just polish off my top 2 choices and submit within 10 days

1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170
2) Graded LWR is for suckers

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170

Apparently not good enough

2) Graded LWR is for suckers

Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

r6_philly wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170

Apparently not good enough

2) Graded LWR is for suckers

Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

I know Uchi and Northwestern have it. UVa and Michigan don't. Not sure about the rest.

Desert Fox wrote:

r6_philly wrote: Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

I know Uchi and Northwestern have it. UVa and Michigan don't. Not sure about the rest.

CLS doesn't have graded. Though I don't know if we have pass vs. high pass... I should probably know that...

NYU...pass fail LRW...thank God.

parker09 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

r6_philly wrote: Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

I know Uchi and Northwestern have it. UVa and Michigan don't. Not sure about the rest.

CLS doesn't have graded. Though I don't know if we have pass vs. high pass... I should probably know that...

we have high pass

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170.

What GPA do I need to have to apply?

naterj wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170.

What GPA do I need to have to apply?

Whatever GPA will let you get into the T6.

bump

Desert Fox wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170

Apparently not good enough

2) Graded LWR is for suckers

Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

I know Uchi and Northwestern have it. UVa and Michigan don't. Not sure about the rest.

I thought we (Northwestern) were the only T-14 with graded.


As for tips, if you have something intelligent to say, write a "Why X". If you're a splitter or otherwise borderline, it can matter just to show them that you at least put a little effort into showing that you're interested.

bostonian wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:1) Don't apply if you don't have a 170

Apparently not good enough

2) Graded LWR is for suckers

Which T14 have non-graded, which have graded? I think I will heed your advice on this one. TIA

I know Uchi and Northwestern have it. UVa and Michigan don't. Not sure about the rest.

I thought we (Northwestern) were the only T-14 with graded.

There is at least another one. Maybe Duke?

bostonian wrote: As for tips, if you have something intelligent to say, write a "Why X". If you're a splitter or otherwise borderline, it can matter just to show them that you at least put a little effort into showing that you're interested.

I know this might sound silly, but can there be a negative to a good Why X in terms of scholarship offers? If you will likely get in anyway, and they think you're crazy about "X" school, maybe you'll get in without the offer you'd get without the why X...?

Desert Fox wrote:There is at least another one. Maybe Duke?

That's affirmative, Ghost Rider.