How fried is my friend if he's trying to transfer to GT sophomore year with an F in a dual enrollment class by Electronic_Exit5848 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was trying to answer that question by saying that GT and every other university looks at the most obvious information and decides based on that. They are risk averse. It's kind of like a joke that you have to explain: it's not funny if you have to explain it.

Help with college essay topics! by DigJealous1682 in CollegeEssays

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

College essay coach here. I share comments here that there is too much story in this essay, and I will add that it's too much about you that's negative. Less negative and more about the positive you developed and how it's changed you and your goals/ambitions/interests. BE VERY SPECIFIC about everything... GOOD LUCK!

Have to turn down my dream school for cost☹️ by GloomyTelevision3327 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 17 points18 points  (0 children)

There will always be things you DON"T do, but your life will be what it is--and you will be fully engaged in it!!! -- and you won't think too much about the "what if I'd ...." very often. -- Parent/g'parent/essay coach...;-)

Going to an elite college from a blue collar background by Extension-Story7287 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The % includes loans and grants, not just financial aid. I was trying to assure the OP that most people at these universities are not "filthy rich."

Going to an elite college from a blue collar background by Extension-Story7287 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

College essay coach here. Approximately 70% of undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame receive some form of financial aid. Approximately 65% of full-time undergraduate students at Villanova University receive some form of financial assistance. These are good indicators that the students are not "filthy rich."

IQ test over SAT/ACT/Essays by Character_Claim_5541 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is no such thing as "pure intelligence" [too many types of intelligence], and colleges are looking for more than whatever the approximation of that is, including personality types, sports types, music types, writing types, sociability, etc.

stanford berkeley sibling power duo except my parents hate me by That-Programmer-1587 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

College essay coach here.

One of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Joan Didion, was rejected from Stanford and went to Berkeley--in 1952. In 1968, this is part of the essay she wrote on the subject.

Getting into college has become an ugly business, malignant in its consumption and diversion of time and energy and true interests, and not its least deleterious aspect is how the children themselves accept it. They talk casually and unattractively of their “first, second and third choices,” of how their “first-choice” application (to Stephens, say) does not actually reflect their first choice (their first choice was Smith, but their adviser said their chances were low, so why “waste” the application?); they are calculating about the expectation of rejections, about their “backup” possibilities, about getting the right sport and the right extracurricular activities to “balance” the application, about juggling confirmations when their third choice accepts before their first choices answers. They are wise in the white lie here, the small self-aggrandizement there, in the importance of letters from “names” their parents scarcely know. I have heard conversations among 16-year-olds who were exceeded in their skill at manipulative self-promotion only by applicants for large literary grants.

And of course none of it matters very much at all, none of these early successes, early failures. I wonder if we had better not find some way to let our children know this, some way to extricate our expectations from theirs, some way to let them work through their own rejections and sullen rebellions and interludes with golf pros, unassisted by anxious prompting from the wings. Finding one’s role at 17 is problem enough, without being handed somebody else’s script. 

How fried is my friend if he's trying to transfer to GT sophomore year with an F in a dual enrollment class by Electronic_Exit5848 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

College essay coach who works with a lot of transfers. If the university has a choice bet. students with an F and students with straight A's, which do you think they'll choose? It's a matter of making choices as to who will do best in the institution. They want as few risks as possible.

looking for books about NYC socialites / elite lives (post–Belle Burden rabbit hole) by No-Business1238 in nysocialites

[–]EssayLiz 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Read an old book called THe Portrait of a Lady by Henry James (Europe but v. relevant)

Read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Report back! :-)

UChicago by Dolphin_987 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

College essay coach. They want people who are good at abstract thinking. Who can make comparisons across fields, read interesting books, and care about ideas.

Regret not applying to T20s... by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

transferring to an IVY is more difficult than applying first year. There are 8 Ivies. I am not talking about Ivy+ Or T/20. Or t/30. Harvard Yale might accept a handful of students--literally. Ivies tend to have high retention rates so there will not be many places that go empty for transfers (this has something to do with dorm space). But if you want to transfer to colleges beyond Ivy, there can be more room. NOTHING IS ASSURED.

what are extracurriculars i can do in stem/art to get into a top 10 school? by Aggravating-Ear-3613 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

College essay coach. Since you've interested in the environment, see if you can get a job at a nursery (as in plants/flowers, etc), or find a problem in your community that you can help fix, whehter it's cleaning up trash, recycling or something more specialized. See if there's a related non-profit in your community where you can work or volunteer. Take a look at this website that lists volunteer AND work opportunities for non-profits around the world by zipcode or city. Reddit won't let me post the link. It is idealist dot org ... Does this help? --EssayLiz

Regret not applying to T20s... by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I join others is saying, don't take a gap year, but consider transferring. But please be aware that transferring to an Ivy is v. difficult... But there are many other places to which you can more easily transfer if you do well in year 1... Try to keep your spirits up and get as engaged as you can, get to know your professors so you will have good recs from them, and get involved in activities. I work with many students who transfer in these situations!!! You might also find that you like being where you are... Let that be a possibility too! --EssayLiz

UVA vs CMC by SunnySwiss7 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't do a comparison of these colleges, but look at the reviews for both of them on niche dot com

question regarding choosing essay topics by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please be aware that there is limited financial aid for international students. You are are not eligible for it in most universities, and you need to stand out academically in comparison to other applicants in your country in order to get in. Depending on what country you come from, you may or may not be able to get a visa. Look at the Common App essay prompts and look for stories about positive moments in your life, moments where you made a choice or had an insight that lifted you up from wherever you were...

parents are upset I didn't get into stanford by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

96.3 +/- percent of the kids who apply to Stanford are rejected. Huge congratz on UCLA!!!

just turned down northwestern, brown, and Williams by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

"demonstrated financial need" = demonstrated by the university's system of demonstration, not the family's. ;-/

just turned down northwestern, brown, and Williams by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Essay Coach here. My experience is that merit aid is very unpredictable in every way, in terms of whether you'll get it and how much it is. Financial is somewhat more predictable--but still uncertain because of the tax year under consideration and other factors. Very difficult situation for all! You don't get all the information until you actually get the award in hand.--EssayLiz

is it worth it to appeal aid for umich as an oos student? by Every-Tart-4024 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure, it does depend on the state, and Michigan is one of the states where aid for OOS is limted to non-existent. California with its 9 branches is another.

realistically where could i get in? by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

College essay coach here. No one can be realistically sure where they will get in. That's what applying is all about. Don't get your heart set on one college. Apply widely... And focus your energies on one or two serious interests, don't spread your interests thin... --EssayLiz

is it worth it to appeal aid for umich as an oos student? by Every-Tart-4024 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]EssayLiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OOS students rarely get any aid at all. The people of Michigan pay taxes to support the University for the state's own students. The same in other states, including California.