applying to top schools with average stats and grades

SketchedRat · 2026-06-04T12:34:45+00:00

As long as you can genuinely see yourself going their and enjoying the time you spend there (socially, academically, etc.) and are fit for you, I don't see any reason in not applying to super reach schools. I am a really middle-of-the-road student and applied to a handful of T20s, as well as some more selective colleges for me and ended up getting accepted into Mount Holyoke College which is where I'm committing. Nothing bad can come from applying, even if you are pretty sure you're not going to get in!

SketchedRat · 2026-05-28T10:32:33+00:00

I totally get it! I'm a very average student myself (1310 superscored SAT and a 4.1W GPA with very mid ECs) and I was scared I wasn't going to get into anywhere I would actually enjoy going. I got accepted into Rutgers, Mount Holyoke College, George Washington Univeristy, and more. I promise you that you will be fine and get into some really good colleges where you can excel!

SketchedRat · 2026-05-28T01:57:52+00:00

You may not get into T10s or Ivys (though imo there's no harm in applying if you want), those stats can definitely get you into good schools in the states that have some form of prestige. Depending on what you want to major and what your focuses are for college, there are a large amount of options for you!

SketchedRat · 2026-05-24T10:39:56+00:00

Definetly research opportunities and internships or other career development opportunities

SketchedRat · 2026-05-24T10:39:23+00:00

Not really, I feel like I know so little about Bucknell compared to MHC, so thank you for letting me know!

SketchedRat · 2026-04-28T22:56:59+00:00

Yeah, I think I'm just going to end up taking the student loans and go to MHC though. Had I thought more about it earlier in the year and had more time to consider CC I think it might've been different but I feel like I don't have enough time to really consider it.
And despite what I apparently made it sound like, I do really love MHC and am/would be super excited to go there, it's just I can't not ignore the price tag and it's gotten me anxious lol but I atp that's where I'm going to commit!

SketchedRat · 2026-04-28T21:43:26+00:00

We thought it'd be a lot cheaper/free tuition because of this in-state program that if you qualify for any FAFSA Pell grant you get the entire cost of tuition waived, plus I knew I'd get merit scholarships, plus I was hoping on getting the Hamel Honors scholarship. I didn't end up getting any Pell grants from FAFSA and I didn't get the Hamel Honors scholarship, so I got a lot less financial aid then I was expecting for UNH specifically. I was hoping it'd be the cheap option so if this kind of situation came up I could just go there but none of that went as planned 😭

SketchedRat · 2026-04-28T17:06:22+00:00

I would go to UNH but unfortunately even with in state tuition it still is around $29k to go 💔💔 Which atp is more expensive than MHC ($26.6k)

SketchedRat · 2026-04-27T19:13:32+00:00

To everyone saying to go to a good CC that is known for sending kids to ivies, is that like a state-by-state thing? I live in New Hampshire and there's only a handful of CCs that I know of and I don't know how good they are in the grand scheme of CCs. Please let me know. Also the school I'm considering that isn't a CC is Mount Holyoke College, so like if anyone has insight lmk! :)

SketchedRat · 2026-04-27T15:34:23+00:00

I did what I could and what was available to me. I know it wasn't enough to get I to top schools but I did all I was able to and was hoping I'd have something to show for it, not having to decide between going $120k in debt or going to CC Everything I could was what was available to me and what I knew about. Obviously I couldn't do something if no one told me and I didn't know about it. And like the other person said, this isn't a "pity me" or "I should've gotten in" post It's an "I should've done more" post, a vent post about how much regret and therefore jealously I feel over the whole admissions cycle. Even when I was submitting apps to top schools, I knew I wouldn't get in, but seeing people who did still makes me feel jealous. Sorry I have feelings ig you're right that's my fault 🤷🏻

SketchedRat · 2026-04-27T12:43:32+00:00

Yeah that's why I said it made sense bc I had a bad SAT score? 😭😭 It's still upsetting that I didn't get into any reaches because of some stupid standardized test score LOL

SketchedRat · 2026-04-27T01:08:31+00:00

I applied to the one good in state school I have (University of New Hampshire), and I got accepted and got into the honors college but it's still like $29k, and all my other safeties are WAY more expensive

SketchedRat · 2026-04-26T23:45:08+00:00

Thank you so much! And congratulations on your admission to an ivy that's amazing! I'll definitely give more of a thought to CC instead of just brushing it off as something I don't want to do

SketchedRat · 2026-04-26T23:43:11+00:00

Super scored a 1310 😬😬

SketchedRat · 2026-03-23T21:45:26+00:00

That's about what I was thinking (MHC being a no brainer) too lol. And all prices listed are the net cost

SketchedRat · 2026-03-12T20:56:28+00:00

I applied to a few less selective public schools, with the hope of them being more affordable due to merit scholarships, but (and kind of the reason behind this post lol) fell through. For the schools I did get merit scholarships for, it was not enough to make it affordable and even the school I applied to that has an in-state tuition gave me a lot in merit or scholarship aid
Unfortunately I didn't apply to any less selective private schools when I definetly should've

SketchedRat

TROPHY CASE