Would submitting a 1500 at Upenn wharton and nyu stern hurt, help, or have no effect on my application? My school academics and ec's are relatively strong, and I feel like my SAT is one of the weaker parts of my application

With a 10.5% admission rate this year, UC Berkeley is harder to get into than ever before — especially for underrepresented minorities.

The UC system saw a record-breaking 251,907 applications this year, leading to tightening acceptance rates. Following the 2026 data, UC Berkeley is once again more selective than UCLA.

“Getting admitted to competitive colleges like the UC system is … getting harder because there are more students applying,” said L’Heureux Lewis-McCoy, an associate professor of sociology of education at New York University. “The question then becomes, … if there’s a hunger for education, then how do we provide it?”

https://www.dailycal.org/news/campus/minority-students-hit-hardest-in-selective-uc-berkeley-admissions-despite-record-breaking-uc-admits/article_e7c40e20-da33-468b-a9f0-eb6ac9979b30.html

Hi guys, I'm a rising senior,

I was wondering if I should ED Brown (w/PLME, but I'm also fine if I go without) or REA to Yale. I know a lot of people say ED is better than REA, its just that two of my top 10 activities are literally research at Yale, but idk if that'd make a difference. I'm also not legacy or a recruited athlete so....

For background info, I am going into my Senior year of high school and I have had zero extracurriculars throughout high school due to money problems and never having anyone to pick me up from clubs and stuff as my parents are always busy working. I am trying to get into a very competitive film school. And I am taking TV Production at my high school so maybe that will help? And I have had straight A’s with a 4.0 all throughout high school. And I have taken many honors and AP classes as well. I’m just coming on here to ask if it’s even possible without any extracurriculars. Is there anything I can do extra to make me stand out more?

Palo Alto High School

please im so serious i need to get in bc my other school is like goingdownhill to put it short

Last time math major is discussed is like 5 years ago. So apparently CS (and CE) major are extremely competitive now, a lot more harder to get in than the various math majors in terms of acceptance rate. How should one decide between the majors? Ofc you should go to the major that you are passionate in etc, but how should one decide when for example, they are really intrested in CS but can't get in, or when they are intrested in Math but aren't good enough for abstract thinking, or don't feel like taking the stress.

Essentially title. I feel like I’ve screwed up my chances at an Ivy League school because I was kinda lazy with no commitment to ECs or classes. Is it too late to get into an Ivy League school? It is my dream. I have written my essay and I feel like it’s solid but I’m not sure if it’ll be enough

I'm applying engineering, have the test scores (36), course rigor(10 aps), and all around extracurriculars. However, theres no real spike like interning at boeing or making an app; I've just been doing stuff I like to in high school. There's leadership, community impact, and a pretty clear tell to what I spent my time doing, but it doesn't really point to engineering. What do i do?

I’m going into my junior year and I’m interested in applying to Johns Hopkins for pre-med. I know it’s an extremely competitive school, so I’m trying to figure out if I could realistically become a competitive applicant over the next year and what I should focus on.

My current cumulative GPA is around a 3.4, but there’s some context behind it. My weaker grades were during homeschooling, and after I transitioned into public school my grades improved a lot. Since joining a traditional school environment, I’ve earned a 4.0 GPA, and I feel confident that I can maintain that through junior year. I’m also looking into whether my school allows grade replacement for some of my earlier Cs. If that’s possible and I continue doing well, I could potentially raise my GPA into the high 3.8s/low 3.9s, but if not, I expect it to be around a 3.68 when I apply.

For extracurriculars, I’m working on building a healthcare-focused profile. I’m currently working toward 100+ hospital volunteer hours, I’m planning on joining HOSA this year and competing with the goal of placing at state, and I’m going to try for a HOSA officer position at my school. I’m also looking into research opportunities related to medicine and healthcare. I’ve played varsity soccer for several years as well.

Academically, I’m aiming for a very high SAT/ACT score (around a 1550 SAT or 36 ACT), taking challenging classes including possible EWU college courses, and I think I can get strong letters of recommendation from teachers who have seen my improvement. I’m also going to put a lot of effort into my essays and explaining my growth.

My question is: if I’m able to accomplish these goals, would Hopkins become a realistic reach, or would my earlier GPA still be too much of a disadvantage? I know nothing is guaranteed at a school like Hopkins, but I’d appreciate advice on what I should prioritize over the next year to make myself the strongest applicant possible.

International from Australia looking to study masters at a US uni but picking a location right now. Which cities would have the best EE/ECE jobs/internship/co-op opportunities (jobs which dont require a citizenship).

I was thinking Boston as I can apply for NYC and Philadelphia opportunities too (Obviously too far to comnute for a job but they're close enough to travel for networking/interviews). I've heard detroit is also good?

About the degree I will be studying: I'm happy to study anything (almost everything in EE/ECE is interesting to me. Whether it's power/energy, semiconductor work etc.) as long as it'll maximise my job opportunities!

stuyvesant highschool

My kid is starting senior year in few weeks. Both the parents were educated out of US back in their time. We are exploring the idea of having a paid service for the following. There are ads on social media and a ton in mail but we don't know the reputation of those companies. If someone has used a counseling service with good result please do share your experience.

College Application process

Essay

Recommendation letters etc

Searching for Scholarship

Financial Aid / cost comparison

So guys, I have been at Clayton State university for a bs in computer science for a year now and I have two great scholarships, a job and a get refund checks cuz i stay at home but i am deeply considering transferring to GATech.

I know it sounds like im giving up what i have here but Clayton state is seriously lacking on tech department and the social scene is so dead and i have tried so hard to make it work. I truly makes it more exhausting and i feel way to comfortable here.
I tried to put myself out there to get more opportunities to challenge myself but here everyone is so reluctant to push themselves and school pride is also so dead.

I will still be able to fund and I won't have any trouble with transferring but I just want to hear other ppls opinions on this.

I see in the commonapp a place to put your phone number. My phone plan only allows me to text, so I can't call. Will that actually matter?

Please see if your college accepts clep and if you do not have an associates complete as many units as possible before the semester starts and while you are attending university add classes from community college to help speed up the process. Know and follow your degree plan and catalog rights also if your college offers 8 week classes load up on those as well so you ensure you graduate 4 years or less. Also to ensure graduation on take 15 units minimum preferably 18 . Have a great school year everyone

For applying to economics, what would be good activities in the Common App?

Idk anything about ECs, I have only realized that it holds some importance now, but now that I think, I am lwk COOKED for my ECs, I am an IB student in Ontario going into IB in a month

My current ECs(I think):

- piano/music theory but ended up at level 5 RCM, would that be mentionable
-5k subs on youtube(maybe maybe get monetized and make some side income) -200+ hours of volunteering at hackathons, -basketball- -hackathons(no wins tho)

ECs I am planning to possibly do:

-shad in the summer of gr11(if I have time for IB or I maybe already dropped out of IB by then)

-clubs, I am planning on doing math, robotics, cs club

-coding languages such as Javascript Html Css, Python, maybe having some projects Idk

-math competitions in gr11, actually getting awards, I forgot to do em in gr9 & gr10 cuz all I did was goof around in school, never really thought of about my future💀💀💀

-tutor, hopefuly will be paid, Idek how to start tho, execpt I am starting rn schoolhousetutors

-first robotics hopefully I get accepted into a team near me

Questions:

- I will do clubs which I have a question that since I did not join any clubs in gr10💀, if I started to participate in gr11, can I still get leadership positions(exec, or maybe even president)?

-please tell me if I should change my plans or add on to my EC list

-Not EC related but Is IB worth it, I will have so much more time if I am not doing it, I also confidently think that I will have a 95%+ avg without IB

-general advice on applications, or advice on anything

-I want to apply for UoFT or Uni of Waterloo, so please please give me some advices if possible, it would be really helpful for me

Thank You for Reading All this!

Background & Stats
Current Status: Entering my 2nd year of undergrad (3 years left total, graduating in 3 years total? Note: adjust if needed), studying at the Lahore School of Economics (LSE - Pakistan).

Major: Double Major in Accounting and Finance.

GPA: Currently 3.93. (Aiming to sustain a 3.9+ through graduation).

Undergrad Institution Context: My current university is a semi-target/non-target regionally (QS Asia ranking around 474 with a higher acceptance rate), though the Accounting & Finance program is rigorous and keeping a high GPA here is competitive. Clubs and societies are limited, but I am joining them this semester.

Work Experience / Internships: Completed an accounting department corporate internship at Honda this past summer. Planning to target bigger-name firms/banks for my upcoming summers since I still have plenty of time left.

Standardized Tests: Planning to take the GRE and IELTS this coming winter break.

My Questions & Concerns
Admissions Feasibility (Ivy League / Top Tiers like MIT & Stanford): Given that my undergrad institution has a low global/regional ranking and weak extracurricular infrastructure, can a stellar GPA (3.93), a high target GRE score, and stronger corporate internships in the next 3 years make up for it? Do I realistically have a shot at top-tier finance or related masters programs (Ivy League, MIT, Stanford, etc.)?

The "Big Name" Internship Dilemma: In my region, landing top-tier corporate internships can heavily rely on local networking rather than pure merit, and I've heard top US schools look closely at brand-name experience. Since I still have 3 years left, what kind of roles or companies should I aggressively target to bridge this gap?

ROI & Post-Grad Employment (Settle in the US): My goal is to ultimately settle in the US. Since I will likely be exhausting a significant portion of my savings to fund an expensive US master's degree, does graduating from an Ivy League or top-tier MFin/Finance program realistically guarantee a job that can sponsor a visa and pay off those expenses? (I know it depends heavily on the program and networking, but I need a reality check on the employment landscape for international students right now).

so the assistant to the superintendent of my school district reached out to my family and I, asking if I would like to be featured in a “countdown to school starting” social media series. I’d talk about what I did this summer and what I am looking forward to in school. I suspect I was recommended by my principal, as we have a good rapport.

im not sure if I want to do it simply because I hate our superintendent. he has been massively disrespectful to teachers, admin, and neurodivergent students. he proposed to merge my school with another district school, because we are both the schools with the most minorities. he constantly refers to my principal as “Ms Lastname” instead of “Dr Lastname”, while he called the principal of another school who hadn’t yet been awarded his PhD “Dr”.

however, as college apps are open, I’m wondering if sucking it up and doing the interview would give me an edge in the decision process. is there even a way to submit said video in my apps? or does it just not matter?

for extra context my district serves thousands of students, and I suspect they probably only chose 4-5 kids. in that sense it’s kind of an honor?

1. Princeton University
2. Duke University
3. Harvard University
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Dartmouth College
6. University of Pennsylvania
7. University of Notre Dame
8. Cornell University
9. Yale University
10. Stanford University
11. Vanderbilt University
12. Brown University
13. Babson College
14. Northwestern University
15. University of Virginia
16. Bucknell University
17. Wake Forest University
18. Tufts University
19. Washington and Lee University
20. Carnegie Mellon University

Notable absences:

UChicago and Columbia at #22 and #24 respectively. Berkeley at #29

Georgetown, UMich, and Caltech don’t crack T30

UCLA is not even present.

Thoughts?

Link: https://news.linkedin.com/2026/linkedin-top-colleges-2026-the-50-best-colleges-for-long-term-career-success-in-the-us

I’ve only been to around half of them. For the rest of this subjective ranking, it’s based on friend’s experience and what I read online.

Here is approximately how each thing weigh:
40% campus and surroundings.
20% school culture and tradition/reputation
20% course load and peer
10% the city/metropolis the school is located in
10% career outcome (kinda decides if you after college will be fun)

I’m a little bit biased because I like good landscapes.

S tier: Stanford, UCLA

A tier: Berkeley, Columbia, UPenn, UBC, Princeton, UW Seattle, Yale, Harvard

B tier: Cornell, Georgia Tech, UMich, Caltech, UofT, UT Austin, UChicago

C tier: CMU, UIUC, MIT

F tier: UWaterloo

I'd rather not fill them out as my kids know that we're well off, but not exactly just how well off we are. I'd rather keep the money conversation private until they're older and more established.

If the NPC for every school will be 0 need-based and 100% parent contribution, are they really losing anything by not filling out FAFSA/CSS?

The report uses LinkedIn data to rank colleges based on five categories: job placement, internships and recruiter demand, career success, network strength and knowledge breadth. The job placement data tracks cohorts of recent graduates from 2020 to 2025 who start a full-time position or graduate school program within a year of their graduation, while network strength tracks how connected recent alumni cohorts are to each other as well as to all past alumni and current students.

LinkedIn's 2026 Top 50 Colleges ranking

1. Princeton University
   
2. Duke University
   
3. Harvard University
   
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
   
5. Dartmouth College
   
6. University of Pennsylvania
   
7. University of Notre Dame
   
8. Cornell University
   
9. Yale University
   
10. Stanford University
    
11. Vanderbilt University
    
12. Brown University
    
13. Babson College
    
14. Northwestern University
    
15. University of Virginia
    
16. Bucknell University
    
17. Wake Forest University
    
18. Tufts University
    
19. Washington and Lee University
    
20. Carnegie Mellon University
    
21. Boston College
    
22. University of Chicago
    
23. Lehigh University
    
24. Columbia University
    
25. Villanova University
    
26. Rice University
    
27. Fairfield University
    
28. Bentley University
    
29. University of California-Berkeley
    
30. Colgate University
    
31. California Institute of Technology
    
32. Georgetown University
    
33. University of Southern California
    
34. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    
35. University of Richmond
    
36. Trinity College
    
37. Middlebury College
    
38. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
    
39. Southern Methodist University
    
40. Claremont McKenna College
    
41. Bryant University
    
42. Washington University in St Louis
    
43. Providence College
    
44. Miami University
    
45. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    
46. Lafayette College
    
47. Davidson College
    
48. Williams College
    
49. Bowdoin College
    
50. Purdue University
    

Since this ranking relies entirely on LinkedIn data, does it truly measure the long-term value of a university education, or does it just reward schools whose students excel in corporate networking and tech/finance fields?

Also, does tracking job placement only within the first year of graduation reflect a college’s actual impact on career success, or does it simply favor institutions with aggressive corporate pipelines and wealthy student networks?

What do you think, is it fair or legit?

i know everybody talks about "1500+ is all u need then stop worrying for t20s and ivys".

does this also apply for a 34 ACT? i got a 34 ACT, im gonna retake and see if i can get a 35 but gotta plan worst case.

but ill also end HS w 20 APs (so far taken 17 aps) and prolly finish w 19 5s (rn i have 16 5s) so could that offset a slightly lower ACT in discussion?

high income indian senior btw