What does it take to get into Stanford????

[Mara]

Speaking somewhat on topic, it''s amazing to me the pressure on kids nowadays, per what pebbles was saying.

My sister is 15, a sophomore in high school in a really competitive school district in N. CA, rated very highly and a very desirable area to live in due to schools...she is a sophomore already doing trig and calculus..and they really encourage summer school to ''stay ahead'' or ''get ahead''...they are basically in all the old honor classes but those are their regular classes. The intensity amazes me, she ALWAYS has homework to do even during the weekends and seems to have tons of it....it keeps her from going out with the family sometimes and it seems very stressful. It seems like such a depressing school life!! With these kids it''s all about school and getting ahead and competitiveness. I don''t remember that at all, it was about school but more social stuff of course too. Now she is trying to figure out what extra-curriculars she should do for college....she already is a swimmer. I''m sure she will get into a good school, she doesn''t want to go to a Stanford or anything, but she is eyeing UC Berkeley and UCSF (or maybe its SFSU)...but the pressure is surprising. Even Greg who was an admitted overachiever in his day is shocked at how hard it appears to be and what they are studying (he tutors her sometimes in math) at their ages.

Does anyone else notice this, I don''t know if it''s this school district or what, but the demographics on this school is something like 95% asians (including indians...) with the rest being hodgepodge 5% of other races. This was from a recent article published on the school in the newspaper here how the academics are so competitive. Does anyone else think it''s odd that Indians are placed in the demographic with Asians? I hadn''t seen that one before.

 

[decodelighted]

Even at the very high levels of qualifications, it seems like it''s a cr*pshoot most of the time. Depends SO MUCH on how many kids from different geographical areas applied THAT year.

I think it''s terrible a so-called "friend" would put down your daughter''s accomplishments in ANY way whatsoever. Clearly he''s not a true friend. Seems like he''s treating his daughter as more of a trophy or accessory than a cherished, beloved family member. Caring about your kids future is one thing -- using their gifts/intellect/potential for cocktail party one-ups-manship is just CRASS. (And bragging about FUTURE possible accomplishments is just plain DUMB)

 

[Arnel_Regina]

I usually just read the wonderful posts on PS not reply. But I really had to respond to this thread.

I live/work/grew up in the bay area. I am a public school product.

Stanford is definitely hard to get into. What does it take? There''s no set answer to that. Legacy, being a minority, grades, gpa, extracurriculars will all play a factor.

I went to a high school were it was very diverse. Not everyone went on to college. In fact, most didn''t. But the fact that I went to this highschool, it let me see a few things when the admission tickets came in March/April. A few minorities got into the top schools where some other students (not considered minorities) didn''t get in, despite their higher numbers (gpa, sats). It quickly became apparent to me that the diversity index played a huge part. I know these students, their extracurriculars, what honors they were taking, etc. It didn''t seem fair. I had a lot of friends who were on both sides of this...and I thought, yay, it''s great for the ones who did get in but I wasn''t about to make a lot of noise. Oh btw, this was before California voters eliminated affirmative action in their public schools.

Fast forward to college. Wow, what an eye opening experience. No diversity here. I decide to start doing a lot of highschool outreach. I get contracted to work at some pretty nifty schools in the Bay area. Some where tuition was in the $20ks!!! Now, some people may think that''s a norm but where I grew up the closest private high school was a small Catholic one and they charged around $5k and I thought that was expensive.

Anyways, I get to meet tons of students! These parents definitely know what to do with their free time. This one student traveled to Africa to teach little kids how to play musical instruments, this same student also toured Europe performing at concerts...he was that good. Another student found another way to prove Pythagorean''s theorem and he had his work published a well respected journal! Another student is the president of the bay area chapter for young african americans..I''m forgetting the name but it''s a national organization. All these students have the top grades and great SAT scores....but look at what they are doing.

I never would have thought to take part in these extracurriculars. I was just too busy studying. These schools make an effort to get these kids involved in their community.

So back to the main question....what does it take to get into Stanford? Well, I tell my students to try your best! Do your best. If you have something that stands out...exploit it. If it''s being a minority, winning the national soccer championships, touring Europe to perform, etc, EXPLOIT it.

I have seen so many of my students go on to great schools and to the parents reading this board...start your research now! Get the SATs over with in their junior year. Do early admission. Get involved in something that''s charitable or something that will make your son/daughter stand out. One of my students started to collect old computers from office places. He then turned and gave it to an elementary school in a not so good area. Those computers that were about to go into the trash now have a good use. I''m going to make sure that goes on his apps.

whew sorry to bore everyone with the long post. I hope it was helpful.

 

[FireGoddess]

Arnel_Regina, I think that was an awesome post, filled with good advice. I think all you can do is try as hard as you can, be a good student, get involved with things you are passionate about, and be as engaged in your education as possible.

However, the bottom line is this...an ivy league education is great and the name on your resume can spark some attention, but ultimately will not seal your future. I have a PhD and I got it regardless of the fact that I didn't get into Princeton for undergrad (there, I outed them!). Ironically, one of the students in my incoming class in graduate school was from Princeton, and she was ill-prepared and remarkably unintelligent (and she had a hard time in grad school, whereas I won several awards). My point is, if you're determined, you will succeed no matter where you go to college.

 

[movie zombie]

good post, Arnel!

not every kid has the parents that can afford to give them the lessons, activities, trips, etc. that will look good on a resume. the playing field is definitely not level. i like the advice to exploit whatever advantage one might have regardless if that ace card is being a minority....as that is exactly what everyone else is doing. and face it, there are those that get into the Big Five without having good grades at all simply because their family gives a legacy.

peace, movie zombie

 

[Ann]

When the time came for my daughter to begin college searching, she knew she wanted UTAustin. She could have applied anywhere, but that was her first choice.

Here in Texas we have a top 10% rule that applies to all high school seniors. If you graduate in the top 10% of your class you can get an automatic admission to any state school. Most kids in that position opt for UTAustin or Texas A&M.

My daughter was in the top 19% of her class, just a little over 1,000 students. The school is super tough, has a great honors program and almost all grads go to college. She was not a brilliant brain, but she worked very hard and studied to make great grades. She was the yearbook editor, first chair flute in band (400+ members), National Honor Society, State Spanish Honors and all the while taking 3 honors classes each semester.

She somehow got into Texas. Her friends that had much higher SAT''s, did not get in. I think she got in based on her leadership and and a dynamite essay. She writes very well. She transfered 36 hours of college credit from high school to Texas. That is allowing her to graduate early. But to the board that created this damn top 10% rule, look at her now. A UT Presidential Scholar. I wonder how many top 10%er''s they let in accomplished that? There is great controversy here in Texas concerning this rule. How could all high schools in this big ol'' state be equal- no way!! If my daughter had graduated from a smaller school and easier, she would have been # 1 or 2.!! We moved when she entered the 8th grade so our kids could attend this high school. We knew they would get a great education and they did. But now, many parents are moving their children to lesser schools so the kids will be in the top 10% and get in to UT or Texas A&M. I personally know kids that have no business being at UT. They are struggling with their classes. There needs to be other criteria considered for admission. You could have a 900 on your SAT and be in top 10% of a dinky high school and whoo hoo, you are on your way to Austin kiddo!
I could go on forever about this, it makes my blood boil! But she got in and is leaving her mark there. Thank you UT for giving her the chance to prove herself.

 

[Arnel_Regina]

Ann,

I hear you loud and clear. California has a similar system where the top 4% are guaranteed a spot in the UC system...similar to the UT system from what I hear. However that does NOT guarantee a spot at UCB or UCLA, the two top UCs that are very competitive.

When the top 4% rule first came out there were several articles in the paper. I remember one student who transferred schools so she could be in the top 4% at that school. The school where she wouldn''t have gone was too competitive for her. Yes the education/academic prep might be subpar but she was willing to pay this price.

Unfortunately too many schools in California aren''t too great. I see this in the more populated areas. Parents are willing to spend $20 - 30k for highschools. If I remember correctly and it was during a presidential election involving Bush Jr., Bush''s camp criticized the other candidate (I think it may have been Gore) for sending his children to private schools. The implication was that the other candidate had no faith in the public school system. Well, Bush is from Texas where the public school system is ranked very high. Not so in California. In california, I think we are ranked last in per student funding...I think that''s thanks to the guvanator.

I think the problem should be looked within the schools too. Just because you''re at a private highschool...doesn''t mean your child is better off than if he/she wnet to a public one. I have worked with too many kids who get into great schools majoring in the sciences who come back and say "thanks, I really don''t know how I would have survived if I haven''t met you". This is because some schools have horrible teachers. I don''t know how the average student would have survived either. I have had to be the teacher for too many courses....I''m shouldn''t have to teach a course from scratch, just supplement it here and there. The point is an A at school 1 is NOT the same as an A at school 2.

This goes well with what Ann has stated. Her daughter is doing quite well in college where others are straggling. Those stragglers may have been in the top 10% at their school but what does that really mean?

I have too many stories about horrible teachers. The true victims in all of this are the students who pay the price. They have to work extra hard to be on top of things.

sorry again for the long post.

 

[Arnel_Regina]

Sorry one more thing...and this is directed to those parents of highschoolers.

check out this link: early decision

I hope the link comes out.

 

[codex57]

Date: 12/20/2005 6:50:09 PM
Author: Arnel_Regina
I hear you loud and clear. California has a similar system where the top 4% are guaranteed a spot in the UC system...similar to the UT system from what I hear. However that does NOT guarantee a spot at UCB or UCLA, the two top UCs that are very competitive.


When the top 4% rule first came out there were several articles in the paper. I remember one student who transferred schools so she could be in the top 4% at that school. The school where she wouldn''t have gone was too competitive for her. Yes the education/academic prep might be subpar but she was willing to pay this price.

I''m confused as to why that girl transferred. Did she go to a crappy school and transferred to a horrid one (the type where seniors still can''t read) just so she could get into the top 4%? Meaning she was aiming for UC Riverside versus... I dunno, a JC? I really don''t understand the point of doing that. I mean, going to a Cal State is just as prestigious pretty much as going to UC Riverside. After all, that''s all that 4% law really guarantees.

 

[codex57]

Date: 12/20/2005 1:38:35 PM
Author: Mara
Speaking somewhat on topic, it''s amazing to me the pressure on kids nowadays, per what pebbles was saying.


My sister is 15, a sophomore in high school in a really competitive school district in N. CA, rated very highly and a very desirable area to live in due to schools...she is a sophomore already doing trig and calculus..and they really encourage summer school to ''stay ahead'' or ''get ahead''...they are basically in all the old honor classes but those are their regular classes. The intensity amazes me, she ALWAYS has homework to do even during the weekends and seems to have tons of it....it keeps her from going out with the family sometimes and it seems very stressful. It seems like such a depressing school life!! With these kids it''s all about school and getting ahead and competitiveness. I don''t remember that at all, it was about school but more social stuff of course too. Now she is trying to figure out what extra-curriculars she should do for college....she already is a swimmer. I''m sure she will get into a good school, she doesn''t want to go to a Stanford or anything, but she is eyeing UC Berkeley and UCSF (or maybe its SFSU)...but the pressure is surprising. Even Greg who was an admitted overachiever in his day is shocked at how hard it appears to be and what they are studying (he tutors her sometimes in math) at their ages.


Does anyone else notice this, I don''t know if it''s this school district or what, but the demographics on this school is something like 95% asians (including indians...) with the rest being hodgepodge 5% of other races. This was from a recent article published on the school in the newspaper here how the academics are so competitive. Does anyone else think it''s odd that Indians are placed in the demographic with Asians? I hadn''t seen that one before.

Has to be San Fran State. UCSF is graduate school only. They don''t take undergrads. There''s a HUGE difference btw SF State and Berkeley tho unless there''s some specific teacher or major that SF State specializes in.

But yeah. It''s crazy what kids have to do nowadays to distinguish themselves. My old high school is the #1 public high school in California. Back when I went there, we just went nuts and didn''t sleep. My sister''s generation just drank Starbucks or whatever (caffeine). Apparently, they''ve now hit the point where kids take drugs. Not marijuana or whatever, but things like speed and Aderall to keep themselves going so they can study more or cram in more extracurrics.

I don''t see what''s so odd about lumping in Indians with Asians. India is in Asia. I really don''t see why Indians or Phillipinos should get their own category (they do in some places). Asia is asia. If the country is in Asia, the people are "asians".

 

[AGBF]

I am coming at all this from a different angle from many of you. Maybe because I am older, but I really do not know if that is why.

I want my daughter to learn, not to get into the "best" school. I know that that is practically an un-American sentiment, but I just do not value the name of the school so much that I would want my child stressed out throughout high school.

For what reason should she be stressed? To get into "the best" medical school? What if she cannot and she has to go learn medicine in Italy or some Spanish-speaking country or France? If she wants it badly enough THEN (after college) she will do what she has to do to get a medical education. She will specialize in what she enjoys and go where her love of an area within medicine takes her

If she can only get into the most mediocre law school she can still, if she is bright and studies in law school, become a brilliant lawyer with a great career.

One can learn at schools that are not "big name" schools. I think one really has to want to learn. Instilling that love for learning is my goal for my daughter. (And what is more, I have not even given up yet!!)

I would like a thoughtful, well-read, well-informed child who does a job she enjoys. Many supposedly well-educated people do not behave as if anything rubbed off on them while in school. They may be competent at their jobs, but they cannot converse about the things educated people should be able to enjoy discussing! Politics. History. Religion. Art. Music. Theatre. Global warming (well, I needed some science in there!).

The most interesting people I meet are not so highly specialized in one area that they have no interest in or ability to discuss other topics. I believe Alan Greenspan was a classicist as an undergrad .


Deb

 

[Mara]

codex never thought of it like that....!! there are all types of people here, i just don't lump any races in with any other one typically! i do love california for it's diversity...when we go to other areas of the US it is very obvious to me that we are unique here...maybe NYC is just as diverse but it seems like nowhere else.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/22/2005 9:27:31 PM
Author: Mara
i do love california for it''s diversity...when we go to other areas of the US it is very obvious to me that we are unique here...maybe NYC is just as diverse but it seems like nowhere else.

I don''t know. Old Greenwich and Riverside Connecticut were culturally very diverse although not quite as diverse economically. The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is also incrediby diverse.

Deb

 

[codex57]

Date: 12/22/2005 9:27:31 PM
Author: Mara
codex never thought of it like that....!! there are all types of people here, i just don''t lump any races in with any other one typically! i do love california for it''s diversity...when we go to other areas of the US it is very obvious to me that we are unique here...maybe NYC is just as diverse but it seems like nowhere else.

Yeah, when you''re surrounded by a particular type of people that fits under a certain category, you tend to think of only them that way. I look at the name of the category. Since it says, "Asian", I figure it must include every country that''s part of the continent of Asia. It''s easy to think otherwise tho since China is the country most associated with Asia so the Asians that look a lot like the Chinese get lumped in as well, while the other ones don''t.

It always bothered me cuz some places lumped Indians and Phillipinos in their own separate category. I never thought that was fair.

My high school was like 90% asian too (by my all inclusive standard of asian). I believe Indians and Flips got their own category, but they had such high percentages, I never understood why they got their own categories. I mean, even in my city, they represented significant percentages of the population.

I assume you went to Lowell or Gunn based on your description. My wife went to Lowell and I can see how it''s easy to forget Indians and others aren''t Asian since the population is so overwhelmingly of the Chinese/Korean/Japanese type. Gunn seemed a bit more diverse, but I only have limited experience with the population since my wife only worked in Palo Alto for a year.

I hope to get my kid into Gunn tho. Than my family will be represented at all of the Big 3 high schools. Kinda retarded reason, but I thought it''d be kidna cool.

 

[Mara]

my sister is actually at monta vista ... both of my sisters were in that school district but i went to school in SJ way back when..this was before they decided to move for the next 2 girls when they saw what a mediocre education the SJ schools were giving typically (and how the location we were in was going downhill).

how funny, i found this link on the school and it lists 60% asian and 39% white with 1% other (my sister included!)...i could have sworn the WSJ article had much higher rates for asians. oh well guess i should pay more attn. hehee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monta_Vista_High_School

 

[codex57]

That Wikipedia site thinks Filipinos aren''t Asian American either. If not, than what are they? I really don''t think they are Pacific Islanders.

 

[MissAva]

Date: 12/19/2005 4:56:43 PM
Author:Ann
Kaleigh's post about her daughter being accepted to Penn, made me start wondering.
(Congrats to her!)

I have a friend who is bragging and boasting all the time about his brilliant daughter. Frankly I'm sick of it. He put down the fact that my daughter goes to UT@Austin (Texas vs USC Rose Bowl!) Even though he went there. She (my daughter) is a UT Presidential Scholar and graduating 1 year early. His daughter is a junior in high school here in Houston and goes to a very competitive public high school. So did my daughter. Anyway, he says she is going to Stanford. She is near the top of her class, belongs to a few clubs and plays competitive soccer. Not a student that has done anything way over the top,academic or extra curr. SAT score so far, over 2000. (new test) From everything I have ever heard, Stanford takes only the very cream of the crop. I am thinking he might be in for a bit of a surprise, but then again, I could be wrong. I hope she does get in, but what does it take to get in to Stanford?

You never know really, my older sister was accepted to Wake Forest and Stanford during her junior year of high school but stayed finished HS and went to Vanderbilt. (She is now at Texas A&M getting her PhD in econ.) No one in our family has ever gone to school out west and her sport was Archery. Money, gender, looks (sorry but if you are pretty you really do have a MUCH better chance), legacy status, are usually the things they look for after Minorirty status (THIS IS HUGE) grades, and SAT, and sports (sports is only an issue if you are going to play while you are there IMO).
That said I am fairly certain that my mother going to Emory was at least part of the reason I got in. I would ignore the man while it is always nice to hear a proud parent; it is beyond rude to put down someone else’s child.

 

[OldBride]

Well, this post brings back memories. I went through the whole college admissions trauma with my older son in 1998 and my younger son in 2004. My older son graduated third in his high school class ( a boys'' Catholic high school) with a 4.5 and had a 1560 on the SAT. He took 10 AP tests and received 5''s on all but one ( a 4 in Spanish). He is not an athelete, but participated in cross-country, was an editor of the school newspaper and participated in the National Science Bowl finals. He had no "leadership" credentials and hadn''t found a cure for cancer. What set him apart in his applications was his personal statement. In my humble opinion, his college essay was one of the best I''ve ever read. It dealt with what he learned from his father''s death (my son was 14 at the time) concerning dreams deferred. He ultimately attended Yale, and received a personal note from the admissions person who reviewed his application, complimenting him on his essay. Unbelieveably, having the "dead parent thing going for you", garnered some envy. People are sick.

Ultimately, I think there has to be something that sets you apart from the herd. Everyone applying to top schools has good grades and high SAT scores: that''s expected. I also think that resume padding is obvious to admissions people and doesn''t impress anyone. The admissions folks would rather see a kid who has studying piano for ten years than one who belongs to six school clubs. And again, I think the essay is of critical importance for the Ivies and other top schools.

I am also grateful that my younger son''s top choice was UCLA and he got in. The application process is much easier and you don''t need teacher recommendations.

Good luck to all the applicants out there..
Deborah

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/29/2005 12:32:58 PM
Author: OldBride
He ultimately attended Yale, and received a personal note from the admissions person who reviewed his application, complimenting him on his essay.
...
I am also grateful that my younger son''s top choice was UCLA and he got in. The application process is much easier and you don''t need teacher recommendations.

Deborah,

You must be very proud. And to think that you raised these children for many years without their father! Congratulations!

Another Deborah

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 12/20/2005 1:38:35 PM
Author: Mara
Does anyone else notice this, I don''t know if it''s this school district or what, but the demographics on this school is something like 95% asians (including indians...) with the rest being hodgepodge 5% of other races. This was from a recent article published on the school in the newspaper here how the academics are so competitive. Does anyone else think it''s odd that Indians are placed in the demographic with Asians? I hadn''t seen that one before.

A little off topic, but in regard to Indians being Asians. When I was going to HS, students from India and other Middle-Eastern countries would get upset when filling out applications because they don''t really consider themselves Asians but that''s the best choice. And then when I got to college, some Indian classmates was saying that they are Asians because India is in Asia which made sense to me. I guess in the end, it''s really depend on who is categorizing race and how they categorize it.

Back to Stanford, I don''t think there''s a set pattern as to who get accepted. From my HS, the girl who was 2nd in my class (graduating GPA 5.0, SAT scores ~1400, got excellent rec letters) got rejected and ended up going to CAL. Another girl who was in the class before mine (GPA ~3.5, SAT scores ~1200, ranked 28 in her class and a minority) got into Stanford. With a private ivy league type school, it''s hard to tell how they pick their undergrad. It seems like diversity weigh just as much to them as merits. And the legacy is definitely true. My HS English teacher went to Stanford and he said that he knows that it will be easy for his son to get into Stanford because he saw a lot of students (when he was going there) whose parents and grandparents also went there and he could tell they were not necessarily the brightest students.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 12/23/2005 2:59:43 PM
Author: codex57
That Wikipedia site thinks Filipinos aren''t Asian American either. If not, than what are they? I really don''t think they are Pacific Islanders.

Filipinos are the tough one. They are part of Asian, but they are technically Pacific Islanders (Phillippines are made up of islands in the Pacific).

BTW, where is Gunn??

 

[codex57]

Gunn is in Palo Alto. Them and Lowell were the only ones my teachers ever mentioned as competition. At the time, I didn''t understand what the heck they were talking about. I thought they meant a gun (stay away from gangs) and the word "low" (totally confused on that one). It wasn''t until college that I found out they were top high schools cuz they were like "Dude, there are a ton of Lowell and Gunn kids here."

Not like high school rankings matter any (in certain fields, even teh undergrad school doesn''t matter), but parents make a BIG deal over it. Didn''t matter to me at the time, but getting older now, I can see how parents get real proud of their kids and wanna be able to brag about them.

 

[flower12]

I agree with what Kim wrote
- Excellent grades in challenging courses
- High SAT scores (this does not mean you need to get 1500+ out of 1600 (though I know it''s out of 2400 now))
- Excellence in at least one extracurricular area (and I disagree that it must be athletics--I know many who got in based on excellence in community service (e.g. a unique, ongoing, impacting project) or in music)
- Showing leadership and initiative


and very important *** excellence in community service (e.g. a unique, ongoing, impacting project) or in music)
- Showing leadership and initiative**also my dougther had summer job .

Codex,Gunn is very good school. ( my dougther went to nortredame but most my freinds child went to Gunn or
hillsbrough )
very high level .many kids come to Gunn even they are living in the SF.
some of take caltarin.some parents drive everyday.
or many parents move to Gunn''s school destrict for just Gunn.
only I don''t like is that many parent''s give huge gift to the teacher''s.( Birthday or Christmas)

Hillsbrough even make printed nice book about donation name list high to low which each shown
who gave how much .( $100000.00 more to $20.00)

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 12/30/2005 2:52:13 PM
Author: codex57
Gunn is in Palo Alto. Them and Lowell were the only ones my teachers ever mentioned as competition. At the time, I didn''t understand what the heck they were talking about. I thought they meant a gun (stay away from gangs) and the word ''low'' (totally confused on that one). It wasn''t until college that I found out they were top high schools cuz they were like ''Dude, there are a ton of Lowell and Gunn kids here.''

Not like high school rankings matter any (in certain fields, even teh undergrad school doesn''t matter), but parents make a BIG deal over it. Didn''t matter to me at the time, but getting older now, I can see how parents get real proud of their kids and wanna be able to brag about them.

I had never met anyone who went to Gunn. There were a whole bunch of Lowell students at Cal when I was there. No teachers in my high school even mention anything about those schools; I only know about Lowell because my mom''s coworkers are always talking about it and how they want their kids to go there (mom worked in SF). I still don''t really get the big deal about the high school rankings because from my experiences, not everyone who go to the high rankings school are bright and some of them are a little naive about the world, but I guess that''s high school everywhere. Maybe I would get it when I become a parent, but right now I think that parents bragging about their kids can create unneccessary pressure and might even be embarrassing for the kids.

 

[indecisive]

Stanford is a good school but it is not an Ivy League school. Neither is Duke.

Ivies
"The Ivy League is an athletic conference, founded in 1954, of eight institutions of higher education located in the eastern United States. The term has connotations of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and a certain amount of academic elitism.

All of the Ivy League institutions share some general characteristics: They are among the most prestigious and selective schools in the U.S., they consistently place close to the top of college and university rankings; they rank within the top one percent of the world''s academic institutions in terms of financial endowment; they attract top-tier students and faculty; and they have relatively small undergraduate populations, ranging between 4,078 for Dartmouth College and 13,700 for Cornell University and modestly sized graduate student populations, ranging between 1,666 for Dartmouth and 14,692 for Columbia. Seven of the eight schools (Cornell University being the exception) were founded during America''s colonial period. Ivy League institutions, therefore, account for seven of the nine colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The Ivies also are all located in the Northeast region of the United States. Notably, the Ivies also prohibit the offering of athletic scholarships to students in most cases; this ban differentiates Ivy teams from those of schools that permit students to receive scholarships to attend or to join a team.

The Ivy League institutions are privately owned and controlled. Although many of them receive funding from the federal or state governments to pursue research, only Cornell has state-supported academic units, termed statutory colleges, that are an integral part of the institution."

 

[AGBF]

Date: 1/1/2006 6:36:42 PM
Author: indecisive
Stanford is a good school but it is not an Ivy League school. Neither is Duke.

Well, that''s it for the Ivy League. What about the Seven Sisters?

Deb

 

[codex57]

Date: 12/30/2005 7:05:24 PM
Author: flower12
very high level .many kids come to Gunn even they are living in the SF.

some of take caltarin.some parents drive everyday.

or many parents move to Gunn''s school destrict for just Gunn.

only I don''t like is that many parent''s give huge gift to the teacher''s.( Birthday or Christmas)

I didn''t know you could go to Gunn without living in the district. Or maybe they just use someone''s address. I''m working on making enough money to afford to move to Palo Alto.

The same happens at my old high school. Property values are much higher than in surrounding cities not in the local school district (which also has another top high school in Cerritos). What''s sad is that as long as you''re in the school district, you have a chance to go to my old high school since their''s an entrace exam like at Lowell. Unscrupulous real estate agents sell homes to families who assume that by being near that high school, it means their kid can go to it automatically.

I didn''t know Ivy''s didn''t allow athletic scholarships. Seems strange cuz my friend was scouted by a Harvard baseball person. Seems strange to scout if they can''t offer an athletic scholarship. Maybe they can just offer to get the person in?

Still, doesn''t matter that Stanford or Duke aren''t Ivy''s. They''re just as good (or even better) than some of the Ivy''s in terms of rep and exclusitivity.

 

[flower12]

codex57
>I didn''t know you could go to Gunn without living in the district. Or maybe they just use someone''s address.

some parent''s rent room for just use the address ,so the mean the room is empty all the time
ofcorce some parent''s just move to the deistirct too.
I know some kid''s from city by caltrain I don''t know what''s is thier situation is.
maybe using family member''s address?

 

[cutey TT]

codex - did you go to whitney?

 

[cutey TT]

btw, my sister went to and graduated from stanford. i pretty much agree with what most of y''all were saying...stanford and any of the top tier universities pretty much look for the same thing:

- excellent academics (high GPA in honors and AP classes, standardized test scores)
- active involvement and leadership in extracurricular activities (e.g., sports, clubs, student government, community service)
- good essays and letters of recommendation

all in all, there really is no rhyme or reason to the overall admissions process (so i agree with there being an element of luck involved)...but that''s because it''s a human process. you have different people reviewing the thousands upon thousands of applications submitted, and so a "yes" from one reviewer one day could easily have been someone else''s "no" and vice versa.

currently, i am an interviewer for another non-ivy, but top tier university (best known for its engineering and science programs). i think that schools understand that there are tons of kids with straight A''s and great test scores...and are therefore looking for that extra-something that makes the kid unique, and a little more well-rounded. they want to know what the kid will contribute to the school / student community...how they think he / she will fit in...and whether he / she will thrive and succeed in their particular environment....

ultimately though, i think a lot of people get caught in the trap of thinking that getting into a good college is the end-all-be-all...and it''s completely not true. what''s more important is what the individual does with the education he / she obtains...how they take that education and apply it to further their life / career... college is a starting point, not an endpoint. just my 0.02.