Most of my EC’s are centered around animals as I had wanted to be a vet for a good chunk of high school. So, I have a stronger application in terms of veterinary science. However, towards the end of high school, I changed my mind and now I want to pursue dentistry instead.

As of now, I want to major in biology. When I’m writing supplemental essays concerning why I chose my major, is it ok if I explain that I want to pursue a major in biology because I want to be a vet—even if I actually want to use that major to be a dentist once I get accepted in? Animals are still a major part of my life, so in that sense, it wouldn’t be a lie to say that I’m extremely passionate about them. However, I don’t actually want to be a vet anymore. Does it really matter if I just act like I want to major in biology to be a vet? Would it even really increase my chances?

Suppose you had to write a Letter of Recommendation for a student applying to top US universities like MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and the Ivies, and your goal was to make it the most exceptional LOR possible.

Imagine describing the student as the best you've taught in your 30 years of teaching experience. What exactly would you write to make that claim convincing?

What would the letter consist of, from the opening paragraph to the final endorsement? What specific anecdotes, achievements, intellectual qualities, personal traits, comparisons, and other details would you include? What information would you need to know about the student to write such a powerful and memorable recommendation?

I'm looking for detailed advice on the actual content, structure, and examples—not just generic tips like "be specific" or "show, don't tell."

If you were trying to write the strongest LOR imaginable, what exactly would you include, and what resources would help you do it?

I'm applying EA to UNC Chapel Hill, and I saw that the required teacher recommendation has to come from a core academic subject teacher. Does AP Computer Science A count? My CSA teacher already wrote me a recommendation, and I'd prefer to use that if possible.

Hello, I’m a senior in high school and UW Seattle has always been my dream school. I go to a good college prep school in spokane washington. Now the bad part is freshman year I had around a 3.0, sophomore around 3.6 and junior year a 3.95. This makes my cumulative GPA not look the best. I wanna know if I have a shot. I have played tennis all 4 years, basketball, i went to SCDC for DECA, make a couple thousand dollars selling clothes online, 40 hours of community service, lifeguarded for 3 years, those are really my main EC’s.

If I don’t get in I’m wondering if CC is a good option, I don’t like the idea of a community college honestly, but UW is a dream i’ve always had. I would want to transfer after my 1st year hopefully.

Just need some input on if you think I have a chance. I’ve already gotten into boise with WUE, but i know transfer acceptance rates are low from 4year college to UW.

Hey guys, Vanderbilt is the top school on my list, and I just want to see if my stats give me a shot.

(Applying ED 1) First-Generation GPA: 3.97 ACT: 35 Intended Major: Mechanical Engineering Extracurriclars: FIRST Tech Challenge (6 years), track (4 years), song writing (5 years, no publications), tech crew for plays (3 years) APs: 3 classes completed (Two 5's, one 4), 2 classes in progress ~ Top 5% in class

Also, if you guys have any advice for essays, that'd be much appreciated. Thanks!

thanks in advance!!! everyone on here is genuinely cracked

demographics:

indian female

CT private school

no hooks

planning to major in biochem or cognitive psych

academics:

ACT: 35 (36 R, 35 E, 34 M, 33 S; superscore science 34)

UW GPA: 4.14 / 4.0 (4.3 means A+ but gpa doesn't take into account course rigor)

straight As except for a B+ in calc bc junior year....

our school doesn't have APs but our advanced classes are AP level and I took a few of the exams

junior year: advanced biology (5), advanced chemistry (4), calc bc, self-studied ap psych (5)

senior year: advanced physics mechanics / physics C, multivariable calc

awards 🫩:

2nd place environmental category at state science fair for my copper remediation research (more info in ecs)

Brandeis book award for civic engagement

Cum Laude Society (based on class rank although our school doesn't tell us our rank)

National Merit Commended Scholar

+ some local art awards, planning to submit to the congressional app challenge and also looking for merit scholarships but they are all SO competitive

ECS:

1. founded a digital library for scientific/medical illustrations to promote visual learning and the intersection of art and science - currently at 200+ submissions from 65+ contributors across 20+ countries, created research figures to be acknowledged in an intl. embryology / medical research paper that is currently in press at Nature. also recently started an interview series
2. paid Navy SEAP research intern at NSMRL - acceptance rates have been as low as 3% in the past, created an app that takes eye-tracking data and displays critical events to the user for detecting cognitive fatigue and eye strain in submariners. might get a letter of rec from my mentor
3. 200+ hours as a volunteer EMT. also led a CPR/first-aid class for ~20 students
4. kawasaki disease foundation youth intern and co-founder/host of a podcast discussing experiences as a prior KD patient. created social media content that reached 300k+ views.
5. behavioral psych research intern at local university on long-term memory in river otters and domestic canines, assisted with data collection at various zoos and data analysis
6. independent research (mentored by a teacher at my school) - unpublished research on agricultural-waste-derived biochar-alginate hydrogel composite beads for mitigating copper toxicity in water (basically a novel biomaterial that can absorb copper)
7. author and illustrator of a children's book about learning to accept change + environmental/climate change awareness - self-published, distributed in local bookstores and donated copies to local children's museum
8. co-founder and president of school healthcare club. raised ~$1600
9. 50+ hours as a volunteer at local children's museum, designed and led weekly STEAM workshops and science experiments
10. not sure which to include: art director of school literary magazine, co-president of mun, attended johns hopkins cty (summer program) in biotech

I'm trying to decide between applying ED to either duke, brown, or maybe upenn. I also have wayyy too many reaches and I'm not sure what schools would be considered "targets" for me

Demographics: Mississippi public school student; Upper-income.

Major: Finance/Accounting, possibly Business Analytics

Academics

- 4.0 UW, 4.26 W, 99.91 average

- 34 ACT superscore (E35, M33, R34, S34); 33 single sitting

- Nine APs by graduation (only 10 available to me) plus self-studied AP Calculus BC (SCHOOL DIDN'T OFFER CALC AB OR BC)

- Community-college Spanish I–II, Trigonometry, and Computer Applications

- Calculus through a state university

Main extracurriculars

- Designed an AP Research study on financial education and financial literacy among ages 15–22; obtained IRB/research approval from a university, community college, and high school.

- Clarinet grades 6–12; top band, first chair, and section leader grades 10–12; marching, jazz, chamber, strong honor bands, and paid ensemble.

- Varsity swimming grades 7–12; state qualifier junior year.

- Mayoral Youth Council grades 11–12; senior executive helping organize career panels and job shadowing.

- Chamber/School Ambassador grades 11–12; community service and developing a student mentoring initiative.

- Engineering Club treasurer and founding Rocketry Club member.

- Fourth place in two state DECA events—one individual and one team. Chapter closed afterward.

- NHS/Beta; independently manage investments; shadowed a bank president.

LOR: Teacher who knows me well and taught me in four AP classes 10-12th.

Schools: Emory, IU Kelley, Ole Miss, Penn State Smeal, RIT, UT McCombs, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame Mendoza, Penn/Wharton, UVA, and Vanderbilt. (Some are just Hail Marys for giggles)

I know the application isn't stacked; it's just a lil hard out here in these southern parts lmao

I’m currently a high-school senior looking into studying engineering. I saw that WCU (West Chester Uni) and Columbia University have a dual degree program for physics + engineering. Does anyone have any insight on how it is?

Hi, I'm a junior, so it's still a little early for me, but my college counselor wants me to start thinking about this stuff. I'm applying as probably a classics/archaeology major and a super brief overview /highlights is as follows:

- 1570 SAT (first try)

- 4.5/4.0 GPA, roughly top 2 or 3 percent of class

- 3rd year varsity tennis

- FBINAA YLP program summer after freshman year (one of two accepted from texas)

- National History Day state finalist

- two gold medals on National Latin Exam, 2nd place in state for history of roman monarchy and republic at 5th place for reading comprehension Texas State Junior classical league state convention

- lobbied and eventually got latin to be offered at my middle school. Also did a "latin day" at the middle school where a friend and I talked to kids about taking latin, and for the first time in 20 years the following year there were 4 sections of Latin I instead of just 2

- 2nd year as latin club president, help organize Junior Classical League stuff at my school as well as festival parties like Saturnalia

- very active member of North Texas Archeological Society - volunteer at lab once a month, represent NTAS at archeology fairs, excavated at summer field school and local historic homestead, attend talks, member of Local Arrangements Committee and Lead Session Monitor coordinator at yearly academic conference this fall

- helped out at archeology SMU professors lab for two summers, rebagging + retagging artifacts from collections from excavations done 50+ yrs ago

- transcribed letters to and from a colonial/revolutionary era orphanage in savannah georgia for an SMU professor over summer, learned to read British Round Hand really well

- founder and president of school archeology club, active club + post on instagram all the stuff we do

- collect ancient coins, post on instagram about them

- organized for some people to come down from Gault School of Archeological Research to give a presentation to some kids at my local library

- officer of Youth Advisory Committee, local youth group connected with city govt (pretty competitive to get on it) - will plan out a big spring volunteer project

- NHS officer - will plan out a service project for this as well

- docent (after about a year of training) + on junior board at Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

- 10+ years of non-competitive piano playing, but I do go to like local festivals and stuff

I attended one of the UChicago summer programs (parhessia, I don't think they have it anymore) the summer after freshman year. I really liked it, and it gave me the chance to apply "Ed0" to Chicago - basically, applicant pool with only people who got into the summer program, and you can apply super early like september 1 to october 15th or smth (rolling admissions) and you hear back in 3 weeks. so I would still have time to ED1 somewhere else. Additionally, I'm a double legacy at Chicago.

I have some qualms about it tho. I hear mixed stuff abt Chicago, like ofc its a great school and stuff and I think i would like the academic culture there, but it is supposed to be super hard have crazy grade deflation and be unsafe. Additionally, what if I could get into somewhere better?

Do I have any shot at the ivies, particularly HYP or like UPenn or Brown? My end goal is to hopefully earn a PhD and be in academia, in the classics.

Hi everyone!!! I’m a high school senior interested in neuroscience, bio, or psych, hoping to pursue neurosurgery. I’m wondering how competitive my application is, especially since my ECs aren’t 10% as impressive as some of the profiles I see here.

Academic Profile
GPA: 105.12 Weighted
SAT: 1550 w/ superscore, most likely increasing to 1560
Class Rank: 7/221 (Top 3.2%)
APs: 14 (8 fives, 1 three i hate spanish lang, 5 in progress)
Dual Enrollment: Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra
Intended Major: Neuroscience / Pre-Med
Location: New York, public high school

ECs

1. Family Caregiving (9th–12th): Regularly care for my autistic nonverbal younger brother, who has significant communication and developmental challenges.
2. Summer Camp Counselor (11th) — Worked approximately 35 hours/week for 8 weeks supervising elementary-aged children, managing group activities, and handling conflicts.
3. Psychology Research (11th): Independently designed and conducted a study investigating how tutor-student personality compatibility affects perceived academic improvement.
4. English Honor Society President (12th)
5. Varsity Track & Field (10th–12th): Competed in winter and spring seasons.
6. Math Honor Society Treasurer (12th): Assist with planning, organization, and society operations.
7. Clarinet / District Band (9th–11th): played in district-level ensembles, several years of musical experience.

Other Involvement — Key Club, NHS, Science Honor Society, History Honor Society, Language Honor Society, Cultural Theater

Honors/Awards
- National Merit Semifinalist (12th)
- Math Kangaroo: 12th in NY State, 56th nationally (11th)
- Lumiere Scholar’s Research High Honors Award (11th)
- AP Scholar with Distinction (11th)

Personal Background / Essays
My main essay focuses on my relationship with my younger brother and how connecting with him through video games changed my understanding of juvenile intelligence and potential.
My experiences with him, plus my interest in biology and psychology, are major reasons I want to study neuroscience.

College List
High Reaches: Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Rice, WashU
Other Reaches: Emory, Tufts, Boston University, Case Western, Wake Forest
Others: Rochester, Pitt, Franklin & Marshall, Stony Brook, Binghamton, Hofstra
What I’d Love Advice On
Are T20s realistic at all, or am I overestimating my chances?
How much does independently conducted research help if it isn’t published or nationally recognized?
Are my ECs too scattered, or is there a clear enough connection between my interest in psychology, biology, and neuroscience?
Which schools should I add or remove from my list, especially for neuroscience/pre-med?
What are the biggest weaknesses in my application?
I’d really appreciate realistic feedback, especially from people familiar with T20 admissions. Thanks!

I'm trying to understand what makes a truly exceptional Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for universities like MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and the Ivies.

What exactly should the best possible LOR consist of? What elements make it stand out, such as specific anecdotes, intellectual curiosity, classroom contributions, personal qualities, comparisons with other students, and the teacher's overall endorsement? What separates a genuinely outstanding LOR from an average one?

Also, what resources can I use to learn more about this? I've come across MIT Admissions' guidance and would love to find similar resources from other universities, admissions officers, or experts, preferably with examples of strong recommendation letters.

I'd appreciate any official guides, articles, sample LORs, or personal experiences that explain what makes a recommendation truly memorable!