I know Im no college app expert, but I just want to share some thoughts based on my results. GPA is important, and I cannot stress enough - no amounts of hooks, standardized testing or EC achievements could cover that, although they would definitely help. I clowned myself by thinking a competitive HS + a competitive class load + a somewhat prestigious EC award is all I need for ivies. I got in WashU, UMich and CMU both through their respective art school for which my academics were above the 75% line, if I was applying to other college departments (eg. art & sci) I might not have been accepted. Build good study habits, even if you don't need them to do well. Put in that work and make sure to build habits and skills for time management, because these WILL be crucial in college/any challenging academic environment. Shoot for the moon, so even if you don't reach it, you will land among the stars. Guaranteed. I know this is cheesy and argurably over-stressed, but it is true. Keep your dreams high, work persistently towards it and be patient, you will definitely reach somewhere you will not regret. Going in/Wanting to transfer into a more prestigious HS or college? Please think thoroughly, and be prepared for mental health impacts. I acknowledge the privilege I have by speaking from this perspective, but the ultra-competitive environment at ivies/"feeder HS" is seriously toxic and not for everyone, especially in HS where people's emotions have not entirely matured. In my HS, many people work wayyy too hard in a way that damage their mental health. Sure, academics might be top tier, but stress culture is so prevalent and normalized that it is treated as a token of pride, where people who get stressed the most has somehow won the competition. So many people I know meet and bond over how few sleep they got and the amount of times they've cried everyday the past week because of school; the school administration even proudly acknowledge the name "Survivor" for each graduating class, and print it on class merchs so we could show off the "sufferings" we had been through. Laugh and jokes aside, this kind of environment is simply not healthy at all. In my case, when I transferred in I was instantly screwed over by the heavy workload + bad study habits, and I was scrambling to complete essays and HWs at 3 am in the morning almost everyday. Adding on the struggles of a newcomer (my school was pre K-12, when I came most friend groups were solidified so it was hard to "find the niche") and balancing art competitions with academics, I was thrown into a dangerous swirl of anxiety, impostor syndrome and self-deprecation. I became scared to socialize, participate in classes or clubs that I once enjoyed, fearing that I and my non-mother-tongue English wasn't good enough - and it took me countless breakdowns in school counseling office, rants to my old HS friends, and at least one and a half year to recover. Now when I look back, I still made connections with amazing friends and teachers, learned things in interesting and engaging classes that I would never have learned at my old HS (Asian art history? Women's literature? Ecology field trips to forests? Yes please), and got into a top tier school which somehow justifies the process - but the damage was there, and no amount of fancy achievements or school acceptances would cover that. As a fellow HS graduate, I honestly don't know what I could do, but I just want to share my experiences to raise awareness of the not-so-glorious side of prestige. - I did not put in much hope that I was going to get off the waitlist at Williams - I was so happy when I received the update, because Williams offers amazing opportunities for the subjects I am interested at and is one of my original top 4 choices.

wait list

COA $22k/yr