sgtgrumbles (2022-2023)

Two years work experience at a national non-profit.

Average to above-average personal statement, by my estimation.

Average LORs.

Average to below-average extracurriculars: Minor group leadership roles, lots of volunteering.

Transferred, graduated in three years while working/interning part-time.

Scholarship information is the total amount over all three years.

I would advise future applicants to be proactive in pursuing waitlist acceptances and scholarships. I was able to get $25,000 from NYU by appealing their initial decision not to give me an award (really $30,000 for me, since I plan to work in public interest my second summer and thus collect the extra $5,000). I was also accepted off of the Chicago waitlist and offered a $30,000 scholarship to match my NYU award after writing what I thought was a strong LOCI. I wrote an unsolicited LOCI for Berkeley and was ultimately rejected there, so it's no silver bullet, but I did well by showing a sincere interest in schools. I also wrote a Why Michigan essay, which may have contributed to my scholarship award there. In short, show schools that you are truly interested in attending both before and after they make their initial decisions. This straightforward approach may earn you acceptances or scholarships where you might not have expected them.

WUSTL note: I withdrew soon after being admitted, before hearing about scholarships and financial aid.

12-11-10 - In at Michigan via Admitted Students site. Selected for Summer Start.

12-15-10 - Received a beautiful admission packet from Michigan, including one of Dean Z's trademark personal notes. Really a nice touch.

12-16-10 - Accepted at WUSTL by email.

12-20-10 - The famed purple envelope arrived at my apartment today...in at NYU! I'm absolutely thrilled.

12-31-10 - Arrived home from out of town to find a letter announcing a $54,000 scholarship award from Michigan! The envelope was postmarked 12-23.

1-14-11 - Accepted at Northwestern by email. I'm supposed to receive the Admitted Student Portfolio in the mail next week.

1-26-11 - Received an email from Berkeley explaining that my application "has been selected for further consideration by the Faculty Admissions Committee." I should receive a final decision by February 18.

1-29-11 - USPS just delivered a package containing a handsome leather binder with materials from Northwestern. Not too shabby. The package was postmarked 1-27.

2-2-11 - Held at Columbia by email.

2-9-11 - Waitlisted at UVA by email.

2-10-11 - Waitlisted at Chicago by email.

2-17-11 - Received my first rejection of the cycle from Berkeley by email. I was in Committee Review 1. I never expected much with my mediocre GPA, but I would've loved to be able to consider living in the Bay Area.

2-18-11 - Waitlisted at Penn by email. Pretty disappointed, as it was one of my top choices.

3-10-11 - Placed on Duke's Priority Reserve list by email.

3-23-11 - Received a $60,000 scholarship award from Northwestern by email. I appealed the decision the same day. (After waiting two weeks I followed up and received a prompt response that they couldn't raise my award because the decision had already been made based on a combination of need and merit. I won't be attending.)

4-5-11 - NYU emailed me my financial aid decision: $0. I sent an appeal two days later.

4-15-11 - I received a response to my NYU appeal by email. They awarded me a $25,000 scholarship with the possibility of an additional $5,000 for my third year if I worked in a public interest job the previous summer.

4-20-11 - Placed on reserve at Columbia by email. For what it's worth I didn't send them any additional materials.

5-19-11 - Accepted to Chicago off the waitlist by phone call. I wrote a LOCI in April.

5-20-11 - Received a $30,000 scholarship to Chicago by email.

6-7-11 - Second Reserve at Columbia by email.

6-16-11 - Rejected at Penn by email. I didn't send them any additional materials except a brief email stating my interest in still being considered.

7-11-11 - Third Reserve at Columbia by email.

8-17-11 - Rejected at Columbia by regular mail. I didn't write a LOCI at any point. My cycle is now officially over. I will be happily attending NYU, my first choice all along.