Analysis on what T20 Schools WANT : r/ApplyingToCollege (reddit.com)
After 1 year of research:
Stanford - Most well-rounded school in America. If you have 3.5 UW or higher in hard courses, but extraordinary ECs or an EC, you're qualified to get in. They’re looking for the next-gen.
Caltech and MIT - You'll need to be a straight-A (or nearly) a straight-A student in the most challenging courses offered at your school to get in. (Again, nothing set in stone, but this is what I have analyzed after looking at some Naviance scatterplots.) MIT looks for "academically talented students interested in an analytical-based, hands-on education, who have shown true engagement, initiative, curiosity, and community mindedness." Caltech's mission: to advance the borders of human knowledge by doing scientific research.
Duke and Vandy - A balance of nice ECs and very good coursework. I’d say 3.8 UW in rigorous courses is the sweet spot for these schools, but then again, if you have an EXTRAORDINARY EC, you could get in with 3.6 UW, etc.
USC - LOVES seeing great extracurricular activities! I attended one of their webinars, where they were so proud of a student who didn’t have straight A's, but had superb EC activities. Remember that they want a balance of ECs and a strong interest in your major; this is evident in the USC essay prompts themselves. If you’re an engineer, make sure that you’re rounded.
UVA - One of the least rounded schools in the country. They want to see excellent course selection and grades (which the GPA does not convey) first and foremost, then strong recs, essays, and activities. Academics have always come first. It's not about doing unusual or unique things.
UMich - A very rounded school that wants to see students who excel academically, but also those who have a personality and cool extracurriculars that "wow" the admissions officers.
Notre Dame - Extraordinary school with extraordinary people. The people who go to that school somehow have always stood out to me. Very kind and hard-working souls. Definitely aligns with their mission statement: Notre Dame is dedicated to providing a Catholic co-educational program in a --> "value-centered" <--- environment. Be sure that your teachers write you EXCELLENT recommendations. :)
Ivies - Think they’re the kings of the country. Always asking for top gpa........ That’s like the only qualification. And be URM or an athlete
Tufts - looks for students who can balance their extracurricular activities with their academics. They also love students who are passionate about their field (medical, etc.) It is indeed, a pretty rounded school although they look at academics a bit more than UF, etc.
UF and UNC - They absolutely don’t want nerds. They want personality. I’ve talked to the AOs there and that’s what I’ve heard.
UChicago - Essays matter 55%. The only school that looks STRONGLY at essays! But then it should’ve been your dream school to apply to since you had to have thought about the essays and written them over the summer. You can't write anything here. The essays must be thoughtfully written out to have a chance of getting in. :)
Rice - Rice definitely wants students who are very strong academically and who have good SAT/ACT scores. On the non-academic end, the AOs are really looking for students who think differently, much as UChicago does. Have you ever dealt with an unfavorable circumstance but then created something positive out of it? Can you portray something small in a different light? I’m pretty sure that’s what Rice AOs want. Haven't formally attended any of their webinars, so this is just info I got from previous posts on Reddit, online, etc.
Liberal Arts Colleges - I think all LACs are looking for passion. A good balance of academics and ECs. And most importantly, that you’re a rounded student!
UCLA/Berkeley - Academics (since they are, after all, competitive state schools), but if you have great essays or something that sets you apart, definitely apply. A respected Redditor also stated that Berkeley looks for grit. :)
JHU - Looking for innovators with strong GPAs. Let the GPA and SAT/ACT part not deter you though. They love seeing people who’ve invented new things!!
UIUC/Purdue/Northwestern: How have you explored your interest for your major? This is the MAIN thing. For NW though, be sure to have great grades too.
Washington University in St Louis - Mainly looks at SAT/ACT (surprising, huh!) If you have close to a 1500, definitely apply. GPA must be okay too. These guys focus on kids who have a passion for research, so be sure to mention research somewhere.
CMU - Not rounded. You need great grades and SAT/ACT scores. The only other way: have you won hackathons? Etc..
