Ally Lincoln ‘25

REPORTER

To those applying to the top 25 schools, I issue the following advice:

According to Forbes, Harvard is the number one ranked school in the world, but that’s not necessarily the case in my book. With a less than five percent acceptance rate, even the brightest academic scholars in the world still face the threat of rejection. Nonetheless, Nobel prize medalists and internationally ranked musicians roam the campus, creating a competitive academic environment and plaguing students with imposter syndrome. However, their reputation for excellence still carries, and once admitted, you still get boasting rights and an invitation to the Harvard club.

Not too far from Harvard is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At most universities, a wide range of areas of study allows for endless opportunities. The STEM field across average university numbers is closer to 20 percent, but MIT’s quadrupled percentage demonstrates the lack of diversity in majors and lack of balance among the student body. The academic curriculum stresses their commending STEM majors, with 87 percent of undergraduates pursuing that field.

Across the country, Stanford boasts high prestige, but its connection to the outside community is scarce. Students have termed it “The Stanford Bubble."

Stanford is also situated in sunny California, which may be an attractive quality for many students, but there’s something exhilarating about snow days and hot chocolate, don’t you think?

Down the coast lies the University of Southern California, which, frankly, is not my style as it's miles away from home. However, for those who would kill for the chance to run into Will Farrell, this campus might be high on your list. With Greek life dominating the scene, some students might grow to drift away from their academic goals.

As the admission deadlines approach, good luck to all those applying–to each their own!