urleastfavteacher '20–'21 app cycle Class of 2024 class year

According to Dean Deal, I got SLS in spite of my GPA for a few reasons, most notably that my weaknesses were mostly in STEM courses and that my experience with Teach For America was extremely unique. Apparently my app was pushed around to various faculty members because I was so borderline, but my essays and softs made up massively for my questionable GPA.

Softs: Teach for America, promoted to a HS department chair role my second year. Liberal arts double major from a top 10 private.

Three recs: two from professors that gave me As, one from the director of my TFA region. Probably strong.

HLS: No Supplements
Columbia: LOCI after Hold, Requested by 4/5, submitted 3/31. Included commitment to attend if admitted, withdrew after SLS A
Yale: Y250 focused on undergrad research on development of conspiracy theories
Stanford: Three Songs Prompt
NYU: RTK Essay, rejected from RTK w/o interview; Received $0 in aid on first round merit, so negotiated with the UMich scholly. 30k isn’t much, but hey it’s not 0.
Northwestern: Kira
Why X: Berkeley, Michigan, Penn (Core Values), Duke, Chicago