Name: Nate

Home State: New York

How many schools did you apply to? Thirteen (LOTS of supplements to do)

Which ones? Bates College, Bowdoin College, Denison University, Kenyon College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, Yale University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Chicago.

Were you surprised by any of your admissions decisions? I was not surprised with any particular decision. I applied to many competitive schools, and I expected to be accepted to several of them and not accepted into several of them. I was uncertain of which particular schools would accept me, but the decisions in the end met my expectations.

Did you apply early decision/early action to any schools? Are you happy with your decision? I applied Early Decision to Amherst College, but was deferred and ultimately rejected. I was happy with my decision to apply early to Amherst, because it met all of my collegiate standards, but the schools that accepted me later on also met my standards in the same way.

Where did you get in? Bates College, Bowdoin College, Denison University, Kenyon College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University

Did you get waitlisted anywhere? I got waitlisted at Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and The University of Chicago. I decided to stay on the waitlists for every school except Chicago, but I did not actively pursue admission, because I was content with my acceptances.

Where will you be next fall? How excited are you? I am a proud member of the Tufts class of 2011. I can't wait to meet my classmates and begin the next four years of my life as a Jumbo.

Why did you choose the school you did? After I received my admissions letters, I narrowed down my decision to three schools: Bowdoin, Tufts, and Wesleyan. I did overnights at all three places and narrowed it down further to Bowdoin and Tufts. Both are incredible places, but I chose Tufts because the music program and the location. Tufts is widely known for its music opportunities and, because it's a bigger school, it has some advantages over Bowdoin. I also think that I would thrive in a more urban location.

What advice do you have for surviving the admissions process? Start early on application essays! The most competitive schools contain time-consuming supplements, and these supplements can be done well if adequate preparation time is given to them. Also, it is important to understand that getting into the most competitive schools is a game of chance—a waitlist or rejection says nothing about your ability to contribute to that particular college, it just means that gaining admission is incredibly difficult. Be content with the schools that accept you, there is no such thing as a "perfect school."

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? I wouldn't do anything differently besides finishing my applications before Christmas break.

Anything else? Thanks everyone for taking the time to read my entries. I've been through a lot over the past school year, and it's been great getting a chance to document my experiences. Good luck to everyone starting to undergo the college admissions process!

Nate, Tufts Class of 2011