<p>Also, hardest course load available taken with decent ECs. No rank.</p>
<p>Where should I apply?</p>
<p>I also posted this (albeit a much longer version) on the parents forum: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1038786-parents-i-need-your-help.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1038786-parents-i-need-your-help.html</a></p>
<p>OP, we need more info, i.e. what your interests are, what your family can afford, what you consider decent ECs. Although your school does not rank they do provided a school profile to colleges which will give the colleges a good idea of where your GPA ranks vis a vie your peers. If you haven’t looked at your School Profile yet you should ask your guidance counselor for a copy.
This is all pertinent info for advising on where to apply.</p>
<p>Can you tell us why your weighted GPA is lowish for your stats?</p>
<p>??? are you in ILL or VA??? Which is your home state?</p>
<p>What is your budget?</p>
<p>Ok…now I know more of the story since I read your link. </p>
<p>Now I know I won’t get into an “amazing” college because of my marred high school career. By “amazing”, I mean in the context of what my parents believe. The problem with colleges these days is that they send mail only based on SAT-- because of this, I have received mail from top colleges like Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, etc. (I’m sure many of your children have as well) and this has given my parents the false impression that I will be attending one of these schools. To be honest, I would be incredibly grateful if I could get into a top 30 school. But my parents won’t have any of it. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t feel like doing any applications because I know wherever I get admitted, it won’t be good enough for my parents. What do I do?</p>
<p>You’re a NMSF…congrats!</p>
<p>To please your parents, you probably do need to submit some apps to some ivies/elites. however, do so with the compromise that you also get to apply to some match and safety schools because of the rather considerable GPA problem.</p>
<p>tuftsalum12: interests are mathematics, jewish studies, or economics (I will probably end up majoring in one of those and minoring in another). Family is willing to pay full as long as the school is a “top” school. By decent ECs I mean the regular stuff- speech team, mock trial, bio Olympiad, DECA, tennis, track, etc. just nothing extraordinary. The highest GPA at my school is around a 4.3, so I’m probably in the 25th percentile, but I’ll ask my counselor for confirmation. </p>
<p>mom2collegekids: thanks. I’m not sure if it will help much though, and due to my low gpa I may not make NMF. My GPA is low because of my first two years in a engineering program that I despised.</p>
<p>I read through your other post as well. I think you may be able to make your best case to a small LAC where you can interview and write a compelling essay. However, if your parents are very prestige conscious they may not like the fact that few people have heard of the school you are attending.( A common occurrence for even the most highly rated LACs)
I agree with others that you should have some reaches on your list to appease your parents, but would limit them to maybe 3, along with 5 matches and 2 safeties.
Of the top LACs, the one that I think might be most likely to consider your package is Wesleyan. This would be a reach, but not out of the question IMO.
Some other LACs that you should take a look at are Lafayette College, Brandeis (technically a University) and Bard College. I think that these would qualify more as matches. If they sound interesting you should try to visit and interview.
I commend you on being able to turn things around for yourself.</p>
<p>Maybe places like Brandeis and Lehigh. They could be considered top enough by your parents while you still have a reasonable shot at getting in.</p>
<p>Dumb question…I’m no expert…but what if you wrote your app essays about how much you hated your engineering program and how that affected your first two years, and how you’ve since overccome this?</p>
<p>I’d think that would be compelling. It would be compelling to <em>me,</em> anyway, LOL. (fwiw)</p>
<p>Best wishes – hope you end up at a college that’a a great fit for you and OK with your parents, too.</p>
<p>I agree with the suggestions of Lafayette, Lehigh and Brandeis. ALso maybe look into the College of William and Mary in VA, and maybe University of Richmond. There are many, many good schools that I think you’d be a competent applicant - what exactly are you looking for in a school?</p>
<p>Some possibilities, spanning different types of schools:
Wake Forest
George Washington
Claremont-McKenna College
Wesleyan University
Kenyon College
Oberlin College
Macalester College
Emory University
Tufts
Boston University
University of Wisconsin
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Washingon
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
University of Rochester
Case Western University
Washington and Lee University
Hamilton College
Bates College
Colby College
Colgate University</p>
<p>Is there anything particular you’re looking for in a school? These are obviously very, very wide range of schools, because I’m not sure if there’s a specific size, location, etc. that you would feel more comfortable with.</p>
<p>How about American, University of Richmond, University of Pittsburgh, Boston University, Syracuse?</p>
<p>I’d apply to Chicago as a reach but imo probably the best bet for you in the top ten(maybe even top twenty). I see no one has mentioned it, and if your parents UNSWR prestige junkies then it will appeal to them. It also is top ranked in economics, one of your interests. I also would try London School of Economics as they don’t require a transcript(based on actual and predicted SAT’s, AP scores, IB scores and A levels+ counselor rec) and also I believe would have that “full pay” prestige for your parents.</p>
<p>*I’m not sure if it will help much though, and due to my low gpa I may not make NMF. My GPA is low because of my first two years in a engineering program that I despised. *</p>
<p>Your GPA is probably ok to make NMF, but what were some of those frosh/soph grades? Were there any D’s??? That would be a problem. </p>
<p>Anyway…if you get a NMF rejection letter in January (that’s when they’re sent), immediately appeal. Appeals often work.</p>
<p>Add USC to the list (half tuition scholarship for NMF). Start digging into the National Merit forum on the Financial Aid forum to look for what schools offer significant merit money. Your parents might like you getting into a “top” school, but they’ll also like you receiving a boatload of scholarship money from other schools. From the suggestions people have already made, NMF will get you money (or a good shot at it) at American, BU, George Washington, Macalester, and Rochester. Possibly others as well–do your research. Pitt offers merit money–apply as early as possible (rolling admissions) to maximize your chances. </p>
<p>Essays explaining bad grades are a delicate thing. Done wrong (and they’re usually done wrong 
) it’ll sound like you’re whining. Get some good essay writing books. The Harry Bauld one is excellent and short and amusing.</p>
<p>Without knowing more, its hard to say. You need to provide a lot more info. The more popular schools for people with similar stats are below, with a few safeties thrown in:</p>
<p>UVA, Duke, USC, Boston College, Notre Dame, Colgate, Northeastern, Vandy, Georgetown, NYU, BU, UCLA, UCSD, Texas, Michigan</p>