<p>I'm a high school junior with mostly A's and a few B's (that includes one B-... sophomore year was hell for me) on my record. I haven't taken the SAT yet, but I got a 69, 70, and 70 on my PSAT. I live on the North Shore of MA, and I don't want to go too far (NY is probably as far as I'd like to go). I would also like to go to a smaller school... big schools just do not appeal to me at all. I'm really looking at the following schools, and I'd appreciate any thoughts anyone may have about them and/or my chances at any of them:</p>
<p>Providence College
Gordon College (Wenham, MA)
Merrimack College (North Andover, MA)
Vassar
...And a few others</p>
<p>Also, I'd love to hear about any colleges around here that might be a fit for me.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any help you all can give!</p>
<p>Based on your PSAT, you should do well on the SAT. You might want to take the ACT, too, since schools will take either one. Some kids do better on the ACT than the SAT.</p>
<p>Is money a consideration? If so, that will have to be a consideration for school choices.</p>
<p>Ah yes, I knew I was forgetting something… right now I am pretty sure that I want to go into history/secondary education. English is another possibility, though.</p>
<p>Right now we’re really not sure to what extent money will be a consideration, but it definitely will be in one way or another. We’re not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but we’re not struggling to get by, either.</p>
<p>You’ve heard the term “EFC” (Expected Family Contribution)?
Try to get a good estimate from an online calculator, to get some idea of what you can afford.</p>
<p>Being rich is good. Being poor with great grades can be good too (for college apps that is). Being in the middle can be very tough if (a) you are barely too affluent to qualify for aid, and (b) you have not socked away a lot of college savings.</p>
<p>If you are in the latter category, small private liberal arts colleges in New England may be priced out of reach (~$50K). Some Midwestern LACs are a few thousand cheaper and are more likely to offer merit aid (though Smith is one New England LAC that does, too.) </p>
<p>SUNY Geneseo is a more affordable public LAC.</p>
<p>do some research & find the best LACs u can for a couple of reach schools. take a look at U Rochester–it isn’t exactly an LAC, but it is on the smaller side.
maybe…wesleyan, bard, oberlin [ohio], haverford, malboro, etc. etc.</p>