<p>Well, it's been over a year since I found CC and asked you all to critique my starting college list. Things have changed quite a bit since then. Using IPEDS data, I've narrowed things down to 15 schools. Five of those are fairly sure picks, but I need your help selecting three more.</p>
<p>Stats
SAT: 800-770-750 CR-M-W, second time taken
Classes: 4.0 UW thus far, though may dip if I get a B in AP Bio. Should have ~10 APs by graduation
ECs: Regional and state awards for speech/debate (senior will be 3rd year), some other unremarkables
Hook: Alaska for geographic diversity?</p>
<p>I want to study engineering, hard science, CS, or math. Right now, I plan to enter as an engineering major and move over to one of the other areas if I decide that's what I'd rather do. However, I haven't decided that for sure yet.</p>
<p>I want the following:
- Large school (>5000)
- Solid offerings in the areas above
- Strong opportunities for research
- Not located in a hot climate; it must snow
- Not too snobbish or wealthy of a student body
- My family can "afford" any school, but I don't like wasting money and it will be difficult to sell me on a $50k yearly school. Merit aid = win.
- I don't drink or do drugs and don't plan on changing this in college
- Walkable location, preferably not too far from an airport so flying in isn't difficult
- Relatively even male/female ratio</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that I want to apply to: MIT, U Rochester, U Minnesota, U Pittsburgh, and U Utah</p>
<p>Out of the following, pick three:
Boston U
Cornell
Ohio State
Purdue
Stanford
U Michigan
U Toronto + U Waterloo (both or neither)
U Washington
Utah State (could replace U Utah)</p>
<p>Cornell, Stanford, UMich. They have the strongest engineering programs on your list. And might I recommend Johns Hopkins if you are considering anything in bioengineering.</p>
<p>you’ve got your share of relative safeties, and since you’re picking from the rest, i suppose you don’t have a compelling reason to absolutely want any of them.
i’d just go for the three most selective/prestigious/with the best programs: stanford, cornell, and umich
[WARNING, i doubt it snows in sunny california]</p>
<p>Thanks for the opinion. I definitely don’t think I’ll apply to both Cornell and Stanford, as I don’t really see either as worth the money. Let’s redefine the questions:</p>
<p>Cornell or Stanford?
Michigan, Purdue, or Toronto+Waterloo?
Pick a third of your choice.</p>
<p>cornell (because it snows)
UMich (one of the best schools on this list)
would pick stanford here, definitely is worth the money(for its name recognition, and almost guaranteed job) (but since I can’t, I guess purdue, none of the other schools are really exceptionally strong)</p>
<p>Of these I would say your top choices should be MIT, Cornell, Stanford, and UMich (maybe U of Rochester)</p>
<p>They are head and shoulders above the rest of these schools. A degree from any of these places will look incredible to employers. They have the best research op, and are all worth the cost of tuition.</p>
<p>@JohnAdams12: I’m not saying that merit aid is obligatory for all schools, just that I have trouble with the idea of paying rack rates at Stanford and Cornell. MIT is more of a possibility.</p>
<p>@bchristian19: I appreciate all help my fellow high-schoolers can offer, but I’m not quite sure how a junior in high school knows that Stanford “guarantees” a job or that “a degree from any of these places will look incredible to employers”.</p>
<p>Right now, I’m thinking Purdue, Michigan, and either Cornell or Stanford (since I’m mostly adding one of those to appease my parents, maybe I’ll ask them :P)</p>
<p>Guarantees was not the right word choice. However, it is pretty well known that a stanford degree (As well as a Cornell, Michigen, or MIT degree) looks really impressive to employers. You will almost certainly be able to get a very good job coming out of these schools. Obviously if you have a super low GPA at these schools it won’t look impressive, but schools are ranked highly for a reason, and you can’t get much higher in the rankings then MIT and Stanford</p>