Above Average With No Clue

<p>I consider myself an above average student, but to be completely honest I have no idea where I want to go. I feel like I should definitely try for some of the harder colleges, but I'm also scared or rejection/getting in and not being able to afford. If anyone could suggest some decent colleges, I would be extremely grateful.</p>

<p>I'm basically looking for any college because I have no idea what I want to do yet so I'm trying to see which colleges I can get into and which majors are the best at those colleges. </p>

<p>I also live in Texas so I am for sure applying to UT Austin, UT Dallas(safety both academically and financially), and A&M.</p>

<p>Basic Information
SAT: 2150 (2190 super score)
Rank: 37/450 with an upward trend. I would be a lot higher but I really messed up Freshmen year. I'm expecting to move up a few spots, because I did pretty well second semester of Junior year.
AP Tests(National AP Scholar):
5's: Environmental Science, Psychology, Human Geography
4's: Statistics, World Geography, English Comp, US History, Computer Science
I am taking Calculus BC, Gov/Econ, Chemistry, and Physics B this year.
SAT 2's: US History probably 750+ at least. Been doing pretty well on my practice tests.
Math 2 800</p>

<p>Extracurricular(I'm really lacking in these):
Community Service 150+ hours
Worked at a lab in UT Southwestern as a paid student intern for a summer.
Tutored some friends(but not officially for anything)</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Asian ~.~
Income: 70k</p>

<p>I'm looking for a college that I have a chance to get into and is financially viable. My parents are to spend 20k-25k MAX per year. If I HAD to pick a major it would either be pre med or maybe engineering/computer science.</p>

<p>Why don’t you spend some time with the Book of Majors that College Board sells? Your guidance counselor or library might have a copy. Read all the majors in it and flag the ones that interest you (maybe one color for a lot of interest, another for “maybe”). See if you find groupings of majors or a few that really stand out. That can help you focus your college search a little more.</p>

<p>You don’t have to pick one major – pick two or three that seem like your top candidates, and try a couple of classes in each your first year of college. Also spend time in the career office at your college to learn more about jobs and careers with those majors. Try out an internship in one if you can. </p>

<p>If you spend a couple of weeks on this, it might make picking colleges to apply to easier. You have good stats, so that is good.</p>

<p>Also, do you know about the net price calculators on each college website? Work with your parents to run the calculators for the colleges you think you want to apply to; they will give you an idea of what your family would be expected to pay.</p>

<p>premed isn’t a major. If you’re premed, you major in whatever you want, include the premed prereqs and then apply to med school.</p>

<p>You can major in engineering or comp sci if you want and be premed. My son was a Chem Eng’g major and is now in med school. </p>

<p>I’d be a little nervous about having parents who only earn $70k per year commit to spending $20-25k per year unless they have a lot of savings to use. After paying taxes and home expenses, it would be hard to come up with that much money.</p>

<p>For most majors, you don’t have to pick until something until your second year. But for Engineering you often have to be accepted to the school of Engineering when you apply or your window of opportunity is over. CS is like that in just some schools, but you may not be able to finish the program in 4 years if you don’t at least take the intro the first year. So that’s something to think about. </p>

<p>My daughter didn’t know what she wanted to major in, but she was interested in science research so she took a bunch of physics and chem and the math to support it, then took the CS intro sequence and loved it. She would have had a hard time doing the straight major but was able to do a math/CS combined major.</p>

<p>You don’t have to be scared of rejection if you apply to a reach school. That’s why it is called a reach because it is hard to get in and no poor reflection on you if you don’t make it. You just need to have your safety schools decided, which should be your instate publics since you have good options. Use the net price calculators so you will have a good idea of the cost and don’t waste time on schools you can’t afford. You should be eligible for aid at some schools. Check the list of schools that promise to meet full need.
[Universities</a> That Claim to Meet Full Financial Need - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2013/02/11/universities-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need]Universities”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2013/02/11/universities-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need)</p>

<p>Go to the Financial Aid forum and look at the stickies with merit aid scholarships at the top of the thread list.</p>

<p>I agree, there is not a “pre med” major - just pre-med requirements. I went to Hamilton College with someone who was an art major and took all the pre-med science courses (he couldn’t take much else, because of all the requirements!) - he received an interview at every medical school that he applied to because he stood out.</p>

<p>Try for some top schools. They are larger, offer many majors, and most meet financial need.</p>

<p>might look at Holy Cross top 25 LAC with great pre-med program with nice campus 1 hour from Boston. HC is also need-blind for admissions-meets demonstrated financial need.</p>