Almost done with my list! (NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP)

College Search & Selection
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<p>So I've almost completed my college list. I'm looking to do a double major in Theatre and Sociology, or something related. Looking to combine Theatre, Education, and International Service in my career. I'm only looking at the east coast, in an urban/suburban area somewhere between Boston and Washington, DC. I'm almost finished, I just need help deciding between a few things. These are my stats: (sorry if it's a bit much, skip over if you get bored hearing me talk about myself for too long)</p>

<p>3.6 UW GPA, 3.85 W, I've taken 1 of the 4 APs my school offers (US), and I'm planning on taking 2 more next year. (Psych or Euro + Chem or Bio) next year, my school is planning on offering 6 or 7. I am also planning to take AP French online. I will have at least 4 years of each core subject. (Eng, Math, Sci, History/Social Sci, For Lang) I have taken 3 classes at a local community college. (Sociology and 2 semesters, equivalent to 2 HS years, of French)</p>

<p>SAT: 2040 - 670cr, 700m, 670w. Trying to get this up to at least a 2150 in October,. but no promises.
Subject Tests: US - 700, Literature - 560, French - 410 (I had no idea the test would be for people with at least 3 years of study) Planning on retaking Lit and taking the subject test for whichever science AP i take next year, and possibly Math II.</p>

<p>I've been in my school's Drama Academy for 4 years, an intensive conservatory-style actor training program that takes up 3 hours of my school day. I've had a 9-hour day all 4 years of high school. My theatrical resume is bounitful, including an equal distribution of acting, behind-the-scenes tech work, and writing/directing. I would say I'm an above average - excellent writer. I've been on Student Council for four years as well, and will potentially have a leadership position next year. I also have over 150 hours of volunteer work at school and in the community, including a no-kill animal shelter the summer after my Freshman year for 80 hours. Lastly, I'm participating in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival this August and am trying to get an internship at a theatre company next year.</p>

<p>Hooks: mixed-race, gay male, deceased father due to alcoholism, moved across the country at age 11 after parents got divorced</p>

<p>ONTO THE COLLEGES.</p>

<p>So here are my definites that I will forsure be applying to:
Reach: New York University - Tisch School of the Arts (only BFA program that you can double major in that I've seen)</p>

<p>Matches: Sarah Lawrence College, American University</p>

<p>Safeties: Pace University, Eugene Lang College the New School for Liberal Arts</p>

<p>I decided that I'm going to take the risk and apply to an Ivy League. I know it's a huuuuuuuuge stretch for me, but it's between: Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University. Which could I most easily get into? That'll be my choice.</p>

<p>OTHERS
I want to limit myself to 9 schools, so I want to apply to one more match school, between Goucher College and Hampshire College. I know Hampshire is in a rural area, but it's pretty close to a whole bunch of other schools. Although it's rural, does the cross-school interaction help make it seem less so?</p>

<p>And lastly, I'm choosing two between these three:
CUNY Hunter College (a safety, but the CUNYs have a program that if you qualify for their honors college you get free tuition and a free laptop - it's a deal i couldn't pass up. Only way i would consider going is if I got in though)
Marymount Manhattan College (a reach only due to the audition - want to have another audition school, since i only have NYU and Pace, but not sure how much i'd like it)
Vassar College (i know it's a bit far out but i'm familiar with the area and i don't think it would be too tough for me)</p>

<p>SO IN SUM:
one between Brown, Columbia, UPenn
one between Hampshire, Goucher
two between CUNY Hunter, Marymount Manhattan, Vassar</p>

<p>sorry this was ridiculously long. just want to explain everything so you as an evaluator would have the best idea of my college profile. any responses are MORE THAN APPRECIATED!</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

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<p>To answer your question I think you have a higher chance of getting into UPenn and Brown, although I dont know what there theatre program at UPenn is like…Another school to consider is George Washington University. Also consider Ithaca College, even though its in a rural area, its in the same town as Cornell, and its supposed to be very gay-friendly. I cant really think of any colleges other than those two…</p>

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<p>How much can your family afford?</p>

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<p>Good list so far! What can you afford? What’s your EFC? </p>

<p>If you can afford it, then I would say Brown, and I would add Vassar. And I prefer Goucher over Hampshire. Start really thinking about submitting an art supplement since you are aiming for theatre. You could earn special talent scholarships at the safeties (and some targets), so worth the time to do them and especially to submit to reach schools (more for acceptance since not likely to offer you non-need based aid). Often the art supps. are due a month ahead of actual applications so keep that in mind. Not to confuse you more, but did you look at SUNY Purchase? Its’ 28K OOS!</p>

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<p>I vote for Vassar, because they have a strong theater program.</p>

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<p>Ithaca’s a tad too rural for me (my cousin just graduated, i went there once), but thank you! I used to live by SUNY Purchase. I can go on about how much I despise that school. What’s an EFC? I’m definitely submitting a supplement for most of my schools. My school requires us do a video of us doing two monologues for this scholarship competition, so i can just submit those. My financial safety is Pace, because I automatically qualify for their Honors College, which means I get half-off tuition. although, I’m kind of a golden child for financial aid. I know that quite a few of those schools are generous. I also thankfully have a college fund of about $40,000, and when I turn 18 I’ll have another good chunk from when I was a baby model.</p>

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<p>EFC = expected family contribution, which tends to be used in determining financial aid offers</p>

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<p>

I don’t know what you mean by that. If your family can afford to put away $40K for college I doubt you’ll be eligible for much FA. Also, your college fund and baby model $ will count as assets against your aid.</p>

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<p>^^Exactly. All your investments will be calculated into your FAFSA application. Schools may not be offering you as much in the way of “need based” aid as you think. That’s why it’s a good idea to do an estimated EFC before applications. </p>

<p>I can appreciate you not liking SUNY Purchase, I also grew up in a college town and hated the LAC there too, lol. I actually wasn’t suggesting it as a financial safety though, but more of just a safety. My S had 2300 SAT’s (800,790,710), 5’s on every AP exam ever taken, high 700’s on all SAT II’s, and his GPA was a bit higher than yours (though not by much), he was a National Merit Finalist, had numerous EC’s and national art awards, and still he wasn’t accepted to Brown and Vassar. My point is, all the top U’s and top LAC’s are reaches for everyone no matter the talent, no matter the stats. If you are in CA, are you considering a UC as a safety? But it sounds like you want to get to NYC after graduating and if that’s the plan then I see why the focus all the eastern schools. Good luck! And by the way, S did get accepted into one of his reach schools, so it’s ok to dream big, just be careful not to be too optimistic, or sound too “optimistic” in your essays.</p>

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<p>^ optimism is fine, great in fact, and as long as an applicant also has several matches and a couple of safeties. it’s not a bad idea to apply to 5-6 realistic reaches with an optomistic attitude – 50/50 to get into one.</p>