Am I aiming too high?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi everyone, I'm a little concerned with the schools I've chosen to apply to since looking on CC, I feel like my stats are way below everyone else's, but I'm applying to schools of a similar caliber. I go to a fairly competitive public school in NJ, if that helps. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>State: NJ
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White</p>

<p>GPA: 3.97/4 UW, 4.20/4.5 W
Rank: School does not rank
SAT I (superscore): 2250 (720 CR, 750 M, 780 W)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 740 Spanish
AP: Spanish Language (4), Calc BC, Chem, Psych all TBD</p>

<p>ECs:
Softball-JV captain as a junior (not sure if I'll be playing this year, so 9-11)
Tutor for elementary school students (9-12)
School paper-serving as sports page editor as senior (10-12)
Summer overnight camp counselor (12)
Jewish leadership group member (9-12)
Peer mentor for 7-9th graders (11-12)
NHS (11-12)</p>

<p>*I know it's not too many, but I feel like I've demonstrated commitment in a lot of them</p>

<p>Essays: I liked my common app essay, but my guidance counselor wasn't a fan, so I've started over :/
Recommendations: One is sure to be really strong (it's from my English teacher/newspaper adviser), math teacher one will be good, counselor is probably decent</p>

<p>Schools:</p>

<p>Reach: Duke (ED), Vanderbilt (EDII if not accepted to Duke), Tufts
Match: Emory, William & Mary, Tulane, UMiami (EA), UMichigan Ann Arbor (EA)
Safety: Penn State, UMD College Park (priority), Rutgers (EA)</p>

<p>Am I aiming too high with my matches? Reaches are reaches obviously, but should I look into finding new matches/replacing some?</p>

2

<p>Even schools that claim “not” to rank provide sufficient decile information to colleges so that rank can be inferred. The reason for the question is that your rank (or at least decile) matters a great deal in college admissions. Your guidance counselor may be willing to provide you the decile or perhaps finer rank information. Naviance, assuming that you have access, can be a great help in answering your question.</p>

<p>Assuming that your rank is at least first decile, your list looks reasonable.</p>

3

<p>I think that your list looks pretty good but I’m wondering what your financial situation is. Most out of state schools can be rather expensive (particularly Michigan) so you need to check with your parents to see how much they can contribute per year over 4 years. Your stats could get you some pretty good merit at many schools so you may want to investigate that aspect, too.</p>

4

<p>@fogcity: I can ask my counselor when I go back to school next week. Looking on Naviance, for my match schools, the GPA and SAT values are both green…so that’s a good sign, right?</p>

<p>@joblue: I have discussed this with my parents before. I am a little scared about finances, but they insist we have nothing to worry about. So I’m just taking their word for it. I think I have a chance to get merit aid at Tulane, because they have been very generous to kids from my school recently. Are there any specific schools you’d suggest?</p>

5

<p>You have shown your parents the prices of all of the schools and they have assured you that they can cover the costs?</p>

6

<p>Yes - they say they have been saving and my grandparents also contribute money every year to my college savings. Not that that really soothes my concerns too much, but they don’t seem to be worried, so I’m trying not to worry either.</p>

<p>We have run NPC’s for all of these schools and at every school it looks like we are getting nothing in term of need-based aid. They are aware of this but they insist they can cover the cost; it’s just a matter if I want to save the money now in case I decide to go to grad school, because if I choose an expensive school for undergrad, they have told me that they will not help with grad school costs because my sister will be going through college as I’m graduating.</p>

7

<p>If “grad school” means professional school like MD, JD, etc., it is likely to be expensive. On the other hand, PhD programs worth attending are generally funded.</p>

8

<p>I’m not sure what kind of career I’d like to go into yet, so I’m not really worried about grad/professional school.</p>

<p>Should I find more realistic targets? I think that I can probably leave Tulane, Miami and W&M, but should I try to find replacements for Emory and Michigan?</p>

9

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<p>Are you ■■■■■■■■? Your stats are great for the list you have. Good luck!</p>

10

<p>You’re fine for your targets and everything. I think you have a shot at Duke ED (I’m thinking Duke ED as well. I love the school).</p>

11

<p>@DGDzDad: No, I’m not trolling. I just got nervous because seeing the stats of some people on CC (not so much academically, but EC-wise) was definitely off-putting to me and making me feel more nervous.</p>

<p>@picklechicken37: I will cry if I don’t get into Duke. It’s been my dream since I was 10 :P</p>

12

<p>Don’t compare yourself to some people on CC. Your E.C’s are fine, and you’ll have a good shot wherever you apply.</p>

13

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<p>Ugh, “dream” schools…please don’t do that to yourself. Dream schools cause more misery to high school students than anything else about college applications.</p>

14

<p>I mean, I would be happy to go to any school on my list. I just can’t help it, I love that school lol.</p>

15

<p>Your competitive for any school. Perhaps, you need a little self-confidence. You’re awesome, at least act like you believe it. </p>

<p>I think your list and strategy is just great. Why isn’t Tulane an EA school also? </p>

<p>Frankly, being at Duke next year wouldn’t surprise me in the least. </p>

<p>But have a dream life, not a dream school.</p>