<p>Drew seems very nice. Exactly what I'm looking for. I think i wont even bother applying to Rutgers and apply to Drew instead.</p>
<p>The campus sounds very nice according to my parents, somewhat near a city(big plus), 40/60:M/F ratio. Not very strict with alchohol. Fiske says it is dedicated to well-rounded intellect.</p>
<p>I am also considering Connecticut College. I think i will apply to Colby in lieu of CMU.</p>
<p>any other suggestions?</p>
<p>Why don't you apply to both so you have some options come acceptance time?</p>
<p>I am not sure I would put Carleton College at a "big reach" as SRmom did. I was accepted with a B average,good SAT math and verbal scores and a horrible SAT writing score. My ECs were good nothing exceptional. Anyway, I would suggest giving Carleton a shot. It really can't hurt seeing as there is no application fee if you apply online and there are no suppliments.</p>
<p>Carleton states that class rank is the best predictor of success. Their stats for the 2008 class are below. I expect that 2009 are higher. For a white suburbanmale you need to be int the top or have something special. Since your EC's are pretty average I would say it's a big reach. your test scores are fine but not exceptional for Carleton and your class rank really hurts you putting you below 92% of their admitted students. Go ahead and apply but I would keep it mentally in the long shot category.</p>
<ul>
<li> 73% in top 10th of graduating class
<ul>
<li>92% in top quarter of graduating class</li>
<li>98% in top half of graduating class</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>Testing Scores Verbal Class % Math Class %
750-800 28 19
700-749 25 31
650-700 23 27
600-649 14 4
550-599 5 5
500-549 4 3
Below 500 1 1</p>
<p>"I also hate to hear brandeis might be a good match since i have decided to take it off my list(i dont like the campus and couldnt see myself attending a jewish school)"</p>
<p>The campus grows on you and Brandeis is non-sectarian. It was started by Jewish philanthropists to accept people, like Jews and women, who were being hurt by the quota system back in the late 40's. It's gone from being about 90% to anywhere between 50-60%. There's a definite Jewish flair to the campus, but it's not overwhelming. There are no required Jewish classes and Brandeis has been recently trying to increase their diversity, as seen by their commitment to the International Students program.</p>
<p>Franklin & Marshall IS a safety for you (trust me, I live 20 minutes from there- I know 20+ kids there, it isn't THAT difficult to get into. it's a good school- but not in the Williams, Davidson, Amherst league). UIUC is safety since you're OOS. UofC is a reach for, like, everyone. It's totally random, total crapshoot. UofM is a reach/match. CMU is a reach, I know a couple low-stat kids who go there, but they wrote killer essays and had hooks. CWRU is a good match. Haverford, too. Oberlin would be a reach/match, as would Emory, Brandeis, and Reed. I don't know too much about Carleton.</p>
<p>Haverford says HS grades are extremely important for admissions. 79% of their admits are top 10%, 93% top 25%. Since you have no hooks for a match you need to be at that 75 percentile mark on everything or even slightly above. Safety you should be well above. If you are anything less consider it a reach. Don'r count on your test scores to compensate for your HS record.</p>
<p>Ugh, so what should i get rid of. All of these are common app except RU, UIUC and UChicago, so i think ill end up applying to a lot of them. I almost took off Case Western and CMU because of the M/F ratio and lack of social life(read:nerdy) but i feel like i have a chance at being accepted to both of them. I dont think i would mind uchicago though because the academics more than make up for the social life and its in chicago.</p>
<p>The campus must be pretty
It must be intellectual/good in physics and philosophy
I dont want a college full of preppy kids.(i hate conformists)
I dont want to waste money applying to colleges i have very little chance at getting in
Social life and things to do nearby(Large city, Skiing, big campus, whatever) are a plus. I dont need it though, i can make my own party.</p>
<p>Also any suggestions for more colleges are welcome. </p>
<pre><code>* Carleton C
* Carnegie Mellon U
* Case Westrn Resrve U
* Colby C
* Connecticut C
* Drew U
* Emory U
* Hamilton C
* Haverford C
* Oberlin C
* Reed C
* Rutgers New Brunswk
* TCNJ
* U Chicago
* U Illinois Urbana
</code></pre>
<p>i wont get to visit a lot of these places(single parent + most of these are far from NJ) so i really need help.
does my list still have too many reaches?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>Haverford, Carleton and U of Chicago may be common app but they have supplemental essays. Unless you really want them and think you can do a big time job convincing them that your high school record is an aberation and your SAT is the real you I would focus on others.</p>
<p>Look at some of the schools outside the Northeast that want SATs for their stats. Use your geography to your advantage. </p>
<p>Match/ Safety: TCNJ? Lehigh? Denison? Union?</p>
<p>good news... i found out that my school weighs first semester of senior year into class rank. They weigh Honors and AP classes a lot too i noticed for rank. I think i can make top 25% after first semester since im only in one or two CP classes and 4 or 5 AP/Honors classes.</p>
<p>im still torn on my list, however.</p>