Hi I am a senior and I was wondering if I am being realistic with the colleges I am applying to.
I already have an admission to two of my state’s best schools so I don’t need another safety school.
My stats are:
Rank: 29/508
GPA: 4.806/5.0
ACT Composite: 30 E:29 M:34 R:25 S:33
All region orchestra
National Honor Society
Math Honor Society
Honor Roll
Founder of Peer Tutoring Club
Treasurer&VP of Volunteering Club
Founder of Multicultural Club
Treasurer of French Club
Founder of Science Club
Paid academic tutor for elementary & middle school students
Paid Cellist Tutor for lessons
Leadership Intern at a camp
Assistant Teacher at Sunday School
French-English freelance translator
Cashier
Bible study leader at church
Volunteering hours: 700+
My current college list:
Boston College
Boston University
Notre Dame
Emory University
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt
Rice University
Washington University in St. Louis
Tulane
Northwestern
Swarthmore
I know most of them are reaches for me, but how much of a reach are they? Please let me know if any of them are way too far of a reach so that I won’t have to waste my money on something I don’t have a chance at.
It’ll be nice if you guys can chance me for any of them too
@boolaHI It is a 30 composite and a 32 superscored. I don’t have any hooks other than being born in a poverty and being a first generation to attend college.
How far of a reach are they? Should I not even waste my money to apply to them then?
In terms of your admissions possibilities, I’d say BC, BU, Tulane, Emory and USC are good matches for you. Unless you are particularly drawn to one or more of Swarthmore, WUStL, Rice, Vanderbilt, ND and NU, I’d say this group might be a waste of money and effort. Your final list, however, should be based on both your admissions chances and the desirability of the schools in terms of your personal criteria.
I agree that your top schools (ex. Swarth., Rice, ND, and others) are either unrealistic or high reaches with your ACT. Many schools do not super-score the ACT. As long as your state schools are affordable safetys that you wold be happy to attend then you are OK.
It’s okay having a reach heavy list as long as you have three solid academic AND financial matches that you have visited, that you think would be a good fit, and where you would be very happy to attend.
Without these, it is going to be a very long and stressful month of March for you.
@boolaHI@merc81@suzy100@happy1@MidwesternDad@HRSMom thank you all for being real with me! Yep the reality was what I wanted to face.
And yes the in-state public schools are affordable! I would be happy to attend there as well, but I would rather go to an out of state school if I could. I really wanted to view the world outside of my own little box.
I am in a middle income family now, and I have been looking at schools that are 100% need based
I now really do agree that I should shrink the amount of far-reach schools and add more of a match school instead. The reason I’ve been looking at the highly prestigious schools were because most of them have a GREAT financial aid (like Rice).
Can you guys help me to figure out what colleges would be matches for me?
I really want the college to be in a big city or near one. I also want it to be a mid-sized school. Maybe around 10,000-30,000 students? They also HAVE to meet 100% need. So only private schools?
I am probably not going to declare a major until the end of my sophomore year, so I am keeping all options open for me. Math and science are my strongest subjects (but Math>Science) so my intended majors so far are: Engineering, Mathematics, or Business.
Please help me to figure out what colleges would be matches for me!
If you are in need of one more match school, you may be able to find a few choices within these Newsweek articles (available online): “The 25 Most Desirable Suburban Schools”; “The 25 Most Desirable Urban Schools.”
