Any ideas?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am currently a junior and my family and I are beginning to plan a trip to visit some colleges. Although I have been looking on this site and various other sites for ideas, I honesty can't say that anything really seems to stick out. From the colleges I have visited (Rice, U of Texas Austin and Dallas, TCU, Trinity) that are within a days drive of my house, I would say that I would prefer a larger university or a small univ with a large course offering. As for location, I'm open to anything right now, I haven't visited anything in a rural area and I live in a region that is between the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and a lot of farm and ranch land, so both have a resemblence of home from my knowledge. Likewise, I am not too concerned with reputation either, I would rather enjoy an unknown college than go to a prestigious school I don't like.</p>

<p>As far as stats go, this is what I can remember:</p>

<p>SAT: M - 720 V - 650 (i think it should be higher, but I've taken it twice and got the same score, so I'll see how the new one goes)
SATII: MIIc - 710 Physics - 690 (plan on retaking may not get around to it though)
rank: 4 of 450 (maybe 3, i haven't checked recently)
GPA: 4.72 (weighted and our system is screwed up beyond all belief, some classes don't count, some count more, and I think they may have added an extra half a point so its probably not at all accurate)
Classes taken:
IPC, biology, Span I,II, & III, physics I and AP, Alg, Geometry, Alg II, Pre-Cal, Calc AP, Chem I & AP, Geography, US Hist AP, world hist, European Hist AP, Eng I,II, & AP (language)
Tenative schedule:
Stats AP, Physics AP-C (independently as school doesn't offer it), Com Sci, Gov AP, Econ AP, Eng Lit AP.
Extra: Varsity tennis 3yrs, rec & club soccer, math team, science team, Captain of quiz bowl team, NHS, maintain portions of school's website, a few correspondance courses, chem club, physics club, some service hours (i don't document most of it)</p>

<p>I currently intend on majoring in math or physics, but I have been enjoying my history classes recently so I may be looking into something involving that in the future.</p>

2

<p>get the books by Loren Pope such as "Colleges That Change Lives" and "Looking Beyond the Ivy League". Also get the Fiske guide.</p>

3

<p>jlagrone, I find your attitude towards college searches positively refreshing!
"I am not too concerned with reputation either, I would rather enjoy an unknown college than go to a prestigious school I don't like." YAY! Finally someone understands that reputation will not bring you happiness, nor do you need to stroke your ego! Congratulations! You see the bigger picture! However, if you plan one going to grad school, reputation can make a difference. If you become torn between two schools of equal cost and one has a significantly better reputation, perhaps it will tip the scales. Are you only looking for colleges/universities in Texas? I have family that was on faculty at TCU, and have heard it provides a nice quality of life for its students. I visited Rice in my college search and had some reservations about it. I personally recommend a smaller LAC with more personalized attention which can greatly enhance the college experience. However, larger schools have their advantages. Some recommendations in choosing which schools to visit: consider weather, cost, surrounding area (you will get cabin fever and want to get off campus!), as well as how often you want to see your family and the accessiblity of the campus.</p>

4

<p>That's really odd. My granddad was the dean of education at TCU, and several other of my relatives were professors at TCU. </p>

<p>But on to what I'm looking for - I really don't know. And despite the fact I asked, I don't think anyone one this, or any other forum, can help me answer it. But, I am open to suggestion, it certainly can't hurt. I have only been to colleges in Texas at this point and I am interested in colleges elsewhere.</p>

5

<p>Southwestern University.</p>

6

<p>Between Dallas and Fort Worth? Colleyville!</p>