Any more Schools to Consider before I apply?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I have a list of 11 colleges right now, and before I start narrowing down this list, I want to ask if anyone has any other recommendations that I haven't considered.</p>

<p>A bit about what I'm looking for...</p>

<p>I'm looking for a small liberal arts school where I can get a well-rounded education. I want a place where there's a real sense of community, and where everyone there is just as academic-oriented, studious, and perhaps as nerdy as I am! Snow is a big thing for me--I want really cold winters. I have a 3.9 GPA with high test scores, and I want people around me who are just as hard-working.</p>

<p>Here's my list so far:</p>

<p>U. Chicago, Swarthmore, Reed, Tufts, Macalester, Haverford, Carleton, College of William and Mary, University of Washington-Honors, Kalamazoo, and Lewis & Clark.</p>

<p>The ones I have about 25% chance of admissions: Swarthmore, Tufts.
50% chance: Macalester, Haverford.
75% chance: U.Chicago, Reed.
90% chance: UW-Honors, Kalamazoo, Lewis & Clark.</p>

<p>I don't know where to put College of William and Mary yet.</p>

<p>The main reason why I think I have a 75% chance of getting into such selective U.Chicago and Reed is because I think I will definitely fit with what they're looking for, and I have good GPA, a very rigorous course load, and good test scores.</p>

<p>U.Chicago, Reed, and Carleton definitely fit me the most. Also since Reed and Carleton are looking for more diversity, I think I can contribute that way also (I'm Chinese).</p>

<p>I wonder if I'm overestimating my chances at these selective schools..</p>

<p>Any comments, suggestions of any schools, or does anyone think that I'm underestimating how selective these schools are?</p>

2

<p>Hmmm…without knowing your stats (scores, ecs, class rank, etc.) I can't really judge how likely you are to get into theses schools. You are right that your chances are a lot higher at Chicago and Reed if, on top of good stats, are a really good fit and convey that, though (the trick, of course, is conveying that). That said, I have a hard time believing you are more likely to get into Chicago than Mac (I'd also think Haverford is about as hard to get into as Tufts). But either way, you list looks like it has a good mix of reaches/matches/and safeties, assuming you have decent scores and ECs to go along with that GPA.</p>

<p>Some thoughts on the schools you have/schools to look at:</p>

<p>If snow/being really cold is important to you, I'm not sure if Haverford and Swarthmore will satisfy…Pennsylvania winters are nothing like Chicago or Minnesota winters. What about the Maine schools? There are cold winters there! Bowdoin seems like a good choice given your other criteria, and Colby or Bates might appeal as low matches. Also Middlebury in Vermont is going to get cold, and seems to fulfill your other criteria (except maybe the being nerdy thing :D) </p>

<p>Also, if you like Reed, you might consider Wesleyan (my school, if you have any questions about it) and Oberlin, since the student bodies are similar. Also think about Brown and Vassar. (Winters at these places won't be as cold as Maine, Chicago or Minnesota, but will be colder than Pennsylvania). You might also like Grinnell (I know some people who love Carleton who were also fans of Grinnell).</p>

<p>I'll also note that there is a big difference between UChicago/Swarthmore/Reed type schools, were the students body tends to be really intense about their academics, and a place like Carleton, where the student body is also really smart and hard working, but in a more laid back way. The former type of atmosphere is a little harder to find than the latter.</p>

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<p>SAT scores: 680 verbal, 800 math, 780 writing, 750 US history subject test
Class rank, I don't know.
EC's: Won several regional and state awards in Latin, math, and chess (This is just a sampling). Was one of 3 people who represented the state of Washington in the National Junior Classical League convention's "knowledge bowl" teams; I was the Roman life expert and our team got 6th in the nation. I also placed 6th-12th individually on several national exams in the NJCL convention. I got 2 perfects and 1 gold on National latin exams. Math: Won a ton of stuff in team category and individually. Chess: 2nd place in regionals for 2 years, 8th place state team two years ago, 2nd place state team last year. So for EC's I'm really involved in math, chess, and latin teams. </p>

<p>Yeah, I looked at a lot of those schools too--Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, Middlebury, Wesleyan, Brown, Vassar. I looked at them carefully and eliminated all of them.</p>

<p>I'll take another look at Grinnell.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>That's an interesting last note--I never really recognized that UChicago/Carleton contrast. Yeah, I started to consider Carleton just yesterday, and I really liked how they're really smart and there's a real sense of community there.</p>

<p>So, now that you know my stats, do you think my list of reaches/matches/safeties is good? I just don't want to apply to too many reaches that I thought were matches. That is a BIG concern to me.</p>

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<p>perhaps if you told us WHY you eliminated what otherwise seem like good fits for you (Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, etc.), we would be better able to help you out.</p>

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<p>Yeah, there definitely is a contrast between UChicago and Carleton. That said, given your criteria, Carleton really sounds like a fantastic fit (when I was reading your criteria, before I saw your list, I was like, "if this person isn't looking at Carleton, that's my first suggestion!"). </p>

<p>Anyway, given your sats, I'd say it breaks down:</p>

<p>HIGH REACH: Swarthmore (because it's just ridiculously hard to get itno)
REACH/LOW REACH/maybe even HIGH MATCH: Tufts, Carlton, Haverford, U Chicago
MATCH: Reed, Mac
SAFTEY: UWash, Kalamazoo, Lewis + Clark</p>

<p>I also don't know: W&M. </p>

<p>You might look for some more match types, and maybe cut a reach or two, but since I think you have a decent shot at getting into at least a couple of your reaches, this seems like a good spread. I agree with arcadia that with a little more info on why you rejected some of those other school, we might be able to better recommend a few more for you to consider.</p>

<p>ETA: Some other ideas of schools that would fall more as a match/low match for you (I don't know as much about these, so they might not work for you, but hey, why not think about them if you haven't?): Colorado College, Hamilton, Kenyon, Bard, Connecticut College, Dickinson, Sarah Lawrence</p>

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<p>I'm at Chicago, my best friends are at Oberlin, Carleton and Vassar. Of all the schools that have been discussed, I think Oberlin fits your criteria the best. Vassar tends to think it's weirder than it actually is (according to one of my friends who chose Chicago over Vassar, my Vassar friend is relatively normal and loves it). My Carleton friend is the epitome of laid-back. He's actually pretty lazy academically and won't lift a finger unless he absolutely has to. At the same time, he's really into art history, economics, and foreign movies and can jabber on about anything.</p>

<p>I would also suggest you consider Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass as a match. It's a school of about 3800 undergrad and it's right near Boston. The student body is very happy and pretty geeky. The other match I would suggest is University of Rochester. It's probably not as intellectual as the other schools on your list, but it would make another great match and I could imagine you feeling at home there.</p>

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<p>Um you do not have a 75% chance at UChicago. I'm sorry but that's not how it works. UChicago's admissions are based largely on the application (ie essays) and not on stats.</p>

<p>You're a good applicant, but you're not the most competitive. Tufts, Swarthmore , and UChicago are still reaches.</p>

<p>Reed, Haverford, Macalester, and Carleton are matches/high matches.</p>

<p>Connecticut College or the College of the Atlantic would be good safeties.</p>

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<p>ses, that's not true about Chicago. A search for "important transcript" brought up this bit by admissions officer Libby Pearson on the "Watch out, it's an admissions officer!" thread.</p>

<p>Originally Posted by Libby Pearson
Most important: transcript. What classes have you chosen to take (the most rigorous ones?) and how well have you done in them?</p>

<p>Second most important: essays. We work very hard on our essay questions and are looking for creative thinkers and strong writers.</p>

<p>**</p>

<p>Like any other school, Chicago is looking for strong students who have demonstrated their desire and capability to do the work, not just high schoolers who think that they can write a crazy essay. However, I think that relative to other elite schools, Chicago de-emphasizes GPA, SAT, and EC's and super-emphasizes essays and recommendations. I obviously have no way of proving this, but I feel like I've seen enough acceptances and denials from Chicago that suggest that Chicago looks for a different kind of high-caliber student.</p>

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<p>You should apply to Northwestern too.</p>

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<p>Western PA has some brutal winters, especially up near Lake Erie in the "snow belt." Allegheny College might be just what you are seeking, and it snows A LOT there.</p>

<p>Other wintry schools: Bowdoin (a Maine school which I think was already mentioned), Hillsdale (very small but my fav LAC right now); How about Grinnell in Iowa? Great school and completely insane winters.</p>

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<p>unalove-</p>

<p>GPA is obviously one of the most important factors for any college. However, UChicago emphasizes essays over SATs, which would seem to correlate to what I said earlier.</p>

<p>The OP seems to believe that he has a 75% shot at UChicago based solely on his SAT scores, which is not an accurate conclusion to draw.</p>

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<p>funployee: Actually, Northwestern is at the very back of my head right now. It doesn't seem like it really prides itself as an intellectual place where students learn just because they love to learn. They seem to be more concerned over preprofessional matters. That is the impression I got. Also I despise Greek life. The only Greek life I'll take is Aristotle and Plato! A low-key party scene would also be really, really nice.</p>

<p>A lot of the schools didn't seem to fit me: Wesleyan seemed too artsy for an uncreative nerd-geek like me! I didn't like Brown's open curriculum. It's interesting because I actually did come across almost all of these schools, but for some reason I eliminated them because I thought they just wouldn't fit a nerd who'd rather spend a quiet weekend having a speed-chess marathon than drinking a beer.</p>

<p>I will read over all the college suggestions and read the Students' Guide to Colleges. Actually, I just went to the library today and checked it out--a lot of your recommended schools are in there. </p>

<p>It's actually made me feel less worried about the college search, because I know that I've looked over almost all of your recommendations! I'll check out U.Rochester and Oberlin more.</p>

<p>About the U.Chicago essays... If I really showcase who I am (a quirky, math-loving, Latin-speaking, chess-playing nerd who wears glasses and who likes to talk to squirrels and likes to speak Latin to all my friends who get confuzzled by what I'm saying), and if I explain why I belong in U.Chicago, I think I have a great chance of admission!</p>

<p>Yesterday, in fact, I went to an essay-writing workshop, and after working with the woman there I found out that I actually really like to communicate in really quirky ways and yet still have fun. I like to talk to squirrels (I've been doing that since I was like 7, I even talked to squirrels as I walked to the library today, and I'm 17!), I really love math because it's like brain puzzles and is in a way an unconventional form of communication, and I love to learn Latin (Amo Latinam, and I love to surprise people with outbursts of Latin), and I love to learn other languages like Mandarin Chinese, which I've had two years of middle school learning. In fact, in my spare time I like to listen to Mandarin-teaching tapes, and in a few weeks I'm going to a Chinese cultural immersion "camp" where I'll be learning Mandarin from 9 am to 5 pm for two weeks! If I can communicate (maybe in a quirky way) how I love to communicate and have fun, I'll nail my essay. And on this note...</p>

<p>Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! Really, really appreciate the thoughtful responses. If I have any questions I'll ask! </p>

<p>Ses: No, I don't believe that I have a 75% chance at Chicago based on GPA and test scores alone. But I think that I will nail the essays and I will show them how I really belong there.</p>

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<p>dchow08, since we share a liking to squirrels, during in my college search, I stumbled on Oberlin's Wiki and apparently, they have albino squirrels. <a href="http://oberwiki.net/Albino_squirrels%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://oberwiki.net/Albino_squirrels&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Just giving you a head start on the Oberlin info search there...</p>

<p>Also, here's a link to a site with fun Latin phrases: <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/omnibus.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/omnibus.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>One of my favorites being, "Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt. Qui annus est?" (I was kidnapped by aliens. What year is it?) I had that on my Latin III notebook.</p>

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<p>Just so you are disappointed in the snow department:</p>

<p>Average yearly snowfall:
Williamsburg Va 11.2 "
St Paul Mn 53.0"
Boston 40.9"
Portland Or 6.5"
Chicago Il 38.2"
Philadelphia Pa 20.8"</p>

<p>(Are you sure you don't want to apply to U of Rochester 90.9", Univ Syracuse 114.5", or McGill Univ 84.9"? ;) Of course McGill is the first choice for skiers.)</p>

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<p>Chicago doesn't have much snow, but the snow that we have sticks on the ground. When it does snow, the Uni is absolutely magical.</p>

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<p>Erie PA near Allegheny Col: 88 inches per year. Boy howdy!</p>

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<p>I see I wrote the wrong thing - "Just so you AREN'T disappointed..." Sorry. I'm a very bad typist.</p>

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<p>Oberlinoberlinoberlinoberlinoberlin!</p>

<p>No, we're not as hippie or artsy as they say we are.</p>

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<p>I just finished a list of what I truly want in college:</p>

<p>SIZE/LOCATION: Small to medium in size in an urban/suburban location with cold and snowy winters.</p>

<p>STUDENT BODY: A tiny bit insane. Fairly diverse--ethnically, economically, geographically. Quirky, intellectual, high achievers in high school. Noncompetitive--emphasis is on learning. Warm, friendly, and involved in something. Students do not wear designer clothes. They look more like they came out of a Goodwill sale rather than from a J. Crew catalog. Bookish nerds. Residential, not commuter.</p>

<p>THE EDUCATION: Rigorous. Strong in math/science but good, top-notch faculty people across the board. Professors teach, not TA's. Small discussion/seminar style classes with close student-faculty and student-student interaction. Professors are accessible and willing to help, but tutoring is also available. Also, opportunities for undergraduate research. Liberal arts and science education (!) with a core curriculum. Ideas spread--people like to debate and discuss and talk about academics all the time.</p>

<p>THE ACTIVITIES: More than enough. Possible to be an active participant in them, not just a member. There are opportunities for some off-campus or overseas programs. Opportuniy to get internships during the academic year or in summer.</p>

<p>THE SOCIAL SCENE: Very low-key parties. Virtually no Greek scene. People watch movies or go to concerts rather than go to bars and have wild parties and dances. A lot of students probably get so caught up in their studies that they almost don't want to party.</p>

<p>Okay, THAT is what I'm looking for in a college.</p>

<p>I've gotten quite a few suggestions--I haven't gotten to look at U. of Rochester or Oberlin yet, but Grinnell is definitely looking good! If only it weren't in the middle of nowhere... I might need a few safeties.</p>

<p>Actually, I try to avoid using the term "safety school" because the idea is really to have 8 first choices, just each with varying selectivity. So, 25% schools, 50%, 75%, and 90%. I'm trying hard to find 75% and 90% schools (where I have a 75% and 90% chance of getting in). I want to find at least 2 75% schools and 2 90% schools. I might end up dropping Kalamazoo, for lack of real interest.</p>

<p>I thought Grinnell was a 75%, but when I saw how much more selective it got recently, I think it's more like a 50%.</p>

<p>Okay, are there any more suggestions before I really get down to research, now that everyone knows what I really want?</p>

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<p>Oberlin fits everything. 35 miles from Cleveland.</p>