Anyone have any suggestions?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a rising senior, looking for places to apply next year. I'll list my stats below. I live in NJ, but as far as distance goes, I have no preference. I go to a very competitive high school that sends over a dozen kids to ivies every year, and many more to top schools. I feel like my EC's are the strongest part of my application, but we will see. Anyone have any recommendations for me?</p>

<p>Transcript:
-Hardest course load available to me.
-Various honors, ap's taken throughout high school.
-Class rank: School doesn't tell you until graduation (not sure why), assuming top 10%.
-GPA: 92-93% weighted.
Senior Year Course load:
-AP Stats
-AP Government
-AP Chemistry
-Honors English
-Calculus (Self studying AP AB, more for placement than anything else)
-Spanish V
Standardized Testing:
-SAT I: CR: 700, Math: 730, Writing: 790 - 2220
-SAT II: Math II c: 800, Bio: 720, USH: Taking in Oct.
-AP's: Scores not received yet.
EC's:
-Varsity Cross Country 3 years.
-Varsity Track (Winter and Spring) 3 years.
-FIRST Robotics:
--Electrical sub-team 1 year.
--Web design sub-team captain 2 years.
---Designed the team's web site from scratch.
--Various service, out reach trips with the team.
-NHS:
--Member in 11th.
--Officer (Community Service Chair) 12th.
--Very involved in the service and tutoring sides of it.
-Church Youth Ministry:
--Member in 9th and 10th.
---Monthly service trips to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, elderly homes.
---Bi-weekly discussions groups.
--Leader of over 500 in 11th, 12th grade.
---Planned and ran monthly events (50-100 in attendance).
---Multiple hours of service per week.
---Leader of discussions groups.
--Leader of Eucharistic ministers in 12th grade.
---I will be a lector and Eucharistic ministers in half of the masses that my church offers during the school year, and I will organize all of the other necessary people during those masses.
--Service trip this summer to West Virginia, to build houses for those less fortunate.
-2010 Jersey Boys State:
--Elected to various City and County positions.
--Appointed to County Counsel.
--Will be a counselor for 2011 JBS.
Rec's, essays:
-Two teachers are writing them for me (AP Econ teacher, and AP Gov teacher)
--Both know me quite well, so I am expecting good things.
-Essays: I believe I have enough to write some good ones (Youth Ministry, dealing with the impoverished).</p>

<p>I wish to study Economics and Applied Mathematics, but it seems like most schools have those two majors. </p>

<p>I appreciate the help.</p>

2

<p>What can your parents afford to pay for college?</p>

3

<p>While financial considerations are extremely important, we need to know much more about what you would want from a college. You are smart to realize most schools at the undergrad level can provide you with a fine education in those two areas so that you can go on to grad school or whatever your goals are. With your stats there are hundreds, if not thousands of schools you would likely get into. So it is critical to get some insight into your likes and dislikes, or preferences if you will, to bring some focus to the search. Some of these might seem superficial, but they really aren’t. After all, you will be living whereever you choose for 4 years, it will be your new home for all practical purposes. The lilttle things get much bigger when you think about that. Here are some factors that, depending on your answers, can narrow down the list.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Are you looking for the most academically prestigious school you can get into? That doesn’t mean it is all about prestige, although that might be important to you. It means do you need for your peers all to have been as academically talented or more so than you are.</p></li>
<li><p>What size school would you like best? Big state school? Medium sized research university? Small LAC?</p></li>
<li><p>Are you looking for urban, suburban or rural?</p></li>
<li><p>Is the campus important to you? In other words, are you looking for that classic “movie set” campus or are you OK with less classic buildings and less green space.</p></li>
<li><p>You say it can be as far or as close to home as it happens to be, but are you more comfortable in a warm climate, snowier, or something in between?</p></li>
<li><p>Are you interested in the big time sports scene?</p></li>
<li><p>Is Greek life something you are thinking about?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you care about religious affiliation?</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any special areas you would like to make sure they have, outside of your major? Club sports of a certain kind, theater productions that non-majors can join, musical groups of any sort, etc.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>These or any other areas that you think are important will help people give suggestions, along with your answer regarding money. Again, it doesn’t help if the answer to everything on that list is “It doesn’t really matter”. If that is the case, then save the money and go to your state school. But surely you have preferences in most of those areas. Let us know, then we can help.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the responses. I have thought about many of those questions, and here are my answers:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Prestige is definitely important, and it seems as though the name of the school is very important in gaining solid internships. Much of my family works in Manhattan (finance), and it seems like the school’s reputations is important for getting interview opportunities.</p></li>
<li><p>I’d rather not go to a large state school, although I will probably end up applying to Rutgers New Brunswick (in state). I would also be worried about LAC’s not having as many internships and job opportunities, but I could be wrong about that.</p></li>
<li><p>Nothing too urban (NYU, BU). However, having a city within reach could end up being beneficial.</p></li>
<li><p>The appearance of the campus would definitely be important to me, as that has always been something I have associated to going off to college. </p></li>
<li><p>A colder climate would be preferable. Northeast.</p></li>
<li><p>I am looking for a connection between students, and that could be sports if it comes to that, but it is not necessary. That being said, going to a football or basketball game does seem like a lot of fun as a student.</p></li>
<li><p>I would prefer not to rush, so a school dominated by a greek scene would not be my favorite.</p></li>
<li><p>Not necessary, but a campus ministry would be nice to have. I am not sure if that is only found at Christian schools though.</p></li>
<li><p>Nothing comes to mind. A lot of options for involvement, and the ability to try new things would be nice, though.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks for the help.</p>

5

<p>You miight like University of Norte Dame, Boston College, and American University.</p>

6

<p>OK, that makes it much easier, except you didn’t answer the money question. Those answers make it very easy to create a list, assuming money not an issue. I would say first of all that the top LAC’s will indeed have internship opportunities similar to the top research universities. So we will throw a few of those in the mix. Second, all schools will have the opportunity for religious ministry, the larger ones will have nearly all religions.</p>

<p>The two keys in your case are the desire for the top academic school you can get into and the colder climate, which I will take as Northeast and upper Midwest. I think you should apply to all the Ivies, although your chances are slim (everyone’s are). Your stats are a little short of the usual person they accept, but close. You never know, and so you might as well apply. The exception might be Columbia since you are trying to avoid the highly urban feel. Just be prepared for rejections, they are tough schools to get into.</p>

<p>Moving past these, I would suggest Chicago. Nice campus even though it is like an oasis in Chicago’s South Side, and a very good school. On the other side of Chicago is Northwestern. Suburban location with easy access to the city, and of course Chicago is a huge financial center. Many people like the campus, not to my taste but you should see for yourself.</p>

<p>Tufts is another very good school, easy access to Boston. Boston College is another excellent possibility in the same general area.</p>

<p>You might take a look at Wash U in St. Louis. Some top economics faculty, very good school, extremely nice campus.</p>

<p>I agree with Notre Dame, except if you are not Catholic I don’t know what starting a ministry would be like. Notre Dame is fine for non-Catholics in general, but you specifically want to be proactive in religious activities and being non-Catholic might be an issue. Or I might just be ignorant of what Notre Dame is like in this regard.</p>

<p>Even though it is a large school, you might consider Michigan. Except for size it meets all your criteria.</p>

<p>If you decide to take a look further south, there is Duke. I know a Duke grad from this year that got great offers in the financial sector in Chicago.</p>

<p>These are all top schools, and you should get into at least a couple of them. You have Rutgers as a safety, you could consider a couple more matches/safeties like University of Rochester, Lehigh and George Mason in the DC area (strong econ). American is an OK choice too, although not as strong in econ.</p>

<p>On the LAC side, look into Williams and Amherst (big reaches), Vassar, and Wesleyan. All very highly regarded by recruiters.</p>

<p>I think all these schools would provide you with the opportunities and atmosphere you desire.</p>

7

<p>Thanks. I will look into those. Money won’t really be an issue, so those choices seem appropriate.</p>