Application Dilemma - Help needed!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So, I'm ALMOST done with my applications. I've worked so hard this fall, and I thought I was going to finish all but two today. However, on a particular LAC a safety/match, I simply could NOT make myself write the essay. I spent a good two hours on it today, probably ten hours total over two weeks. I showed my "final" draft to my mom, and she said it was terrible. I realized that, I really really don't want to go to this school. However, I would like to have at least one acceptance in the spring. So, do you think I'm safe to have one more acceptance in the spring?</p>

<p>Brief stats:
SAT: 1460/2230
AP: 5,5,5,5
SAT II: 800, 720
GPA: 4.09 UW, 4.35 W
Rank: 3/224
Taken courses at William and Mary (college class), Northwestern CTD, Case CTD.
EC: girls state, key club VP, SADD Pres., sci club, historical society 250+ hours. One national award, one state, many local.
Essay: common app essay is about my research in gov't and history, my time working at historical society, and why I love to write/analyze history and gov't</p>

<p>the list so far...
ACCEPTED: Ohio State University
APPLIED: Amherst, Bowdoin, Brown, Colby, Carleton, Dartmouth, Hamilton, Middlebury, Oberlin, Yale, Williams
APPLYING: Swarthmore, Haverford</p>

<p>I know that I'm going to college, since I have already been accepted somewhere. However, I would like to even out my list if possible. I know it's reach heavy. Do you think I'll be accepted at one more I'm applying to/have applied to? Do I need to add more? Any suggestions?</p>

<p>If it matters, I've interviewed with all schools that offer interviews.</p>

2

<p>try maybe Hampshire or Oxidental or Pudget Sound
(PS an unweighted 4.09 is impossible)</p>

3

<p>So, you’ve applied to 14 schools and so far, so good. Here’s my (unprofessional) thoughts on your chances. Of course, if you’re hooked/unhooked makes all the difference. URM? URState? legacy? fullpay or FA? I’ve listed it two ways: hooked/unhooked:</p>

<p>Amherst, accept/WL
Bowdoin, accept/WL
Brown, WL/nope
Colby, accepted w/ merit/accepted
Carleton, accept/WL
Dartmouth, WL/nope
Hamilton, accepted w/ merit/accepted
Middlebury, WL/Feb admit
Oberlin, accepted w/ merit/accepted
Yale, nope
Williams nope
Swarthmore: WL/nope
Haverford: accept/WL</p>

4

<p>Thanks sclindsay, limabeans. I need some FA… I’m not sure what hooked means. I’m not an URM, but I am from Ohio. At Williams, I have a professor recommendation. Is that a hook? </p>

<p>4.09 UW at my school is possible. A+ is 4.3, A is 4.0. So UW, I have a 4.09. I’m sure some schools will reweight it. I will have a 4.0 then.</p>

5

<p>bump. I’m hoping to hear more on whether or not I need to apply to more schools, and suggestions.</p>

6

<p>Colby & Hamilton do not give merit aid.</p>

7

<p>You do not need to add another college/university just to add one. If you “love your safety” enough to be happy there if you aren’t admitted anywhere else that you can afford, then you can declare this process done.</p>

<p>If the truth is that you truly don’t want to go to Ohio State, then you’d best look around for some other place that can serve as your safety.</p>

<p>You have good grades and good test scores. This could get you money at some places that aren’t in Ohio. Read through <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt; and see if anything looks good to you.</p>

<p>If you want a “small LAC” why is the only midwestern LAC on your list Carleton? There are dozens of them. Maybe not Carlton “level”, but they are out there, and your grades and test scores might yield some merit money.</p>

8

<p>I like Ohio State, but since I did remove my safety/match LAC, I was a bit concerned about whether or not I had another safety/match LAC. Even if I end up choosing OSU, I would like to be able to have a choice next spring, and not get rejected by 13 colleges. Thanks for the link to automatic merit aid.</p>

<p>I applied to two midwestern LAC - Carleton and Oberlin. I’d prefer to go to school in New England, so that’s why most of them are in NE.</p>

<p>I think Colby gives merit aid, for presidential scholars?</p>

9

<p>Colby: All of the College’s several hundred grant funds are awarded on the basis of need,
[Colby</a> College | Admissions & Financial Aid | Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.colby.edu/admissions_cs/financial_aid/scholarships2.cfm]Colby”>http://www.colby.edu/admissions_cs/financial_aid/scholarships2.cfm)</p>

<p>They do participate in the NMS program so you might get $2K for being NMF (just like at Carleton).</p>

10

<p>[Majors</a> & Minors – Academics | Wheaton College](<a href=“http://wheatoncollege.edu/academics/majors-minors/]Majors”>http://wheatoncollege.edu/academics/majors-minors/) Academics </p>

<p>[Merit</a> Scholarships & Financial Aid –Admission | Wheaton College](<a href=“http://wheatoncollege.edu/admission/scholarships/]Merit”>http://wheatoncollege.edu/admission/scholarships/) Merit Aid/Need Based Aid </p>

<p>Wheaton College (MA) 1500 Undergrads, LAC, formerly all women, Division III Athletics, ranked #59 on USNWR’s rankings. Small classes, great academics, good FA, Study Abroad. Merit Aid could be as high as $17,500/year. </p>

<p>Connecticut College (CT) no merit aid there.
If you are a female, would you consider Smith, Mt. Holyoke or Wellesley? (all in MA)</p>

11

<p>Thanks SLUMOM and Erin’s Dad. I actually have taken Connecticut College off my list… I visited, and I really want an intellectual environment that I didn’t see at the college. I’ll look into Wheaton, but I got my mailed letter to OSU today, and I realized how much I like it.</p>

12

<p>One of my kids did cross off Conn after a visit, just didn’t get that “I could see myself here” kind of feeling I guess! OSU is terrific! You will probably have a lot of choices around April 1st or so!</p>

13

<p>Thanks for the help. My fingers are crossed for some acceptances in the spring. I’d like to have a couple choices, even if I end up choosing OSU!</p>

<p>I’m just wondering, does being from Ohio help in admissions?</p>

14

<p>Might look at Holy Cross-very good Lac with nice campus 1 hour from Boston. HC(don’t have to be religious) is located in Worcester which is also home to the American Antiquarian Society-major research center on early American history. Holy Cross has a good number of students from the midwest and is need blind for admissions.</p>

15

<p>According to the Common Data Set <a href=“http://oaa.osu.edu/irp/publisher_surveys/2010ColumbusCDS.pdf[/url]”>http://oaa.osu.edu/irp/publisher_surveys/2010ColumbusCDS.pdf&lt;/a&gt; state residency is only considered in admission for tOSU.</p>