<p>Could that be an effective strategy? I have a list of 9 schools that would probably be considered reaches for me. My test scores, gpa, extracurriculars, etc. are somewhere in the middle for all of them, and they're all highly selective. I'd love to go to any one of these schools; they all have everything I'm looking for in a school and then some.</p>
<p>I'm having a difficult time finding safety and match schools though. I can't afford to apply to more schools, so that would mean I would have to take some of my favorite schools off the list. Also, I need to apply to schools with stellar need based aid, and all the less selective schools I've looked at are severely lacking in that area. What do you guys think I should do? I'm worried I won't get into any of those schools, and then I'll be toast!</p>
<p>think you will have to consider schools that will meet your need…no point getting accepted to a school you cant afford to go to… If you had said that your scores were in the middle but the schools werent highly selective it might work, but that high selectivity may be the problem. find something a lower tier down that offers merit or will give good financial aid that you could be happy at.</p>
<p>xeno, You do need at least one safety and because you need aid, you will also need to have a safety that is both a financial AND an admissions safety. More than one is even better. Many colleges will waive application fees for the economically pressed.</p>
<p>I don’t know which colleges you’re looking at, but need based aid is generally based on a formula. Ask your parents to use an on-line calculator to get an idea of how much you can expect. Don’t apply to any colleges that you can’t afford.</p>
<p>If you’d tell us which schools are at the top of your list, perhaps we could give you some suggestions.</p>
<p>“applying only to reach schools -Could that be an effective strategy?”
Its a strategy that has a very high chance of ending in disaster for you! Your need to have safety schools where your stats are in the 75% or better, and /or where you have a great chance of acceptance AND can afford to go!
Applying to only highly selective reach schools that have many times the number of applicants as openings, and reject 80-90% of all applicants, is like driving of a cliff with your eyes open, hoping that “someone” will save you.</p>
I don’t qualify for that by a small margin because dad stopped working just this year (he got sick). </p>
<p>Here are the schools on my list, in no particular order: </p>
<p>Georgetown
Tufts
Johns Hopkins
Northwestern
University of Chicago
Boston College
George Washington University
NYU (will probably have to let go of this one, its not so great with aid)
& I have a small local school where I have guaranteed admission & limited aid</p>
<p>Based on that list, could you guys please suggest similar but less selective schools that are still great with aid? I don’t want to end up like Andison that Erdin’s dad posted about :/</p>
<p>GPA: 4.6
SAT: 2100 (I retook it just now so it’s hopefully higher)
Majors: either international relations or political science
I’d consider going anywhere, except I don’t think I’d do so well in the bible belt.</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-highly ranked school with beautiful campus 1 hour from Boston. Holy Cross is need blind for admissions-pretty good for financial aid.</p>
<p>Your stats, from an earlier post, show you have a 3.8 uw and a 4.6 w. That’s good. Your SAT is a 2010, with a 570 in math. That is not good enough for most if not all the schools on your list. I also see your dilemma, since you are from NV. You really need to lower your sights somewhat. What about applying to some more affordable CSU’s instead of the following reach schools that give you very little chance of acceptance: </p>
<p>Chicago, Tufts, NU, and GU</p>
<p>Other considerations would be private schools ranked from approximately 35 to 70. Also look at some LAC’s, but NOT in the top 20. Maybe par72 can pull some strings and get you a full-ride to Holy Cross?</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think that they all would be considered a “reach” for you. I think you’re probably a good candidate for GWU and BC at a minimum. Reach for your dreams. At the end of the day you can get into a safe school for a year and apply for a transfer. I can tell you that in life, I’ve “reached” for programs and while I maybe somewhat behind the curve, I’ve worked like hell to get caught up and have benefited from the more advanced programs.</p>
<p>If you do and lose, you’re not “toast.” You’ll still have at least three options:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are schools that take late applications. A list gets published every year by the The National Association for College Admission Counseling. This year there were 240 schools on the list. (It apparently is no longer visible.)</p></li>
<li><p>Enroll in an open enrollment school, like a community college.</p></li>
<li><p>Just take a gap year and apply to some less selective colleges.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>None of these may appeal to you. But none of them are life-threatening.</p>
<p>you might want to look at the merit aid threads…you have stats that could get you good merit at some schools, especially if your test score goes up . look for ones where your stats put you in the top 75%…</p>
<p>Note: Schools that take late admissions applications may no longer have aid money available. So if you are depending on school funds, applying late may not be a realistic option. </p>
<p>How about adding Catholic and taking out NYU? You have several schools in the DC area and at least one Catholic institution, so that seems like a good safety. You could also apply to Fordham-- not sure either is a financial safety, but they would be admissions safeties I think.</p>
<p>First, you must determine how much need based aid you are eligible for. There is some variation from school to school in need based aid and some are need blind and some are not; however, the variation among selective and medium selective schools isn’t as great as you might think. Do this first. Once you know if you can get by with need based aid you can build your list. If you must receive merit based aid, you will have a different list, but still a good one.</p>
<p>Second ask the individual admissions department if they will waive the applicaton fee. This decision is more subjective than formulaic. </p>
<p>There are a number of threads on Guaranteed Merit-base Aid in the Financial Aid Forum, and a couple more in the Parents Forum. Scroll down through those two forums and look for them. You should find lots of useful information.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback! Does anyone have more college suggestions? I feel like I’m begging to exhaust my college search resources, and I’m running low on time (I’m a senior, I need to get started on these apps!) </p>
<p>Also, my more math savvy friend figured out that taking out NYU and adding USC, which is better with aid, I have a 90% of getting into at least one of these schools. Thats not THAT bad, imo :)</p>
<p>^^ make SURE you COMPLETE your USC app BEFORE the Dec 1 deadline. that way you CAN be considered for scholarship $$.
[I’m a USC mom, and son won a huge scholarship- but would NOT have gotten it if he had not applied BEFORE the deadline!!]</p>
Does anyone have more college suggestions? I feel like I’m begging to exhaust my college search resources, and I’m running low on time (I’m a senior, I need to get started on these apps!) </p>