<p>Stats:
SAT: 2310 (800M, 770CR, 740W)
ACT: 35
GPA: 3.986 with almost all academic classes honors and AP since freshmen year</p>
<p>ECs:
Mostly science and english related stuff
Several leadership positions, but nothing major (didn't start a club or foundation)
Volunteer and work during school year and summer
Basically, solid ECs but not stellar
Won quite a few national, state awards, especially for writing</p>
<p>Here is my list for now:
Yale
University of Pennsylvania
Cornell
Washington University in St. Louis
University of Michigan (in state)</p>
<p>As you can see, I'm applying to pretty much all top tier schools. After perusing this forum and being frightened out of my pants by some of the stats of Ivy-rejected students, I have become keen on adding more safeties and matches to my list. </p>
<p>I'm looking to study biology in college, but might double major in journalism, so I want a school that's strong in both science in humanities. I prefer colleges with more than 2000 students, but am open to convincing ideas. </p>
<p>I am intersted in journalism too, but unfortunately not many top tier schools offer it as a major (besides Northwestern). I dunno, for matches, schools with 35-50 acceptance rate would be good. Brandeis, Emory, BU maybe. Also, are you interested in LAC's. With your stats, you should be fine at UMich (in state) for safety. Good Luck</p>
<p>I don't think you need another safety, particularly, if you are happy with UMich - isn't it rolling admit?</p>
<p>I agree with the schools listed by GreenDay. You might want to search on journalism schools, and English departments - I know the University of Missouri has a well regarded journalism department, and would be another safety, basically. There have been threads before on studying journalism through a school of journalism vs English majors working on the school paper, and developing their skills hands on (this is the Ivy League's approach, by the way, where is Harvard? it is famous for producing prof journalists and writers from Crimson staffers) - you might want to ponder those threads - Northwestern is a natural thought, but might not work if you want to double major with biology (?technical writing/science writing, perhaps?).</p>
<p>Isn't there another school in NY - Syracuse, maybe, that has a well regarded journalism program? Also is money an issue? you might want to add some schools that have some merit aid if it is. And another thought is the DC schools - GW, Georgetown, American - probably a few journalists coming out of those schools, though they are not as well regarded as biology places. Good luck</p>
<p>Cranium,
With your credentials, I would be surprised if you don't get into one of the schools on your list. Washington U or Michigan, at least. I think most of them are matches, except for Yale. I would add a couple more top-tier schools to your list and a couple of safeties, like U of Rochester (for bio).</p>
<p>You are wise to add some schools that are a notch below the elite colleges on your list in selectivity. None of the schools on your list are a sure thing except for UMIch as an in-stater. You have to ask yourself if you would be happy going there if it was your only acceptance. If not, pick some of the others at the selectivity level of Brandeis, Tulane, BU, BC, etc. You are likely to receive merit aid at such schools if that matters to you, whereas at the highest selective level that is unlikely.</p>