calling all gardeners: Can you weed out my college list?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've just started to embark on the dreaded college application process. i have a tentative list, but I need help deciding which SIX schools I should apply to - it's very top heavy -</p>

<p>What i'm looking for: undergrad research, good engineering program, also a decent business program (just in case I switch majors, or if I minor), I'm a potential greek, I DO NOT want all work and no play</p>

<p>Refer below for my "stats."</p>

<p>So... Here Goes... brace yourself :D
Stanford - EA
UC San Diego
University of Illinois* This guy is mandatory - my parents bleed orange and blue
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Columbia
Upenn
Johns Hopkins
MIT
Cornell</p>

<p>Others I've considered: Harvey Mudd, CalTech, Uchicago, WashU STL, UW Madison, Harvard, UC Berkeley, northwestern</p>

<p>It's a lot of words to digest!
&& thanks in advance for any comments, critiques - I appreciate it!</p>

2

<p>STATS TIME!</p>

<p>Gender: F
Location: Chciago NW Suburbs (Fremd Highschool)
College Class Year: 2013
High School: Public
High School Type: rarely sends grads to top schools
Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>

<p>Academics:
GPA - Unweighted: 4.00
GPA - Weighted: 4.93
Class Rank: top 10 students (9 to be exact)
Class Size: 747</p>

<p>Scores:
ACT: 34 (Math 36, Science 36, Reading 33, Writing 33/08) - retested in Sept for that elusive 36
SAT II Math Level 2 (IIC): 800
SAT II Physics: 750</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Leadership positions:
National Honor Society - president/officer (10th, 11th, 12th)
Captain - Lacrosse (Varsity 10th, 11th), Cross Country (JV 10th)
Environmental club - I founded club this year; I/we are currently implementing the first school wide recycling program! GO GREEN!
Students Against Destructive Decisions - Vice president
Model United Nations - Travel Delegate Committee</p>

<p>Athletic Status - list sport and your level:
Lacrosse - Varsity (9th, 10th, 11th), Captain (10th, 11th), All conference (10th, 11th); All state (11th), MVP of Chicagoland Tourney
Cross Country - 9th, 10th; Captain (10th)
Boxing (co-ed) - 2 years</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work:
Hospital Volunteer - over 150 service hours
Active Protester - women’s rights, anti-war, enviro conservation, greenpeace missions member</p>

<p>Honors and Awards:
AP Scholar with distinction (lang comp 5, Apush 4, APeuro 4, Physics 5, Stats 5)
Honor Role Student - All of high school</p>

<p>College Summer programs:
Pharmaceutical / Pharmacology - Intern (drug research) (this past summer - present)
Neuropsychology Intern (this past summer)

  • Could not afford university summer programs</p>
3

<p>Few of these schools will let you “minor” in business. Columbia Business School is off limits to undergrads, and I think Stanford is too. Penn has undergrad business, but you have to transfer into the school for a major, and they don’t offer much in the way of minors…</p>

4

<p>It sounds like Wash U is a good fit for what you want.</p>

5

<p>ilovebagels - hmmm thanks for that insight. I never knew any of these technicalities. My guidance counselor is a prick and told me you can minor in business.</p>

<p>blackeyedsusan - would I have a pretty good shot at Wash U?</p>

<p>right now my biggest fear is not getting accepted by any colleges. (University of Illinois is a last resort). I’m not made of money - and I just can’t apply to 10 colleges that are upwards of 40 buxs a pop. which ones should I cut / replace?</p>

6

<p>Is aid a factor? If yes, as an OOS student, take off Michigan and UCSD.</p>

<p>Stanford and Columbia are very big reaches coming from an average high school and not being val or sal. And neither has an undergrad business program.</p>

<p>You would be a strong candidate for WashU ED, I would consider doing that. Or trying Penn ED.</p>

7

<p>Wash U’s admissions is somewhat capricious, but you have an excellent shot! You’re very much in line with the students they admit. (I know because I have a son who’s a freshman there and he is very happy.) He was admitted into Arts & Sciences but decided over the summer to switch to the Business school and it was handled with incredible ease before he even arrived on campus.</p>

8

<p>Financial aid is a very big factor! thank you for reminding me HMOM5. On paper my family looks very well off, however with the recession we’ve lost a TON of capital. Financial aid is quite a determining factor. I don’t think I can pay more than 30,000 with ALL expenses included.</p>

<p>Also, my school does not distinguish val or sal for the student body? does that hinder any admissions decisions?</p>

9

<p>Stanford EA - Reach
U Illinois - Safety
Columbia - Low Reach
Johns Hopkins - Match
U Chicago - Match
Nortwestern - Low Reach</p>

<p>Those are my favorite six for you and are diverse enough.</p>

10

<p>If you look well-off on paper but cannot afford full price, you probably won’t receive any need-based aid and will need to look for merit-based. Stanford, Columbia, Penn, MIT, Cornell, Harvard, Northwestern offer NO merit aid; Hopkins offers very little. HMC, Caltech, WashU merit is extremely selective. You might try UMich and hope for merit money. I would cross off all of the UCs, since they usually don’t offer need- OR merit-based aid to OOSers.</p>

11

<p>You might want to also consider applying to Rice. They have a very strong undergraduate engineering program with stellar research opportunities. There’s no Greek system, but it’s replaced with a very inclusive, very social residential college system. Also, while there’s no undergrad business major, there is a business minor. [Undergraduate</a> Business Minor :: Rice MBA Programs :: Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business :: Rice University :: Houston, Texas](<a href=“http://business.rice.edu/Business_Minor.aspx]Undergraduate”>http://business.rice.edu/Business_Minor.aspx)</p>

<p>They also give out merit aid to 1/3 of their incoming class (with no separate scholarship application).</p>

12

<p>I would cut Johns Hopkins and MIT.</p>

13

<p>Team Frangela - I love the format of your response! it was really helpful. I’ll keep that list in mind.</p>

<p>Keilexandra - Do they give absolutely no fin. aid?</p>

<p>Blackeyedsusan - I don’t want to sound like a prat, but I was hoping to stay on the coasts or the midwest. there’s something that draws me towards the east and west, and well, the midwest is home.</p>

14

<p>Keilexandra is correct. If you don’t qualify for need based aid your list is all wrong. You need to focus on schools that give significant merit aid. No ivy gives a dime of it and schools at the Duke level which do give it to students who could get into HYPS.</p>

<p>To get significant merit aid, you need to be looking at schools where your stats are at the top of their pool, or put another way, not the reaches you’re looking at but schools you are essentially overqualified for.</p>

15

<p>hmmmm. this is a very heavy predicament now. To be specific i have a household income of slightly less than 200,000. so no fin. aid? mmmmm this is discouraging.</p>

16

<p>Don’t confuse merit money with financial aid (need). You will not qualify for anything need based with $220k family income. I completely agree with Keilexandra above. </p>

<p>If you must have money to help fund college, you’ll have to get it through merit. Keep Michigan and Illinois plus one of the reaches with limited merit. UC San Diego is not worth the money o/s in my opinion…the kids who go there just don’t seem that happy.</p>

<p>Add 3 schools that give hefty merit money but may be lower in rank…Tulane?</p>

17

<p>How can you not afford more than 6 application fees with a family income of over 180,000?</p>

18

<p>You talk about losing capital so I assume there are assets in addition to the income? And maybe some home equity? You are unlikely to get any need based aid at these schools if that’s the case, and certainly nowhere near the $20K you would need on top of the $30K you want to pay.</p>

<p>For that you will need merit aid schools. There is a good thread on the subject atop the financial aid board.</p>

<p>All college lists need to start with what a family can afford. Run some aid calculators to determine your IM EFC. There’s one on this site.</p>

<p>Maybe this is why your parents are bleeding orange and blue? This is a hard conversation for some to have with their kids.</p>

19

<p>oh kay thanks everyone. I guess I got my hopes up after reading the 2008 articles about the “brand name” schools extending financial aid towards the upper middle class. But, anyways this entire thread has been way more helpful than my guidance counselor. This is a reality check upon my college dreams… but i’m glad I found out earlier than later.</p>

<p>amciw - my dad got laid off for 8 months and then he was just rehired. so my tax forms reflect my household status of last year.</p>

20

<p>Ok So here is your merit $ life line- apply to USC- University of Southern Calif [ # 25 on USNWR- same as UCLA]. If you are a NMF, and are accepted[ which I have no doubt you would be], you will receive an automatic 1/2 tuition scholarship for 4 years, regardless of need. And if you submit your application by Dec 1, you could be considered for one of 200 full tuition scholarship for 4 years awarded to top students like you. In addition, USC has a very generous FA program.
USC has a great UG engineering program, a great UG business program, frats, sports, and a dynamic, and very ethically diverse student population. They encourage students to double major , or minor in different areas.</p>