I am currently looking and research different colleges. I am finishing the junior year. My GPA is about 90 which is 3.7. It is exactly the cut off grade for the arista which I will be in next year and probably be taking 2 or 3 APs by the time I graduate, and College Now Criminology. I have 2 job experience, little volunteer work, model UN, fencing team for 1 year, vice president of movie club for 1 year. Going out of the state of New York can also be a possibility. I currently attending Benjamin N. Cardozo high school. I’m planning to go to college with an undecided major. I also qualify for the EOP program which accepts students with lower grades. I am also open to private schools. Please let me know what colleges I should look into because I have no idea where to start.
If you feel overwhelmed, it may be because you need to narrow your search down before you even start. How much can your parents afford? Do you prefer a big university or a small LAC, or somewhere in the middle? Do you want to stay in the northeast, and if not, how far are you wanting to go? And what did you get on the ACT or SAT?
Your HS is a very good one. You should look at SUNY schools where you might qualify for EOP, Excelsior and honors programs. One very valuable resource is the SUNY Center in Manhattan. You can call them and make an appointment to go in over the summer, with a parent or without. I went with two of my children. You bring your unofficial transcript and your standardized test scores and a counselor will meet with you to discuss the various programs available to you, based on what you want to study.
You also need to think about the questions that were raised above as well.
If you might also be eligible for HEOP, you could broaden your options substantially.
The obvious first ones to look into would be HEOP for Barnard*, NYU, Hamilton, Skidmore. You’d also have a good shot at St Lawrence and Hobart/William Smith without HEOP although you may qualify for it (regardless of test scores since both are test optional, ie., You only submit them if they show a strength.)
At all these colleges, interest mattersw so go to their ‘information request form’ and fill it out. Use a college-going email you created or that purpose. When they send out emails, make sure our click on their content since they track that.
EOP to SUNYs will depend on your test scores but you should look into SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton, plus one from Buffalo, Stony Brook or Albany.
Out of state, look into Earlham, Muhlenberg, Dickinson, Agnes Scott, Mount Holyoke, Guilford, Eckerd, Beloit.
Beside test scores, other criteria that will matter are : did either parent graduate from a 4-year college? Did they immigrate here?
Do you know your EFC? What can your parents afford? 0? $2,000?
Run the NPC on each college listed and ask your parents whether the net price the college expects is affordable from income and college savings?
*= If you identify as a girl