<p>When (if) you start applying to Ivy schools (or top liberal arts colleges) you will be reaching. Your 3.1 isn’t close to what they are looking for. You need to construct a narrative to explain your low gpa (and to spin your low gpa in a positive light) “I was so caught up feeding the homeless and doing my internship at the New York Times that my grades slipped early on.” Ok, maybe not that overt, but you get the point. </p>
<p>Reach Schools to think about </p>
<p>Any Ivy </p>
<p>Amherst </p>
<p>Williams </p>
<p>Middlebury etc etc etc</p>
<p>If you are interested in the sciences, don’t forget about MIT or Caltech </p>
<p>Plus, there is always Northwestern, University of Chicago, Georgtown, Notre Dame etc…</p>
<p>All of these schools would be reaches. But they wouldn’t be impossible. Check out their faculty and departments. What is a couple of 60 dollar application fees when it comes to the rest of your life?</p>