<p>I'm starting my senior year in a couple of days and I hoped I would be a lot father in my college search than I am now. I have a few schools that I'm definitely applying to but I'd like some input.</p>
<p>gender: female
race: white
school: non-competitive MA public
GPA: 3.99 W, ~3.6 UW
SAT 1: 1870
ACT: 29
Courses: 2 AP senior, all honors junior
(probably "more rigorous" but not "most rigorous")
rank: probably top 15% ( I'll update friday when i know for sure)</p>
<p>ECs:
Key Club-1,2,3,4 points chair-4
JV field hockey- 1,2,3
Varsity skiing- 2,3,4
Leo Club treasurer-1,2
NHS-3,4
French NHS- 3,4
student government- 2,3,4
Library volunteer- age 10-present (founding member of 2 councils)
freshman orientation aide/student ambassador
NYSE stock market challenge participant</p>
<p>Awards:
outstanding junior in business
girl scout silver award
NYSE stock market challenge participant</p>
<p>work:
part-time jobs since age 16
full time in the summer</p>
<p>will need financial aid</p>
<p>major- international business w/ concentration in french or econ/international relations</p>
<p>schools:
yale
georgetown
boston college
boston university
northeastern
stonehill
bentley university
bryant
UMass-Amherst
western new england college</p>
<p>The problem with the colleges that are academic matches and safeties is that none of them meet financial need. So they can’t be considered safe unless you can afford them without aid.</p>
<p>oh wow, I totally didn’t know that needing aid would impact me being admitted. If I don’t get the amount of aid I need I was just planning to get loans… that really sucks. </p>
<p>Also, found out today that I’m ranked 28/302 ~ top 10% at the end of junior year.</p>
<p>At a lot of the schools you might get accepted but without much aid. Since only Yale, which is honestly way out of reach for you, has a no loan policy, you’ll already be borrowing before facing the gap in the aid the schools offer you.</p>
<p>Taking loans for the rest would be difficult at best and really dumb at worst. To borrow much more than the average $25K or so American students borrow will take parents with great credit and would probably result in a difficult life for 20 years after college in which you’ll be using much of your income to repay loans.</p>
<p>You must do the financial research before creating your college list. Getting into school you can’t afford is not the way you want things to end up in April.</p>
<p>thanks hmom5, my older sister didn’t go to college so this is all new to my family. I guess I understand what you mean as far as loans go.
I know that WNEC and UMass are both financial safeties, so if necessary I would attend one of them. But, I’ve already visited Bentley and I absolutely love it, so right now that is my top choice. I think I’ll try to find at least one more financial safety to add to my list, but I really don’t want to apply to a bunch of schools that I hate just because I can afford them =(</p>
<p>No one does, but that’s the reality for everyone. In the US, all but the few with very top stats or parents that can afford $50K/yr have limited choices.</p>
<p>Read the post by flyingllama, he’s got the financial constraints down.</p>
<p>which is more important- GPA/rank or what classes you took? right now I’m in an easy physics class (guaranteed A) and an accounting class. I’m considering switching into a 2 period, more difficult honors physics class, in addition to 2 other honors and 2 APs. should I do it? I don’t think I’d get an A, but I think at least a B…</p>