Chance me for top schools as a rural kid [AL resident, 4.0/33 for Molecular Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience]

[ucbalumnus]

@AustenNut

In selecting a safety, I’d take a good look at UA-Birmingham, assuming you’d get a similar financial package as at Tuscaloosa or Auburn.

Within Alabama, AAMU and Tuskegee (private) may also have full rides for your stats, so those could be worth a look as last resort backup if no affordable offers in a more suitable state come up.

[Catcherinthetoast]

While certainly abhorrent to the vast majority of UA students the following recent incidents should be considered. As evidenced by the self reported stats to Pride Index the administration is trying to create a more tolerant environment. Unfortunately these recent events and the first hand experience of those surveyed by Princeton Review suggests there is still a lot of work to be done.

I understand and respect OP’s concerns.

Alabama says fans’ racist, homophobic comments were ‘vile’

Hazing lawsuit filed against University of Alabama fraternity

[ucbalumnus]

@kaesyn

ACT Scores *: 33 Composite, 35 English, 27 Math, 36 Reading, 34 Science. If I cannot raise math to a 30+, I’ll go test optional

33 overall is likely a benefit when considered in context of your prior schooling. In addition, there are some less selective colleges where that score can help get top end merit scholarships.

[tsbna44]

This caught me off guard.

So most colleges require foreign language.

Now, if your school doesn’t offer it, they can’t hold you to it.

But if your school offers it and you didn’t take it, that can be problematic.

So I missed that - so it can be a concern for OP.

Interestingly, one of the few top schools that doesn’t require it is the REA school - Harvard - but they recommend 4 years - which many will say means a requirement.

So I would be concerned here.

The math ACT would also be a concern given the STEM major and advancing only to pre-calc which, not to OP’s fault given school offerings, does not show rigor top schools will want to see. I understand it’s a rural, low income kids and that changes the dynamic - by how much, I haven’t an idea.

Other than add an assured and affordable safety in an area OP likes (which isn’t there right now), I’m not sure what other action they could take at this late time. So I think @AustenNut list might prove extremely valuable.

[ucbalumnus]

@tsbna44

Interestingly, one of the few top schools that doesn’t require it is the REA school - Harvard - but they recommend 4 years - which many will say means a requirement.

Usually, this is interpreted as “required if reasonably available to the student”. So Harvard probably would not hold it against the student if the student got only to level 2 because that is all the school had available to the student, but not taking any when up to level 2 was available could be more of a problem.

[AustenNut]

Another option for a safety outside of the deep south is U. of New Mexico in Albuquerque. National African-American Scholars admitted by December 1 get a $15k/year scholarship and a waiver for nonresident tuition. In-state tuition is about $8100 and room & board is about $11k, so $15k would cover all but about $4100. If you get a full Pell Grant, then that would cover the difference and could then perhaps help with books and similar expenses. If this is an option you want to have, I’d send an application now.

[DramaMama2021]

Agreed. The lack of FL could be problematic.

It’s my understanding that QB offers advisers and other counseling services to applicants. I encourage the OP to take advantage of those resources and ask about this specifically.

[ucbalumnus]

@AustenNut

One possible safety to consider would be Delaware State, which has about 5k undergrads. It appears that you would qualify for the Presidential Scholarship, which would give you a full ride. It is ranked as the third-best HBCU in terms of support for LGBTQ+ students, but the methodology is inclusive of Campus Pride metrics, which focuses on steps that the administration reports taking and not as much on what students report. But as a safety option, it’s one you might like to have in your back pocket.

Delaware State does “require” 2 years of foreign language: Undergraduate Students

Perhaps Howard (in DC) may be another school along these lines that is worth a try (not a safety unless/until it admits with enough scholarship/FA money). It lists 2 years of foreign language as “recommended”: First Year Admissions | Admission

Tuskegee does not list foreign language at Criteria for Freshmen | Tuskegee University and has a full ride for 3.7 GPA and 28 ACT listed at Freshman Scholarships | Tuskegee University . But it is located in the state of Alabama.

An applicant can apply up to 65 HBCUs (but not including Howard, Tuskegee, Morehouse, or Spelman) for $20 here: https://commonblackcollegeapp.com/ . Perhaps worth a try to see how many full rides show up for a 4.0 GPA and 33 ACT? (But the foreign language thing can be a problem for those which list it as a hard requirement, and many of them are in states that could be problematic in terms of anti-T state laws and such.)

[AustenNut]

I suspect that OP’s foreign language background will not be held against him, as the coursework was not available, and he is such a strong candidate overall (colleges seem quite willing to make exceptions when it’s for a very strong applicant).

ETA: I misread OP’s original statement. Based on the fact that classes were offered but not taken, the foreign language classes may indeed be an issue. So I italicized my comments to show what I had been thinking, but I no longer think is applicable to OP with respect to foreign language requirements.

@kaesyn

School only has spanish and only has 2 classes, they are not weighted so I have not taken any foreign language.

ETA2: As OP has no foreign language classes, this list might be helpful: Foreign Language Requirements for College. You can sort the list by number of classes required, and those with no requirements include Brandeis (recommends 4), Cornell, Dartmouth (recommends 4), Harvard (recommends 4), Johns Hopkins (recommends 4), Princeton (recommends 4), Syracuse (recommends 3), U. of Chicago (recommends 3), U. of Pennsylvania (recommends 4), U. of Rochester, and Yale. Cornell, U. of Rochester, and Yale were the only ones that did not include foreign language coursework recommendations.

I think that Howard could be a great fit for OP and @ChangeTheGame may also be able to speak about the Karsh STEM Scholars program as well which might really suit OP’s interests. All of that said, however, Howard would not be a safety for OP, as it’s not extremely likely to admit him and extremely likely to be affordable. It’s definitely possible that it could be affordable, but it’s not a sure thing.

I think the biggest concern about OP’s list was the safety, particularly for a student who wants to leave the state of Alabama. Thus, I mentioned Delaware State and U. of New Mexico as schools that at the time of application are extremely likely admits and extremely likely to be affordable, as it seems as though OP is going to need a full ride or very close to it to attend a residential college.

[AustenNut]

As I had recommended Delaware State and U. of New Mexico as possible safeties, if OP is interested in either one, I would suggest he reach out to the schools to see what considerations are available.

• U of New Mexico: It requires a high school diploma and at least two years (or proficiency to a second level) in a foreign language. Perhaps OP could do Babbel/Rosetta Stone/DuoLino or similar to get to sufficient foreign language proficiency? Admission Requirements :: Office of Admissions | The University of New Mexico

• Delaware State: It requires at least two years of a foreign language: Undergraduate Students