Throwing in my two cents as an NEU freshman with a similar type profile (i said similar but there are differences)- if you really like NEU, I would highly recommend ED’ing/EA’ing as it’s your best shot of getting in. And apply TO! I had a 3.8 uw GPA and I did EA (so so glad I did). Highly doubt you would get any merit aid, but also i think you have a decent chance if you ED or EA. It’s a shot in the dark, but if it’s worth it to you, take it. You’ll never know otherwise. Just make sure you’d really, really want to go if you did ED- and make sure it’s affordable!
OP has under a 3.5, you had a 3.8. OP has an SAT that is over 300 points below the lowest end of accepted students at NEU. Your 3.8, no test application got you an offer for NEU Oakland, which you successfully appealed for admission to boston campus due to unique health issues; OP has not mentioned any special circumstances.
OP, your stats make NEU a very unrealistic stratospheric reach for you.
In looking at your list of colleges it appears as though you either want California, a big city (like Boston or Chicago), or a southern school, preferably leaning urban.
Below are some other schools you may want to consider, all of which have a women’s rugby team.
You might want to take a look at Cal State: Chico which has about 13k undergrads. It’s one of the more residential Cal State campuses. I don’t think it has a reputation as a suitcase school, but perhaps some more knowledgeable folks might chime in? Plus, as a Cal State school the price might be a lot more palatable to your folks than a UC (about $35k vs. $72k).
As you already have at least three Jesuit schools on your list, have you thought about Saint Joseph’s? It’s in Philadelphia and has about 5100 undergrads. Alternatively, as mentioned upthread, if you like co-ops, Drexel is another option. Just outside of Philadelphia is West Chester (about 14k undergrads) which you may want to check out.
If you’re looking for an in-state public safety, take a look at Southern Connecticut State. Seconding U. at Albany, and you may want to check out Siena as well. It’s not Jesuit but seems to have a similar vibe and it’s just outside of Albany. As someone with extracurriculars in political work, you’ve probably heard lots of NY Times/Siena polls. This is at that Siena (about 3500 undergrads).
And speaking of colleges that are in great spots for folks with political interests, have you thought about American (D.C.)? It has about 7900 undergrads a good reputation in comms as well.
Seconding the recommendations of U. of Utah, U. of Denver, and Arizona State and also suggesting U. of Arizona or U. of New Mexico.
Willamette U could be a great choice on the west coast. It’s in the Oregon state capital, in close proximity to the government buildings where students get internships, etc. Their communications program leans toward civic engagement, which seems like it could be a fit for you. Civic Communication and Media: College of Arts & Sciences Median stats are GPA 3.82 and SAT 1230, and as a “geographically diverse” student without demonstrated need, I think you’d get in.
In CA, consider U of the Pacific. Communication Program It’s within an hour of the state capital in Sacramento. I think you could be reasonably sure of getting in, potentially with some merit aid. It’s a Central Valley location (neither beachy nor mountainous) but a very nice campus, modeled after Oxford & Cambridge.
In the CSU system, the newest Cal Poly campus, Cal Poly Humboldt, has a nice coastal location in far-northern CA, and has been beefing up their Communications major as part of their transition to becoming a Cal Poly, launching the new curriculum in 2024 https://www.humboldt.edu/academics/programs/communication
thanks so much for yuor help! I’m just a little confused as to why college wouldn’t look at my weighted gpa. I have had generally pretty good grades. I’m just hoping for a CA miracle. Thoughts?
thanks so much for all of your help! do you know if there’s specifically a reason why colleges wouldn’t look at my weighted gpa?
-also i am planning on playing club rugby if available
thanks for your input! I am definitely wanting to go to CA. i think my grades are pretty strong, but now i’m nervous as it seems like people are saying they only look at uw gpa?
i think worst comes to worst if i get in nowhere in CA, i am going to be okay with cofc and iu. I am just hoping for some sort of miracle (espescially in Socal!)
It’s not that they just look at unweighted - but if you used and i’m not saying it’s this for California - but the most common scale is +.5 for Honors and 1 for AP - so many have GPAs well over 4.0.
With today’s grade inflation, a 3.47 is not that high. Do you know - where you rank? Does your school rank. Plus, you don’t have the test to help support.
You asked for opinion and I think you mainly got it right - but I’m not sure why you are applying to UTK or U of SC or Charleston - whereas maybe you should be applying to CSUs like San Marcos or Bakersfield, etc. or some of the privates which you have but there’s also easier ones to get into.
So if you have no interest in Knoxville, why apply to UTK? If no interest in Boulder, why CU?
Not California - but the Oregon schools are coastal and UNLV/UNR are practically in CA - plus your ASU/U of A.
There are plenty of schools who will take you - if your parents are truly willing to pay.
I do have interest in utk, uofsc and cu, just not as much. i know i’d be happy there most likely if i ended up there in the long run. my school does not rank, and is also recognized for their rigor. We have a school platform we use to calculate chances, and it seems like people with lower gpas than me have been getting into sdsu and ucsc. Then again, I feel like you just never know with anything- which is why I came here for some more input if that makes any sense
