So I go back to the original thought - keep up the great work and we’ll see in a year. But you’d certainly be in a strong position.
Now - you still need to answer the money question. Did you intend to say you can afford $60K a semester - which is $120K a year. Typically people give a yearly figure, hence it’s being questioned.
Or did you mean $60K a year?
Budget is THE most important issue. You need to know - not just what your parents can afford to spend - but what they are willing to spend.
If your answer is as you wrote - $60K a semester - you have no issues. If your answer is $60K a year, then you need to have your folks run the net price calculator of a few schools - because many of these are now $85K - and if you can’t afford it, you don’t even need to consider it. You would find out from the NPC if the schools would give you the $$ to make up the difference.
Now you noted you’d rather go to a “big state school with a great program over a mediocre smaller school.”
So here’s the problem with that statement - in my opinion - and as you noted, you picked the schools based on reputation of your programs.
In my opinion, while that’s a filter, that’s the wrong reason to choose a school.
There are many kids who attend their dream school and transfer after a year.
You want to find “the right” school - maybe it’s a mid size. Maybe it’s large - but has an Honors college to make it smaller. Maybe it’s a smaller school.
Also - how do you define a mediocre smaller school? That’s opinion, perception, etc. but it’s not necessarily true.
My daughter goes to one of those, but to her it’s the best place. She’s loves the “urban feel” and she’s in a special program for top students (that she wouldn’t be in at a higher rated school). She just got back on her school paid Maymester as an International Scholar (a program she was awarded). She started a club to assist Afghan refugees and has multiple faculty involved and has 50 students signed up. She’s met diplomats - the Canadian Ambassador to the US and is in contact with someone from the Bush administration. Of the 17 schools she got into, she goes to the 16th rated. How will she do in life? I’m guessing great because she’s a leader - but she’s not at a top school. Had she gone to a large, higher rated school (she got into UF/UGA - which is strong in her major) or had she gone to W&L which is elite in the poli sci/IR arena - would she have these same opportunities? I don’t know - but I do know that - if you stand out above the student body and you have a go get em attitude, you might have the chance to stand out in ways that you wouldn’t otherwise where everyone is a top student. You may save a few bucks too - if that was helpful to your family.
Just throwing that out there. At some large schools, you have classes with hundreds of students. My daughter’s classes have been smal and she’s raved about many (not all) of her profs. She knows them and they take an interest in her. My son, at a large public, not so much. Again, she’s at a fine but not stand out school - but she’s standing out. If she were at UF, UGA or Washington & Lee, my guess is she wouldn’t have these same opportunities - in part, because she wouldn’t stand out in their student bodies (although her extra curricular effort still might).
When you are talking about the majors you’ve chosen, you will likely end up in grad school - and I think that the fit matters most. You don’t want to go to the dream and hate it. My son doesn’t like his school much - but he chose a school where he could get his own dorm room vs. finding the “right” school…so there’s a lot of variables that can change what you think is the right place - to maybe not the right place. Of course, one doesn’t truly know until they go.
I really think you spend this year visiting schools - your large - you noted Michigan and Wisconsin but if they are hard to get to, given where you are - go see a UCONN, UMASS, Rutgers, etc. For private, BU and NEU.
For mid-large, you are close to SUNY Albany, Binghamton, UVM. Pitt
For mid size, how about a UVM and UNH (maybe not urban enough). Rochester could e a private to look at as well.
You might want a smaller student body at a large school - go check out U of South Carolina - and the top rated Honors program and you’d be in the state capital. And if you’re down that far, check out College of Charleston. It’s a bit North and probably not suburban enough, but take a look at William & Mary.
For small, if you get out to Wisconsin and Michigan, check out Minnesota - and then go see Macalester - which is a small liberal arts school in Minneapolis - with a fabulous reputation.
Or stick close to home to save money - and go see a few suburban liberal arts colleges in your neck of the woods - Holy Cross, Union, Trinity. Or some that are “suburban” like a Skidmore, Connecticut College.
Obviously you can’t go see 100 schools - but I would go out and validate your thoughts because as I suspected, you hadn’t done that.
If a “large” school is too much for you, I would disagree in going to one over a “mediocre” small/mid. They are only mediocre if you make them such. There are huge successes from most every school and check the grad school rosters of the Ivies - they are riddled with kids from most every level of school.
So you want to spend the year, learning what you really like - and then finding those schools - in my opinion.
If you keep up the great work, with your record, you might even find some schools where you score some scholarships and thus help your family save, if that’s a desire of theirs. Have you had that discussion?
Again, I think it’s great you have these thoughts - but I do think you would benefit by visiting a few school as you are able during off days from school during the fall and spring - if possible when campus are populated. It’s not as good to go in the summer but if that’s the only time, that’s great too.
Sorry to veer off your original topic but I just think your “chance me” is premature. I’s not premature that you are thinking - and that’s great - but let’s see how you feel after visiting some campuses and let’s see how you do academically this year - hopefully you do just as well but you’re taking tough classes and you just never know.
Hope that helps.