<p>Full disclosure: I’m an admissions director at Carthage. (I just messaged the forum admin this afternoon asking for credential verification to be listed as a college rep, and my reading of the sites Terms of Service seems to allow for this type of posting.)</p>
<p>Your likelihood of admission at Carthage is very strong. I can never say for certain without a formal evaluation of an application and supporting materials. And, no, bringing a Blizzard or Dilly Bar to your campus visit won’t improve your likelihood of admission 
Though I don’t think anyone would shun the friendly gesture.</p>
<p>That said, you wouldn’t be out of place here academically. I just took a quick look at applicants still considering Carthage for fall 2009 (excluding those who applied and since opted to go elsewhere), and there are 363 applicants with 30+ ACTs and 404 applicants with 3.9+/4.0 unweighted GPAs. There is overlap in those numbers, of course. (We anticipate an incoming freshmen class of around 700 students.)</p>
<p>In addition to likely being admitted, you are also an excellent candidate for scholarships. These include an automatic merit scholarship of $10k/year under current criteria (unlikely to change in the coming year, though formally set in the summer). You would also want to consider the competitive Lincoln Scholarship Program (open to all majors, currently awards 17 scholarships ranging from 75% tuition to full tuition, room and board) and the Math/Science Scholarship Program (open to science majors, including neuroscience, currently awards two $17k/year scholarships and one full tuition/year scholarship). More scholarship information is available here: [Carthage</a> Scholarships and Grants](<a href=“http://www.carthage.edu/admissions/scholarships/]Carthage”>Undergraduate Scholarships • Admission & Aid • Carthage College)</p>
<p>Scholarships alone are not a reason to choose a college, of course. At Carthage, we are big believers in students finding the right “fit” academically and socially. While we feel we are a strong college academically with much to offer (Lake Michigan shoreline location midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, $130 million in building and renovation in the last decade, etc.), that doesn’t mean we are the best fit for all students.</p>
<p>We also offer theatre opportunities for non-majors (both performance and tech), and sponsor a debate team which awards scholarships and travels extensively. (The president of Carthage is a fan of the debate team, and that level of support shows.) Yearbook and newspaper are both options, as well.</p>
<p>A member of our board of trustees is a neuroscientist, and this Carthage alumnus is currently Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Colorado Denver and is Professor of Psychiatry and a member of the Neuroscience Program in the School of Medicine. I believe he was the push behind developing the neuroscience major at Carthage.</p>
<p>At any rate, the program is strong academically, and (no surprise) attracts students of your caliber. Some opt to double-major or even triple-major in the related fields of biology, psychology, or chemistry, with some “double-dipping” opportunities given the nature of the coursework. The overall philosophy of the Carthage Natural Science Division is “learn science by doing science” and hands-on research is part and parcel of the undergraduate neuroscience major at Carthage. You can see examples of research (and related travel to conferences) at [Carthage</a> - Neuroscience - Research Opportunities](<a href=“http://www.carthage.edu/dept/neuro/research.html]Carthage”>http://www.carthage.edu/dept/neuro/research.html) Note the links on the right for some in-depth looks at neuroscience research conducted at Carthage.</p>
<p>Depending on your interests, you might also be interested in the ScienceWorks minor at Carthage, an entrepreneurial studies minor available exclusively to science majors.</p>
<p>Would Carthage be a great fit for you? Only you can determine that, of course. I think we are worth including on your college search list, and a visit would help you determine if we are a school to consider further.</p>