<p>Hey guys! I'm a newbie here on CC so I'm not quite sure if I'm doing this right... but I am going to be a high school senior this fall and I just wanted to get a feel for what I should be expecting. I'm applying to only liberal arts colleges, and I'm going to be honest and say that most of them are considered top-tier. I'm hoping to follow a Pre-Med track, major in Biology and eventually want to become a pediatrician. Here are my stats:
-1960 SAT (can't remember the specifics at the moment)
-30 ACT w/ writing
-3.09/4 GPA unweighted
-class rank 132/1414 (top 10%)
-4 on AP Physics B
-4 on AP Psychology
-3 on AP English Language and Composition
-620 SAT II Physics
-650 SAT II Literature
-670 SAT II Math II
-advanced orchestra and board member
-NHS, HOSA, student council member
-Congressional Youth Advisory Council member
-Hospice Plus volunteer
-3rd degree taekwondo black belt, continued the sport for 14 years and am currently an assistant instructor</p>
<p>Any and all constructive criticism and commentary will be appreciated! Thanks in advance y'all. :)</p>
<p>Which ones in particular? I think many of those are reaches; might want a school like Cornell College for a match/safety (depending on how much you can afford to spend on a LAC)</p>
<p>You don’t list colleges, but your grades and test scores (both SAT and SAT IIs) are too low for “top tier” LACs unless you have a major hook. If you give your specific list, you can get some feedback on whether you have any matches or safeties on your list. Might be a good idea, as you could have some real frustration in the spring if you move ahead and get few or no acceptances.</p>
<p>Which schools I’m applying to in particular? Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Swarthmore, Lafayette, Amherst, Vassar, Hamilton, Williams, Holy Cross, Haverford, Colgate, Bucknell, and Gettysburg.
My average family income is in the 20-30k range and I am hoping for financial aid, however, I have enough saved up to where I can pay for at least the first two years tuition no problem.</p>
<p>Look into QuestBridge with your income. Your stats by themselves are too low to be accepted to a tippy top LAC, but Questbridge can help you out. More than 50% of finalists get into one of the 34 partner colleges, and that number is higher for those who apply to liberal art colleges. </p>
<p>Many top LACs are represented in it: Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona, Bowdoin, Carleton, Vassar, Grinnell, Trinity, Oberlin, Scripps, Wellesley, Haverford, Colorado, Davidson, Washington and Lee, Wesleyan</p>
<p>An alternate, free application process for low income high school seniors.</p>
<p>The process consists of two processes, the National College Match, and QuestBridge regular decision. National College Match is an early, usually binding process. Applicants can rank up to 8 schools early. All the schools they rank will consider them. If they are selected by a school, the one highest on their list that selected them will give them a full ride scholarship. This process is competitive (only 10% of those named finalists get it), but the good thing is that you can not be rejected from it, and you can still apply EA, ED, or RD to most of the partner schools and others (including all of the liberal art colleges). </p>
<p>QB RD gives finalists free applications to the 35 QuestBridge partner schools. This process is very similar to CA RD. Ultimately around half of the finalists end up at a partner college with a good financial aid package.</p>
<p>Hello! I hate to say it, but I do think that a lot of the schools you are applying for are going to be reaches. You do have a fairly good ACT, but to me, that score seems to clash with the 3.09 unweighted GPA. You only listed three AP scores; how would you describe the rigor of your high school courses? Moderate? The hardest courses available? That may change things up a bit, in terms of how the quantitative aspect of your application will be viewed.</p>
<p>I second Catria’s post regarding Cornell College as a match. You may also want to look at places like Centre College (KY), Hendrix College (AR), Knox College (IL), and Allegheny College ¶, as matches or safeties.</p>