Hi, everyone,
I am in the midst of preparing myself for the college application process and starting to compile of schools to which I want to apply. I don’t think any of the schools on my list are really “safety schools” in most people’s eyes. Here is where I am considering:
Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, Middlebury, Georgetown, Vassar, UVA, William and Mary, and University of Richmond (what I originally considered to be my “safety”)
Here are some of my stats for reference. I have a 4.0 UW GPA and a 4.18 W GPA. I have taken 5 AP classes so far and received four 5s and one 4; I’m also taking 6 AP classes senior year. I got a 33 composite score on the ACT (a single sitting) and plan on retaking it in September, confident that I can raise my score to a 34+. I took the old SAT twice and got a 2170 (superscored). My extracurriculars are fairly varied; I participate in choir, speech team, Scholastic Bowl, the literary magazine, caving, National Honor Society, 5 other honor societies, and more.
I have been told that I need to find a better safety school. There are several things that are really important to my in my college search. I would prefer that the school has little Greek life (I’m rethinking Dartmouth for this reason), for I don’t think my personality works in that setting. I want the school to be primarily residential, with most people living on campus for all 4 years (also, I know UVA is an exception to this). I would prefer not to go any further south than Virginia (my home state), and I want a school that’s not too big (again, I know UVA is fairly big). Study abroad is also big for me, and good financial aid is IMPERATIVE.
I was considering the University of Rochester as a safety–is this valid?? If not, are there any schools that I should consider as safeties that meet my criteria?
Potential majors/areas of academic interest? Student body type or does it not matter? (Dartmouth/UVA/Richmond/Georgetown are very different than Vassar, for example)
Sorry, I meant to mention that. I am hoping to study International Relations or Anthropology. And the latter doesn’t make much a difference, but I don’t want an all-girls school.
@doschicos
I am also considering Bard as a safety school.
I think you should look at Dickinson as a safety. Good international focus. You’d also get merit aid.
Another school to look at is Macalister. Probably a low match/safety. International focus is strong, good location in Minny/St. Paul. Excellent food is a plus.
For IR, take a look at American. Can’t beat the DC location.
nmocha567, make sure you show your safeties the love via demonstrated interest.
I’ll also add, if you’d consider studying abroad, look into St. Andrews in Scotland. You are certain to be admitted with your stats (more stats driven, less holistic than college admissions in the USA), world class IR program, fun school, gorgeous location.
@doschicos Thank you so much for all of your help! I will definitely take a look at all of these schools. I really appreciate that you added St. Andrews as an option. William and Mary actually has a joint-degree program in which you spend two years at W&M and two years at St. Andrews. But now I’ll definitely consider it by itself, as well.
McGill, UBC and Toronto would be safety schools if you would consider going to Canada. they admit solely by stats and you are significantly above the minimum requirements.
US schools deny many top students if they sense that you are using them as a safety, not the case in Canada.
URochester is in no way a safety school.
Also, @doschicos, do you know of the tuition and financial aid situations at St. Andrews? I know that tuition is supposedly cheaper in the UK. I am a triplet, so we need all the help we can get in terms of finances for college.
@TomSrOfBoston I actually visited McGill but haven’t considered UBC or Toronto–thanks for your help! I see now the URochester is basically another school similar to UVA and W&M in terms of admissions.
That is one problem with St. Andrews - financial aid is limited for international students, so that might make it a non-viable option for you.