Would add that the OP could go back and read old threads on this topic, I don’t have the energy to rehash it again here. But suffice it to say that the campus isn’t one giant Animal House. Paradoxically because Greek life is so prevalent, it is not exclusionary (unless you only want to pledge one fraternity/sorority). Kids who on other campuses wouldn’t go Greek do so at W&L, and this influences the culture. Finally, my son found joining a fraternity helped with mixing – he met kids from lots of different groups that way.
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I do have safeties though-AU, CUA, etc., unlike that fellow. It’s the financial aspect that’s the problem-but I’m not sure if there is such a thing as a financial safety for me (beyond an in-state public, but in all honesty, I might rather do active duty military for four years than my in-state public, though that’s perhaps a strong declaration-but I’m speaking for myself, not as a general rule).
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Thank you! Syracuse and Gustavus will be looked into.
I’ve actually looked into the University of San Francisco before and loved them, but living in San Francisco-well, I’m just not sure.
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Yes actually! That’s the SMP plan I mentioned earlier, really appeals to me. The benefits vary though and I’d rather they be a pleasant surprise than something I’m betting on having, for the moment at least.
Funnily enough, I actually looked at Rice especially due it being in Houston, I’d love to live there. But I thought yet another reach school wouldn’t be worthwhile application wise and their ROTC crosstown is too long for a commute I’d want daily.
Thank you!
You wouldn’t need ROTC to pay for Rice because they meet full need for EFC0, and if you did ROTC out of personal interest you’d be allowed to quit without penalty if you found the commuting too burdensome.
UHouston has a great Honors College with good scholarships if you like the city.
An issue is that more and more the military prefer keeping scholarships for Sophomore ROTC students (and on) who’ve proven themselves so full rides are more uncommon at the 1st year level.
So you need a 2-prong strategy: full ride merit for the 33 (or full tuition+ROTC), and full ride for financial need.
You DO have academic&financial likelies (if not safeties): automatic full rides for an ACT 33, Berea (a top notch college with zero Greek life), less well-known yet nationally-recognized, specific honors programs at public universities…
Williams should be on your list: being EFC0 is a hook there. And if you manage to get into Williams, you’re golden.
Let’s imagine you live in Alaska and can’t wait to get to the Lower 48, or that you live in Alabama and can’t stand a SEC/Greek school. Your #1 goal is finding a better place that’ll be affordable
It still requires you to do your due diligence “just in case” but finding the most niche, most unlike-the-general-university program at these universities. So, if at U Alabama, apply to Honors then apply to Honors within Honors like Blount. Then set that aside as your “just in case” because that’s not what you want but it’s still there.
Are you Catholic, devout, with several church-related activities, no problem getting a priest’s recommendation? Because CUA is the only “Papal Bulla” university in the US. It’s not merely a Catholic university like Fordham or Georgetown, but a very specific environment even for Catholics. If you will, Fordham is to CUA what ROTC is to West Point. You have to be 100% in, for everything you do; the teachings will follow the same theological, doctrinal, and ideological points as the Vatican and any seminary, and the rules of conduct, while not the same as a seminary’s, are not the same as a “typical” college’s.
In addition, it’s not a safety because it doesn’t meet need and doesn’t have much money (it’s very much a niche school).
Your GC will check the eligibility box on Common App so you should have 20 free apps. In addition, check out “Coalition App” and NACAC fee waivers for universities not on CommonApp nor Coalition.
What does your senior year schedule look like?
Are you enrolled in Foreign Language level 3, 4 or AP?
Precalculus Honors or AP Calc (if offered/or equivalent)?
Have you taken one each from bio, chem, and physics?
Have you taken any AP/IB/DE/AICE class?
Since you’re interested in DC, what about Dickinson, Tufts, and Hamilton (all with strong Poli Sci&Intl Relations programs+connections to DC)?
Why Emerson? (It’s very much an Arts&Media college and doesn’t meet need; for a student with EFC 0 and your profile, there are better options)
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I agree that a “just in case” school is always a good idea. Some students will claim that under no circumstance will they attend their “just in case”, but what if there were a medical issue either with the student or with a family member? Nobody likes to think about such a thing, so I have them imagine a low stakes example: a broken leg. Imagine a leg broken badly enough that they will need to stay close to home for a couple of semesters for medical care. They won’t be able to work and their friends will all be off at school. Wouldn’t they prefer to take some classes rather than sit around with nothing to do between surgeries and PT sessions? This actually happened to my sister. She enrolled at a local non-selective school that she wouldn’t have considered otherwise. She ended up staying 4 years and it launched her right into medical school!
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The cases I knew where the “just in case” college had to be used were related to tragic circumstances. Unfortunately these do happen and the student does have to stay instate. 
Students balk at having an instate “just in case” college for fear their parents would force them to attend even if no tragic reason would justify it; in that case, the “just in case” college has to be a guaranteed safety, ie., an automatic full ride somewhere else but the alternative is often less good or holds no advantage (ie., between UA Honors/Blount and Prairie View Honors, even if you can’t stand the state and its culture or SEC culture or the heat or whatever, the alternative has no advantage over the instate university).
Fortunately a 3.96/33 profile should have many choices that aren’t absolute safeties but with a lot of work on essays should offer alternatives.
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Are you enrolled in Foreign Language level 3, 4 or AP?
Foreign language no, APs yes.
Have you taken one each from bio, chem, and physics?
Yes, As in all three with Honors in Biology and Chemistry.
Have you taken any AP/IB/DE/AICE class?
Quite a few.
I’ll look further into Tufts, I’m going to a pre-college program there so I can see how I like it.
Emerson is strong on media and communications, I have heard, no? And they have a political communication major.
I meant Foreign Language at a level past “basic”. Selective colleges consider it a core class and achieving an intermediate level of fluency (Level 4 or 5). So if you’re not enrolled for Senior Year, try to take it if your HS offers it. If it doesn’t, your GC should make that clear - or if you’ve already reached AP level in a foreign language
then you’re good.
Which exact AP/IB/DE/AICE classes have you taken?
Yes, you’re right, Emerson is strong in those fields, but it doesn’t meet need so would likely be unaffordable.
Perhaps replace it with Northeastern?
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Done, thank you! I’m also coming to love Northeastern’s approach.
Should I list every class or every test? I self studies for quite a few.
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I’ve heard from a few people that Northeastern’s aid offer includes loans. You might want to check if that’s true.
Perhaps list classes and grade first (with test result if applicable) and test taken without a class separately.
Why did you self study (class not offered at your HS?..?)
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Which schools are currently on your list right now that you’re thinking of applying to?
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Yes, but I’m also guaranteed a paid job for 25% of my undergraduate experience, which I can tolerate.
Class not offered, it is a small school.
Not quite the same as above, I added more schools that meet need, but the core is similar.
Who’s guaranteeing you a job? And will it pay enough to cover your loans?
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