<p>My daughter, who was sure she wanted to take a gap year in Japan, has changed her mind. She is finishing junior year so we need a final list ASAP.</p>
<p>DD attends a private school that sends probably a third of their kids to very top colleges. We're pretty sure she's in the top 10%, but they don't rank. SATI is 2280, 5 very high 700s SATIIs. Equally good math/science and humanities student. All high level classes.</p>
<p>Her weakness is ECs. Tennis is her main EC (though not good enough for college play) having been JV captin and V co-cap. She spent a term in Japan which cut out most jr. year ECs. Has had a few articles published, participates in cooking contests though she hasn't won any
(takes so much time!), is on water polo team, has had summer jobs and does average community service hours.</p>
<p>DD is shy and relatively quiet which comes through in very detailed report card comments (I wish Sally would speak more in class) which I'm concerned will hurt. She is well liked by teachers and peers however, and she will get references reflecting that she is scholarly and truly loves (and is good at) learning.</p>
<p>She has some interest in the biotechnology field and thinks business in general is of interest, but is totally undecided on a major. She is a legacy at Williams, Brown and Stanford.</p>
<p>Given the legacies, she has pleanty of reaches so we're looking for matches and safeties. She wants no larger then say 8000 undergrads, small classes, study abroad opportunities, strong peer interaction. She has been to such a wonderful high school thanks to generous grandparents, that she has high expectations in terms of quality classes and teaching. Open to any part of the Country (and world, we wonder about Oxbridge).</p>
<p>If she is interested in Bio tech I will recommend JHU for BME and if she is interested in business then schools like NYU (Stern), UMICH(Ross), UC Berk (Hass), UPENN (Wharton). </p>
<p>Also for UK schools ( I applied to 6)</p>
<p>Imperial College of London is a good bio tech as well as Warwick University. For science pick Oxford (you cant apply to Oxford and Cambridge in the same year)</p>
<p>zagat, it is way too early for a "final" list...so take your time and take some time to explore colleges. I wouldn't be too concerned about the teacher's comments about your daughter being shy...even the top Ivies take shy students who have other things to offer. Your daughter's test scores and grades/rank sound solid, so she has many schools open to her. It seems that the real opportunity to differentiate herself from other good applicants may be her term in Japan and her ability to communicate how the experience changed her or what it meant to her in writing.</p>
<p>It would sure help if you could elaborate more about her wishes...you say up to 8000 undergrads which suggests a mid to large uni, but you mention that Williams is a possibility...is a small LAC OK? What about women's colleges? Is science a possibility? Or more science applications in business?</p>
<p>For medium to large unis which would be matches/safeties for science/humanities, consider JHU, CWRU, University of Rochester, Rice U, Northwestern U, Carnegie Mellon, and UMich. For smaller LACs with excellent peer interactions and science and humanities which would probably be matches consider Wellesley, Vassar, Oberlin, Carleton, St. Olaf's. There are a broad range of schools to consider. I would strongly recommend a trip to the Counselor-O-Matic on the PR website. This "tool" permits you to put in all kinds of information about stats, geographical desires, large vs. small, strong Greek vs. not, urban vs. suburban, vs. rural and puts out a very long list of schools which they categorize as reaches, matches, and safeties. Take the categorizations with a humongous grain of salt. In fact, ignore them...you can figure that out on the USNWR website. But it does help to generate lists of schools she might not otherwise consider. By doing this exercise, my D came to explore Brandeis, a terrific school she hadn't even thought about and one that ended up on her final application list.</p>
<p>How can you say your D's is weak in ECs? They're great!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Tennis is her main EC (though not good enough for college play) having been JV captin and V co-cap. She spent a term in Japan which cut out most jr. year ECs. Has had a few articles published, participates in cooking contests though she hasn't won any
(takes so much time!), is on water polo team, has had summer jobs and does average community service hours.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I note:
Tennis
Water Polo
Cooking
Published articles
community service
summer jobs.</p>
<p>She can write a great essay on her term in Japan. She'll do very well!</p>
<p>I don't believe any school is off the table for your kid, zagat. Everything is still in play. :) </p>
<p>What were her Critical Reading and Math SAT I scores?</p>
<p>How would she feel about a competitive environment as opposed to collaborative environment?</p>
<p>Wanting Bio Med E narrows the field , and frankly away from my usual suspects. My D started out looking for Biomedical Engineeering so I have looked for schools a while back. </p>
<p>Folks, could this kid consider something rad like Olin? If she can get past the whole "it's tiny " thing, what a whale of an opportunity to be part of something new. Is BioMed even in place yet? Maybe not. But it's still cool. </p>
<p>My D got enormous amounts of wonderful literature from the Fu Foundation SEAS at Columbia. Looked really good and they want girls. UPenn SEAS bio med also has a biomed engineering "lite" course of study that my D liked a lot (I think it was called Bioscience) but you applied through the Engineering school (better odds). Case was easy to deal with and they'd offer her nice perks. Carnegie Mellon sounds logical , as does JHU and URochester. Finally WashU would be a very nice choice. </p>
<p>At your D's stat level, gender, ec's and with the background you've given I don't know that Fu and UPenn SEAS are really all that super-reachy, (like the College would be). I'd say an attainable reach (LOL, new category I've just invented. It's reach 'cause it always is, but this kid sounds good to go.) Tell us what you think.</p>
<p>I also didn't see her ECs as weak, but then I don't spend much time on the Chances forum ;).</p>
<p>For BMEngineering, Tulane will be a safety for her and could yield great merit aid, if that is an interest. They are very highly ranked in that field.</p>
<p>Lehigh, Lafayette, Wellesley come to mind. Bates College as well, although I have heard (don't know it to be true) that interview is important there... see comment below.</p>
<p>You might want to check which schools consider interviews to be important in the admissions process - sounds like that might be stressful for her or at least not her strongest suit. Many schools don't require them and some (like Stanford) don't allow them as you probably know. Matches and safeties like that might be nice.</p>
<p>Zagat I think you could consider Williams a likely admit. Visit campus and have your daughter do the legacy interview that Williams offers. I agree with others above that her EC's aren't weak, and the term in Japan is intriguing (and in a way could contradict any "shyness" that might be hinted at in a recommendation). A good safety might be Smith.</p>
<p>This is the best resource for any college search hands down. Thanks for all the ideas. The Penn bio lite sounds right up her alley.</p>
<p>Yes, a small LAC would be of interest. She has always gone to small schools and we wonder if we should encourge something a bit larger.</p>
<p>SATs: 800 M, 760 CR, 720 W . She takes math IIC next weekend and we expect a good score. Any other colleges you know looking for math/science girls sounds like they make sense.</p>
<p>Merit aid is something we hadn't even thought about until recently, but boy would it help. I've been following the $$$ threads with great interest. I suppose we'll not rule out the expensive ones though.</p>
<p>Practically all colleges look for math/science girls! Her scores are wonderful. Williams is terrific in that area, so is Swarthmore; Bates is also very good. Wesleyan has traditionally been stronger in the humanities but is building up its sciences. At Brown, my S encountered some very happy female science majors. Smith and Wellesley are excellent if she prefers and all-women college. Chicago is also very strong in the sciences. If she prefers a smaller college in the Midwest, Carleton and St Olaf would be good choices. </p>
<p>If she's not stuck on private schools and is interested in biotech, she might want to take a look at UCSD. It's very strong in the biotech area and is surrounded in the immediate area by a large number of biotech firms for very good internship possibilities. I believe it's one of the top institutions in the country for biotech. On top of this, it's in La Jolla California - a very nice area to live.</p>
<p>Zagat,
What is she planning on doing this summer? The summer after Jr year is the time for a student to do something that helps them really stand out from the crowd. Even if they have great stats. Are there any biotech internships or other work/study possibilities available in your area? Or elsewhere?
Even though USC is large, they have many opportunities for hi stat kids to take small class [ research Thematic Options]. Also, they give terrific merit aid- automatic 1/2 tuition for NM scholar finalists, and full tuition trustees scholarships for approx 100 entering students each year [ my son received one and is going to USC next year, even though he also got into Dartmouth, Brown, Wash U, U of Chicago and 8 other schools. His stats were very similar to your daughter's]</p>
<p>A slightly off the wall choice, but if she decides small schools are the way to go, take a look at Davidson. They have an interdisciplinary genomics program involving biology, chemistry and physics. the students can tailor a major depending on which "intersections" of the 3 sciences interest them the most, and the program gives instruction in biotechnology, including computer applications, without being an engineering program. Carleton also had an impressive bio program, but not more so than Williams.
Don't forget Duke if she is willing to apply to the engineering school!</p>
<p>Daughter is taking an engineering class at a local college this summer to see if she likes the disipline. She will also be working part time doing grunt work for a technology venture firm. She really is trying to get exposure. Any other ideas welcome.</p>
<p>Also, DDs highest level math will be calc. We had thought of letting her do that this summer so that she could go further senior year. Does anyone think this is important if applying to a competitive science major?</p>
<p>As for UCSD, we know of their wonderful programs. Does anyone have a student there? I'm afraid DD would not be a great self advocate at a large school that requires assertive behavior. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Wesleyan is not "building up its sciences"; it has traditionally been the strongest of the NESCAC colleges in terms of research done by its native arts and science faculty. What it IS pumping up is finally getting the word out about it. While Amherst and Williams constantly point to their billion dollar endowments, Wesleyan, alone among the Little Three, conducts ongoing, peer-reviewed research all year round, not just during summer breaks.</p>
<p>When we attended Wesleyan Commencement a couple of years ago, the emphasis seemed to be on building sciences as part of the current campaign. That was what I was referring to. It was not just about getting the word out.</p>
<p>zagat, is she interested in biomedical engineering for the bio , the med, or the engineering? This is the same question my D had to wrestle with at about the same point in the journey. I might approach her schools differently if she was thinking somewhat seriously about medical school. My very pre-professional D ended up thinking that med school chances were better for her (she also combats natural shyness) coming from a different major.</p>
<p>When we attended Wesleyan Commencement a couple of years ago, the emphasis seemed to be on building sciences as part of the current campaign. That was what I was referring to. It was not just about getting the word out.<</p>
<br>
<p>What Wesleyan plans on "building" would by any other name be called "adding on" to an already rich tradition in the basic sciences: it is an $80+ million Life Sciences building with state of the art bioinfomatics facilities and a probable hook-up with Yale and the University of Connecticut involving research on the human genome. This would place Wesleyan in a league well outside even the most cutting edge NESCAC arts and science program.</p>
<p>I'm the Rice mom, so I'm often advocating. It is close-knit, and has a residential college system (9 residential colleges of 300 kids, with college "masters" living in each college, and two faculty residential associates living in each college. Good situation for a "shy" kid, since the colleges form a strong social base.) Campus is big, green and lovely, and it's a non-competitive and supportive kind of place with lots going on. Only 2700 undergrads - and lots of professors - a 1:5 faculty -student ratio. Another benefit - students are accepted to the university, not a major, and can change majors easily. It's a great place, and she might qualify for merit money. Very good sciences and engineering.</p>