College List: Reaches, Matches, and Safeties

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've basically finalized my college list (may tweak a bit). My stats are as followed:</p>

<p>Female
White</p>

<p>Public school in NJ
~1200 kids?
mildly competitive</p>

<p>GPA: 3.5 (uw)
SAT: CR:550, W: 590, M:590, 1760 yeah not so hot, taking oct. 10.</p>

<p>I'm taking my SATII's in the fall, I expect at least 700s in Biology and US History (I've been prepping hard)</p>

<p>APs:
History: 4
Psychology: 4
Gov: 5
Bio: 3
I don't even know if I should report these.</p>

<p>EC's ... which kinda suck.
Model Congress, 3 years
French Club, 3 years, shoo in for president this year
Student Council, 3 years
NHS, more like a filler really
French Honor Society
100+ community service hours, no depth whatsoever, just did it as a requirement. i might not even report these however I recently started community service somewhere pretty exciting, I may write my college essay on this. :)</p>

<p>Obviously my stats aren't the greatest but are these colleges labeled correctly?</p>

<p>Reach:
Holy Cross
Clark U
George Washington U</p>

<p>Match:
Fairfield (EA)
Rutgers NB/Pscataway
Fordham (EA)</p>

<p>Safety:
Temple
UHartford
Endicott</p>

<p>Can anyone verify if those are in the right categories for me? Also, my first choice is Fairfield followed by GWU and Clark. As for my safety schools, I guess they're alright, the only one I'd really want to go to is Temple, but I guess even if I don't get into that I'll end up at Hartford or Endicott. :( My GC pushed me to add more safeties. </p>

<p>Hopefully if I get into Fordham or Fairfield I won't even have to apply to my safeties (they are all rolling I believe). So, are my matches, reaches, etc. correctly labeled? Any insight or suggestions on my college list would be helpful as well. By the way, I will most likely major in history. :)</p>

2

<p>I think you’ll get into Temple, but I dont think it’s a safety for you, like it might’ve been a few years ago. We’re getting increasingly competitive year after year. Last year’s average was 3.4 GPA and 1110 SAT, and I expect that to increase next year.</p>

3

<p>I think Fordham may be a reach for you.</p>

4

<p>I agree that Fordham is a reach school. I don’t know if I would put Clark in the reach list (maybe match to high match).</p>

5

<p>Fordham should not be a reach…D’s friend was admitted with 100 less on SAT’s and lower AP’s but was not asking for any financial aid.</p>

6

<p>Clark is more of a match than reach. Is there another factor you are looking for in school–you have a wide range of schools in terms of size, type of campus and location. Given your liking Fairfield, look at Marist and Loyola MD (reach/match) and St Joe (more of a safety). Given your liking Clark–which is far more urban, liberal, smaller, unconventional and civic-minded than Fairfield-- there are many fine small liberal arts schools in PA which could be anywhere from safeties to matches, to reaches–Susquehanna; Moravian; Albright; Lycoming (all matches or safeties); Gettysburg; Franklin & Marshall (both reaches)… Or Goucher, Washington or McDaniel in MD (matches); Manhattanville or Ithaca in NY (safety or match); Quinnipiac in CT (match). Endicott has nice beaches; I have not heard good things about Hartford and, given your lack of enthusiasm for it, why not swap it out?</p>

7

<p>And you need not be so defensive about your credentials–outside of certain CC groups, you have done fine and many very good schools will accept you. Juniata in PA might be a rural version of Clark in terms of philosophy</p>

8

<p>Thank you yabeyabe2, actually the main reason I like Clark is because of there B.A/M.A program. It’s an accelerated program where you get both degrees with the 5th year free! Awesome! </p>

<p>And also thanks everyone, can anyone else verify that Fordham is a reach for me? Or any other safeties?</p>

9

<p>At our NJ high school, there is a program called Naviance showing how applicants from our HS did at schools over the past 5 years. The Fordham applicants with your stats appear to usually get in. Does your school offer Naviance or does your guidance counselor know how recent applicants with similar stats have done?</p>

<p>You said you were 3.5 UW; what would it be W? At our school, the 3.75 with your SATS seemed to always be admitted, although colleges often have strong likes or dislikes for particular high schools–and most high school parents hear stories of wher etheir school is loved and others where the school is shunned.</p>

<p>I can see no reason to not submit your AP scores; does your counselor feel otherwise?</p>

<p>What was it about Fairfield and Fordham that you liked, so others can suggest more schools? From your list, it seemed to me you wanted Catholic schools not far from cities; which is why Loyola and St Joe came to mind. Manhattan might be a safer version of Fordham.</p>

10

<p>I have never heard of Naivance</p>

<p>My school doesnt weigh or rank =/</p>

<p>Fairfield and Fordham attract me because they are Jesuit LACs, awesome location and since I will most likely major in history are a nice fit for me. Same goes for Holy Cross. Obviously there are other factors for each but generally I’d take a look at Jesuit LAC’s as long as they arent too far away from a major city, and definitely on the East coast. Fordham is rather large for it’s size but like GWU I’m willing to look past that.</p>

<p>Clark. In Worcester as well, about an hour from Boston. Although it isn’t Jesuit it’s accelerated BA/MA program is what really caught my eye. Anyone else know other colleges that offer this program?</p>

<p>GWU - probably the most “out there” if you look at my list. Although larger and farther away from the rest it has tons to offer. Excellent in the history/social science fields and great for internships.</p>

<p>Rutgers - what can I say i’m from NEW JERSEY! haha</p>

<p>Safeties are safeties … if I apply early I may not even apply to them at all.</p>

<p>BTW, I added Loyola to my list. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and finally added it. I’ll definitely visit it when I’m in DC. As for St. Joe’s I just got a free app from them in the mail today! I’ll look into the rest as well. :)</p>

11

<p>Best of luck. St Joe is also Jesuit. You can get to downtown Philly by public transportation in 20 minutes or less. It and Loyola are very popular at our school
Clark’s area is not affluent, but it is a very good, caring school</p>