College Suggestions?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi, I’m a rising senior and will be applying to colleges in the fall, and I’m struggling a bit to work out my college list. Help please? I need advice on what schools are ridiculous for me to be applying to and whether or not my college list matches with the stats and ECs I have.

College list so far: Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, Tufts, Duke, Cornell, Georgetown, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Northwestern, UNC Chapel Hill, UPenn

School: public (very small, graduating class of maybe 130)
Location: Ohio
Race: Asian
Prospective Major: biomedical engineering? (definitely STEM related, possibly with either a Spanish or Econ minor)
Unweighted GPA: 3.9 (as of end of sophmore year, junior year not counted bc not available yet, should be roughly the same)
Weighted GPA: 4.386 (as of end of sophmore year, junior year not counted bc not available yet, should be slightly higher)
Class rank: top 3%
ACT: 33 (34 superscore)
SAT: 1470

SAT2 scores: (also took math 2 and physics but no results back yet)
Math 1: 730
Spanish: 750
Math 2: 730 (will take again)
Physics: 710 (will possibly take again)
(math and physics scores are kinda low considering I want to go into STEM, I know)

AP Scores: (that I’m going to submit to colleges)
AP Lang - 5
AP Physics 1 - 4
AP Stats - 4
AP Microeconomics - 5
AP Macroeconomics - 5
AP Spanish Language - 5

ECs:
Yearbook editor in chief, participated 9-12
Model United Nations president, participated 9-12
National Honors Society, 11-12
over 400 volunteer hours (starting from the summer before 9th grade) from labwork, day camps, tutoring, school events, etc
have been taking painting/art classes for 11 years
play the Chinese zither and hulusi (both traditional Chinese instruments, started playing at age 7)
currently working in a lab at Case (CWRU) doing data analysis
involved in a Chinese Culture Association as worker, performer, volunteer, student (since age 5)

I feel like I’m reaching too high with what colleges I want to apply to and that OSU, CWRU, Tufts, and UNC Chapel Hill are the only ones I can reasonably get into. Any suggestions of schools to add/remove?
I know that every college has their admissions averages there, but is this level of schools reasonable for me to be wanting to apply to? Or should I tone it down a bit…

2

match
Ohio State University
Case Western Reserve University
Tufts

reach
Duke
Cornell
Georgetown
Dartmouth
Vanderbilt
Notre Dame
Northwestern
UNC Chapel Hill
UPenn

I believe that unc is also a reach because although you’re in the academic range, they tend not to take as many oos unless you are high academically and show very high interest. It is a match for instate though.

The best recommendation I can give you for biomed is RPI. There are too many pros for me to list as far as you being a match for RPI but I will list a con because it is a short list. RPI is in the Northeast which is cold but that’s about it, RPI is a great choice for you. The only reach I’d apply to would be Notre Dame. Would be good to know what your family can afford out of pocket per year and how much you are planning to allow for loans per year. That would help idenitfying the better schools for you.
goodluck

3

@goredhead , thanks for the advice
Family would be willing to pay ~$30,000 and I think willing to take out any amount of loans depending on the ranking of the school. Also, would prefer a liberal school (doesn’t have to be super liberal, but not leaning towards conservative).

4

Congratulations on having a strong application profile! It seems to me that you have a generally reasonable college list, but I do agree with post #2 that it’s reach-heavy, although that’s mostly because it’s incredibly hard for such competitive schools to be anything else. There’s nothing wrong with having lots of reach schools so long as you have some schools you’re happy with if you don’t get into the reach schools. These are also all competitive universities, but I’d consider taking a look at Emory University, Carnegie Mellon, WUSTL, and Rice University.

5

You have strong credentials, but admission to any of the schools on your list is very competitive. You could be rejected to all, accepted to all or somewhere in between. These are very different schools and it is important to understand why you think these are good fits, why do you want that specific school, what will you offer the school, what will you contribute to that unique community. Make sure you answer those questions in each of your applications and it will significantly help your process. Right now so many rising seniors are thinking about “where can I get in” vs “where will I thrive”. Sometimes the place you will have the most opportunity for success (and fun!) isn’t at the tippy top of your list. Sometimes people with seemingly lesser credentials than yours are accepted because they have a stronger sense of connection to the school. good luck!

6

You need perhaps one or two places where you will comfortably get admitted but still be happy - Miami Ohio, perhaps Pitt? I’d also add another “middle” or “match” school.

All the top schools you listed, as others have stated, can be a crap shoot. With admission rates of less than approx. 10% and top-notch applicants they reject thousands of kids just like you. Also, the finances need to play a factor, even if you don’t think so now.

My daughter was accepted at Georgetown with no aid - $71k, Duke with no aid - $65k. Great schools but not worth $100+k in debt in my opinion.

Take some time this summer and research the schools - location, geography, “vibe”, social scene, the academic departments you are most interested in…

7

Agree w/ OSU & Case as Matches. Tufts - you’d need to show interest, otherwise they may not give you a look. The rest are reaches, as noted above. Agree w/ adding Miami (OH) - you will probably get in there, and may get enough aid to afford it. Pitt & RPI also good matches. Also look at Akron, Cincinnati, Toledo, Wright St as “likelies”

My advice: find a school or two you will likely get into, likely afford, has a program you want, and would like to go to. Apply there as early as possible. These are your “safeties”.

Then look at the “reach” & “match” schools - run the net price calculators. Apply to affordable schools in these categories, in order of your preference - do the ones you want most first. Do not apply to any school you like less than your “safeties”.

8

I would think Ohio State is a safety unless I’m missing something. I would apply there early action or as early as you can(rolling admissions?) in order to get one school under your belt. Then add safeties if you need to. I think your list is fine. Do you think your work at Case Western will help you get in? A prof can put in a good word for you? If so, you are probably a likely there too. Just make sure to show interest.

9

OSU is definitely my safety school, and I’d be happy going there. I believe my work at CWRU will help me, especially since one of the heads of the department of radiology (who I work with) is writing me a rec letter. I think my chances for Case are pretty high, I’m also a legacy applicant (mother is considered an alumni and currently works there).

10

My situation is basically that I’m going to either OSU or Case (which I am fine with) unless I get into somewhere better that I like more, which is why almost all of my schools are pretty high reaches.