College Trip Plans

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello all. I posted in another thread that I am a white PA male with a 2090 SAT (am taking it again...it's not bad but could be better; 720 math, 690 reading, 680 writing), have a lower GPA than I should (that's what's really killing me...3.4 unweighted but am taking all honors and APs...AP Stat and US History this year (most likely a 4 on the stat and a 5 on the History,) and my senior year I'm taking AP Spanish, AP Lit, AP Calc AB, and AP Government. I'm an intended poli sci major.</p>

<p>On one trip I plan on looking at: BU (a little on the safety side), Brandeis (should be about a level), and Rochester (should be about a level).</p>

<p>On another trip I plan on seeing: Bucknell (should be about a level), Pittsburgh (safety), and PSU - University Park (safety).</p>

<p>On a third trip I will take a look at: Maryland-College Park (will this be a little bit of a reach for me since I'm out of state?) and William & Mary (definite out-of-state reach).</p>

<p>On a fourth trip I will be scanning: Michigan-Ann Arbor (definite out-of-state reach), Wisconsin-Madison (is this a reach?), and Illinois-Urbana-Champaign (is this a reach?)</p>

<p>Finally, I'll fly down to Atlanta and see Emory (oh yeah...that's a reach).</p>

<p>Am I selecting a decent variety of colleges? I know most of them are large, but I prefer larger schools. Also, most of these schools have decent poli sci programs.</p>

<p>What do you guys think...</p>

2

<p>I hardly believe that after 42 views no one has anything to say about this.</p>

<p>Come on baby. Give me a response.</p>

3

<p>Why don't you look At GW and AU on the 3rd trip?</p>

4

<p>I hate Washington DC. Other than Georgetown (where I'm not getting in,) the entire city's a ghetto.</p>

<p>Besides...I'm above American and Georgetown would be more of a safety for me.</p>

5

<p>You do not need to go on 5 college trips. Sounds like you need to do a lot more research.</p>

6

<p>GW is on the nice part of DC along with Georgetown.</p>

7

<p>UMich-Ann Arbor, UIUC, and Wisconsin-Madison are not near each other. I'd guess it's about six hours drive from one to the next. Look into flying back from Madison, Rockford or Chicago-O'Hare</p>

8

<p>UW should be a match. That is I'd be surprised if you did not get in but it certainly could happen.</p>

9

<p>I'll probably skip Wisconsin and Illinois (maybe take a look if I'm accepted and may want to go there).</p>

10

<p>GW is in the financial and business district. It is not the ghetto at all. And American University is in the most expensive residential part of the city.</p>

11

<p>And with the schools you're looking at I'd say that American is a match, and an excellent school. It is completely rediculous and snobby to say you are 'above' a school, particularly an excellent one like AU.</p>

12

<p>American would definitely be a safety for me. #85, national universities. I understand that rankings are a bit subjective, but the middle of the second tier versus, say, the middle of the first tier is a big difference. According to collegeboard.com, American's SAT range is 1180-1370. In other words, more of a safety for me.</p>