Compiling a list of colleges and need help!

<p>Hi. I'm a rising senior who needs to compile a list of about 10 or so colleges to apply to. I'm not 100% sure about my major in college but I know I want to pursue a career in biomedical research, particularly in the development of pharmaceuticals. I will likely enter a BME program. </p>

<p>Test Scores:
- PSAT - 219
- SAT - 2150 (640 CR, 750 M, 760 W on first time, will study this time and re-take in October)
- ACT - 33
- SAT Subject Tests - Chem (790), Math II (790), USHist (780)</p>

<p>Academics:
- 4.00 GPA unweighted (4.436 weighted)
- All honors and 5 AP classes - Chem, Calc AB, USHist, Statistics, and English (AP classes only offered junior and senior year)
- 3 years foreign language (Spanish 1 in 8th grade, Spanish 2 and 3 in high school but no spanish this year due to conflict in schedule)
- Rank - 1 (I know colleges consider more than just rank, but this has to be a plus point right?)
- My high school is an average high school in South Jersey (and gets around 3-5 kids into Ivies each year)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- Tennis (4 years)
- Track (3 years)
- Math Team (1 year, but team just started up this year)
- GATE Team (academic meets, 3 years)
- French Club (2 years)
- Key Club (4 years)
- Z Club (4 years)
- Campus Kitchen (making food for area high school students, 4 years)
- Starting a Model UN with a friend at high school, will be co-president this year if club is approved by school board (it will probably be approved)
- National Honor Society
- Teen Advisory Group (volunteering with kids at local library, 4 years - received presidential service award from Mayor)
- Volunteering at hospital this summer
- 150+ hours volunteering
- Worked at a hotel as a housekeeping supervisor and front desk clerk (last summer and this summer)
- Planning to work at CVS as Pharmacy Technician Trainee (job interview this week)</p>

<p>We all know the best colleges that are out there - however, I am also looking for more mid-range, safety schools that offer great opportunities for research and internships to undergrads. I don't want to pin all of my hopes on the Ivies/other top universities and end up going to a not-so-great state school. College environment doesn't really matter as long as it's not rural. Location is irrelevant. And cost is not too big of an issue (I'll qualify for some aid). So any college suggestions? And also for someone who wants to pursue a career in pharmaceutical development is BME the best major? Thanks.</p>

<p>I’m glad you are realistic. You are highly qualified, but the top tier of elite colleges and universities will be a reach. It would be easier to make recommendations if you had some preferences. Don’t knock state schools, by the way: the Pharmacy college at Rutgers is one of its most selective divisions, and is very highly regarded. NJ has an exceptional concentration of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical companies, and Rutgers has terrific connections within the industry. I think you’re chances of receiving a merit scholarship from Tulane are pretty good. I’d consider Tufts and Vanderbilt, also, as plausible reaches. I’ve heard good things about the Pharmacy school at Butler, also. Pitt is probably a solid match for you, with a likelihood for a decent aid package. Think a little more about what else you are looking for in a college, so that you can narrow down your list. I’d say Rutgers is probably “in the bag” for you, as a high-stats NJ resident, and so you can expand your search to more reaches and matches. </p>

<p>Location matters, as it provides info on what your state school options are (usually the best deal financially). So what state do you live in?</p>

<p>And just because you qualify for some aid does not mean your family will be able to meet the full amount that many colleges would expect you to pay. Can you give some idea what your family income is and what your parents think they can pay? </p>

<p>This info would help a lot in making recommendations.</p>

<p>@woogzmama‌ I have considered Rutgers as a great safety school option since I have a sibling who already goes there but thank you for the other colleges! However, I don’t want to go to Pharmacy school because I feel that my career options would be limited once I come out and it would be very difficult to change my major if necessary.</p>

<p>And @intparent‌ I live in New Jersey. By “location is irrelevant” I meant my parents would let me go to college anywhere in the country, not just east coast. And my parents would be able to pay up to about $20,000 a year if necessary. Family income over 100k. But considering I have a sibling in college and another one that will join in a couple of years I was hoping to get some financial aid; however, I don’t think I’ll get much.</p>

<p>Also I’m looking for a college that offers great preparation for possibly going into medical school. And undergraduate research is very important. Private university preferred although public is ok. Small or medium school size preferred (I’d like to make connections with professors). Internships and study abroad would be great.</p>

<p>OP, you need to familiarize yourself and your parents with the Net Price Calculators each college has on their website. On the financial aid page of the website.</p>

<p>I don’t know what the financial situation will be, but try Barnard. You should qualify for merit scholarships at Tulane and Fordham, and both have connections to research universities and hospitals. Tufts is a reach, but worth pursuing, as is Brown. I think you’d get a very nice merit scholarship from Rhodes or Goucher, and probably find good research opportunities nearby. Wake Forest is certainly a possibility - a match for you, with good scholarships available, and smack in the “Research Triangle.” </p>

<p>I think the ivies and near ivies are out for you, but you can try a couple. JHU is a reach for everyone in BME in particular. You might look at Vandy and WashU as more realistic reaches but still definitely reaches. Pitt is a match, as is UMD. Pitt would also give you 5-10K, bringing your oos costs of attendance down to 32-37K. UMD might stiff you, leaving you with 43K. Either match is a very good engineering school and strong in the natural sciences. Research at both schools is quite good. I know the summer research opps at Pitt in particular are very good. You might also look at Ohio State, where I believe you’d qualify for some auto money and be a low match. While you’re in Pittsburgh you can check out Duquesne, but first check the npc to see if you’d qualify for grants and merit. Lafayette was ME (and two merit awards at 40K and 24K), which you might be able to work with, but Lehigh has BME, and at both these schools you’d be a match. URochester is a match for you, but their aid, after full tuition, maxes at about 15K; still, it’s more likely than Vandy and WashU for full tuition and admission. Here at the end, I’m trying to get some privates on your list that I know of. Keep in mind that merit awards go first to remove student loans and then to reduce the grant offers, so they might have 0 effect on how much your family and you have to pay. Your family income might put you in a place where you need nearly full tuition merit.</p>

<p>Running those npcs at each school will help you figure out what the schools expect your family to pay, the EFC, and get you thinking about how to close the gap between the EFC and what your parents think they can pay: summer and school-year work, what score you’d need on the 2nd SAT to beat out your ACT and get some more merit some place, a year of community college, what have you. There are also full tuition scholarships listed in a stickie on the Financial Aid forum in the column on the left of this page. You’d qualify for some of them, like the auto at Alabama.</p>

<p>LACs tend not to have engineering or have it in the unpopular 3+2 format, Lafayette and Bucknell being notable exceptions.</p>

<p>Safeties might be RIT or possibly RPI, if you can afford them. They both have money but I’m not sure where they max out. </p>

<p>I want to do the same thing and I found Chemical engineering to be a better major for pharmaceutical development rather than BME.</p>

<p>OP, go the Financial Aid forum and look at the pinned threads for some Full Tuition scholarship schools and some with COA under $25K. With a max of $20K you’re talking room, board, and $10K tuition. </p>