<p>When I was a freshman in high school, I had a set list of where I wanted to apply, but I'm a senior now and most of them don't seem too promising anymore. I'm from New Jersey and I would prefer to go to a university in New Jersey, yet I'm not opposed to going to New York, Connecticut, maybe Washington, or Pennsylvania. I know that I'm applying to Princeton as my reach school and I'm definitely applying to Rutgers - I feel that I have a very high chance of getting into there.</p>
<p>Where I get lost at is where to apply to next. I thought of applying to Seton Hall, Montclair State, or Fairly Dickinson, but when I researched them, their average GPA and SAT scores were pretty low compared to mine. I want to go somewhere suburban or somewhere like a small city, that is as academically prestigious as Rutgers. Nothing too high as an ivy league and nothing as low as the other colleges I listed earlier.</p>
<p>Don't know if I'm asking for too much, but do you know of any universities on the northeast, not too far from New Jersey, that is on the same "level" as Rutgers and is good for pre-med and/or biology majors?</p>
<p>Okay - My GPA is a 3.7, and I only took the SAT once, a few months ago and I got a 1740. I’m aiming for a solid 1900 or a high number in the 1800s on my SAT next month.</p>
<p>Also, I’m an editor on my school newspaper, as well as being active in Student Government, Key Club, Spanish Club, and Future Leaders of Medicine. Not to mention, I’m a member of the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society (Spanish Chapter).</p>
<p>^^I know that. My guy would have applied to F & M if they had offered merit aid, but they don’t so he didn’t. The OP’s current stats don’t put them in merit aid contention for many prestigious schools. That’s why I asked about financial need. If the OP can get in, F & M tries to provide financial need (not guaranteed).</p>
<p>They would get merit aid at York College ¶, but I don’t know if they are considered as prestigious as Rutgers.</p>
<p>I would have to apply for financial aid - my family doesn’t make much as I’m the last child and my dad is struggling to pay for all of my four older brothers’ college tuition.</p>
<p>OP, to be blunt, Princeton is not an even faintly realistic reach school for you. You would have to add something like 500 points to your SAT and probably significantly beef up your ECs and GPA to have any kind of a shot. Go ahead and apply if you really want to, but I would suggest that you look to well-heeled, meets-need, test-optional schools for reaches that may give you sufficient FA. BTW, is that 3.7 weighted or unweighted? What does your course rigor look like? Does your school do class rank, and if so, what is yours?</p>
<p>Alright, let’s sort things out - I thought reach schools were supposed to be a “reach,” so I am already aware that I don’t have that good of a shot of getting into Princeton. I’m only applying to Princeton because my parents want me to. My older brother got into Princeton with a full ride and will be graduating this year. He had a 3.8 GPA and a 1950 on his SAT and he too was an editor on the newspaper and participated in almost the same clubs as me, give or take one. Since he was able to get in completely free, my parents are urging me to apply as well. We’re a black family, by the way, which I believe helped him get into Princeton. Not to mention, my dad is close friends with one of Princeton’s deans and he got a recommendation letter from them (he’ll get one for me too).</p>
<p>I’m taking my next SAT in about a week or two, then in November I’m taking my two subject tests. My 3.7 is unweighted and my courses this year are:</p>
<p>AP Biology
AP Spanish
Honors English
Trig/Pre-Calc
Astronomy
Physics</p>
<p>My school does not do class rank. I think in my first post, I said that Princeton was a reach, but maybe I didn’t mention that it’s not my main focus. I’m looking for schools that are good for me, like Rutgers. I want to go to school close by home, not too far away and was just wondering if anybody here knew of schools that have the same academic level as Rutgers.</p>
<p>^^Also, according to college board, TCNJ and Seton Hall would not be a reach, I fit in right in the middle. Plus, that score isn’t my last test score.</p>
<p>The data you provided, 3.7 GPA and 1740 SAT (right on the 25%ile), make TCNJ a reach. If you have further info then you can update that so we can provide better feedback.</p>
<p>A 1950 SAT as a male AA is quite different from a 1740. Getting into P with a 1740 even with a dean’s letter is still a high reach.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you’re dissing some schools where your stats are either average for the school or even low for the school???</p>
<p>Keep in mind that while it may sound cool to attend a top school, if your peers are much stronger students than you are (very likely), your grades will suffer and med school will not be possible.</p>
<p>This explains a lot. I can certainly see why your parents want you to give it a shot.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, as mom2 says, </p>
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<p>A 1950 translates to something like a 650 on each section. This is within range for a hooked student. A 1740 translates to a 580. </p>
<p>Your GPA is good, and it looks as if your course rigor is adequate but not tops in terms of what schools like the Ivies see from unhooked applicants. (Of course, this depends on what your school offers. If they don’t offer AP physic or calculus, it doesn’t matter that you didn’t take them.)</p>
<p>If your brother got a full ride to P, presumably that means that your family’s EFC was close to 0. Therefore, it would behoove you to apply to schools that give need-based aid, and a lot of it. Even as an AA male, I would advise you to look at the test-optional schools with deep pockets. You have good things on your app, but unless something changes radically, your scores are your big weak point. Apply to at least some schools where they don’t matter. You may have to expand your geographical area to combine top school with top FA.</p>
<p>Well, okay, perhaps just a fairly low EFC. But that makes it even more crucial to identify schools where people who make $50k per year or so can get significant need-based aid.</p>
<p>You could take a look at a few test optional schools, including Fairfield University, Connecticut College, Franklin & Marshall and Marist. If you were willing to look further afield, I think that Wake Forest and Bowdoin would be possibilities (also test optional) and both meet full need.</p>
If the OP can get in, F & M tries to provide financial need (not guaranteed).</p>