I have no idea what colleges I want to apply to.I am really indecisive and keep changing my mind.I think my problem is that I am too open-minded when I need to narrow down what type of college I want.I would be fine at a school with 40,000 people or one with 2,000. I am a pretty independent person, I rarely talk to my parents.My dad is an anesthesiologist and went to Tufts so he is really pushing me to go there.I have researched a ton of colleges so I could probably name 150 off the top of my head but I have no idea where I want to apply to because there is so many.
I have a 3.5 and by the time I graduate I will have taken 2 AP classes.I am only doing one this year but my guidance counselor told me my schedule is pretty challenging.My school is ranked in the top 100 in the US.I haven’t taken the SAT yet but on the PSAT my scores were in the 90th percentile.I am currently taking a PSAT class but it is useless.All we do is take sections of the test and they read off the answers,sometimes wrong.The most helpful advice I have been given is to dress in layers incase the room is really hot or cold.Basically I just review on my own,I am aiming for a 1950.
I also have no idea what I want to study so that is super helpful.I constantly change my mind about what I want.Sometimes I think it would be nice to go to Penn State and have the traditional college experience other times I think it would be nice to go to Fordham and be in the city.Am I crazy or is being this indesisive normal?I am touring some in April but I don’t even know if that will help me narrow down what type of college I want.
It sounds like you are not finding your SAT prep class to be very helpful. You might find that the free SAT prep on the Khan Academy website is more useful.
There are many students who end up with an application list that includes some larger universities and some smaller colleges. Your goal is have a good reason for each school on your list. Have you tried using the SuperMatch tool on the left side of this screen yet? Which colleges are you touring in April and how did you select them?
I have tried using the SuperMatch tool but I haven’t found it that helpful.I am touring Fordham,Drexel,Villanova,Temple,UMaryland,UDelaware,Loyola Maryland,George Washington and American.I just kind of selected them randomly.I thought they could give me a sense of a lot of different types of colleges.They are also all ones I would consider going to.
Any suggestions on what to do?
Please,does anyone have any suggestions I feel so confused?
Do you know what price range is affordable for your parents?
They are able to pay for any school.Obviously the less expensive the better but that wont really play a factor until I get my acceptances back.The only limit really is paying for a school that they don’t believe is worth spending x amount of money on.Not trying to bash colleges because everyone has their own standards but it would be a college like Quinnipiac.It seems like a decent school and I would consider going there but is it really worth $43,000 in comparison to other colleges with the same price of tuition.
You are off to a great start by exploring. By visiting these schools, interacting and observing, in time you’ll figure out what you like and don’t like. Suggest during your visits to not only observe the campuses, but also observe the students walking around. Maybe sit in on a class. Possibly, if you know former students at your High School that currently attend a school, you can contact the person and arrange time to ask questions and gather information.
My daughter is a senior this year and will be attending college in the fall. It took her 2 visits to each of 2 large state universities to figure out the differences of these 2 schools and only by attending social events after Admitted Students Day, via arranging time with former High School students, did she figure out that she belonged at one school and not the other.
Have patience and the fist step is visiting, researching and observing.
Do you have any interest in smaller liberal arts colleges? There are tons in the Northeast, might be worth visiting one to see what you think.
Regarding the SAT, it was recently revised, and the new scale is only out of 1600 points (no longer 2400). You probably want to leave time to take it twice, and study in between – lots of students aren’t happy with their first score.
What majors are you interested in?
I am interested in small liberal arts colleges,but I think the only way I would go to one is if it was fairly well-known.I am taking the SAT in May and then I will take it again in October so hopefully I will be able to improve a lot.
I am still uncertain over what I want to major in.I am so indecisive whenever I think I want to do a specific major and start researching schools off of that I change my mind and then change my mind again and the cycle keeps repeating.I enjoy science but not enough to want to get extremely in-depth into it and major in it because I would probably have a mental breakdown.Math is pretty good and for a while I thought I wanted to do finance but once I started really looking into it I was completely turned off.I am kind of thinking about business administration but have done a lot of research and found that it isn’t a respected major and that it doesn’t really teach you anything important.I like planning and organizing,I wish I could be a secretary but that isn’t an option.I think marketing could be an option.History is okay but it would be my worst nightmare writing constant research papers.As you can see I am kind of all over the place when it comes to what I want to do.
Update:This past week I toured American,Villanova,Conn College,U Maryland and George Washington.
I really liked American because of it’s campus and how it is kind of in a suburb and in a really safe area,the great location for internships.My only concern is that it is too liberal,yesterday I saw a video of black rights protesters interrupting a speech and I don’t think I can deal with that activism every day.During the tour the admissions counselor kept emphasizing how they wanted opinionated people and I tend to keep my opinions to myself.
I really liked Villanova.The campus and feel of it is really nice and I like how even though it is larger it still has a really strong community feel.
I like the community feel of ConnCollege,didn’t mind the location and loved the community feel but wonder if it is too small and I will feel bored after a couple years.
I didn’t mind the size of UMaryland but I immediately crossed it off my list because the area outside of it is way too dangerous.
I hated how George Washington had seperate campuses and do not want such an urban school.
Any suggestions for me that are a little less selective? (40-60% acceptance rates)
I think that you’re doing great.
What did you think of Delaware? Temple?
Have you visited Pitt and Penn State?
University of Wisconsin?
University of Vermont?
Beautiful campuses near small cities.
Lehigh
Rochester
Brandeis
Franklin and Marshall
College of New Jersey
These last 5 are all very different but medium sized.
Deleware wasn’t offering tours but I think it could be a really great possibility!
I did not visit Pitt or Penn State but I think Penn State might be too big and Pitt might be too urban.
U Wisconsin seems nice,I love the school spirit.
UVM is okay,it seems a little expensive but a decent possibility.
The last 5 seem really nice!I am trying to find some safety schools now.
You can’t have safeties because you don’t have complete stats yet. Try just to get a feel for fit and when your numbers come in, you can assess how competitive you are with complete information. Penn State, Pitt, Wisconsin and Vermont have either rolling admissions or early action so that if you apply early, you can get a decision while you still have time to add additional safeties should you need them.
CC is full of students who thought ‘they are able to pay for any school’ meant parents would fork up 65K x 4 when there was a good option that costs much less. Then the student gets acceptances and at some of the student’s lower schools (e.g. a state school) the cost is 1/2 of others. The parents (wisely, I think, because I am a parent) insist on the student going to the (good) school that costs 1/2. So, #1 be realistic about falling in love with schools that are going to cost a lot more than in-state. Sounds like your dad might be willing to pay for Tufts—but a) hard to get into and b) that could change once you get acceptances. Also keep in mind that your idea of ‘prestige’, ‘well-known’ or ‘good value’ is likely to be different than your parents’ and they are the ones footing the bill. If come next April, you are arguing for a school that costs no more than in-state, you’ll be in a much better position than if you argue for a school that costs twice that.
I wont need to argue for anything.I can choose to go to any school I get into.Me saying them not wanting to pay full price for a college would be like $60,000 for Endicott.
You mentioned Fordham, may I suggest that you visit, I think that it may appeal to what you are looking for. Boston College is another possibility.
I know some posters can’t resist, but think this student has discussed the finances with his competent parents and I think it would be disrespectful to further question his or her family’s financial judgement or competence any further.
Visit UVermont and St Michael 's - if you have 1300-1350 on the new sat one would be a match and the other a really nice safety.
Visit Muhlenberg and Dickinson, Temple honors, Tcnj.
If you can drive down a bit, unc-wilmington honors would be a nice match, as would Christopher Newport University’s Presidential Leadership Academy .
uvm and st micheals are a no go.Uvm has way too much of a stoner feel don’t get me wrong I like to have fun but it is a little excessive.st Michaels is way too small and is below my academic caliber according to my parents plus I read something about it losing money which is concerning.muhlenberg and Dickinson are strong possibilities but temple is a definite no and I would consider college of New Jersey but it is really hard for people not from New Jersey to get in.Uncw is also a no the only unc school I would consider is chapel hill.I would prefer to go to a college I have heard of so Christopher Newport is a no.