Could Anyone Assist Me in my College Search ?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a junior in high school. My high school's college admissions counselor has really discouraged me from the college search; she looked at my transcript and discouraged me from trying to apply to some top schools I am striving for. </p>

<p>I have been told by some of her former students that are now undergrads that she discouraged them from applying to top schools as well, though they were eventually accepted into great schools such as Tufts or Penn. Her reputation is that of being unreliable. </p>

<p>I would just like some help narrowing the focus on colleges I should look into, and see if I should strive to apply to any of the first tier universities. I am not obsessed with rank nor status, but I want to get the best academic experience I possibly can at the best possible place, and I am extremely competitive.</p>

<p>I tend to like more urban environments with elements of sports/school spirit, but I am primarily focused on academics. My stats (at a large public high school):</p>

<p>3.77 unweighted GPA (might go up after this semester), 4.4 weighted GPA, within top 10% of my class</p>

<p>5 in AP US, 5 in AP Euro, 5 in AP English.
I am taking AP Calc BC, AP Gov, and AP Bio next year.
I have taken all honors or AP classes (including electives) throughout high school, except for the required gym classes.</p>

<p>2020 SAT, 29 ACT (both are first tries, I will work to improve them.)</p>

<p>Founding officer of Model UN, will be a 4 year member of Debate Team, I will have played baseball for school all four years (one freshmen team, two JV teams, and one Varsity team) and American Legion baseball for three seasons.</p>

<p>I had a tremendously stressful Sophomore year as I missed weeks of school due to an injury that I made a miraculous recovery from, which accounts for some of the few B's that I have gotten in high school. I plan to write about this event.</p>

<p>I know for a fact that I have a tremendously good special recommendation from my class counselor, and great recommendations from two of my teachers as well.</p>

<p>My point in all this is just to seek any clarification/advice as to if I had the potential to be accepted into any top schools, and if my stats warrant an attempt to apply to any. I love school and I love academics and I want this to reflect in both my application and the university I decide to go to. I do not have a specific major in mind yet but I am interested in applying to the best possible universities I could realistically be accepted to.</p>

<p>Could anyone offer any advice for me? What range of schools would be realistic? Is it feasible to set my goals as high as I have them? Could there be anything I can do to push myself to the next level? My whole life I have overachieved after people told me I couldn't do something. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>What state do you live in?</p>

3

<p>Pennsylvania. I live 5 minutes outside of Philly.</p>

4

<p>With those stats I would apply to any school in the country. :)</p>

5

<p>You can get into very good schools; Not sure of what you can afford</p>

<p>Drexel
Penn St - Match
Pitt - Safety
UCONN
Lehigh - slight reach
SUNYs- (Stonebrook etc)
Minnesota
Illinois
Wisconsin
Virginia Tech
U of Rochester - Reach
Case Western - Reach
Michigan/UNC - High Reaches</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education[/url]”>http://www.usnews.com/education&lt;/a&gt; list of US colleges (LAC/National/Regional)</p>

6

<p>Thank you, the thing is at my school they have a wall showing where every student got accepted into college, and I see kids that were accepted to universities you named above (Stony Brook, Wisconsin, Penn St., Pitt, Drexel, etc.) and I KNOW I am a better student than a lot of these people, or at least much more intelligent. I feel like I could do better or should strive for more even if statistically I may match up to these. Perhaps I’m misguided or being stubborn?</p>

7

<p>Remember, your application list needs at least one safety that:</p>

<ul>
<li>You will certainly get admitted to.</li>
<li>You will certainly be able to afford (talk to your parents about what they can contribute, and use the net price calculators on the schools’ web sites to estimate financial aid).</li>
<li>You will find the needed academic programs and desired other factors (social environment and the like).</li>
<li>You will like attending.</li>
</ul>

8

<p>You can try for higher level schools, but unless you get your ACT/SAT up you’re unlikely to get in (not impossible, but highly unlikely). PA sends a lot of students to the top schools (esp from the Philly region), so your competition is super high.</p>

<p>Are you sure you can afford top schools without taking on boatloads of debt?</p>

<p>You should lose the sense of arrogance (the “I’m better than them” deal). If that shows up anywhere on your application from you it will put you in the discard pile. No one likes that attitude even if you had top scores. Remember, your counselor gets to have a say on your app. If you go in demanding or explaining how great you are it won’t help. If you go in eager to apply to a couple of schools you’ll likely make it into and request (politely) trying for the super reaches, you’ll have a better chance of winning her over.</p>

9

<p>I don’t mean to come off as arrogant, I just tend to be very competitive and ambitious. I’m sorry about that. I’ll try to make sure I don’t seem that way during my applications. So what are realistic reaches for me?</p>

10

<p>What is your financial situation? Have you talked to your family about what they can afford?</p>

<p>For ivys and similar, you really should have at least a 2100 SAT to be “in the ballpark” but it doesn’t mean that you can’t apply if there is a school or schools that you really love, where you are a good fit.</p>

<p>“Top schools” encompasses quite a bit, and is somewhat subjective. What schools are you thinking of? Is there a particular school (or type of school) that you really like?</p>

11

<p>

</p>

<p>Are you a good enough player to get recruited by a DIII school? Did you fill out a recruiting form yet?</p>

<p>Even if you’re not, I would suggest these reaches: Amherst, Middlebury, Wesleyan (but they all lack the urban environment you seek). Boston College would be a good reach and it’s near Boston.</p>

<p>Any interest in Hamilton, Trinity, Conn College? They’d be in the high match/low reach range.</p>

12

<p>You didn’t sound arrogant to me. Just honest.</p>

<p>Okay, about that test score . . . look at [this</a> thread](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1340027-test-optional-flexible-colleges-top-tier.html]this”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1340027-test-optional-flexible-colleges-top-tier.html) about test-optional schools. You might want to look [here[/url</a>] also for a more comprehensive list.</p>

<p>If you decide to retake the ACT, you can PM me and I can give you some suggestions about test prep. (I despise the SAT, so I can’t help you with that one. :D)</p>

<p>About college selection . . . don’t limit yourself to what ends up getting suggested in this thread. Your grades are strong and if you get your test score up, you can apply anywhere you want. Spend some time on the [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com/schoolsearch.aspx]Princeton”&gt;College Search | The Princeton Review]Princeton</a> Review](<a href=“http://fairtest.org/university/optional]here[/url”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest) website finding schools you like. In the “admissions” section of the listing for each school, Princeton Review rates the difficulty of admission for that school. Use those numbers to guide you. One or two “99’s” is okay, but focus your search on schools that are more attainable than that - and make sure you include schools that you can definitely get into.</p>

<p>Finances were mentioned above, but not discussed at length. They’re a critical part of the search process. Select several schools from [this</a> list](<a href=“http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php]this”>http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php) of no-loan schools, go to the schools’ websites and do a search for “net price calculator.” Run the calculator for several schools to get an idea of what your family’s EFC (expected family contribution) will be. (If any of the calculators asks you for grades or test scores, skip that one and go on to another - for purposes of figuring out your EFC, you want to focus on schools that award aid based on need only, not stat’s.) You need to input accurate financial data - so if you need your parents’ help with this, ask!</p>

<p>Then sit down with your parents and talk with them about how much they can actually afford to pay. If it’s greater than or equal to the average EFC, then you’re fine and you can apply to schools that offer need-based aid only (if you actually have any need). If it’s less than the average EFC, then you’ll need to focus on schools that offer merit aid.</p>

<p>Some schools offer need-based aid only and will meet your full need (or, at the very least, what the school calculates your need to be), some schools offer almost no need-based aid (other than federal grants and loans) and focus on merit aid, and still other schools say they offer need-based aid, but are unlikely to cover your full need. This last group is likely to offer merit aid as well. Which schools you focus on depends on your conversation with your parents.</p>

<p>Once you have a better idea of your family finances, come back and we can offer you more advice on which types of school you should be looking at.</p>

13

<p>

</p>

<p>And my comment was just a heads up… I’ve seen some really talented students who do get competitive to the point where it can be a turn off even if they don’t mean it. Esp if you have an unwilling guidance counselor, you want to charm her by being willing to consider places she considers reasonable - then asking for your reaches - for better results.</p>

<p>For reaches? Try where you like (and try to get your scores up). One never knows what the possibilities are and if other students from your school have gotten into schools you like with stats like yours, you’ve got a reasonable chance.</p>

<p>For matches or low reaches… what general area of study interests you (not knowing major is ok, but English/Science/History - which are your favorites)? What size? Research? What finances?</p>

14

<p>*I tend to like more urban environments with elements of sports/school spirit, but I am primarily focused on academics. My stats (at a large public high school):</p>

<p>3.77 unweighted GPA (might go up after this semester), 4.4 weighted GPA, within top 10% of my class</p>

<p>5 in AP US, 5 in AP Euro, 5 in AP English.
I am taking AP Calc BC, AP Gov, and AP Bio next year.
I have taken all honors or AP classes (including electives) throughout high school, except for the required gym classes.</p>

<p>2020 SAT, 29 ACT (both are first tries, I will work to improve them.)</p>

<p>Founding officer of Model UN, will be a 4 year member of Debate Team, I will have played baseball for school all four years (one freshmen team, two JV teams, and one Varsity team) and American Legion baseball for three seasons.*</p>

<p>Penn Resident</p>

<p>While your stats are very good, as you know, they aren’t quite high enough to be competitive at elite schools, but you can get into many very good schools. :)</p>

<p>**We really need to know what your financial situation is. That will LARGELY determine where you should apply. ** Again, your stats are very good, but if you QUALIFY for lots of need-based aid, then getting into the schools that “meet need” will be difficult. Most schools do NOT give great aid. </p>

<p>Most schools will give minimal aid and expect families to pay a lot more than they can afford to pay.</p>

<p>If your parents will pay $55k+ for any school, then you’re in great shape!!!</p>

<p>If your parents will have an unaffordable EFC, then that will require a very careful strategy for applications…no point in wasting a bunch of apps, time and money on schools that will not be affordable. </p>

<p>With an unknown major/career goal, can you give us an idea of how you lean…sciences? engineering? Comp Sci? MIS? literature? The Classics? Business? Psych? Econ? Finance? Pre-med? Pre-law? Education? Film? Theater? Music? </p>

<p>Do you see yourself as: a business owner? a teacher? a scientist? a performer? sales? Number-cruncher?</p>

15

<p>I’m not interested in taking on huge amounts of debt if I don’t have to. I am not totally sure as to what kind of aid I would recieve-- my parents are divorced and one of them is currently unemployed, while the other was unemployed this entire year but recently was hired for a high paying job. I don’t know how this will calculate out. </p>

<p>As far as baseball, I don’t think I want to go the DIII route. My school’s baseball program is totally inept and while I like playing, I have not enjoyed playing for school. I would rather go to a DI university for the education.</p>

<p>I think that my recommendations will really help me out in the college app process. Last year I was shot in the eye with a pellet gun and lost my vision in my left eye. I was able to miraculously recover and recover all of my vision, managing to have a great baseball season and do well in all of my classes. Would I be able to explain that two of the B’s I’ve gotten were a result of all of the time in school I missed and all of the stress? Would this make a difference? </p>

<p>History and English tend to come easiest to me, with History always being my best subject, but I am also interested in the sciences and mathematics. I really don’t know what I would like to do or what I would be best at. This is why I don’t necessarily want to look for schools that are mainly liberal arts/humanities or mainly science and research.</p>

16

<p>My son has nearly identical stats, large schools we are looking at…All give merit aid and are ‘reasonably’ priced for OOS students…</p>

<p>Minnesota
Alabama
Iowa State
Kansas
Miami (Ohio)
Ohio State</p>

<p>None of these are high on the ‘prestige’ scale but all offer academics that will certainly be challenging enough for you.</p>

17

<p>BTW, the schools I’ve already toured/looked at are Penn State, Pitt, Texas, Penn, Delaware, NYU and Rochester. I liked the environments of Penn and Pitt the best, with Texas and Penn State being about the same (except for the weather). I didn’t like Rochester and Delaware.</p>

18

<p>Given what you liked and didnt, I’d also look at Miami (Ohio) and Holy Cross. U Md is also a possibility, depending on what you are studying. U M is a quick metro ride into DC.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC</p>

19

<p>Pitt you have a chance to get admitted, but you’ll need to boost the ACT up to around 33 to get merit aid. They’ve gotten more competitive with that lately. Pitt is not so great with need-based aid, so it might prove unaffordable.</p>

<p>Have you considered the DC schools? (George Washington, American?) Kids from here who like Pitt also like those and have gotten in with similar stats - some with merit aid. I’m not sure how their need-based aid is. I don’t work in guidance so I don’t see all the awards. I just work with juniors and seniors and hear what they share.</p>

20

<p>Your college search is unlikely to be a question of “how highly ranked a school can I get into” – more like “what are my options given my likes and my financial situation” – particularly since it does not sound like you’re coming from a family background where money is no issue, or a large trust fund pays for college. (If there is that kind of money, congrats, and full speed ahead.)</p>

<p>You really, really need to get some input from your parents as to what they can and will be able to provide in the way of money for college. If you live with your mom, and she’s unemployed, you may have a very low Expected Family Contribution – but with your GPA and your stats (even if you boost your ACT/SAT up some) you are not likely to be on the receiving end of really large merit aid at most of the colleges you’ve mentioned. And, many of the private schools will require your father to fill out the noncustodial parent form, and they will base your financial aid on a combination of your mom’s income and your dad’s income. Public colleges in your state may not have a lot of grant aid available – I don’t know about guaranteed merit aid there – but remember that out-of-state public universities rarely give generous financial aid to out-of-state students who are not coming in with much higher ACT/SAT scores.</p>

<p>I just don’t want to see you massively surprised next spring when you’ve gotten into a bunch of schools that are simply unaffordable for you and your family, and the remaining options aren’t ones you’re thought through carefully. Remember: you can’t borrow $50K, or $40K, or $30K, or $20K , or even $10K per year.</p>