Your Pennsylvania schools also seem to have active fraternities and sororities, Lafayette in particular.
Vassar seems like it could slot in somewhere for you. Unlike the comparable Wesleyan, Vassar has no fraternities at all.
^ Though I think all of Wesleyan’s fraternities will be admitting women in the near future.
I’d also suggest reading the online information from a couple of schools on your list. Maybe create a spreadsheet of cost, EFC/NPC, how they classify your online school, residence/citizenship, application dates, etc. (be aware that deadlines can be deceiving and some financial awards, admission decisions, housing decisions, etc.are first-in-first-out. Apply early and allow for any extra time your geography introduces if anything needs to go in the mail )
See what you can fill in on your own and then seek out the remaining info about how they handle applications from a student in your situation. Ask informed questions to the admissions rep from your area, and possibly the financial aid office. Let them know you have done your research but still have questions. Have them confirm whether or not they will accept your online school and if there is anything you should do to supplement your application given the unique circumstances. Some schools will not give aid to international students - how will they classify you?
Once you learn a little, go thru the same process with a couple of other schools. I think it is very important to establish a relationship with the admissions rep so that you can narrow your list, accomplish any additional requirements they suggest, build a relationship and potentially meet this rep when they visit your area. Your list of schools like to see demonstrated interest. If you plan to make a stateside visit in advance of your applications, they can also help you have a productive campus visit. Be respectful and organized about how you approach this correspondence, start making folders. Be yourself and have fun “meeting” the people who love the schools they represent.
I took out unaffordable schools (according to the NPC) + very hippy-ish schools:
Pomona
Williams
Tufts
Vassar
Occidental
Oberlin
Dickinson
St. Olaf
I really like this list. I think I will add 1-2 reaches and 1 more match. Is this a good balance?
Your list looks entirely thoughtful, and therefore appropriate.
Vassal is hippy-ish
Vassar
You’re getting there. Definitely add another match.
When you run the NPC on St. Olaf, how close is it to being unaffordable?
St. Olaf might be a bit dicey for a safety because you’re high-need and relying completely on their definition of need. Plus, you’re coming from an online high school, so that adds uncertainty to the mix. You can keep St. Olaf on your list, but in your case when you’re tight with affordability, having an automatic full tuition or full ride school as a safety would be more comforting.
Have you calculated the costs for U Alabama (full tuition), as per the last paragraph of post #6?
It also looks like you took out the (automatic full ride) safeties.
@Dunboyne For St. Olaf, with the Pell Grant, federal student loans and work-study, it is affordable (according to the NPC). U Alabama is not, however.
@ucbalumnus I will bring one back on my list!
Are you going to be able to do any visiting before you apply? That would help you refine your list based on personality and character. Although there’s a good deal of overlap and not all students fit the personality-type at each school, I would roughly group small LACs as follows.
If you like Pomona, Williams you might like Hamilton, Middlebury, Amherst, Kenyon, Carleton, Davidson, Mt. Holyoke
If you like Vassar, Oberlin you might like Swarthmore, Reed, Wesleyan, Grinnell, Smith
I would also add Macalester. I’m not sure where to put it on the personality-type, but it has excellent international relations program and likes expat Americans.
Also, you should take a serious look at Smith and Holyoke because they are less selective and offer very good financial aid, both need-based and merit.
@momrath Unfortunately, I will not be able to visit before or after I apply. Thank you for the suggestions! I am starting to question why I do not like women’s colleges, and whether the reasons are superficial.
I don’t know if anyone will read this post three pages into the thread, but my parents do not want me to apply to a financial safety (like UAlabama). Since we reside out of the country, they say that attending the guaranteed full-ride universities will not be worth the plane tickets. They’d rather have me take a gap year than attend a so-called “safety school.”
From the schools that claim to meet 100% need, the least selective schools I have on my list are Occidental and Dickinson, which are NOT safeties, even admissions-wise.
What would they want you to do during a gap year?
What would they say if you take a gap year, apply again to a list of colleges with no safeties, and get shut out again?
@Aralis, I agree with @ucbalumnus, taking a gap year won’t get you any closer to where you want to be. My advice would be to add some women’s colleges – like Smith and Holyoke – and some schools that don’t attract as many ethnic North Asians – like Rhodes, Macalester, Grinnell.
If I had to pick two I would go with Holyoke and Macalester.
How are you doing with QuestBridge?
@ucbalumnus I’ve been trying to convince them that applying to a true safety is smart. Their logic is that I will be admitted into at least one match/reach school and won’t have to attend a safety, so I might as well not apply.
@momrath Yes, I have strongly been considering Mt Holyoke recently. Thank you for your suggestions.
I will be applying to the match but opt out if I become a finalist to apply early action to some schools.
@aralis, I believe St. Olaf and Holyoke would both be safeties for you.
I would also suggest that you apply to as many Early Action schools as you can handle. Dickinson would fall into this category. Some other suggestions: Rhodes, Goucher, Bard, Colorado College. U of Chicago and Boston College are more selective, but it also offer EA. (You’ll have to check the NPCs; I’m not sure which guarantee to meet full need.)
With an EA admissions in hand, you could add in some more reaches and drop some safeties from your RD list. That would make your parents happy and provide a safety net.
Every April, there are students posting here about getting shut out completely. Others are admitted to some, but all are too expensive. That is why you need affordable safeties.
Are your parents “tiger parents” who will berate you as a worthless failure if you get shut out and take a gap year?
@momrath That makes sense! I hope I can be admitted into one school early, then. Thank you!
@ucbalumnus Thankfully, they are not tiger parents. They just have complete confidence that I will not need a safety school. Although it is flattering that they think so highly of me, I know that it’s not the reality. I will talk to them again. Fingers crossed for an open mind!
UPDATE:
I became a QuestBridge Finalist, but did not match.
Williams ED --> deferred
Dickinson EA --> deferred