Do I have enough safeties/matches?

Applying to College
1

<p>Like the title, I'm wondering if I have enough safeties. It would be great if you can let me know what are my reach, match, and safety schools are. It would also be great if you suggest a few safety schools if you think I need more (those that still accept apps, obviously). I'm looking to major in business in a college that offers undergrad business or psychology. Around medium size private colleges would be best.</p>

<p>Schools applying to: Cornell (CALS), Columbia, Rice, NYU Stern, Richmond, BC, BU, Swarthmore, Villanova, Northwestern, UChicago, RPI, Haverford</p>

<p>Still thinking about applying to Tufts and Claremont McKenna, but would not apply if they are not considered safeties since I'm already applying to lots of schools. Opinions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Stats:
ACT-
Composite: 30
English: 27 (best was a 31, in another sitting)
Math: 35
Reading: 30
Science: 27 (best was a 33)
Writing: 8</p>

<p>SAT Subject tests-
Math II: 800
U.S. History: 710</p>

<p>TOEFL: 109
AP Tests-
AP Calc BC: 5
AP U.S. History: 3</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted (through junior year, not including senior year grades)</p>

<p>Class rank: 8/167</p>

<p>Senior courseload: most rigorous possible. I most likely will end up with As in all of them, except for a C in online Virtual High School AP Economics (had trouble turning in work before midnight, therefor got penalized)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars-
Student Council: secretary
FBLA: Vice president
Student Board of Ed rep
Varsity Basketball (captain)
Varsity Track
Piano tutor
Volunteer at YMCA and various places (more than 200 hours)
Taught basic English to massage therapists in China</p>

<p>Summer experiences-
Leadership in the Business World at Wharton
SAAST at Penn (an science/engineering program)</p>

<p>Awards/honors:
QuestBridge finalist
RPI Medalist
Wellesley Book Award
JETS TEAMS competition, 1st in CT, 3rd in the U.S.
Outstanding Achievement in English 11, Pre Calc, etc.</p>

<p>Other-
Asian (Taiwanese, permanent resident of the U.S.)
Public school in CT
Immigrated to U.S. in 9th grade, did not speak English before then
Low income (applying for aid)</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>I see reaches and matches but no safeties.</p>

3

<p>What about Fordham? Would it be considered a safety for me?</p>

4

<p>I don’t know a thing about Fordham. Based on your stats, would your acceptance be virtually assured, would it be affordable, and would you be happy there? If you can answer yes to all three questions, then it is a safety for you.</p>

5

<p>I agree with sherpa, i don’t see any safeties. any good schools instate come to mind that you could answer yes to sherpa’s three questions?</p>

6

<p>I don’t think happiness has to do with safety schools. Plenty of people completely dread having to settle for safety schools. A very real thing can happen that you get into no places you think you have down easily. I’d add UCONN to the list. Villanova and BU are pretty safe for you. At BU there is a 54% acceptance rate (20% yield) middle 50 for ACT is 25-30 so you are in the top 25th percent for test scores and top 5? for GPA…</p>

7

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<p>Which is why it’s very important that you WILL be happy to attend your safety schools–you very well might end up there!</p>

8

<p>Villanova and BU you will almost certainly get into. If a safety is truly a safety, you only need one.</p>

<p>GL</p>

9

<p>Think about FINANCIAL safeties. While many of the schools you are looking at will meet need, it is their definition of need. You could be accepted to one of your reach schools and not get enough money to go there. Your match schools aren’t necessarily strong in FA. </p>

<p>Will you play basketball? There may be money there, perhaps at a smaller school.</p>

<p>There are many good schools that offer generous merit aid - search CC and pick a couple. Good luck.</p>

10

<p>You look like an engineering person - maybe Operations Research in engineering at Cornell. If you’re going for AEM at CALS, good luck! That’s a really tough admit.</p>

11

<p>

My parents would not let me apply to state/public schools mainly due to their large student size.

I wish I can play college basketball. But no, I’m not good enough to get recruited, even a DIII school.

Yeah, I’m going for AEM at CALS. I know it’s a tough admit, so I’m putting psychology at CAS for the alternative choice. I might look like an engineering person, but I went to an engineering summer program and realized I don’t really like it all that much. Instead, I found interest in business and psychology.
Thank you all for your advices. They are very helpful! I’m considering Fordham and Northeastern. Are they safeties for me?</p>

12

<p>BU and Villanova seem like safeties. Not too sure about Northeast schools though.</p>

13

<p>How about smaller state/public schools? I know that people sometimes look down on these, but they often have very good programs in certain areas. In my state, each of the smaller, non-flagship schools has areas in which it’s very strong. I wouldn’t particularly want either of my daughters to go to the big state school, either. It’s good for graduate students, not as good (and way too big, I think) for undergraduates. Good luck!</p>