Do I need more safety schools on my list?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm worried that my stats aren't going to be good enough for all the schools that I have on my list, so I'm wondering if maybe I should be adding a couple of other safety schools onto my list. I don't have a very impressive GPA or SAT score, especially in comparison to many of the students on this site, so I'm just concerned that what I think is pretty good isn't good enough. I want to major in International Relations, and I've started applications for the following schools:</p>

<ul>
<li>George Washington U</li>
<li>American U</li>
<li>TCNJ</li>
<li>U of Delaware</li>
<li>Northeastern U</li>
<li>Boston U</li>
<li>Penn State</li>
</ul>

<p>According to my guidance counselor, Penn State and University of Delaware should be safeties but I'm not convinced, particularly with Delaware.</p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<ul>
<li>GPA (Unweighted): 3.55</li>
<li>SAT: 1870 (540 CR/ 670 M/ 660 W) I know that my CR score is awful, I've been studying a lot and I'm retaking the test in October.</li>
<li>Subject Tests: U.S. History - 690, I'm going to start preparing for the Math II and Italian exams in the next couple of months and I'll make a decision on whether or not I'll take them in December based on how my studying goes.</li>
<li>Rigor: I don't have an upward trend in GPA, but my schedule has shown an increase in honors and AP classes every year (Freshman year: 1 honors, Sophomore Year: 4 honors, Junior Year: 2 honors and 3 AP, Senior Year: 1 honors and 5 AP). The AP's that I've taken include AP Lang. and Comp. (3), AP USH (4), AP Chemistry, AP Gov., AP Euro, AP Psychology, AP Literature, and AP Italian. </li>
</ul>

<p>ECs:
- Band (9 - 12): 8 different ensembles running all year long with several based on audition, one of which is on a dual-county level. The total amount of hours spent in the organizations is well over 1000 hours, and I have had leadership in the band for one year.
- French Club (11 & 12): President for one year.
- NHS (11 & 12): Member</p>

<p>Volunteer Work:
- Dog Therapy (9 - 12): Worked with children in libraries and with recovering addicts at a teen rehabilitation center. ~50 hours
- Horse Therapy (11 & 12): Worked with children with disabilities. +50 hours
- Band (Past summer): Gave concerts with a group in several locations across Europe which are considered volunteer work.</p>

<p>I'm a white male from New Jersey in an upper-middle class household, so I don't have much working for me in terms of hooks. </p>

<p>So, is all of this good enough, or do you think I should add some other schools to my list?</p>

2

<p>Only you can answer that. If you feel that you need to post about this in the first place, then you probably should consider adding one or two more safeties to be on the safe (so punny) side. Peace be with you.</p>

3

<p>If it is a real safety, you just need 1 or 2.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the replies! Can someone chance me for the schools that I already have on my list? I’d like to know if anyone thinks that any of the schools I’m already applying to could be considered safeties.</p>

5

<p>Actually, I’d say you’re about fine for most of these schools. And your counselor is correct in Delaware and Penn State being safeties- they’re SO HUGE that they’ll take a lot of people. You seem to be in the upper half of the applicant pool, so decide if you want to be a beaver or whatever the ***** Delaware is.</p>

6

<p>I’m gonna have to agree. Strong contender for every school for sure, safety on Delaware and Penn. Id be pretty surprised if you didn’t get into more than half of them</p>

7

<ul>
<li>George Washington U-Low Reach</li>
<li>American U-Low Match</li>
<li>TCNJ-Low Match</li>
<li>U of Delaware-Match</li>
<li>Northeastern U-Match</li>
<li>Boston U-Match</li>
<li>Penn State-Match</li>
</ul>

<p>You probably need 2 safety schools at least just to keep it safe! Good luck!</p>

8

<p>More safety schools would probably help in case u get accepted and u can match the amount of money u get to other schools (like the ones u really wanna go to). Overall I believe your list is fine :)</p>

9

<p>I agree that Penn State and UDel are probably safety schools. American has a test optional policy, so you could always chose to not send in your SAT scores (if you can get over 1900, I would submit them if it were me!). Your AP courses seem to play off of your interest in International Relations, which shows passion and strengthens your application. If you are looking a school where you could apply and get merit scholarships, I would add a few more to the list. Here are my opinions:
GWU- bit of a reach
American- match
TCNJ- almost a match but a bit of a reach
UDel- match/safety
Northeastern- bit of a reach
BU-match
Penn State- match
good luck!!!
Chance me! <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1549182-chances-uva-ut-austin-oos.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1549182-chances-uva-ut-austin-oos.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>From a parents’ point of view, be sure your family can afford these schools, especially your safeties. Schools have to be an academic AND financial safety. There are a lot of sad folks when they don’t get as much merit or FAid as hoped.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for all the input. Cost really isn’t a major issue to my parents. My dad makes enough to be able to pay full tuition at all of the schools, but I’ll still be applying for many scholarships. That being said, I’m definitely comfortable with the financial safety of Penn State and UDel as the cost is significantly lower than the DC and Boston schools. Although TCNJ isn’t a safety, I’m pretty confident about my chances as I’m an in-state applicant (lower tuition!) and my school sends many students there annually who have similar stats to me.</p>

<p>I know that GWU’s and American U’s schools of International Affairs/Service are much more competitive than the other schools, so I’m worried that my chances aren’t as great at those schools, and they’re my top choice schools. Although I’ve been studying a lot, I still worry that my dismal SAT CR score of 540 might not go up enough (or at all, I’ve scored 540 not once but twice) on the October test. Are my chances of being accepted into the DC schools going to be ruined if I can’t get my score up? </p>

<p>@Elerange, you mentioned not sending in test scores. Would that put me at a disadvantage, or might I be better off sending in what I have?</p>

12

<p>Speaking to the question that you posed in your thread title, you really only need one or two safeties. They should, by design, be schools that you are assured acceptance at. </p>

<p>As it stands, I wouldn’t necessarily classify the schools that you have listed as safeties, although I would say you will be accepted to many of them. </p>

<p>George Washington U-Low Reach
American U-Low Match
TCNJ-Low Match
U of Delaware-Match
Penn State-Match</p>

<p>GWU is the only one that may cause you some trouble. But even then, it is possible. Getting your SAT up is a surefire way to gain better chances, and you should retake especially if GWU is your first choice. I’m not sure about some of those, so I just didn’t even bother, out of fear of giving you false information. </p>

<p>Thanks for responding to my thread!</p>

13

<p>I think Northeastern U and Washington U are low reaches, but you definitely have a solid shot of getting in. Everything else are matches to low matches/safeties, and I agree with the other posters - you could benefit from some more safeties and maybe even a few more low reaches/reaches if you are feeling ambitious? Definitely try getting that SAT score above 2000 and you should be totally set!</p>

<p>Good luck, and thanks for replying to my thread!</p>

14

<p>

Word. </p>

<p>If you need to apply to >2, then they’re clearly not safeties. Safety schools are schools to which there is a 99.9-100% chance of admission for you. Given that, don’t apply to >2 safeties.</p>

15

<p>i think maybe one safety school could calm your nerves but you seem pretty fine! good luck!</p>

16

<p>Thanks so much for the replies, it’s been very helpful to get so many of your opinions. </p>

<p>So, if I should add a couple of other schools to my list, what schools should I add? For reach schools, I am interested in NYU, so perhaps I can add that to my list if my SAT’s go the way that I want them to. As for safeties, I’m a bit clueless. Not to sound pretentious, (especially considering that I know I’m so far from having stellar stats) but when looking for safety schools in the past, I’ve gotten so turned off by the idea that I could possibly attend the same school as someone who’s ranked 300th in my class of 520. But I just need to suck it up and get over that. With that being said, does anyone have suggestions of some safety schools that would be good for me? My requirements are that they have an International Relations major, a good Language program, an undergraduate student body of over 2000, and a geographical location down the East Coast between (and including) Massachusetts and Virginia.</p>

17

<p>George Washington U-High match
American U-Low Matc
TCNJ-Low Match
U of Delaware-Match
Northeastern U-Match
Boston U-Match
Penn State-Match</p>

<p>You must add some safties … may be 2 will be enough</p>