Hello, our DD has fallen in love with CMC. Yes, bad move.
She loves the CMC for 1) the combination of liberal arts and applied emphasis, 2) the diversity in politics 3) the Athenaeum and the access to consortium classes right nearby. The campus, weather and happy students during the visit also made a big impression.
We are considering a range of schools though CMC will now be the benchmark. We will visit: Tufts, WPI, Santa Clara, Whitman, Clark University, Fordham, Northeastern and ASU-honors.
She’s got decent stats (top 1% in her school; 4.0 unweighted; national level athlete in a non-varsity sport; rigorous college prep; ACT 32, excellent recs). I believe CMC could be a reach school for her as it is so selective. She is a west coast Asian female.
She is undecided between business, humanities and engineering so we cannot search based on academic program.
Would you know schools with a profile like CMC that is “less selective” for someone with her profile? Are any of the schools I listed above obvious mismatches?
What about Colorado College? An excellent school and less selective (but not necessarily less stellar). The student body has stats very similar to your DD (i.e. very impressive).
If she likes the Claremont Colleges, what about Scripps or Pitzer? Again, both excellent schools and you’re allowed (and encouraged) to take courses away from your home school.
There’s also the Clark Honors college at University of Oregon.
And lastly, just north of the border, University of British Columbia. It’s considered one of the “Canadian Ivies.”
If you are looking for a pre-professional academic vibe like CMC has – apparently lots of kids who want to become business execs, lawyers or politicians – i think you might find that at the following, which are at least a little bit easier to get into:
LACs:
Washington & Lee
Colgate
Bucknell
Trinity (CT)
Private Universities:
Boston College
NYU
Northeastern (which you’re looking at)
Lehigh
SMU
…those are some private schools with an at least noticeable pre-professional/leadership vibe that have a higher admit rate than CMC.
@hopeyhippie that’s a good point; perhaps visiting will make things clearer. @84stag Colorado college sadly has the block plan. Scripps/Pitzer are great possibilities and she will do a repeat visit to the consortium to check out the Keck partners. UBC-Okhanagan is on my list but not yet on hers. @prezbucky I have not thought of any of those choices. Thanks for highlighting them.
Are you being modest about your D’s credentials - top 1% with 4.0 unweighted?
1% in class - very strong
4.0 unweighted - very strong
32 - doesn’t hurt but doesn’t help
recommendations - very strong
EC’s - not sure what a non- varsity sport is when you described her participation as national level athlete? good but not distinguishable
If she works on her essay and demonstrates genuine interest in CMC, she has as good of a chance. Have she visited USC? I actually think USC is similar to CMC but a lot bigger. They are excellent in those majors that she’s considering and have outstanding networking culture. I think Middlebury is a consideration but they are equally selective as CMC.
“She loves the CMC for 1) the combination of liberal arts and applied emphasis, 2) the diversity in politics 3) the Athenaeum and the access to consortium classes right nearby. The campus, weather and happy students during the visit also made a big impression.”
Based on the above criteria, Santa Clara, USC, Rice, SMU, Trinity University (TX)
I also thought of Trinity U in TX. The ath and consortium are difficult to duplicate so for those criteria look at the Claremont consortium schools. She has an excellent chance at CMC but it seems essays are important.
