<p>I need some safeties for a science-oriented (not engineering) AA female...Recently pulled ACT up to 34 (but is 35 superscored). Has few extra-curriculars (band, jv crew) but 3+ years in each...a few state-level awards for band...
DC resident, so OOS for all schools
Seems like full pay from the NPC, will muddle through if no merit given
Are there any resources to see the average OOS scores for UC' or SUNY's?
Thinking of Stonybrook and Pitt(main campus), but not sure if the schools will decide they are safeties and reject her out of hand...Counselor says Case is a safety but I'm not sure I agree
Looking for an urban/town setting , over 3k students but fewer than 25k</p>
<p>oh, and weighted GPA 4.15 but class rank is barely top 10%</p>
<p>It would be really helpful to know your unweighted GPA, the breakdown of the 34, number of AP courses, and scores on the SATIIs.</p>
<p>You and your D are in good shape because of her 34. D can certainly get an excellent education. I would not rule out Ivies altogether, at least not based on what you’ve told us. Race has a role to play in admissions just about everywhere except at many publics. Gender has a role to play in STEM admissions. Cornell comes to mind. I know 3 Black women who graduated from Princeton two years ago who had 34s; I don’t know the rest of their resumés well.</p>
<p>Pitt and Stony Brook are good choices. SB is affordable. UPitt has good merit for someone like your D; do not think of the top 5% rule at Pitt as written in stone. Other schools with money might include Wellesley; altho it will be need based aid it can be generous even in upper middle class families. Definitely look at WashU and Vandy, who will pay for high score applicants. So, too, the Claremonts, Case Western, Vassar, USCali, Smith, New College of Florida, Grinnell, Oberlin, Brandeis, Bowdoin, and Amherst.</p>
<p>D ruled out Wash-U due to those recent riots in St Louis…NCF/Grinnell/Oberlin/Amherst/Bowdoin are smaller than D’s target. Plus I’m really looking for a few ‘matches’
unweighted maybe a 3.7?
6AP’s so far Cal AB, English Lang, Spanish-5’s, USH and World H-4’s Chem-3, 4 more underway
reading-36, science 36, english 34, math 28…in the last sitting math and english scores were transposed, smh
Do you see Case as a match? Or safety?</p>
<p>I think your counselor is right that Case is pretty safe for your D. What about Mount Holyoke or Smith? A little smaller than she wants, but she may get merit aid there, and they are part of a consortium so the students have some social life and additional academic opportunities at the other colleges. If she isn’t so sure about single sex colleges, try to get her to visit Mount Holyoke. Both my Ds weren’t so sure until they visited, but they loved it and both applied. </p>
<p>How about Tufts?</p>
<p>I agree about Case being a pretty safe bet for your D. Have you visited? I live in Cleveland. My father was a professor at CWRU and I went to grad school there (not STEM related field). Case has made enormous strides in the last 20-30 years in terms of the overall feel of the campus and the surrounding area. Lots of cultural institutions in the area and lots of new development on campus and just off campus. I would love to be a student living in the area now. I also hear they are pretty generous with merit aid.</p>
<p>Also what about University of Rochester? I have heard great things about it and plan to visit for my S16 sometime this year. </p>
<p>The unrest in Ferguson and WashU might as well have been on different planets they had so little to do with each other. That’s like not considering Georgetown because of some unrest in Silver Spring. She should seriously not eliminate WashU for that reason.</p>
<p>The trick with Case is that highly qualified student often get passed over because it looks like they’re treating Case as a safety, which they don’t like. If you look at the acceptance threads, you’ll see kids in the 29-31 range getting accepted with merit money while those at the 34-35 level get nothing, not even an acceptance. If she’s interested, make sure they know it.</p>
<p>Consider Fordham in NYC. They get a lot of very high quality applicants (and students) so I highly doubt that they would dismiss her application and they have non binding EA. She could qualify for some merit aid there as well.</p>
<p>And Stony Brook is a good safety and maybe consider SUNY Binghamton as well. Some strong students do go to these schools for financial reasons (even OOS rates are good) so again, I don’t think an application would be dismissed for being over-qualified.</p>
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<p>I think that might be a bit ridiculous on her part. I live in St. Louis and I have not been directly affected by Ferguson riots in any way. Ferguson is a 20 minute drive from WashU campus and she will be safe unless she wanders into North County in the dead of night. Nonetheless by the time she actually steps foot onto campus it will have died down for the most part (hopefully).</p>
<p>Consider Tulane University(they offer good merit aid), I’d also look at brandeis.</p>
<p>Case is a pretty sure thing, OP, but I haven’t read the essays and the 28M is something. I’d hate to have your D give up on WashU because a nearby police department is capable of what many many police departments promote in and/or tolerate from their officers. If that’s what worries her, she probably should not leave the house. Where in America does she think she or a friend couldn’t fall victim to such police pathology? Still, I understand her reaction. If only Ferguson was the alpha and omega to this police behavior.</p>
<p>I like @intparent’s suggestions, and I would add Georgetown (if she can stand being nearby) and the Claremont Consortium, which would have enough students. Scripps could be a safety. She could take classes at several of the best LACs in the country.</p>
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<p>What is your actual price limit, assuming loans within the federal direct loan limit ($5,500 first year, of which $3,500 is at subsidized rates)?</p>
<p>If your actual price limit is low, look here for safeties:
<a href=“http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/”>http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/</a></p>
<p>3.7 HS GPA and 34 ACT give big automatic merit scholarships (residual prices listed):
Alabama ($10,622)
Alabama Huntsville ($9,592)
Tuskegee ($2,664)
Howard ($3,462, apply early for first-come first-served automatic scholarships)
Florida A&M ($13,096)
Louisiana Tech ($5,229)
Prairie View A&M ($5,324)
Utah State ($9,080)</p>
<p>As far as Case goes, she’s going to attend their local presentation, but I am only doing visits to cities with 2 or more possible schools
I think Georgetown is out due to proximity, as is Howard; plus I see Georgetown as more of a hub for pre-law and humanities, am I incorrect? At Case science majors outnumber humanities majors.
She isn’t looking for single-sex schools
I also agree that WUSTL is a good school; alumni I know HAVE told me it’s safe and upscale, but that the whole race situation in the city of t Louis is a mess. Don’t know if I want her hassled for being on campus or stepping off the grounds 
In any event, WUSTL is a reach school imo, and I just need a few non-reaches</p>
<p>lehigh, bucknell, boston college, </p>
<p>I would suggest Miami Univ in Ohio. Excellent school, always listed on the usual lists,(value of education for the money, undergrad exp,etc). All classes are taught by PHd. They are always looking for diversity, ethnic and geographic) so they will give up money since your daughter hits both of those. In addition, her scores are excellent so I dont see her having a problem gaining admission to most schools. I have a child at Miami, PM me if you would like additional info.</p>
<p><a href=“http://miamioh.edu/admission/merit-grid/index.html”>http://miamioh.edu/admission/merit-grid/index.html</a></p>
<p>I looked at your list on
<a href=“Trying to make a list for DD...narrow down the list? - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>Trying to make a list for DD...narrow down the list? - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums;
<p>I really liked the list except for Berkeley, which I don’t think is worth paying OOS for. I’m sure Pitt and SUNY will not care that they are safeties. Pitt has a good chance of awarding a great scholarship. Apply NOW! Timing is important. Early applications for public schools are very beneficial. </p>
<p>I think a strategy like applying to MIT and CASE early action. </p>
<p>Rochester and Case are good options for merit. I think that Case is an admissions safety. Rochester is especially good for physics.</p>
<p>Delaware is also a good application because their honors program is quite exceptional from the two people I know who have graduated from it. </p>
<p>Brandeis is another match school worth considering that may offer significant merit and has excellent science. </p>
<p>Another good application might be the University of Wisconsin. World class in every aspect of science. Large OOS population (~ 35%, though 10% is from Minn). Beautiful urban campus on a huge lake. Feels a little like Boston (lots of restaurants with outdoor seating, state capital, very politically active). I don’t think it’s a safety but it’s very likely. Rolling admissions, apply now and know before Christmas. </p>
<p>UW is a great suggestion. Plus the OP’s daughter does crew and there are ample opportunities for rowing on the lakes in Madison. I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t get in with her record.</p>
<p>Current UW parent – can’t say enough great things about UW – get the app in within a month or so to meet the first admissions deadline. UW doesn’t do straight rolling admission, so its not first in, first out. But a strong early app should get an admission, and those out of state stats are strong. </p>
<p>Finances: out of state tuition a bargain compared to full pay at privates – about $27,000 (vs. the upward creeping $45). While UW generally doesn’t do much merit aid period, and certainly doesn’t need it to bring in top out of state students, there may be some smaller pots of merit money for an AA STEM female – usually at the college level (College of Engineering), rather than directly through admissions. Worth a look. </p>
<p>Madison recently voted the #1 smaller city – its a great smaller urban area, set on the lake, with water sports (and ice sports when it freezes). Two hour bus – departing regularly every day – from Chicago O’hare and Midway – to campus so its reasonably accessible. </p>
<p>She might qualify for merit aid at Syracuse, which also has rowing opportunities. Tulane also has non-binding Early Action, and would probably offer an attractive aid package. Temple would be an absolute safety, and the OP’s daughter would qualify for a very nice scholarship package from them. They ditched their Crew program (as part of a controversial move eliminating most Spring sports), but Philly is a rowing mecca.</p>
<p>I am not getting much positive reaction for UWisc though we haven’t been there yet
Right now the list is Rice, USC Stanford MIT Caltech Cornell?? Berkeley UCDavis Calpoly Rochester Case UPitt Stonybrook. We will be in Rochester next month so will look at RIT and SONY Buffalo. I don’t know if I am selling her short…and I am a little concerned with her starting California schools with no major she really loves. She says physics but the math scores are so volatile</p>
<p>Probably would crew as a club sport, not team too</p>