<p>I am now beginning to look around at colleges and am simply trying to gain insight and recommendations. Opinions made will definitely be taken into consideration both positive and negative. I am a sophomore in high school with a W 4.2 GPA and great extracurriculars -hoping to continue this through high school. I am currently taking the most rigorous courses offered at my school and will have taken 8 AP's and 7 honors classes by the time I graduate. My family and I want to get a first hand look at some of the colleges this summer so that I can feel them out. I am a west coast girl and am hoping to go east. I have been trying to put together a rough list of all the schools i would like to consider (though extensive). I know that comparing most of these schools would be apples to oranges and that is why I am so intent on visiting. I am interested in pre-med and business. Please post with other suggestions and maybe ideas into how I can prepare myself for the college admissions process.
(Not in order of preference)
-Swarthmore
-Wesleyan
-Amherst
-Boston College
-Georgetown
-George Washington
-Franklin and Marshall
-Bard
-Fordham
-John Hopkins
-Williams
-Duke
-NYU
I have been trying to compile schools that would be adequate for match and reach schools- assuming my safeties would be in-state institutions.
Thank you.</p>
<p>Are you interested in doing research? If so, consider the University of Rochester while you are looking…</p>
<p>I would definitely consider U of Rochester. I am hoping to do research in college, I am just very unfamiliar with the school and it’s programs…</p>
<p>U Roc is a top notch private research university located in Rochester, NY. They also have an associated medical school on site. Research is emphasized at this school and the vast majority of students who attend participate in it. My middle son is currently a freshman there and absolutely loves the place. He’ll be starting research this semester.</p>
<p>The school is great for the right fit (as are all schools actually). The fit for URoc is the intellectually curious top academic student (sometimes called nerds 
) who isn’t as much into top sports, but loves research and being with like-minded students. A love of music can be a plus too, but isn’t absolutely necessary. (The school also has the Eastman School of Music, but there are MANY options for “regular” students to participate in various groups.) </p>
<p>Take a look at this video:</p>
<p>[Rap</a> Video Introduces Prospective Students to Rochester : Rochester News](<a href=“http://www.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=4016]Rap”>Rap Video Introduces Prospective Students to Rochester : Rochester News)</p>
<p>And this current thread on the URoc page here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-rochester/1450990-2011-grad-bored-work-will-answer-questions.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-rochester/1450990-2011-grad-bored-work-will-answer-questions.html</a></p>
<p>Again, the school isn’t for everyone. You’ll click with it if it fits you. It’s worth checking out if interested in research and with the academics for it. You sound like you could be a fit - hence - the recommendation to consider it.</p>
<p>In the Boston area, I would add Tufts and Holy Cross.</p>
<p>Carnegie Melon in Pittsburgh is another good one.</p>
<p>MIT
UNC
UMiami
UPenn
Cornell
Lehigh
Bucknell
Wake Forest
Emory</p>
<p>muhlenberg college</p>
<p>Okay, wow. U of Roch. does seem very appealing especially with emphasis on music. I am of course familiar with Cornell but I am debating whether I even want to tour the school. I know it’s amazing academically but it seems like a total toss up if I would/could even get in. So far, I have a lot of schools on my list that no matter how bright and talented you are, will always be reaches for anyone. I am wondering if there are any that I could more or else know that I can get into?</p>
<p>Less selective:</p>
<p>Northeastern
Boston University</p>
<p>With your stats you should easily get into George Washington, Franklin and Marshall, Bard, and Fordham.</p>
<p>I’m not seeing too much consistency in your list–you have big variations in size, location and style (Bard and Georgetown couldn’t be more different, for example). It’s hard for anyone to recommend schools without a better idea of what you’re looking for. There are dozens and dozens of colleges on the east coast where you could study business and take pre-med courses. A very general inquiry like the one you’ve posted will generate laundry lists of everyone’s favorite institutions, but that won’t really be very helpful to you.</p>
<p>At this point in your life, it would make sense for you to tour a variety colleges close to home, just so you can get a feel for the type of place–urban, suburban or rural, fratty or artsy, LAC or university, cold or moderate winters, etc., that suits you best Then you can use your conclusions to winnow down the long list of possible east coast colleges and plan some useful visits.</p>
<p>I’ll also mention that not all the schools you listed offer a business major (though they do offer economics). So you probably need to dig a little deeper into the websites if this is an area you’re seriously interested in.</p>
<p>Well thank you MommaJ that is actually my main concern at the moment and I will be looking at colleges in my area. In all honesty, I like smaller colleges such as LAC’s a lot more than big universities. The main reason why I am looking at some larger universities is because they have great research departments. I really just like listening to peoples advice on other schools. It helps me get a better view of schools since other people may have visited/attended/ knew someone who experienced the atmosphere of the school. My personality is interesting in that I am very versatile and like all different kinds of environments- so it can be difficult for me to narrow choices down. And in relation to business, economics is fine. A business major is a plus, but pre-med/science/research is actually my top wish and interest.</p>
<p>I take it you mean the northeast when you say east coast. Or did you mean to include the south east as well? </p>
<p>UNC = not in the northeast
UMiami = not in the northeast
Wake Forest = not in the northeast
Emory = not in the northeast
Rochester = not in the northeast</p>
<p>University of Rochester (NY) not in the Northeast, with their prestigious Eastman School of Music etc?
Where did you think it was, informative?</p>
<p>University of Rochester is in Rochester NY which is no where near what we in the northeast consider the Northeast. I realize why you would think New York and think northeast, but Buffalo and Rochester are more midwestern than northeastern cities.</p>
<p>Sigh. Informative is so consistently uninformative. The entire state of New York is part of the northeast. Using common terminology, New York is a mid-Atlantic state, but it’s definitely in the northeast geographically. Look at a map! It’s a factual matter, not a matter of opinion of “we in the northeast” (of which I am one). </p>
<p>I do think, however, that there are vast differences–everything from weather to culture–among areas within the northeast, and OP probably needs to better define what she wants before so she can determine whether a school like U Rochester is in the running. One of my S’s friends left U Rochester because he found it too cold, too remote, and located in an uninteresting city. It’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>LOL, someone’s never been to Buffalo/Rochester.</p>
<p>Rather than steal someone’s thread, here’s a discussion. [Is</a> Buffalo “Midwestern” (New York, Rochester: how much, live in, restaurants) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum](<a href=“http://www.city-data.com/forum/buffalo-area/560528-buffalo-midwestern-2.html]Is”>Is Buffalo "Midwestern" (New York, Rochester: how much, live in, restaurants) - (NY) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum)</p>
<p>Or you can learn to use google or travel a bit.</p>
<p>Vassar, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Brown, Yale, Hamilton, Colgate, Haverford.</p>
<p>Somebody better tell the good people in Rochester & Buffalo NY that they are not in the Northeast!!
Also somebody better tell the Weather Channel. 
I live in the Northeast as well, MommaJ and agree with you.</p>