<p>So, after getting some wonderful encouragement on the Parents Forum, I am considering expanding my college list. Please be as realistic as possible when chancing me. I will not be upset if you are harsh.</p>
<p>The STATS</p>
<p>34 ACT
Rank 3/447 kinda goodish public high school(have 1-2 kids hit ivies every year)
GPA 4.0, 4.4 with weight
Took all honors/AP...including AP Lang, APUSH, AP Psych, and a college class(Rhetoric) through University of Pittsburgh. Next year i'll be taking AP Gov, AP Calc AB and AP Stats</p>
<p>President of NFL
President of Theatre Club
Member of Art Club
Editor and Copyrighter of Yearbook
Writer for Newspaper
Captain of Quiz Team
Member of Brain Bee Team(first in regionals)
Member of Math Team
Member of Stage Crew(Stage manager)</p>
<p>2 year nationals qualifier for NFL(debate) My partner and i took SECOND in the state tournament.
1000 hours of volunteer work
work part time at a Dairy Queen</p>
<p>Plannning on major in Neuroscience. Possibly doubling with Theatre...</p>
<p>Schools:(sorry...there are quite a few)</p>
<p>Claremont McKenna
Carthage College
Hampshire
Mount Holyoke
Muhlenberg
Franklin adn Marshall
Pitzer
Scripps
Smith
Tulane
Union(NY)</p>
<p>I would apply to more reaches than that (and take some of those schools off of the list)! Good chances at all, though CMC and Smith might be a tad difficult. Seriously, shoot higher!</p>
<p>i see you getting in to alot of these. you should also consider University of Pittsburgh. It’s really good. I know a kid who got into Harvard and ditched that to go there and another kid who got into WUSTL and Columbia and UPenn and is going there. Also, it is not the state school for either of them. So I am sure there is something really good about it.<br>
BTW, they are doing the 8yr med thing</p>
<p>I don’t think any of the colleges on your list are reaches. I think they’re all pretty much matches and safeties (okay, maybe low matches). They’re very consistent too - I love that. On CC, everyone goes for prestige. It really looks like you’re going for fit.</p>
<p>wow i say that’s quite an impressive resume. I think you have outstanding chances at all of your choices. I’ve known people that got into Franklin and Marshall and Tulane with MUCH lower stats.</p>
<p>Looking at some scattergrams, looks like you’ll get in just fine - they all seem pretty damn safe for you. Take a ‘risk’ - which, given your credentials, wouldn’t really even be one - and apply for some Ivies and such.</p>
<p>Good! Everyone on here is like wow, you should apply to some Ivies! They have said that to me too, occasionally (a little unwarranted, I think). It’s silly. I don’t even remotely like any of those schools! I was trying to find one that I liked because they are 100% need/no loans (my EFC = 0), but I couldn’t even find ONE. Kudos for you for going for fit. It’s WAY more important. Would you buy a pair of Nike sneakers that didn’t fit instead of a pair of shoes from Payless if they fit perfectly? Seriously?</p>
<p>I had the same problem as you when I applied: ridiculously too many safeties. My dad said he wouldn’t pay for all those applications. Pick the two or three safety schools you would pick above any other assuming you got into all of them. Only apply to those schools for safeties.</p>
<p>Now I’ll admit being a huge partisan of Tufts, but I think it should definitely be on your list. You’re a match AT LEAST, it’s fun, it’s small, which you seem to like, and it’s great for your programs. We have a brand spanking new Cognitive & Brain Science major you might want to glace at, it’s generating a lot of excitement and has drawn some of our best professors to it. Our theater program is great. It’s obviously not conservatory style, but I doubt you’re looking for that. It’s very small, very high quality and very well-regarded. It’s geared toward dramaturgy, dramatic scholarship, and production, and in those areas really excels. As far as performance, a small number of acting studios are offered every semester, the department puts on three shows every year in which a professor directs a cast and crew of students, and students themselves put on about a dozen more shows per year.</p>
<p>The Ivies are among the best colleges in the world. Ergo, they attract all types of people. I agree that they’re all different and thus suit people differently, but given the opportunity to attend one, it’d be a shame to instead go to a school that’s not as academically stimulating. I think there’s enough variety among the eight schools to fit just about anyone.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the schools in her list above are hardly different than many other schools that are academically superior. This is why we are saying to aim higher. Why not go to a school that fits AND is renowned for its academics? To say that schools like Union, Muhlenberg, and F&M fit her more than Vassar, Haverford, and Bucknell is pretty ridiculous. Besides overall quality (fellow students, teachers, resources, etc.), there isn’t much substantially distinct fit-wise. And looking at her list above, the only real trend is LACs and a few all women’s schools. So it’s not like those particular schools in her list have any intrinsic qualities that other schools don’t have. In other words, it doesn’t seem like she’s going for a certain niche, so why not aim higher? :P</p>
<p>I completely disagree. I’ve found numerous schools with better programs in my major for undergrads. A school doesn’t have to be Ivy to be academically stimulating - that’s rubbish. Anything in the top 300 is bound to be academically stimulating for its own niche of students. I’ve also found schools that I’ve simply liked better. I’m sure there are many other students like me. I don’t care how “renowned for its academics” a school is. College isn’t about that for me, and probably not for some other students. I want great academics, but I don’t care whether or not they’re “renowned”. I’m just adding my opinion here - everyone is telling the OP to “aim higher”, when the OP may not even have to do so. Personally, I wouldn’t attend a top ten school given the chance, unless it was totally free. I don’t want to study 24/7, I don’t care if people will say “aaaah” when I tell them where I went to school… that’s not my idea of an ideal college. If it is to you - kudos! I hope you get into every school you apply to. But as for me, and maybe the OP… I’ll stick to my “lesser” fitting schools!</p>
<p>I was just giving my rationalization for why people apply to Ivies. Basically, because most people can find a fit academically and socially at one. Obviously certain schools specialize in majors over others, and the Ivies aren’t the only academically stimulating schools, but they make up a decent portion of the top. </p>
<p>Disagree with: </p>
<p>“Anything in the top 300 is bound to be academically stimulating for its own niche of students.”</p>
<p>Prestige follows strong academics.</p>
<p>Not all of the best schools are that rigorous. Some definitely are over others. I understand if you don’t want to do that work, but if I was the OP and busted my behind during high school, I’d want some sort of reward. I’d also want to be pushed to the next level. Granted, maybe she wants a break from the work, but I don’t think most people feel that way.</p>
<p>you have GREAT chances to all of these!! seriously consider some higher reaches Northwestern, GW, Columbia, Stanford, and even the Ivies!! you have great ECs, a lot of very impressive leadership positions, and solid test scores/GPA
aim higher
p.s. chance me back if you have time? :P</p>
<p>THe more i read this thread, the more flattered i get
besides the advice to aim higher, how would you classify my current list?
mostly low reaches? matches? any safeties…
i want to have categories for my ocd :)</p>
:P</p>
Northwestern, GW, Columbia, Stanford, and even the Ivies!! you have great ECs, a lot of very impressive leadership positions, and solid test scores/GPA