<p>Hello! I have been trying to finalize my college list as I am a rising senior with expertise in procrastination. This isn't so much a chance thread, however I will provide you with some background: 2250 sat (2 attempts), GPA out of 100 ~94 unweighted (3.8-3.9?), rank in class: not sure probably around 15-20/~300, decent ECs: three sport athlete including 2 captaincies, mathletes, honor societies, financial situation: confusing. My sister did not receive financial aid. She is in college right now, however my brother and I will be attending college next year, so I will probably need aid with three kids in college. I made sure to include colleges who meet 100% of need, as well as some need-blind schools. So here's my TENTATIVE list:
Reach:
MIT (contact with football coach)
UPenn
Duke
Cornell
Schreyer (penn state honors)
Dartmouth</p>
<p>Match/safeties:
Northeastern
Boston university
Michigan U
Maryland U (CP)
Penn state
Binghamton</p>
<p>I tried to craft my list with schools that I believe I would fit socially, schools that are within about a four hour drive from where I live (except for duke and mich), and schools with strong STEM programs. Ok so here are my questions: is applying to 12 colleges too much? How much work does this really involve? If I know that I would choose BU over northeastern in the case that I was accepted to both, does it make sense to apply to northeastern since it is harder to get into than BU? I know that admissions are unpredictable... Am I applying to too many reaches? These schools are so hard to get into that it becomes almost like a numbers game with them...I'm sure I have more questions but I'm drawing a blank! Any help is MUCH appreciated :) Feel free to ask any questions </p>
<p>If you need aid why are you including OOS public Us like UMich? Their merit aid is VERY limited and they don’t give need based aid to OOS students.</p>
<p>@"Erin’s Dad" Wow thanks for that I didn’t know. So that includes Penn state and Maryland as well no need based aid?</p>
<p>Yes, though Maryland does have more merit aid available to OOS students. I’m not sure about Penn State but I’ve never seen them come up as “good for merit”</p>
<p>@"Erin’s Dad" Ok so I am in the competition for merit at Maryland. I know the honors college gives a small scholarship at Penn state. Binghamton is my financial safety in the case that things do not turn out as planned. </p>
<p>UMD-CP does offer merit to highly qualified OOS applicants. Unless you bulk upto 320 with 4.7 speed, OP, I don’t know if your stats will get you merit at UMD 
Hey, we’re going to the BigTen next year: have you seen those Nebraska linemen? UMD money tends to come in full tuition/ride or increments of 5K. IN addition, many of the depts give competitive scholarships each year to already enrolled students. I think the Binghamton can be good to OOS applicants, too. </p>
<p>But the confusion about financial aid in your family can begin to be addressed by running the Net Price Calculators on each of these schools’ webpages. It will take into consideration number of siblings attending college (or private schools sometimes). It is less accurate in cases of divorce/two household parents and in the cases of unusual assets or farm/business. But you cannot go much further without knowing whether you can afford these schools. Your parents might balk at handing over that financial info, but they had to do it for one child already so maybe they’d be comfortable with providing it to you. They really don’t have much choice since a) they’ll have to give the info to the feds and the schools eventually and b) you cannot really have a list if come the end of March you still won’t know if you can afford any of the schools you’re waiting to hear from. Be patient but firm with them, but I hope you don’t have to. 
</p>
<p>You’re instate for New York? If so I recommend that you add another New York State campus as a safety. Otherwise your list makes good sense. Many students with your stats apply to 12 or so colleges. It’s a lot of work but with good steady planning it’s doable.</p>
<p>I strongly recommend that you apply ED/EA to one of your reach schools. MIT is an EA proposition so if you don’t have a clear favorite consider applying there.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 thanks! Although I may dread it I guess I have to sit down with my mom to run one of the calculators. </p>
<p>@fogcity I am in NY yes, but I just don’t know which other school to apply to. Stony brook has strong science programs but I’m just not sure that I would love to go there. I am definitely considering EA to a few schools. I’m confused about what you meant about MIT? I can apply early action to as many schools as I want because they are not binding no?</p>
<p>Where do you expect to get merit aid?
I agree Penn State is a safety but even if you’re instate, costs are high and financial aid notoriously bad, with little merit aid.
With these stats, you’re guaranteed Honors College, Honors Dorm, and Full Tuition scholarshipat UAlabama. While not as good as Shreyer, it’s still a very good Honors College (go to the UAlabama forum, kids turn down Penn State to go there for Honors, but also many other well-known schools), and unlike Shreyer which turns down 90% applicants, it’s guaranteed, so it’s the ultimate academic/financial safety. You would also be a good candidate for Honors-within-Honors (2 extra programs).
Note that for Shreyer, your essays will matter a lot.</p>
<p>Disregard what Erin’s Dad told you about UMich not giving need based aid to OOS students. They do, but they don’t meet full need like they do for IS students. I know this for a fact, since I got into Mich last year and got need based aid but no merit based aid as an OOS student. Anyways, since finances are an issue, I wouldn’t apply to Mich.</p>
<p>Check out the MIT rules for EA. My recollection is that your other high reach schools only offer ED.</p>
<p>Do we have an intended major, OP?</p>
<p>I don’t think we have a safety unless you can afford Binghamton and say you’d go there, OP. MYOS mentions PSU Lite as a safety, but it can’t be unless you can afford it. A safety has to be absolutely affordable, some place you’d willingly go and do well if all else failed, a place that has your major, and a school you’d absolutely get into. Schreyer certainly cannot be that.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 thanks a lot if will definitely look into Alabama. I just don’t know if I could go all the way down there from New York it’s a scary thought, however that info is very enticing</p>
<p>@enigmaticescape thanks!</p>
<p>@jkeil911 I’m not sure exactly what I want to major in aside from it being STEM. I live In New York so I can afford Binghamton and I am visiting soon, but I’ve heard great things</p>