<p>Hey. I'm looking for schools that offer a hyper-intellectual and/or eccentric environment. I'm interested in possibly going into business/marketing, but it's okay if the college only offers economics. I'd really appreciate it if the school has good international and French studies programs. Schools with less competitive admissions would be nice, since the schools I'm looking at now are Brown University, Carleton College, Columbia University, Oberlin College, The University of Chicago, and the University of Pennsylvania. Thanks!
Gender: F
Location: Pennsylvania
College Class Year: 2016
High School: Public
High School Type: rarely sends grads to top schools
Will apply for financial aid: Yes
Academics:
GPA - Unweighted: 4.00
Class Rank: top 5%
Class Size: 300
Scores:
PSAT 185
AP Euro 4
Extracurriculars:
Significant Extracurriculars: DECA
Invisible Children Club
French Club
Newspaper
ATPAC Math League
Science Buddies
Forensics Team
Leadership positions: Secretary - DECA
Fundraising Director - Invisible Children Club
Honors and Awards: Distinguished Honor Roll
National Honor Society
DECA Districts Finalist
DECA SCDC Medallion
HOBY Ambassador
La Société Honoraire de Français
College Summer programs: Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Desired College Characteristics:
Location type: Urban or Suburban
Size: 2,000 - 18,000
Area: Northeast, mid-atlantic, midwest
Importance of cost: Extremely important</p>
<p>CCERS [weird meme guy] Y U NO REPLY?</p>
<p>You don’t have any SAT or ACT scores yet???</p>
<p>Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay? If you don’t know, ask.</p>
<p>Do you know what your likely EFC is? </p>
<p>Quick EFC
[FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Quick EFC - Finaid)</p>
<p>I’m Class of 2016, so I’m not applying yet. I’m taking the PSAT/NMSQT in a few weeks, then my SATs in December and March. I’ll probably take my ACT next September. My parents will pay nothing whatsoever in this country, so all my financial safeties are in a different country. My EFC is around $7000.</p>
<p>USC is a GREAT school for majoring in business/marketing! However, the school is costly ($60,000 a year?), but it’s a great school that is also very generous un financial aid. I also think it’s easier for you to get in compared to Brown and Columbia. But, you do have to consider the distance from the east coast to the west… And USC is located in a great location that will become one of the hotspots of LA (once you step out of the USC campus that is-the campus itself isn’t very good). Good luck with your college searches!</p>
<p>*My parents will pay nothing whatsoever in this country, so all my financial safeties are in a different country. My EFC is around $7000. *</p>
<p>This will be a problem.</p>
<p>At most schools, your financial aid package (which goes towards your “need”), will already include a student loan. Therefore, you won’t be able to take out a student loan to cover your EFC.</p>
<p>You will have to choose your schools carefully from the following types…</p>
<p>1) Full need schools that don’t put loans in FA packages (some - not all - top elites)</p>
<p>2) Some schools that will give you a huge merit scholarship - such as tuition PLUS. Hopefully you’ll score high enough on your PSAT to make National Merit.</p>
<p>3) state schools that you can commute to.</p>
<p>Schools will expect you/your family to pay for AT LEAST your EFC (actually, most schools expect families to pay more than their EFCs). How will you pay for your EFC and any gaps if your FA package already has loans in it?</p>
<p>Why won’t your parents at least contribute the same amount of money that they would pay for you to go to school in another country?</p>
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<p>Possibly because tuition, at least, is more or less free in their country? It is in many. In that situation they would only pay living expenses. But yes, it is puzzling. Your FA situation is too complex for me to tale into consideration, so I’ll suggest some schools without regard to FA. </p>
<p>The list you have seems to fit your criteria fairly well. On somewhat less competitive front, I’d suggest Bard and Macalester. Middlebury and Bates could be considered also. Although harder to get into than the other two, you seem to have the stats for them. Smith, Wellesley, and Barnard all sound like excellent fits.</p>
<p>I don’t know why you aren’t considering any of the Pennsylvania triumvirate: Swarthmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr, since you are willing to stay in-state at U Penn.</p>
<p>If you were willing to go to the west coast the list would obviously include Reed, at least. But evidently you aren’t.</p>
<p>My parents won’t contribute the same amount of money that they would pay for me to go to school in my home country simply because they don’t want me to go to school here. They want to make my life as difficult as possible so I’ll cave and go home, but I’ve been living in the US nearly all my life. I’ve been planning to go to college here since middle school when I first qualified for JHU CTY. I think I’m capable of going to college without being treated like a child who is being bribed by (really expensive) candy.</p>
<p>So, FA is a big issue, so I’m trying to look at very generous and well-endowed schools. One of my favorite lists to peruse is the list of schools that are both need-blind and full-need. My state school has a really high tuition for a state school, and I doubt I could get a full ride from PSU. And I really don’t like the place anyway. Too much football.</p>
<p>I’ve been looking at Middlebury, Swarthmore, and Haverford, but I wasn’t sure I had the stats for them. Middlebury’s language programs are really appealing. Smith and Bryn Mawr are really great schools, but I think I want to stick to a coed institution.</p>
<p>Anyone else have any suggestions?</p>
<p>Will you be able to contribute to your education?</p>
<p>NMS for PA is fairly high, so I wouldn’t want to see you expect that.</p>
<p>If you are eligible for PA in-state tuition, you should consider Honors Colleges at West Chester, Millersville and IUP (Cook). The other PASHHE schools have a very low 4 yr graduation rate, so you may want to limit your list to these 3.</p>
<p>I understand that you are very “Americanized” but don’t rule out schools in you home country. Explore them with the same enthusiasm you are exploring US schools. Do not view it as giving into a bribe, but instead as a financially responsible choice.</p>
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<p>You’re very smart. That IS your list. I might add UPitt Honors College, but you need to get your SAT/ACT up a lot for the merit scholarships. You might print out that list and look around for regional college fairs. Also take the ACT in June.</p>
<p>I don’t really have any savings or a job since my parents expect me to stay at home as a full-time nanny for my youngest sibling. But I am very willing to work during college (something I wouldn’t have to do in the Philippines). I’m also trying to make my parents let me get a job soon, since they obviously aren’t throwing any money my way.</p>
<p>The PASSHE schools aren’t a very good fit for me since I believe that they don’t offer a very intellectually stimulating environment. The people I know who go to West Chester and the like are generally those who got rejected from schools like Temple and Philadelphia University.</p>
<p>And I am considering schools in my country, but only as financial safeties. I’m only a permanent resident in the US, and going to school in the Philippines would force me to lose that status. Reclaiming a green card is a very difficult process that I would prefer not to go through. I want to work in this country or somewhere in Europe, so losing the right to ever come back as more than a tourist would be detrimental to my career. My precarious immigration status is of course another reason why my parents want me to go back to the Philippines - they don’t want me to stay here.</p>
<p>I was planning on taking three SAT subject tests in June, so I thought I would wait until September to take the ACT. Should I just do all of them in one month? I feel like that would be a little overwhelming. Of course, I could elect to not take either/or, but I was planning on taking both the SATs and the ACT but during separate months.</p>
<p>I should have mentioned that my assumption was that your SAT would be higher than your PSAT. I wouldn’t plan on taking all three SATIIs in one sitting, if you can avoid it. Why not take the SAT in May, and 2 SATIIs in June. If the results are good, you’re done. If not, you can take either test in October and/or November.</p>
<p>Another thought: is there a subject you did very well in last year, such as Honors Chemistry or Biology? If so, you could take the SATII in that subject this January. If you get one of the good practice books, you could bone up over Christmas vacation.</p>
<p>Regarding money: it is unclear to me whether you would be considered an international. No matter what, schools will need to see your parents financial information, and your EFC will depend on that, not on what they are willing to pay. So if our parents have enough to be able to pay $30K per year, for example, colleges are going to expect them to do that, and any grants will be sized to suit. You won’t get extra money from need-based schools because your parents don’t want to pay.</p>
<p>My PSAT score is really bad, but I was feeling unusually unwell that day. When I took the SAT in 7th grade, I got around a 1700, so I expect my results this year to be well above that. I can’t take the SAT in May since I have AP exams at the same time. I don’t want to take a science subject test since I’m not interested in going into science, and my Honors Chem teacher last year was atrocious (I got an A for the year and she was actually really nice, but she couldn’t teach). I’m planning on taking Math II at the end of my Pre-Calc course this year and French too, since I’m thinking about applying for Huntsman at Penn. I don’t really know if I’m taking a third. And no, thank the heavens above, I’m not considered an international student. But we will be expected to pay something, so I’m sorely tempted by those elite schools with loan-free FA packages but microscopic acceptance rates.</p>
<p>Don’t discount the PASSHE schools. They are inclusive and do take students with lower scores than yours, but the honors colleges can offer challenges and a solid peer group for a student like you. </p>
<p>I’m afraid that outside of the need-blind, meet full need schools, you will need to consider schools in the PASHHE range. The private schools that would provide large merit to you would be in the same “stat” range as the PASHHE. So basically, outside of the tippy top schools, you may have to decide if staying in the US is worth giving up your “hyper-intellect, eccentric” criteria. But many LACs will desire your ethnic background.</p>
<p>Please get your finances in order – You will need to be sure your parents are willing to annually complete the FAFSA and Profile if necessary. Next, check your immigration status and ask each schools financial aid office if you will be considered for FA/Merit based upon your status. I’ve listed a few schools that would give merit/aid to you even if your status is considered international. Be aware, none of these have guaranteed, based on stats only merit.</p>
<p>Arcadia (Philly burb. They have been giving nice packages and appear preferential if you express interest early in the process - get on their mailing list now. They have great study abroad programs).</p>
<p>Goucher (Baltimore burb. Values study abroad.)</p>
<p>Albright (Reading PA. Has an Honors program)</p>
<p>You are facing a difficult road – Your 10th grade PSATs are good, but not stellar. Your need for all expenses paid will be difficult to find. But, you are beginning your search now and have time on your side. Study for the SAT and ACT. Take both SOON - do not wait until next year for the ACT. Take SAT II soon as well. The sooner you have solid test scores, the sooner you can create a viable list.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice and schools. I’m studying hard for my standardized tests and I’ll try to fit in the ACT sometime this year. I am one hundred percent sure, however, that I am not an international student. I am, however, considered international in the Philippines, even though I’m a citizen there. But that’s not at all important, I don’t need any FA there.</p>
<p>Take the regular SAT in March. </p>
<p>You don’t really need 3 SAT IIs, unless you want a better shot at getting a good score on 2 of them. If you are taking an AP now that has a corresponding subject test in May ike a Science (Bio, Chem or Physics B) or US History. then take the corresponding SAT II in May; compared to the AP, it will be a walk in the park. Then take 1 or at most 2 SAT IIs in June, especially if one of them is a foreign language that’s not offered in May. I think taking 3 in one day is too hard. Actually, I think that taking 2 in one day is suboptimal, but sometimes necessary. Ideally, just take one at a time and focus on it.</p>
<p>A week later take the ACT. There is really no downside unless you need the 3 hours to study for finals. If it’s worse than your SAT, you just don’t send it. But it gives you another shot at merit money. Then if your not satisfied that you have a high enough score to get merit money, take them both again in the Fall.</p>
<p>I think you should stay in the US, I disagree with some earlier posts.</p>
<p>I’m considering doing SAT US History in May, since it’s the day after the APUSH exam. Would taking the ACT in February be a bad idea? It’s in between my planned SATs (December and March). I was also thinking about taking the ACT in April, after both SATs. I just don’t want to do it in June because of finals. But I want to try it once.</p>
<p>And I, too, feel that staying in the US would be most advantageous in the long-term. Yeah, I’ll probably have a lot of debt, not be able to have things I’d have in the Philippines, and not have a very strong support system, but I’d rather that than grappling with immigration bureaus and being constantly watched by my helicopter family.</p>
<p>Would Brandeis University be a good match for me? It offers all the majors I’m interested in, but I don’t know much else save for the fact that it’s my history teacher’s alma mater.</p>