Finding a MATCH schol

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I have to come up with a list of colleges to apply to after getting rejected from my first choice, Stanford, REA. I'm really confused about how to differentiate between a match school and a reach. I thought it would be pretty easy, but by looking at some RD results threads, I'm starting to realize how much of crap shoot college admission really is. </p>

<p>I've already applied to UCLA and Berkeley since the deadlines came up about a month ago. Since I'm out of state, I'm viewing them both as reaches right now. </p>

<p>It probably be helpful if I posted my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.98 UW; my school doesn't calculate weighted
SAT: 2180 Superscore [700R, 690M, 790W]
SAT SUBJECTS: 650 Literature (I've never been able to do very well on these tests)
AP Scores: None
APs taken: Freshman and sophomores not allowed to take any at my school. 3 during my junior year and 4 during my senior year.
Class Rank: 13/270 UW, 21/270 Weighted (My school gives me the choice of which to report out of the two. Which should I choose, or should I choose both)
Type of School: Very competitive suburban public school with very little diversity (90% white)
ECs: decent but not very focused because I'm an undecided applicant. I had 1 leadership position last year, and three this year.
Race: African-American</p>

<p>I really like schools with good weather, but it's not at the top of my list. I like competition but not too much. I'd hate to attend an overly-competitive institution. Financial aid is a big thing for me (I applied to the UCs with the hope that one of them would take pity on my $<20,000 income and give me a regents scholarship though I really doubt it with all the good students applying these days), so an institution that's generous would be awesome. I also would prefer to stay on the either the west or east coast; I've tried both Midwestern and southern living, and it's not for me. I'd also like some diversity since the high school I went to had very little of it.</p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>I've looked at:</p>

<p>UCLA
UC-Berkeley
Claremont Mckenna
Pomona College
Johns Hopkins
princeton University
duke University
Harvard University
MIT
Northwestern
Dartmouth College
Columbia University
Brown University
Caltech
swarthmore college
Yale University
University of chicago
USC</p>

<p>Which I know is a long list, and I'm surely not applying to all those schools. But if anyone could help me narrow the list, add to it, and then make it more realistic for my stats, I'd thoroughly appreciate it!</p>

<p>Thank You!</p>

2

<p>Wow, I’m a total idiot.
I completely messed the title. Sorry about that. I can actually spell school just in case anyone’s wondering lol</p>

3

<p>Do you have at least one safety, where you are assured admission, affordability, and suitable academics? That is the most important school on anyone’s application list. (Often, in-state publics are used, due to more predictable admissions and lower cost and decent financial aid for in-state students.)</p>

<p>High stats applicants often have trouble finding admission matches, since many of the schools whose profiles match the stats are “reach for everyone” schools like Stanford.</p>

4

<p>I recommend the Alaska Bible College</p>

5

<p>If you don’t already have safeties, and your in-state publics are not suitable, consider the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt; .</p>

6

<p>@UCbalumnus Yes I do have a couple safeties under my belt. I’m applying to my in-state schools as well as some of the lesser competitive UCs. Thanks for the link, it was very helpful! Do you have any ideas based off of my stats?</p>

<p>@JustinBryce I’m not Chrisitian, so I probably wouldn’t fit in at a school with bible in its name. Thanks for your help though :)</p>

<p>Anyone else have any opinions?</p>

7

<p>Hahaha I was totally kidding.
Apply to Harvey Mudd, Stanford, Washington University.</p>

8

<p>Some of the less competitive UCs may be admission safeties, but would not be financial safeties for an out-of-state student needing financial aid.</p>

<p>Berkeley and UCLA are probably high matches for admissions for you (unless you applied for something more selective like engineering), although they are reaches due to the cost situation. USC is generally thought to be similarly or slightly less selective than UCLA, so if its need-based financial aid is enough (check its net price calculator), then it may qualify as a mid-high match for you.</p>

9

<p>East Coast schools that aren’t in the South are going to have pretty poor weather. Just a fact.
Here are some matches that meet most applicants financial need or give great financial aid to their best students:
-Occidental
-Pitzer
-LMU
-Brandeis
-Emory (Atlanta and Emory itself are not “southern” as my roommate from a truly Southern town says
-CMU (for non engineering/performing arts/comp sci)
-Syracuse
-Vassar
-University of Puget Sound (safety, usually meets aid for the best qualified applicants)
-Wesleyan University
-University of Miami</p>

10

<p>@ucbalumnus: Thanks for your advice. I can tell that you’re knowledgable about this topic.</p>

<p>@whenen: I really liked your recommendation of Emory. How accepting of minorities is Emory?</p>

<p>Shameless bump…</p>

11

<p>We absolutely despise them with a passion. Every Saturday we mourn the loss of Jim Crow laws and the death of Strom Thurmond. </p>

<p>For the record, I’m completely kidding. Emory is a majority minority school, so no one race dominates. Take my word with a bit of caution, since I’m white, but IMO we’re one of the most tolerant schools out there, and I sincerely believe that if you don’t find Emory accepting of blacks, the only schools that might fit you are HBCUs like Howard.</p>

12

<p>Hahaha thank you. I was just worried because I visited Washington University in St. Louis in last year and while the school was awesome, it was surrounded by one of the most racist cities I’ve ever been to… It could have just been my unlucky experience with a few unfriendly residents, but it was off puting</p>

<p>It’s nice to hear that Emorys welcoming, however. I’ll be sure to put it on my list as a high match/ low reach. :)</p>

13

<p>I would check out Howard.</p>

14

<p>@UCbalumnus Yes I do have a couple safeties under my belt. I’m applying to my in-state schools as well as some of the lesser competitive UCs. Thanks for the link, it was very helpful! Do you have any ideas based off of my stats?</p>

<p>The UCs do not super-score. </p>

<p>Lesser UCs are not safeties for you since you’re OOS and have high need. At most, the UCs will give aid “up to” the instate COA and expect you to pay the OOS portion (about $22k per year). Since your family can’t pay that, the UCs can’t be safeties for you.</p>

<p>Are you certain that you’ll receive full aid to your instate publics? What are they? If you’re not sure if you’ll get full aid, then those aren’t safeties either.</p>

<p>What is your non-super-scored best sitting SAT?</p>

<p>If you don’t have real financial safeties, then you need some. I think you also need some “match schools” that give great aid.</p>

15

<p>@mom2collegekids:
Yeah I’m positive about that. They have guaranteed acceptance and merit scholarship amounts once you’ve passed a certain level. </p>

<p>Non-scored best sitting was a 2160 [670M, 700CR, 790W]</p>

<p>Your right about that last part. I really do and I only have a few days left to finalize the list. So frustrating… :/</p>