First generation, URM male, First plan messed up needs your helP!

Parents Forum
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<p>Ok, today I discovered that I did not get Questbridge.</p>

<p>My mom is like very new to college process, I'm first one in my family to go to college, and she's like apply to Harvard...Ivy League or bust for her ....that may be a possibility but I feel I need a well rounded list of schools. I pposted this in another forum, but by posting it here am hoping that the intelligent parents at CC can help me.</p>

<p>In addition, she wants to pay someone to like help with my apps or whatever, as her reasoning is I did Questbridge by myself and didn't do it, so I must need out side intervention.</p>

<p>A little bit about my backround is found in my college essay found here: </p>

<p>Color</a> Purple: Essay Project</p>

<p>Could you please answer my questions and suggest schools, with nice black enrollment and strong grad school payments. Plan to study political science. </p>

<p>Here are my Stats:</p>

<p>GPA- 4.4 top 4%
Courseload- Full IB
6 Psycology SL
Black Male</p>

<p>28 ACT ( 11 essay, 30 english, 35 Reading, 24 science, 25 math)
720 Lit, 740 US History</p>

<p>Ecs:
Motivational Speaker to local schools/ Youth minister at Church
ASB President this year, ASB Secretary Sophmore year ( 3,000 student Scores)
Youth Advisory Commission Chairman ( 2 yrs)
Students in Prevention Peer educator( went to schools telling kids to say know to drugs)
State Youth Ambassador
Black Student Union President ( 2 Yrs) State Treasuer
Tennis Captain- Number one singles and Doubles
Youth leadership Academy Graduate and Commencement Speaker
Stockton Record Reporter
Channel 97 reporter</p>

<p>*** Acitivites are all 2-4 years</p>

<p>Part Time Job:
Barnes and Noble Booksellers </p>

<p>Lots of Certificates of Achievements from Congress people and other big shots </p>

<p>Lead Summer Business Institute at Wharton participat
California Youth Think Tank at USC Particiapant ( 4 yrs)
Recognition for Outstanding Leadership ( local church)
Youth think Tank Leadership Award </p>

<p>Any input, help, ect would be greatly appreciated!</p>

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<p>You need to provide a bit more information about what you are looking for:</p>

<p>urban vs rural?
large vs small?
university vs LAC?
south, north, midwest, coastal?</p>

<p>What do you mean by "nice black enrollment"? 15%, 25%, is less OK?</p>

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<p>Ivy league - Brown probably
UC system - easily
UChicago, CM, WM, Reed, W...</p>

<p>YOU'RE FINE! </p>

<p>p.s Your essay isn't that good. Just bein honest...</p>

<p>Colleges won't care though.</p>

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<p>BTW, congratulations on the essay contest.</p>

<p>I think you have a lot of options. I believe you mentioned in your other post that good financial aid is a definite requirement, so you are probably going to be looking at private schools that are need-blind and that state they provide 100% of required aid (there are about two dozen of them, I think.)</p>

<p>You are probably a candidate for merit scholarships at some private universities. Have you looked at the threads on the financial aid forum that discuss schools that offer merit scholarships?</p>

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<p>Please note that every poster on the parent forum is not a parent.</p>

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<p>black enrollment anything over 6%
location- near a city?, urban or suburban campus </p>

<p>Any coast and any school that will accept me.</p>

<p>Thanks so far for the input</p>

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<p>** strong grad school placement!</p>

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<p>black enrollment anything over 6%</p>

<p>Occidental, UNC-Chapel Hill, Pepperdine, Emory, Duke, Pomona, and the HBCU's ( and Ivy's but I don't know about the near a city part).</p>

<p>There may be other's but these are the ones my dhas looked at and might be the best balance of right "tier" /merit aid for her. Your in much better shape if you can get need based aid.</p>

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<p>Mr. Tubbz.</p>

<p>Being admired by Alice Walker trumps a poster named HSisOverrrated, although of course each is entitled to an opinion. </p>

<p>I hope you can open your Mom's eyes to the advantage of attending a well-endowed Liberal Arts College where kids from minority backgrounds find a humane and caring environment, then go on to graduate schools at bigger universities.</p>

<p>If that sounds like something worth exploring, get your computer mouse ready to explore: Oberlin College (suburb of Cleveland), Amherst College (Western Massachusetts), Wesleyan (in Connecticut), Brandeis University (outside of Boston) which is a small university like Brown with an LAC (Liberal Arts College) feeling to it. I chose those places to mention because they recruit students from minority backgrounds and have high percentages on campus of URM's: AfricanAmerican, AsianAmerican, and foreign students such as from India.</p>

<p>You might also look at some universities in larger cities, such as Emory in Atlanta, University of Pittsburgh or Duquesne U (also in Pittsburgh).</p>

<p>Mom's saying "Harvard or bust" but like everyone on these forums I'll give you the same advice: make a list of safety, match and reach schools. Nobody's guaranteed anywhere. Mom's proud of you, but you are right to be more realistic than to think only Ivy League is good enough for you. For Ivy League, you might enjoy Cornell which I believe has a larger percentage of applicants admitted than, say, Harvard or Yale. Then go ahead and apply to Harvard or Yale, just realizing that most with perfect statistics also don't get in; it's just that famous. Still, apply.</p>

<p>Look up some old threads here on LAC vs University. I know the universities have high prestige, but some students find their journey begins better at a small LAC. Something to think about. </p>

<p>If Mom would pay an advisor, why not try that? If, however, you want to piece it together yourself, I'd suggest starting by reading (with Mom at your side) a website by CC wonder-poster "Carolyn" called: AdmisssionsAdvice.com</p>

<p>A good starting point is her linked article, "Creating a LIst from the Bottom-Up" (my wording is a bit off, but look for "Bottom-up")</p>

<p>If Mom hasn't yet seen it, look up the USNewsandWorldReports ranking of colleges. There are LOTS of great schools on these long lists of universities and LAC's...not just a handful! Time to create your list of safety, match and reach schools realizing there is a great school for everyone, including you. </p>

<p>Best wishes.</p>

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<p>Carlolyn, is a life saver! I met her last year and we've been in correspondance ever since! I tried to tell my mom that she is like a free college app lady for me lol! I love Carolyn, she's been so helpful these last few months!!!!</p>

<p>So yea, me and Carolyn will be in deep discussion the next week making a list........but all are welcomed to contribute!</p>

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<p>I believe Vanderbilt Univ.'s black enrollment is about 12%, but I cannot find the link at the moment to confirm that. The school is located about a mile and a half from downtown Nashville, TN. Strong graduate school placement. It is a need-blind, 100% of need school. It does offer merit scholarships, but the deadlines for some of the named ones is just about here already.</p>

<p>Your composite ACT is just under the 25th percentile for enrolled students, but that is because of the lower math score. I think you are not in bad shape because your other subscores are within range. Vanderbilt is trying hard to diversity its student body, gives a lot of weight to community involvement, esp. if the rest of the record looks good.</p>

<p>I think it is worth your while to submit an application. They accept the common application.</p>

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<p>I meant to say above that not every poster on the parent forum is a parent. My, I worded that badly.</p>

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<p>I have helped judge national and regional scholarship essay contests, and I agree with Alice Walker: Fabulous essay.</p>

<p>There are many colleges that would be happy to accept you and where you could get excellent financial aid. Do think, however, about where you would be happiest.</p>

<p>I notice that based on your mom's suggestions, you're considering Ivies. Yes you have a shot including at HPY. Just because Questbridge didn't take you doesn't mean you won't get accepted at top Ivies. I know someone whom Questbridge rejected who ended up going to U Penn under one of their programs for their top admits. (She was rejected to Harvard, but anyone can see that she still did extremely well!). </p>

<p>If you are willing to make a coast to coast move, then consider Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Penn., and Yale as reach possibilities. Take a very close look at their web sites to see if they appear to be what you'd want.</p>

<p>Also do keep in mind that a coast to coast move will mean adapting to a totally different culture and climate than you have in California, and not being able to get home very often or have your mom come see you. Calif. is more than likely much more laid back than the East Coast. That can be quite a culture shock. One of the few people who transferred out of my Harvard class was a sister from Oakland who missed California's laid back culture. She transferred to Stanford and went to medical school there and remains in northern California.</p>

<p>I strongly suggest that you read the book "A Hope in the Unseen" (which you probably can get cheap used via Amazon, which is how I bought it). It tells about a black male from the Anacostia -- the hood -- section of D.C., first gen college, father was imprisoned, who went to Brown. That could give you an idea of what to expect at Brown. </p>

<p>You really are fortunate because Calif. has excellent public and private colleges, several of the best in the country. I would think you'd have better than average chances at Stanford. I don't know enough about the other universities to make suggestions, but I do think you should pick some instate public and privates for some of your match, reach and safety schools.</p>

<p>Because you are a high achieving African American male who is taking a rigorous curriculum, you fit the profile of the type of student who tends to be hardest to find by the top colleges. I think that you can have some excellent choices. Just make sure that as you apply, you not only think about finances and rankings of the colleges, but also how happy you'd be living so far away from your hometown and relatives that you might see them only at Christmas and summer vacation. Also consider your feelings about adapting to the culture of a different region of the country.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for your suggestions!</p>

<p>Northstarmom, I studied the summer at Wharton and loved the East Coast and Upenn!</p>

<p>I think what might have hurt for Questbridge was that I marked my Yale application as SCEA when it should've been marked as regular. I think that I was placed in the SCEA and will call on Monday to get it squared away.</p>

<p>Ah, the college process is SOOOOO stressful.</p>

<p>another think that might have hurt is that my high school has no track record in getting kids to the Ivy League schools and one of my recs was pretty standard. Like my test scores at my school are in the top 3! and SAT 2 scores the tops! </p>

<p>Anywho,</p>

<p>once again thanks and expect more questions from me in the coming months!!</p>

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<p>If you loved the East Coast, then also consider Wesleyan, which might be a match school for you.While it's not in a city like Philadelphia, it is located in a place that's larger than, for instance, where LACs like Bowdoin and Williams are located. </p>

<p>Also consider Boston University as a match. Look at their merit scholarships. I think you'd have decent chances of qualifying for some excellent merit aid there. Check out Brandeis, too.</p>

<p>And do make sure that you really, really, really would be OK living in cold weather with overcast skies for more than half of each year that you're in college. While going to college in the northeast, you'd probably only have a couple of weeks -- max -- of the kind of sunny, warm weather that you enjoyed while summering in Philly. I'm originally from the northeast, and when I spent a year in grad school in Stanford, I felt that I had landed in heaven!</p>

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<p>Since you liked Philly, also consider Swarthmore and Haverford, two excellent LACs.</p>

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<p>Looking over your stats and your (great) essay, it strikes me that while your SAT2s and curriculum are good, your only potential weak point is your ACT. Therefore applying to a couple of need-blind, SAT-optional LACs does seem like a wise move. </p>

<p>I would suggest Bowdoin, but have to forewarn you that the black population of Maine (where I live) is very, very small. There may actually be more refugees from Africa than African-Americans in the state: certainly there is a substantial and visible Somali community in both Portland and Lewiston/Auburn. I don't know what the proportion of black students is at Bowdoin itself.</p>

<p>It also strikes me that you seem to be very involved in and inspired by your faith community. Especially if you go to school far from your family, you might want to make sure that a compatible group exists at your target school or nearby. You may find that you need that kind of support.</p>

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<p>I suggest that you also take the SAT after taking the time to study for it, which you can do by buying a workbook and using the College Board site.</p>

<p>Based on your SAT II scores and rigorous curriculum, I suspect that you can have SAT scores that put you in a higher percentile than your ACT scores do</p>

<p>I believe that most colleges will still take SATs from Jan., but you probably need to sign up right away to take the test.</p>

<p>The "secret" of many who scored high on the SAT is that they studied for the test-- either on their own or with the help of a tutor. My sons -- African American males -- each had SAT I scores in the 98th percentile. One studied on his own. Another with a tutor (who basically took him through one of the SAT workbooks, something that son lacked the discipline to do on his own).</p>

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<p>Michael, I left you a phone message. Please have your Mom call me, and please also feel free to call me collect.</p>

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<p>I completely agree with NSM regarding taking time to assess your social happiness, and fit before going totally Ivy on your goals. If you get these four years done correctly, you may win a full ride to a top grad school. But under no circumstances should you go to a school where the classroom fit is not good enough for your ideal learning environment.
Don't go where people are mellow if you are a total extrovert who craves diversity and stimulation. Don't go to a quiet village where there are no African Americans if this will depress your spirits no matter how wonderful the college post graduate outlook. Believe it or not for instance, Vanderbilt has greatly increased its diversity...and has a spirited urban campus that is in a city that also is home to Fisk, Meharry Medical College and TSU. (I spent lots of time at TSU when my husband was at Vandy.) Every school mentioned is wonderful in its own way, but this is the year to Know Thyself. What you need at ages 18-22 is not what you will seek at age 23. Get very real about what your needs/vulnerabilities are now.<br>
If you are first generation as I was, I think that for students of any race, finding mentors in college matters and being in classes where you count matters. Otherwise, it is too easy to try the phone-home method of getting by in large classes even at great flagship universities. Smaller colleges clearly offer more intimate mentoring from adults in all sorts of disciplines. If you are weak in lab work, don't go to a college where you will never see a full professor in a lab..go where the lab assistant work is part of the faculty responsibility. You clearly take on courses with tough workloads already. But decide which school environment will bring out the best in your ACADEMICALLY. This is the four years you want to bloom, gain confidence, make up some facility in math, get extra competent in a few things like labs or a music or cultural talent of yours.<br>
Small colleges also are very good about placing juniors abroad and doing semesters where everyone leaves to intern. Go to a college which will provide you with an alumnus identity and family no matter where you live.
My son is at Duke. Frankly, he had the potential to deserve his place but he also had a much weaker high school background and grew up in a quiet part of a state. He probably would have been best suited to a small intense liberal arts school in terms of his need to "catch up" in the classroom. But he knew what his emotional needs required, and he wanted stimulation after growing up in quiet.
He thrives on Duke's high spirits, and has figured out how to find mentors in a school of 6000 undergrads. I would have preferred he go to a small LAC but instead he has fashioned his time at Duke into segments. Some of his semesters have in fact been "as if" he was in a small LAC. For him, the tradeoff of the big sized extrecurriculars and the very stimulating student body...their confidence levels and their advantaged positions didn't throw him off..they inspire him. I am convinced that he is learning as much as he would have in a smaller college that I personally preferred for him.
PS He also Prepared for the SAT on his own sort of xiggi style and the results opened many doors. He simply took exams on the clock and studied his errors till he quit making the same mistakes and picked up his pace.</p>