<p>I'll be applying to colleges this fall just like many of you, and I've recently been waking up to the possibility that I could not get into any schools. I am a qualified applicant for many schools in the U.S., but most of the ones that I really love are reaches.</p>
<p>Can anyone help me find some safeties that fit what I am looking for so I can destress?</p>
<p>I have a 3.83 GPA, I have taken the most rigorous course load at my school plus some online courses. I'm ranked 10th out of 300. ACT is 31: 35E, 31M, 30R, 28S. My ECs are competitive and good for most schools, but I doubt they would stand out a ton at a super competitive ivy school or anything. </p>
<p>The schools I have on my prospective list are currently:
UPenn
Cornell
Columbia (maybe... I love it SOOO SOO Much but it is a massive reach)
U of Chicago
Tufts
Bucknell
Brandeis (maybe... but its on the small side)
Johns Hopkins
Villanova
Gettysburg
UVM
Boston College
CMU</p>
<p>I am looking for:
-A medium/larger school with quirky students (5000-10000 would be ideal)
-I'd prefer a small/nonexistent greek community unless of course it isn't a stereotypical greek community and the kids are nice and it isn't an exclusive thing
-Decent academic education
-I'm undecided... but interested in the humanities
-MUST be at least near the NORTH EAST... If I fell in love with a school I MIGHT do a 10 hour trip or hop on a plane for a short plane ride... but I'd prefer not to have to travel more than 8-9 hours TOPS by car. Ideally, I'd travel 4 hours or less... but I realize this might be unrealistic.
-Supportive environment. I'm not into the cutthroat thing. Plus, I'd love a school that provides for a great freshman experience--whether that be through housing, seminars, advising or whatever. </p>
<p>THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I am open to any suggestions. I am really nervous that I won't find schools that fit my criteria that I can get into. I have so so many reaches. </p>
<p>Also, let me know if there are any on my list that you think I should scratch because they are too out of reach. I'd probably only apply to Cornell, Penn, or Columbia ED, and I am a legacy at all three. I'm also a legacy at Bucknell, UVA and Harvard I believe. But Harvard is out of the question, ha.</p>
<p>I know… and neither does Cornell’s. But I don’t think of either as a super preppy/exclusive school so I wouldn’t mind greek life at either. I could handle greek life if it was filled with intelligent, open-minded, possibly quirky kids.</p>
<p>I might be wrong and that may not be the case at Penn, (if you have experience and you feel that greek life is not the way I described, please share! :)) but that is just how I perceive the greek system to be like at Penn.</p>
<p>im biased, but tufts seems to have a lot of what you are looking for. In fact, it seems to have everything you are looking for. You would have a great shot at getting in.</p>
<p>You’re fine for Gettysburg. Nova and Bucknell, so if you like those your list is fine.</p>
<p>How can you be a legacy at all of those schools? How are you defining legacy? At many if not most it will take a parent having been an undergrad to make you one, unless of course your family is a major donor to all those schools.</p>
<p>If you are a legacy at Penn or Cornell, I would highly recommend applying ED to one of them.</p>
<p>Oh sorry, I was using grandparents as well… because that is how those schools’ websites classify a legacy. My father went to Penn, my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother went to Bucknell, and I have grandparents who went to Cornell, Columbia, UVA and Harvard. And then I don’t know if current students count, but I have cousins at Columbia and Cornell.</p>
<p>I know cousins don’t count towards making a student a legacy, but I don’t know for sure if it is considered. A few schools have asked to write down any current students you are related to. I just don’t know how they use that.</p>
<p>I’ve heard Gettysburg, Villanova and Bucknell are very preppy with dominant greek systems. Any truth in this? Also, I LOVE Tufts. It is beautiful and is a great school. But again, I believe it is a pretty huge reach school.</p>
<p>I think that you should recheck some of your legacy definitions. For example, at Columbia you only get legacy status if your parent (not your grandparent) graduated from the university. Here’s the info from the Columbia website
</p>
<p>In addition, I believe that the same is true for UVA (that only parents and not grandparents confer legacy status).</p>
<p>I don’t know the policy for many of these schools except Harvard where only a parent who was an undergrad would make you a legacy. Cousins never count. You’re fine at Penn if you apply ED where is where you get the major boost.</p>
<p>Like others have stated, there’s question marks with some of the schools on the list. I don’t think they fit what you want, especially when you mention “quirky students” and a possible “interest in the humanities.”</p>
<p>I’d look into schools like Brown, Wesleyan and Swarthmore instead of cornell and penn. the size of swarthmore might be small but i think it offers a lot of your other requirement in regards to a nurturing school.</p>
<p>Thanks… I hadn’t checked out what made students legacies at all of the schools. I knew that at the few I had checked out, grandparents and parents counted, so I only included the colleges my parents went to and the ones my grandparents went to. I added schools my cousins are at bc I know on some apps they ask if anyone you are related to is currently at the school. I don’t know why they ask–I know it isn’t a legacy thing–but I thought I’d add it just in case it had any relevence. </p>
<p>Location is very important to me though, hmom. Thanks for the suggestions though. They seem like great schools!</p>
<p>Size is also important to me. And it isn’t necessarily a “nurturing” feeling I’m after. I just don’t want to be at a cutthroat school where kids sabotage others’ work to get aheard. By supportive, I guess I meant I want the students to be supportive–at least to the extent where people in general aren’t out to get each other, ha.</p>
<p>Since size is important to you, you should probably be cautious exploring schools like Swarthmore, Reed, and Beloit. These are all much smaller than Brandeis. I don’t know of any backup schools that have what you want. Sorry.</p>
<p>You should look at American University, too. Their greek life is low key, from what I’ve heard.</p>
<p>And don’t worry about not getting in anywhere. That probably won’t happen, but if it does, you can take a gap year and further enhance your application! Which is what happened to me. lol.</p>
<p>Be forewarned that Columbia would provide a freshman experience that is quite unusual… The allure of New York City inevitably comes at the expense of campus community. Of course, NYC is awesome (but unlike your college days, NYC will always be there to explore). I don’t think anyone has called Columbia’s environment “supportive” (more along the lines of “sink or swim”)</p>
<p>Other than that, though, Columbia sounds wonderful for you and I can see why you’d be so enamored with.</p>
<p>Penn, however, also fits the bill (would be more supportive than Columbia, but not as much as Boston College). And the ED legacy is a HUGE plus for Penn.</p>
Their greek life is low key, from what I’ve heard.</p>