Gay-Friendly LACs ?? and my current list/some stats

Applying to College
21

@Lindagaf If you really must know my list is limited because
a) I have OCD and it makes me feel itchy and panicky when I have more than 4
b) As I said, I come from a very intense poverish situation. You want to know how I took the APs and SATs? I worked at my local grocery store for 4 months ~ most of my paycheck went to contributing to bills and such – the college board sends free scores of the SATs to a limit of 4 or less schools, I can’t really afford sending more than that for scores, and as you can tell by my GPA, SATs are a must

@Dustyfeathers I created my list from Bigfuture’s college search, Vassar never popped up. Probably because it lacks something, not sure tbh – I look into it after I post this

@“Erin’s Dad” I am from NH and my State U is horrid when it comes to financial aid, sure it cost less, but it’s loans are much, much, much bigger compared to even what Saint Mike’s would give me, the other state university (Plymouth) doesn’t have a major or even a minor in what I want to study unfortunately

Thanks for everyone’s critques and what-not

22

Thanks for explaining some of your situation @DoubleJointMajor . You are most likely eligible for fee waivers for all apps and sending scores. Look on college board’s website and talk to your school counselor who can help you file paperwork. That will hopefully eliminate the need for you to spend your own money. The same is probably true of paying for the tests also. Please talk with your counselor, or again, look at the college board website.

So you can only handle applying to four because it makes you panicky. I am not trying to be harsh, but realistic. With your grades and test scores as they currently are, your chances at your three reaches are not great. I strongly encourage you to eliminate one of the reaches and apply to at least two schools you have a good chance of getting into. Think how panicky you will feel if you only get into one school and they don’t offer enough aid. You have to be stronger than your fears. You have to be guided by common sense and not get carried away with dreams.

There was a good article just published in the Washington Post about college advice from admissions officers. One of the quotes was that students shouldn’t take it personally when they don’t get in, because it is impossible to know the institutional needs of any given college, and they will turn down great candidates for reasons known only to them. I don’t doubt you will be a competitive candidate if you can really improve your tests score, but that is an “if.” Maybe I prefer to err on the side of caution, but it would be such a shame for you to only have one choice of college to go to. Maybe you will write a compelling essay and get great recs and get into all of them. The problem is there is no guarantee for any students at your top three, not even for students with much better stats than yours. Anyway, I can’t say anything more. I wish you luck.

23

Does your school have a track record of sending many kids to schools like Bowdoin, Middleburg, Swarthmore? Who aren’t athletes? Who have your stats? What does your college counselor think of your plan of applying to 4 with 3 being far reaches?

Here’s the article @lindagaf mentions. It’s worth a read as it has plenty of good advice.

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@DoubleJointMajor One other thing to consider - there is how LGBTQ friendly a place is AND there is the likely size of the dating pool, that is % of gay students attending. A small college in a small town is generally not the best scenario for finding a partner. A school in a major metro area like Boston or Philadelphia would be much better. Given that you only intend to apply to four schools, I would think very carefully about this as you finalize your list as well as considering the likelihood of acceptance AND obtaining financial aid. You will want to target schools that promise to meet full need. An acceptance to a school that you cannot afford is essentially a rejection.

You might want to check out Clark University in Worcester MA, a small school in a city with many colleges, very inclusive and international in its student body.

If your test scores do not increase as you hope, you may want to consider schools that are test optional. Go to fairtest dot org.

And do ask your guidance counselor about Questbridge or other programs that help low-income students to make the application process more affordable. There is help out there! Good luck to you.

25

forgot to link the article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/08/11/dont-trust-your-friends-advice-on-getting-into-college-and-other-tips-from-admissions-experts/#comments

26

You didn’t say what your gender is, but if you are female then women’s colleges might meet your needs.Mt Holyoke comes to mind. I understand you have OCD, but if that’s keeping you from making good decisions then you might need to see someone and perhaps get medication, because the way you are going about this college process is very self-destructive. You will not get into Bowdoin, Swarthmore or Middlebury. I don’t have a crystal ball, but the competition is fierce. If you want to apply to them go for it, but you absolutely, positively need to apply to at least a few other schools that historically take students with your stats. I’m being blunt, because you are not accepting what all these experienced posters are trying to tell you. If you want help figuring out some other schools to apply just ask and we will make suggestions. If you insist on doing it your way you will have one acceptance next year if you are lucky. You seem bright and determined and should be able to get into a good college, but you need to keep an open mind and give yourself the best chance at having admissions success

27

I can say something more. I agree 100% about Clark. Socially aware, gay friendly, good for your stats if you show interest, a bit more urban with several other colleges in Worcester, and only an hour from Boston. But still a smallish LAC. And also do check out Questbridge. You are unnecessarily limiting yourself by not finding out about all the resources available to you.

28

@DoubleJointMajor-

What a lot of people are trying to tell you is that you have 3 reach schools (sub-20% admit rates) and one likely (80% admit rate) but no match schools. One of the problems with this strategy is that you’re likely to have only one option in the end and if that school doesn’t give you enough FA you could be left out in the cold.

If applying to more than 4 schools would be stressful perhaps you could look into schools that use the Common App and don’t require any supplemental essays. That way you could pretty much add them to your list, ask your GC to help you get a fee waiver, then hit send. If the number 4 is the problem, can you trick your brain into thinking of this as a 4 schools plus 4 more thing?

If you really can’t add schools I’d take one of the reach schools off your list and add a match school.

I would advise you to look at schools in the US News 30-100 range, schools with acceptance rates between 30% and 70%. Once you have a comprehensive list of schools in this range that fit whatever other criteria you have you could start to investigate FA policies and how gay-supportive the schools are. You might also investigate how eager these schools are to increase their geographic and/or racial diversity. You’re likely to have an advantage at some schools but not others.

Some schools I’d recommend off the top of my head as being like those on your list but with higher acceptance rates. This list is in no particular order and not comprehensive so other posters could add to it:

Skidmore
Conn. College
Trinity
Dickinson
Denison
Clark
Union
St. Lawrence
Franklin and Marshall
Lawrence
Hobart and William Smith
Muhlenberg
Gettysburg
Juniata
Goucher
Wheaton (the one in Massachusetts, NOT the religious one in Illinois)
Lewis and Clark (West Coast)
Whitman (West Coast)
Mt. Holyoke (all women)

29

You mention that you want to major in Spanish, is that correct? Plymouth State has a BA in Spanish, and could be a good safety for you to add. They also have a solid Theatre program if you wanted to minor, or be involved.

30

@Lindagaf @doschicos @citymama9
I didn’t make this post to talk about whether or not I can get into these colleges or where I should apply, I simply wanted to know if I could be myself at these schools, which from what I’ve gather I can be

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/2015/10/02/how-i-got-to-college-briana-garrett

If she can do it, I can do it.
I understand my GPA is low and I need to bring my SAT scores up, but those are only a fraction of what the college’s will look at. Yes, they hold the biggest weight, but once I bring my SAT scores up and they see my strong upward trend with my GPA, they will understand that academically I am motivated and succeeding. Do not, ever, tell someone they won’t get in (looking at you citymama9) because you don’t know shiz, you don’t know what my college essays will say, you don’t know how well my interviews will go, and you don’t know how they’ll perceive me. So stop telling me I can’t get in and stop telling me to change my list, because it’s final, golden, laminated, in the box and shipped already.

@Sue22 That is a good list – I have already looked into a lot of those schools, the main issue is my OCD. My OCD isn’t the stereotypical “clean” freak one, but more like “names bother me” The reason I choose Bowdoin, Swarthmore, Middlebury, and Saint Mike’s is beyond just their reputations but because the name of the school also holds meaning to me. I can’t explain how it feels when I go against the tide, but it’s like telling a blind person to see or a death person to hear or a impaired person to walk, they can’t, so stop pushing them

@KatMT PSU was my first choice for a very, very, very long time. When I decided I wanted a double major in Classics/Spanish, and when I learned PSU didn’t offer it, I was very disapointed. I was thinking maybe I could take classes at otehr colleges or something but in the end I’d rather just apply to a school that offers both. But believe me, PSU is amazing! Thank you though.

Thank you everyone for your inputs but I’m not going to change my list, as it stands
First Pick) Bowdoin/Midd
Second) Swat
Third) Mike’s

I’ve worked hard, very, very, very hard. I have some birth-things going for me too (1st gen student, minority [Puerto Rican]) and I also have my mistakes going with me (upward trend) ~ The college’s will recongize this, regardless of what you all have to say. Contextually I am a huge fish in a small pond and college’s always look at my situation contextually. Sure my UW gpa is 3.2 (btw W it’s 4.11, so…) sure I’m not in many clubs (there are total of 5 at my school, so…) and sure I didn’t get good SAT scores (1100 the first time around with no preparation seems good to me considering it’s 100 above national average) but I mean… idk what I mean or where I’m going with this.

Point is my Statistics are stronger than you all think and you missed my post’s point in general - how gay are these schools - thank god other people replied that told me they’re a-okay

31

You didn’t answer my questions: What does your college counselor think about your plans/4 schools? What is your school’s track record of someone with your stats (non-athlete) getting into Swarthmore/Bowdoin/Middlebury from your high school?

FYI: I am VERY familiar with URM college applications as well as high schools in your state. Your AP scores speak to your high school’s level of rigor.

You are acting incredibly defensive when people with knowledge and experience are trying to be helpful to you. Of course, we hope for the best for you but are also trying to ensure you have good outcomes should you not get accepted into your reaches. Your one non-reach school does guarantee to meet 100% of need nor have you visited it. See section H of the linked common data set: https://www.smcvt.edu/-/media/files/offices/institutionalresearch/final_cds_2015-2016%20-%20smc20152016.ashx?la=en

Get out of your own way and listen and consider the advice you are being given.

Again, what does your college counselor say?

32

@doschicos my counselor said she’s very impressed from where i’ve come from, she’s not sure what the colleges will think. She wants me to apply to UNH simply as a safety school but she also understands my OCD and is happy with my decision with Siena (now it’s Saint Mike’s)

I dont really know who went where from previous years but I do know


[QUOTE=""]

a girl two years ago is going to Midd (i dont know her stats, but my counselor actually suggested Midd to me and told me about said student)
a boy from last year got into Dartmouth (something Call, his mom goes to my bible study group and brags about him in a motherly way, its kind of sweet tbh)

[/QUOTE]

I am not going to consider advice from people who don’t know my complete story, you know my GPA not the classes I’ve taken – do yourself a favor and stop pushing my buttons

33

Saint Michael’s net price calculator at https://smcvt.studentaidcalculator.com/ indicates a net price of $22,330 – $28,330 with your current stats and very low income parents, and $15,830 – $22,330 with an SAT of 1500 instead of 1100 (assuming CR+M since it asks for CR, M, and W).

If your family is low income, that is unlikely to be affordable, so your “safety” really is not a safety.

34

Your “pushing my buttons” is what most would define as doing YOU a favor and trying to be helpful. Why did you post your stats if you didn’t want them discussed?

Best of luck to you. :slight_smile:

35

Neither you nor any of us know what your gpa will be. You said that the 3.2 is based on your senior year’s gpa being 4.0. That may or may not happen. In your essays just make sure not to tell the colleges you are applying to them, because their names have meaning for you. Lots of luck:)

36

Siena is a very nice school. I would also suggest St. Bonaventure. They are sister schools but Bonaventure is much older. Bonaventure for a Catholic school is very liberal, friendly and accepting along the lines of St. Mikes. All housing is Coed. It is also an exceptional value with average total cost of attendance below 17k a year. Scranton is also an excellent suggestion. The other schools you mentioned are beyond you.

Having been to both Bonaventure and Siena the former’s campus is much nicer though Bonaventure is much sportier and outdoorsy.

37

Wow! You came here looking for advice and we have given you honest advice becasue we have been through this and understand how it works. I would hate to see how you react when someone pushes your buttons for real.

Good for Brianna, who applied to 14 colleges and didn’t get into 4, some of which should have been matches, Conn and Syracuse. Brianna is passionate about language, maybe you are too, so I hope you get into Middlebury. You don’t know what else Brianna had on her app, but I am guessing she didn’t have a giant chip on her shoulder.

I will recount all the ways in which I have pushed your buttons:
I suggested several gay-friendly colleges.
I suggested that there were several ways for you to avoid paying various fees, and I suggested gay-friendly colleges with no app fees.
I suggested you substitute at least one of your reaches for a match or a safety, when you explained why you can only apply to four due to your OCD. (I am guessing this is my crime.)
I suggested an article with lots of helpful advice.
I even thanked you for explaining your situation.

If you come to CC asking for advice, don’t bite the hand that feeds you when that hand doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. Again: you run a real risk of having no college to attend next year with your list of three reaches and one safety. Feel free to ignore this advice, but do not come back and be rude and arrogant to people who are geninuiely trying to help you. None of us has said you will fail, but we have seen bad outcomes too often to simply ignore the fact that your plan is not sound. Kids with attitudes like yours are the dark side of this incredibly useful resource.

38

@Lindagaf good to know none of you said I’ll fail

And Questbridge requires a 1280+ SAT which atm I don’t have, even with it I don’t really want to go through questbridge because it seems to choose colleges for you

The fact btw that Briana didn’t get into four of her “match schools” as you put it points me to one thing: the system is random, there is no pattern, you know nothing. Sure you have enough experience to predict well enough,but in the end you can’t really speak for the admissions process

And I am passionate about languages, if you saw my earlier posts you’ll see I want to major in classics/spanish – some other things I didn’t mention though was there I am in Latin and French 2 and Spanish 4. At home we speak Spanish and German as well, I’ll make sure to show off my lingual abilities, trust

And you’re pushing button-ness was the whole “OCD” thing, you treat it like it’s something I can turn on and off so I’m guessing you’ve never met someone with severe mental illness and I just, I can’t bring myself to change one of my reach schools, the only other school i would consider is PSU and they lack classics so ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks for trying though, sorry if I come off as grungey, I don’t mean to

@ucbalumnus I didn’t come here to talk about price tags, I came here to talk about lgbt status( which I’ve gathered nough of), thanks for your two cents though, judging by your calculations I’ll need every penny

Edited out link that’s not permitted
ED

39

Wrong. I don’t have any preconceived notions about your OCD. I said substitute one reach for a match. Forgive me for not understanding that your OCD means you can’t swap one name for another. You know you, so whatever. You cannot bite my head off for not knowing how your particular situation affects you. Brianna didn’t get into two matches, not four. Harvard is a match for no one. Carleton was a very high reach for her.

And I didn’t just suggest Questbridge, I aslo mentioned many ways you can be exempt from paying fees for submitting stuff. I also suggested fly in programs. And now here are more suggestions, for which I expect no thanks.

There are fall back plans, which you might as well know about, given that you might have no choice. So, let’s say you get in nowhere, or can’t afford where you get in. Just playing devils advocate. Take a gap year, work, save money. Go to community college. Or, in May, there will be a list published by NACAC with colleges still trying to fill fall admission spots. At least we can’t say we haven’t tried.

40

@DoubleJointMajor I will give you the benefit of the doubt because you are a new poster. First word of advice, you may want to go back and review the terms of service that you agreed to when you were allowed to join the group. People are expected to be able to share ideas with respect. Number 2. While I understand and appreciate that you have had to work hard to overcome adversity in your life , that in and of itself does not guarantee you admission to any school that you wish to attend . There will be others that have also overcome diversity that have better stats, essays, ECs than you do. No one is telling you that you won’t be admitted to those schools that you desire, what they are saying is have a back up plan. And my last word of advice, is you may want to look at the threads dedicated to the specific schools that you wish to attend . You may be surprised to find out there are hundreds of others who thought just like you did, had similar or better stats that were rejected or waitlisted . Better to find out now when you still have the opportunity to come up with options. Good luck in the process.