Given my personality, are these schools good fits?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've seen some threads like this rolling around and thought I'd give it a shot. Considering I'm a first generation college student, I'm a little out of the loop sometimes so I thought it would be nice to have some advice as to whether or not the following schools are for me. I'm pretty serious about all of these schools, and I've definitely done my fair share of research on them. </p>

<p>Schools on my list. (in no particular order)</p>

<p>-Bowdoin
-Davidson
-Rice
-WashU
-Northwestern
-Notre Dame
-USC
-Princeton</p>

<p>and UT, but it's my safety.</p>

<p>Here's a little about me. </p>

<ul>
<li>I'm a very committed Christian</li>
<li>I'm a white guy from Texas (No cowboy boots/hat/ranch though..I'm like the worst texan ever.)</li>
<li>I'm someone who can spend hours surfing/reading random Wikipedia articles that link to other articles that link to other articles and on. It probably sounds dumb, but I genuinely like learning stuff. </li>
<li>I'm not really the activist/political type. I do keep myself informed, and I guess I lean to the left but politics are not really something I take seriously. I'm more likely to make fun of politicians than rally for them. </li>
<li>Really in to volunteering, especially with the special needs community. </li>
<li>Not a huge partier/drinker, though still a pretty loud and social guy. I like to have fun.</li>
<li>Not planning on joining greek life, although I will keep an open mind. I'd prefer a laid back greek scene as opposed to somewhere like Ole Miss. </li>
<li>Not an athlete, although I do enjoy watching sports and staying fit. I run a lot. </li>
<li>Going to college to get an education, not a high paying job. </li>
<li>Generally not competitive, I think we learn a lot more from collaboration than competition.</li>
<li>I really like the outdoors. I'll probably get involved in an outing club.</li>
</ul>

<p>I've heard that the type of music you listen to can say a lot about you. I listen mainly to bands like the strokes, little joy, real estate, band of horses, wilco, and some good classic rock. Maybe that helps.</p>

<p>On to my stats. I won't do too much detail.</p>

<ul>
<li>First generation college student. English is not my first language. </li>
<li>4.0 GPA unweighted.</li>
<li>Currently valedictorian at the best public school in my area. </li>
<li>35 ACT (35/34/36/36/10)</li>
<li>13 APs. 5 have been tested, currently nothing below a 4. </li>
<li>Numerous student government positions. Currently Student body president, have had various class office positions, including class president, in the past. </li>
<li>Team captain of two academic teams.</li>
<li>NHS member, officer and committee co-head this year</li>
<li>I've headed two student council committees in the past. I founded one of them. </li>
<li>This past summer I was a camp counselor at a camp for kids with special needs.</li>
</ul>

<p>So do any of the schools above seem like poor fits? </p>

<p>Do any seem like better fits than the rest? </p>

<p>Are there any other schools that you'd suggest?</p>

<p>I apologize if this seems impossible to gauge, but I haven't visited a lot of these campuses so it'd be nice to get an inside look. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate your input.</p>

2

<p>Academic areas of interest?</p>

3

<p>USC is not a fit for you IMHO. They have a huge Greek scene, party scene, and kids focused on money not learning for its own sake. Also no proximity To the outdoors</p>

4

<p>They’re really all over the place. On the common app I’ve mainly been putting down psychology, history, environmental studies, and policy studies. I’m open to almost anything though, but I’d really like to double (or triple) major. I might even go pre-med just to keep my options open, although I’m not really set on being a doctor. The medical field has some pretty interesting things going on though. </p>

<p>I really appreciate any input though. Thanks so much.</p>

5

<p>@harborceal. I read that their greek percentage is only 15% of men and women since it’s such a huge school. I could be wrong though. Does it feel like it’s a lot more? That would be kind of a bummer.</p>

6

<p>Wash U meets your criteria/ would be a good fit.</p>

7

<p>Yeah - and I’ve got TONS of friends there do I know what I’m talking about lol. It’s my schools second biggest feeder after Cal.</p>

8

<p>harborceal, you are incorrect. USC has less than 20% Greek, so with an UG size of 17,000 that makes over 13,000 students not in the Greek scene. And lol to the “no outdoors!” The ocean, the mountains (skiing), and the desert are no more than an hour’s drive. There is sailing, surfing, etc. Your comments about $$ are also off–majority of students are on financial aid, so perhaps it’s time for some of your stereotypes to die?</p>

<p>That said, there is a world of difference between a big, diverse (many Schools from Arch to Film to Public Policy to Engineering) urban university like USC and some of your other choices–like Bowdoin and Davidson! In truth, your profile sounds like you would fit well into any of them. And your great grades/ECs make most of them possible. </p>

<p>FWIW, it is more important to visit schools–especially smaller LAC type schools–to get the feel of the kids/campus culture. At the top 25 and above level of school you are looking at, most offer excellent academics and attract smart and happy students.</p>

9

<p>Honestly I’m not so convinced that it’s just stereotype. My college counselors and 20+ friends who go there have said these thugs repeatedly.
I never said that the kids are rich, but that SC is about making a profitable career rather than the traditional learning for learnings sake.
And really? Sure you CAN get to nature, but it’s false to claim that a school in urban LA has a huge presence in the outdoors.
You can find non-Greeks easily, but socially, Greeks rule</p>

10

<p>In a similar ambience to Bowdoin, I’d suggest you look at Williams, Middlebury, Hamilton. Active outdoorsy extroverted kids. Lean left as do all Northeast schools, but more politically middle road.</p>

11

<p>@marcdvl: if you could elaborate that would be really great! I like washU a lot but I haven’t really ever had an inside opinion. </p>

<p>@harborceal: Since so many people go there, aren’t there lots of other social opportunities? As I said before though, I am open minded to greek life. I probably wouldn’t attempt to pledge any of the super popular ones, but I’d be happy in a laid-back, down to earth kind of fraternity. </p>

<p>@madbean: Thanks for all of the nice things you said, I really appreciate your input. I have visited USC, Davidson, and Northwestern so far. I really liked what I saw at all of them, but we only had time to do tours and info sessions so I don’t feel like a got a great perspective on student life. </p>

<p>@Momrath: I do like those schools as well. They’re all super similar so I feel like I should only apply to one (or two, I do like middlebury) of them for the sake of keeping myself sane while writing supplement essays.</p>

12

<p>I second Momrath’s recommendations. Just to consider another part of the country: St. Olaf and Carleton. Pomona</p>

13

<p>Other than the fact that you are first generation and a guy, you sound just like me hahaha :D. I think WashU and Rice are good fits, but I think UT is too much of a party school. If you are Christian but not Catholic, you may not feel comfortable with the large Catholic body at Notre Dame (I would recommend visiting several times first).</p>

14

<p>I just have one bit of anecdotal evidence, one data point, to offer. I knew one person who went to Bowdoin a number of years ago, and that individual was a committed Christian and a white male. He felt that many students there assumed he was a bit of an ignoramus since he was a Christian white male from Texas and over time he grew tired of constantly having to deal with that assumption. His experiences may have been entirely unrepresentative, but I just hope you do consider the anti-Texan and anti-Christian prejudice that exists at some schools.</p>

15

<p>I think Davidson sounds like a very good fit for you. Rhodes, Wake Forest, and Furman would be worth a look too…they’d be good fits, and with your profile, you’d stand a chance at getting a merit scholarship.</p>

16

<p>Again, I don’t go there. I’m sure you can find friends/chill people, but the atmosphere will be more overwhelmingly the opposite. Might be better off spending your $60 elsewhere.</p>

17

<p>@Austinareadad: I was a little afraid bowdoin might seem that way.Though it could just be an isolated incident, I’m sure that there is a pretty big culture shock to come along with attending an elite new england LAC. There really doesn’t seem to be much diversity at the school either, so it’d be a pretty huge change. I really don’t want to be excluded for my personal beliefs and culture when I go away to college. </p>

<p>@warblersrule: Thanks for the recommendations. I’m applying to Rhodes as well, but I didn’t list it since it’s one of my low match schools. I really did like Davidson a lot though, everyone there seemed super welcoming and genuine. Plus they make sure greek life is inclusive, so I don’t have to worry about ever feeling excluded should I choose not to pledge.</p>

18

<p>Bumpbumpbump</p>

19

<p>Can you read several issues of the student newspaper online? That’s one way to see what people are thinking and care enough to write about.</p>

20

<p>I believe WashU is big on greek life but don’t quote me on that haha. I’d suggest Wake Forest and UNC and Georgetown/Boston College if you want a city campus (although it does not seem like it).</p>