So, I really have no clue where I could go to college. I guess what I mean to say is that I’m not sure what I could consider a reach/match/safety. I listed my stats below and any advice or suggestions would help. Thanks! Also, I am a junior.
Potential Colleges:
Umass Amherst
Bridgewater State
Westfield State
George Washington University
Gettysburg College
Classes:
Freshman:
English H
Geometry H
Bio H
French CP
Accounting I H
World History H
Sophomore:
English H
Algebra II CP
Chem H
French H
Accounting II H
Pre- AP US History
Junior:
AP English Lit
Pre-Calc CP
Physics H
French H
Sociology H
APUSH
*will be taking a class at a local community college in the 2nd half of the year (hopefully history related)
Senior (probably):
AP Englsih Lit (broken into 2 years)
Stats H
French H
AP Psych
AP Euro
Anatomy H or AP Gov (duel-enrollment)
PSAT: 1240
GPA: 3.98 (as of the end of sophomore year… has gone up)
Class Rank: 53/234
AP (not offered until junior year… predicted scores): APUSH (5) English Lit (4) Psych (5) Euro (5)
Intended major: Polisci or history (maybe a teacher but honestly idk)
Extracurriculars (through senior year):
-Soccer
-Track (shot put/discus)
-Global Citizenship Program: application based, travel/volunteering requirements, will get a note of this on my transcript
-Neponset Valley Young Democrats (Event Coordinator)
-Mustang Mentors
-Model UN
-Work: for an indoor mini gold place (will have been there for 3 years when entering college)
-Vacation Bible School
-Teaching a CCD class at my church
You haven’t told us the most important factor: what are your parents willing to pay?
Also - which part of the country would you like to go to college in? Do you want a research university of prefer a smaller liberal arts college (LAC)? Urban, suburban, rural?
What do you want to do with your history degree: do you see yourself teaching high school? Getting a PhD? Going to law school?
The good thing is that history is one of the most basic of the liberal arts… and there are many very good departments, including, likely, at your state flagship university, a likely match/safety, judging by your stats, though admittedly without the all-important SAT/ACT info.
Since you are just starting to look for colleges, I suggest using a college search tool like College Navigator. It will let you put in whatever criteria are important to you and return a list of matching colleges.
@katliamom
My parents are hesitant to pay for an expensive private school and are gently pushing for a MA state school.
I would like to stay in the Northeast (I live in MA), but I like D.C. and would probably go further for the right school.
Right now I’m interested in teacher high school and don’t see law school in the future. I am hesitant about a state school especially if I change my mind about teaching and would have been better prepared at a private institution.
You and your parents should run the net price calculator on each college under consideration to see what financial aid and net price may be like.
In terms of future goals as a high school history teacher, look up the teacher credentialing process in the geographic region you want to teach and what education requirements it has. If there are any requirements besides an undergraduate major in history, check whether each college offers the needed course work.
It is not necessarily true that a private college will be better than a state college for history (regardless of whether or not the goal is to become a high school history teacher).
Since history is a broad subject, you may want to check course catalogs to see what areas of history are offered or emphasized.
“I am hesitant about a state school especially if I change my mind about teaching and would have been better prepared at a private institution.”
@cph010 – what makes you think a private institution will “prepare you better”? Don’t assume that just because a school is private it’s automatically better. Plus, a state school may make more sense if you think you want to teach in Mass… the issue of where you get your degree & your teaching credential is an important one.
Right now you have very good grades. High SATs might get you enough financial aid to make a good private similar in costs to your instate flagship.
You ask “where to start,” and I say, start with the best publics in MA, their opportunities for high achieving freshmen (honors programs, for example) and the process of getting a teaching credential there. That can be your base for comparison of other schools.
@circuitrider, Wesleyan also does well when measuring the greatest number of PhD’s in all fields.
Relying on data supplied by the National Science Foundation, the following schools produced the highest percentage of students who went on to earn a PhD.
I’m a fan of liberal arts colleges, but the premise that you will be better-prepared at a private college than at State U. is way too broad.
Go to the best “fit” for you that will also allow you to minimize debt. This is often, but not always, an in-state, public college. You don’t want to start a teaching career with $50,000 in student loans.
