<p>I've come up with a list with a few reaches and a bunch of matches but I am rather stuck with the safeties. Part of the problem is that I really have no idea what qualifies as a safety.
I have a 3.9 gpa and 2200 SATs, 3 AP classes all 4's, and 3 more coming up.
These are the schools that as far as I can tell I am above the average stats in:
Tulane
SUNY Bing
SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Stoneybrook
SUNY Buffalo
Skidmore
Beloit
Clark University
U Rochester
U Pittsburgh
Syracuse</p>
<p>Am I anywhere on track here? Do I need more/different matches? If so, any suggestions?</p>
<p>Assuming your schedule is strong all the way through and that is an unweighted gpa, those schools definitely look like safeties to me. Can you afford all of them? A safety can be an admissions safety (a school where you know you’ll be accepted) or a financial safety (a school you know you can afford) or both.</p>
<p>I have to talk to my parents about the financial situation (I’m so on top of things aren’t I) so for the moment I’m just thinking about admissions. And thanks it’s good to know I’m not completely off the mark.</p>
<p>An ideal safety would offer guaranteed admission and guaranteed financial workability. You can get around that by applying to schools with rolling or early admission. So, while Pitt may not offer guaranteed admission, if you apply early you have time to apply elsewhere if rejected (which I don’t think would happen).</p>
<p>Yeah I figured Rochester would most likely not be a safety. Probably neither are Geneseo or Binghamton. But Syracuse, Beloit, and Clark definitely are right? And Tulane apparently gives full scholarships on a fairly regular basis so financially its a good bet.</p>
<p>You are misinformed regarding Tulane, at least in degree. Tulane is one of the most generous in terms of merit scholarships, but the awards are in the $15,000-25,000 range (and if that GPA is UW you would probably be offered the $25,000), and then there is an additional application for the Dean’s Honor Scholarship. The DHS, of which they have awarded 75 each of the last 2 years, is full tuition for all 4 years, but it does not include room/board, misc. fees, or books/supplies. The winners of the DHS competition usually have SAT scores of 2250+, but you might have an outside shot at it. Also, if your community service record is good, there is another scholarship you can tack onto the $25,000 that makes it just like a DHS. Also requires an additional app, and I think there are 30 of those.</p>
<p>Regarding your original question of what is a “safety” for you, it is critical you get a handle on the financial aspects of your choices. Everything else is rather meaningless until then. You will get in to most of the schools on that list, but if they are unaffordable, it doesn’t much matter. Again, that assumes the 3.9 is UW. Please clear that up. If it is weighted, provide us with your UW GPA.</p>
<p>The 3.9 is weighted but I don’t know the unweighted. In any case it should be going up a bit after the last and coming semesters.
We can pay for the SUNY schools but would need financial aid or scholarships from the others.</p>
<p>If the expected family contribution from the colleges is much higher than what your family can afford, then you should also include some schools that you know would give you BIG merit for your stats. </p>
<p>For instance, if the schools say that your family can pay $35k per year, but your parents say that they can only pay $20k per year, then you’ll have a big problem.</p>
<p>Are you saying that your family can pay $20k per year for the SUNY schools? If so, then look for some schools that would give you full tuition scholarships, that would leave the rest to be covered by your parents contribution.</p>
<p>Imho, Syracuse would not be a financial safety if you have a high EFC and your folks are looking to pay SUNY prices. They have been reducing their merit aid in recent years in favor of increasing need based grants. I believe their top merit award is now around $12K. What is your intended major? ESF might be a good safety.</p>
<p>“Yeah I figured Rochester would most likely not be a safety. Probably neither are Geneseo or Binghamton” …U of R isn’t a sure thing becasue they still weigh “fit” , however Bing & Geneseo are strictly “stats” driven. Unless you mess up your application there is no way you get denied to eith of these two.</p>