<p>GPA is a 4.0 unweighted and I took 1 AP class sophomore year (only one you can take) and 3 AP classes junior year (couldn't take calc or language because not advanced enough in math and had to start a new language in high school) and looking at 5-6 AP classes next year. 33 ACT. Excellent EC's if I may so so myself. Great recommendations. I'm a great writer so hopefully great essays. Haven't taken subject tests yet, but hoping for a 760 in both Bio (M) and Math II. Also, bilingual (can speak, read, AND write another language) Applying for biology major, so hopefully not a huge factor.</p>
<p>SO.. back up schools? some reaches/matches are Rice, Pomona, USC, UCD, UCLA, etc.
Now, I'm just looking for safety schools. suggestions? (I'm in CA)</p>
<p>A selection of the somewhat less selective UCs and CSUs should make it very unlikely to be rejected by all (unless you are missing some a-g course or are otherwise not eligible).</p>
<p>You can also look at the automatic admission thread at the top of this forum, and the automatic full tuition and full ride thread at the top of the financial aid and scholarships forum.</p>
<p>Cost constraints in the actual net cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, room, board, books, and misc. expenses, minus financial aid grants.</p>
<p>Use net price calculators on college web sites to get financial aid estimates.</p>
<p>How about Willamette, in Oregon? They have good merit aid available. They accepted my son early, non-binding, with a decent merit scholarship. His numbers were a little lower than yours. On a Willamette thread here on CC, some students with numbers like yours were qualifying for very generous (ie. approximately $20k per annum) scholarships.</p>
<p>safety schools have to be 1) schools you’re almost guaranteed to get into; 2) schools you’re almost certain to be able to afford because you’ve run the net price calculators or they’ve offered you a full ride or you’re independently wealthy; 3) schools that you’ve visited and are sure you would attend if every other school turns you down; and 4) schools that don’t announce on the common data set that they consider highly “applicant interest.” So generally your state colleges make good places to begin looking for safeties because they have in-state and somewhat cheaper tuition, they’re nearby so easier to visit, and they want to admit in-state students because that’s what they’re chartered to do.</p>
<p>If you find a school that you are absolutely certain that you will get into and will be able to afford, and which you like, you may need just that one safety.</p>
<p>However, if you have “safeties” that are “almost guaranteed” in terms of admission and affordability, you may need several to reduce the chance of rejection by all to a miniscule risk.</p>
<p>So what can you afford? There are a great deal of strong publics and privates which will almost certainly offer you a good amount of merit aid. Some of these are very small like Rhodes or the University of Puget Sound, while others are considerably larger like the University of Pittsburgh or the University of Miami (you’re not guaranteed to get in here). </p>
I will get started looking!</p>