Guide Me!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a junior female from North New Jersey. I live in a wealthy small town, and I attend my local public high school which generally ranks well academically. This year, I am in AP Lang and Comp, AP Bio, AP US I, Honors French 4, and Pre-Calc. I have never gotten anything less than an "A-" on my report card, except for a few "B"s on midterms/finals- but for the overall final grades in my classes I have never gotten anything less than and A- and I have never gotten less than an A- for a marking period. I haven't taken the SATs yet; I plan to take them in March, as well as SAT IIs in June, but I did take the SAT II in Biology and I scored a 730. </p>

<p>Extracurricularly, I am a regular writer (and hopeful editor as senior) for my school's newspaper. I am a member of Key Club, and I play lacrosse. I have a steady job as a tutor 3-4 days a week for a French family in my town that moved here a few years ago. I have been their tutor since my freshman year, and I plan on their mother writing one of my recommendations. Also, I am a Big Sister for a boy a few towns over in a poorer community. I have been on Honor Roll all my years, and plan on being a member of the National Honors Society. I also am a leader at my church for the younger members of the parish because I am part of the group of kids that plan, lead, and give speeches at retreats for Confirmation candidates. </p>

<p>I am very Humanities focused, and plan on being an English major (perhaps Art History, Archaeology, Anthropology, etc.)</p>

<p>I want a school that is on the smaller side (>9000) as well as academically respected and undergraduate focused. I consider myself a "partier" and I want a school where I can drink, play around, and have fun while also balancing academics. I want a school that generally has a reputation of being preppier, without being TOO "girls in pearls" (such as Bucknell or Gettysburg) </p>

<p>I just need some guidance as to where I should look into. I visited Boston and HATED Holy Cross, BC, and Tufts. Tufts was too liberal. I consider myself politically conservative so a school that is not really known for political activeness would be good (no Brown!) </p>

<p>Also, this may sound bad, but I want a school that has a reputation for being a school for wealthier kids. </p>

<p>Any ideas? Targets, Safeties, Reaches?</p>

2

<p>Please! Help! I’m desperate and my parents are nagging me to narrow my choices!</p>

3

<p>It’s hard to say without a sense of scores. What about your PSAT score? As I was reading your description, though, I thought of Colgate.</p>

4

<p>I got an 1820 on my psats, but my tutors project it to go way up. My last practice test out of 1600 I got a 1400. I still have a few weeks of tutoring until March.</p>

5

<p>Washington and Lee.
But, college (and life) is about expanding your horizons and being open to all kinds of discussions with people of all political and personal persuasions, so I hope that you consider going somewhere where everyone is not exactly like you.</p>

6

<p>Nowhere south of Maryland. It is just kind of a thing. The only school away from the East Coast that I would consider would be Northwestern. =</p>

7

<p>Trinity, Colby</p>

8

<p>I heard Colby was pretty liberal? Is that a misconception?</p>

9

<p>Perhaps look at Georgetown as a reach? The “nowhere south of Maryland” really limits suggestions as many of the most popular colleges in the Northeast are quite liberal, or I would have added Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.</p>

10

<p>*I want a school that is on the smaller side (>9000) as well as academically respected and undergraduate focused. I consider myself a “partier” and I want a school where I can drink, play around, and have fun while also balancing academics. I want a school that generally has a reputation of being preppier, without being TOO “girls in pearls” (such as Bucknell or Gettysburg) </p>

<p>I just need some guidance as to where I should look into. I visited Boston and HATED Holy Cross, BC, and Tufts. Tufts was too liberal. I consider myself politically conservative so a school that is not really known for political activeness would be good (no Brown!)
*</p>

<p>These may be too far away for you…</p>

<p>U San Diego. Affluent kids, politically moderate (with liberals, moderates, and conservatives attending) and academically good, but kids have time to party.</p>

<p>Notre Dame might be too academically demanding.</p>

<p>**Vanderbilt **may be too academically demanding and too far south.</p>

<p>What is your likely major and career?</p>

<p>What else do you want in a school?</p>

<p>quiet
rah rah big sports to watch and cheer for?
honors college on campus?
greek systems as an option
Catholic schools ok?
single sex
co-ed 50/50 split
rural setting
big city setting
collegetown setting
nice dorms
recreation availability
warm weather
cold/snowy weather</p>

<p>BTW…what did you hate about BC, HC, Tufts, etc… So that we know what you don’t like. :)</p>

11

<p>Yeah, I visited Georgetown, but I didn’t know how I felt about the campus, perhaps I should revisit it. I know southern schools would kind of fit the bill that I stated, but I really do want a NE school. Also, I’m not saying I can’t go to a liberalish school; I just don’t want Brown level or as a West coast example, Berkeley. I just want a more neutral school. </p>

<p>My brother graduated from Dartmouth, so I think that that is my MAJOR reach, but I need schools that I can get into or have a good chance of getting into.</p>

12

<p>Some Humanities major right now I’m interested in perhaps English, Art History, Anthropology etc. </p>

<p>What else do you want in a school?</p>

<p>quiet -Not really I sort of want an active greek system and parties etc.
rah rah big sports- D1 or D3 preferably lacrosse-oriented though I don’t want to play (not necessary)<br>
honors college on campus? - That usually refers to larger schools, so no.
greek systems as an option - Yes that would be great.
Catholic schools ok? - I HATED Holy Cross and BC so I dunno if that is a good idea, but it may work since I am some what religious.
single sex - ABSOLUTELY NOT
co-ed 50/50 split -YES
rural setting -YES/suburban
big city setting -NO… unless the campus is extremely isolated
collegetown setting -YES but not necessary…
nice dorms -Preferably, but I’m not too picky.
recreation availability - Sports, club sports, usual college stuff.
warm weather- I want North East and above Maryland (perhaps northwestern)
cold/snowy weather See Above</p>

<p>TUFTS hated because the info session counselor guy was extremely off-putting, all the kids on campus were odd, and the campus wasn’t really pretty nor the neighborhood.</p>

<p>BC hated because all the kids were oddly happy- they looked like people I would be friends with but something was off… also the frosh dorms are off the main campus</p>

<p>HC horrible city next to it, very closed in and unattractive campus.</p>

13

<p>Also, I see why you all think Vanderbilt, but it is a touch to big/graduate focused.</p>

14

<p>Now that I’ve read your replies, Lehigh might fit. It’s well respected academically and I think they do party a decent amount and have a significant greek scene. I’m not sure about how they lean politically though.</p>

15

<p>Hahaha, it’s good that you don’t know how they lean! That means that it isn’t overly politically active! </p>

<p>Lehigh is definitely a school I’ve thought about, but it may be to hill-y… haha I’m sorry I am really picky it is a problem…</p>

16

<p>…</p>

17

<p>gotta bump it</p>

18

<p>Fordham -Rose Hills</p>

<p>Villanova</p>

<p>University of St. Louis</p>

<p>Marist</p>

<p>Loyola - Maryland</p>

19

<p>You don’t think those are a little bit safety-y?</p>

20

<p>So here are the names that immediately popped out at me if you want smaller, preppy, New England/North Atlantic, and like Dartmouth:</p>

<p>Colgate, Colby, Cornell (bigger than you’d like, but otherwise seems to fit the bill), Princeton (but if you only want 1 big reach, Dartmouth would be best), Middlebury, Bucknell.</p>