<p>I've been looking at colleges, and I think it must be my ambitions getting the better of me because I can't seem to find "safety" schools to apply to. If someone could help me out, it would be great!</p>
<p>I want to major in biochemisty in a pre-med program. </p>
<p>SAT: 1990 official (620 CR, 670 M, 700 W)
SAT latest practice is a 2070, 660 CR and 710 M</p>
<p>SAT IIs: bio 680 math I 730</p>
<p>ACT: 30 (eng 36 math 31 reading 24 sci 28)</p>
<p>GPA fresh: 89.64, soph: 94.6something junior: 95.70
5 APs before I graduate, as well as one dual enrollment class. (no scores yet)</p>
<p>Low income single mother, so a school that offers good financial aid is helpful.
the only location thing that matters is that it's on the east coast. (I'm from NY)</p>
<p>If anyone can just suggest some schools, it would be great ( right now the only safety I have is SUNY albany, and i have 3 matches and 4 reaches. I don't think this is a good balance at all, as I could get rejected from the bulk of the schools I apply to).</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for the help!</p>
<p>The SUNY and CUNY system is probably your best source for academic and financial safeties. You also could look at any of the NY community colleges that are within commuting distance for the first two years, and combine that with a transfer into the SUNY/CUNY network.</p>
<p>Talk with your guidance counselor about the College of Human Ecology at Cornell. That is one of the state supported divisions, and it may work for you. There always are a fair number of pre-meds in the nutrition program. [DNS</a> Academic Overview](<a href=“http://www.human.cornell.edu/dns/academic/index.cfm]DNS”>http://www.human.cornell.edu/dns/academic/index.cfm)</p>
<p>Thank you happymom, I wasn’t familiar with the Cornell program. I believe me friend once said that her aunt went there to fulfill her core biology classes, and transferred her junior year to the arts and sciences college and it saved her a lot of money, so I’ll definitely look into that.
As far as the SUNYs go, I have Binghamton as a match, just because my stats are about average. I have Albany as a safety. I also looked online at Oneonta, so that might be an option. All of the other SUNY schools are wayyy too cold, and I’m not really looking to go to Stony Brook just because of the location either. As far as CUNY schools / community colleges go, I think I have them ruled out. I’m definitely without a doubt planning on boarding at college, and to knowledge (I could be wrong?) the CUNY schools are all commuter? </p>
<p>Thank you for your input though. It is very much appreciated.</p>
<p>I think Drexel would be safety for you and you would likely qualify for a merit scholarship there.</p>
<p>[Freshman</a> Class Profile | Undergraduate Admissions | Drexel University](<a href=“http://www.drexel.edu/undergrad/about/facts/freshman-class/]Freshman”>http://www.drexel.edu/undergrad/about/facts/freshman-class/)</p>
<p>A safety has to be affordable and most don’t give much aid. For you a suny is probably a safety because of tap, pell, etc. I don’t think drexel meets need.</p>
<p>If you haven’t, look at AlfredU. I’m not completely sure about your specific major, but they are generally very good in the sciences. I believe they give good FA (correct me if I’m wrong)…so that’s my suggestion!</p>
<p>I don’t know about meeting need but I do know that Drexel offers substantial merit scholarships up to and including full ride scholarships (my neighbor’s son got one). </p>
<p>Paid coops at Drexel also could be applied to cost of college and lead to future employment. :)</p>
<p>Some CUNY campuses do have housing. Two years of housing are free for students in the CUNY Macaulay honors program.</p>
<p>Be sure to talk with your parents about finances. Living on campus is nice, but some families can’t afford it.</p>
<p>Pamom and MusingStudent, thank you for your suggestions but neither Drexel nor Alfred have biochemistry as a major, so that kinda takes them off my list of options.
happymom, I don’t think that room and board will be a problem for my mom to pay. I’m pretty sure that my family’s financial circumstances will provide us with a lot of financial aid (my sister starts at Steven’s Institute of Tech. in the fall. She got 10k a year for merit and got the rest as a grant, and all my mom is paying is room and board). Also, I looked at the Macaulay Honors college, and I’m below the SAT average. Also, although I’m only about a half hour from there, NYC life seems a bit too different for my tastes.
mom2collegekids, I agree that SUNY schools are probably my best bet for safeties, but I don’t want to limit my choices to them. I’m most likely going to apply to Binghamton and Albany, and the only other one that I’ve considered as an additional safety is Oneonta.</p>
<p>*I’m pretty sure that my family’s financial circumstances will provide us with a lot of financial aid *</p>
<p>You may not understand how FA works. You may “qualify” for a lot of FA, but MOST schools DO NOT have much to give…even if you QUALIFY.</p>
<p>Most schools gap.</p>
<p>Low income single mother<br>
For sister…my mom is paying is room and board)</p>
<p>maybe your mom isn’t that low income if she can pay room and board for your sister. Can she pay for your room and board as well??? That would be a lot. Or would she only be able to help your sister and not you?</p>
<p>Anyway…the point is…a school is NOT a safety unless…</p>
<p>1) you like it
2) you will get in
3) you know FOR SURE that you have ALL costs covered with ASSURED grants, ASSURED scholarships, small fed loans, and/or family funds. </p>
<p>Schools that “might” give you merit are not safeties because you have no idea of how affordable they are. You can apply to them just to see, but you still need to have a couple of schools that you know for sure are affordable.</p>
<p>jamespls=- check this link for the Biology major at Drexel-Biochemistry is a concentration within the Biology major. [Required</a> Courses: Biological Sciences](<a href=“http://www.drexel.edu/catalog/degree/bio.htm]Required”>Biological Sciences BS < 2023-2024 Catalog | Drexel University)</p>
<p>You may also want to check out U of Scranton. Here is a link to their merit scholarship page. They offer a biochemistry major. [Financial</a> Aid: The University of Scranton](<a href=“http://matrix.scranton.edu/financial-aid/merit-based-sch.shtml]Financial”>Financial Aid | Financial Aid | The University of Scranton)</p>
<p>I would deff look into the honors programs at the CUNYs you get (correct me if im wrong) free tuition, a free lap top; free housing; and like extra other stuff.
Idk if your going to retake the SATs but if you are to me your basically a match or low reach for that program
It would be great to graduate debt free from an honors program :D</p>
<p>What schools are you considering your matches & reaches btw?</p>
<p>Edit hunter has housing but it’s limited for upperclassman and honors kids.</p>
<p>also have you looked into Marist and Loyola MD?</p>
<p>I just read on this site that this girl received 28k/year from Drexel, and it still taking out 20k/year in loans… Are merit scholarships the only thing attractive financially to Drexel? I read on their website that the average FA package is about 23k/year, do you know if those stats are with or without merit aid? </p>
<p>Univeristy of Scranton seems like a good choice for a safety. It seems to have a good pre-professional program, with about 80% acceptance to professional schools (which is pretty reassuring!). The website really shows a lot of pros to the college, and there’s a VERY good chance I will apply (also considering that it doesn’t have an application fee according to collegeboard). It’s funny that now that I actually researched the school I’m considering it, because just a few months ago some sort of student ambassador called me and I basically told them I’m not interested, lol.</p>
<p>As far as CUNY schools go, I still don’t think that I’d be a good match for them. The hustle and bustle of NYC just isn’t my thing. I visited Manhattan College in Riverdale, and even that seemed too city-like for my tastes. However, I’ll keep an open mind and try to visit the college, just because it’s financially ideal. </p>
<p>Marist I actually had on my list of schools as a match, along with Binghamton, Clemson, and UMiami. Would you consider Marist more of a safety for me? My main reach school is Boston College, but if (and most likely only if) I get my scores up I may consider applying to Cornell and Johns Hopkins. </p>
<p>Loyola MD seems like a great school from what I’ve researched. The location is great (close but not too close that I’d feel compelled to visit home randomly). Academically and on the basis of financial aid, the school also looks very compelling.</p>
<p>Scranton and Loyola are both Jesuit institutions. I’ll have gone to Catholic school for 14 year by the time I graduate in a year, which is a pretty long time for someone who isn’t Catholic. How strong is the Jesuit influence in college? Am I going to be required to take theology classes or anything at these schools for my major? I could be completely wrong, but I just don’t really have any knowledge of what a Jesuit college entails.</p>
<p>jamespls ~ Yes, Scranton and Loyola are both Jesuit and you would get a great education at either one. Scranton requires two theology classes, Theo. I and Theo II. There are Gen. Ed. requirements, but many give you options to fulfill them: [The</a> University of Scranton Curriculum 2000: New General Education Requirements and Approved Courses](<a href=“http://matrix.scranton.edu/academics/gelist.shtml]The”>http://matrix.scranton.edu/academics/gelist.shtml)</p>
<p>Both of my kids graduated from Scranton and got through the theology classes even though we are not Catholic and they did not have any formal religious education. So with your background of Catholic schools, you shouldn’t have much problem. The Jesuit influence is there in a good way, if you know what I mean. The Jesuits are very people oriented, always looking to help and serve others. They also value education very highly. There is no mandatory mass attendance or anything like that, but it is there if you want it. </p>
<p>Scranton’s biochem. program is excellent - we know several who have gone through it. They are just finishing the new science complex they are constructing. It looks beautiful and I think it will be ready for fall, 2011. Scranton also recently opened a new student center and soph. dorm, and new upperclass housing is being built and should be ready for fall, 2011 also.</p>
<p>We found Scranton’s merit and need based aid to be fairly generous as well.</p>
<p>As to Marist- I think you would be in the top 25% of the applicant pool, based on this information on their website [Freshman</a> Students - Accepted Student Profile: Marist College](<a href=“http://www.marist.edu/admission/freshman/profile.html]Freshman”>Undergraduate Accepted Student Profile - Marist College)</p>
<p>jamespls, if you have any questions about Clemson, let me know or send me a message and I’d be happy to answer them! I’m a junior civil engineering student there.</p>