Help a Junior make her first college list!

Parents Forum
1

<p>Hi!</p>

<p>I'm a junior who is just starting to make a college list. I have a list of 18 colleges right now, and was planning to cut it down, and then add or subtract as necessary. Is this a good plan, or should I find some more "base" colleges first?</p>

<p>The ones I have right now are either from a college search engine or ones I'm generally interested in. After I cut it down, I need to look at safeties and matches, since with my stats the list is currently top heavy.</p>

<h2>The other thing is, I'm not sure exactly what I want in a college. I think medium-large in size, in an urban area, but I'd like to get a feel for different types of colleges. This makes it hard to look for safeties right now, but I know I'll be cutting out most of my reaches. </h2>

<p>Stats:
I am a junior right now
"A" average and GPA
Most rigorous curriculum - very challenging
Substantative research and ECs/leadership positions,volunteer fundraising, but nothing amazing
SAT Bio 740, Sophomore PSAT 204
Planning to take PSAT this weekend, SAT soon
Strong possibiliites for letters of recommendation</p>

<p>Please suggest safeties, as I'm not sure where to go!
Criteria:
Preferably urban or close to a city
Medium - large sized
Some core curriculum/distributional requirements
Near my home in NYC (1 - 4 hours driving, or easy access by public transportation)
Major cities I'd like to focus on: New York, Philadelphia, Boston
I really liked University of Chicago, but it's a bit far away from home.
I liked Johns Hopkins when I went there for a summer program, but have not formally visited it.
Preferably not a party school or sports-centered school</p>

<p>Finances:
My family is on the border line of being able to recieve need-based aid and "There's no way I can pay for this college!!!!?!?!?!" My parents aren't very willing to discuss finances with me, but at least 1 parent thoroughly understands the costs involved. </p>

<hr>

<p>These are the lists I made so far. List 1 is what I posted about earlier, List 2 is the pared-down one I am in the process of making. I still need to finish researching each of the colleges. Thoughts?</p>

<p>List 1:
Yale, University of Chicago, MIT, Tufts, Northwestern, Brown, Harvard, University of Notre Dame, UPenn, Georgetown, Cornell, Columbia, University of Rochester, Bucknell, Lehigh, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Melon </p>

<p>Definetly on List 2:
Yale, University of Chicago, Brown, Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, University of Rochester, Johns Hopkins, MIT</p>

<p>Maybe of List 2:
Tufts, Northwestern, Carnegie Melon, Bucknell, Lehigh</p>

<p>Thank you in advance! Sorry this is so long.</p>

2

<p>I’d suggest Naviance. That will give you plenty of ideas.</p>

3

<p>Do you know what you want to major in? It would seem silly to apply to a school that didn’t have your intended course of study. Once you determine that, go to that school’s site and check out the pages about that major or department.</p>

<p>And you might want to make a list of schools with more reasonable tuitions if you are on the borderline. Nearly every school on your list is a $50,000 per year school.</p>

4

<p>My school, unfortunately, does not have Naviance.</p>

<p>I’m not sure what I’d like to major in. I really don’t know. I am interested in politics, as well as biology, and engineering. </p>

<p>Financial safeties:
All the SUNYs would be affordable - Stony Brook, Binghamton
Boston University
University of Massachusettes - Amherst
NYU - but still horrible financial aid</p>

<p>Any more suggestions for matches or safeties? Also, how can I find out about a list of colleges that offer scholarships or merit based aid.</p>

<p>I also wanted to look at: University of Pittsburgh and Rochester Institute of Technology. Good or bad ideas?</p>

5

<p>Time for some road trips. As you visit a number, you’ll get a clearer idea of your likes/dislikes, how you fit various schools and how they fit you. Your needs and preferences will get clearer.
See all the major schools in Boston (H, Tufts, MIT, BU, BC , plus Brown/RI) to get an idea of what sort of “island” within a big city atracts you. Probably the easiset trip because the schools are so near each other. Understand that “urban” in culturally sophisticated Boston is an entirely different experience than in New Haven. Congrats for starting early.</p>

6

<p>Add Lafayette to your list, if you like bio, engineering and politics (aka gov/law), and you’re looking at Lehigh.</p>

<p>Also I’d add Northeastern to your Boston list, especially since you said you don’t really want a sports oriented school.</p>

<p>And I’m confused - how is BU a “financial safety”? It’s $52,000.</p>

7

<p>Let me start by saying that I am often criticized for being too negative about chances. That said, I think I am because I live in NYC and it’s a lot harder for non-URMs to get into top schools in the Northeast from here than elsewhere. </p>

<p>I think your list is WAY too reach heavy. Maybe I am way off base because some of your descriptions are a bit vague. What is “substantive research?” Are we talking publications? Are you participating in the Intel competition? Can you get a rec from someone who is well known in the field who will say you are a star? Obviously, this matters. </p>

<p>What does A average mean? Do you have a class rank? (Don’t tell me your school doesn’t rank because even if it doesn’t officially, colleges will have some idea of where you rank.) What kind of high school do you attend? Is it one of the public magnets–Stuy, Hunter, Townsend Harris? A top private like Collegiate or Brearley? Or are we talking a good regular high school that doesn’t send many kids to Ivies? </p>

<p>Without knowing the answers to those questions, plus the rest of your scores, I can’t give any meaningful advice as to what is a match or safety for you. But unless you know something I don’t know, BU is NOT a financial safety for you. It’s an expensive school. I also doubt you can treat NYU as a safety. Match maybe, but safety?</p>

<p>I would advise against the road trip suggested. It’s a mistake, IMO, to start with colleges that are reaches. And there’s no reason whatsoever to leave NY to look at colleges if what you are trying to do is get a “feel” for different types.You can take tours of NYU, Barnard, Eugene Lang, Manhattan College, Barnard, Cooper Union, Fordham. Hop on a local train and look at Drew, Sarah Lawrence. SUNY-Stony Brook. You don’t have to do all of them. Do a few of different types and spread out your visits. </p>

<p>I’m not trying to “sell” you on going to any of these colleges. I’m just saying that rather than go on a road trip at this point, just go look at some local schools. It is a lot less expensive. After you get at least your PSAT–but preferably a real SAT AND your first semester grades, you’ll have a better idea of which schools will be matches and safeties.Wait til then to do your road trips.</p>

<p>Even then, I’d really urge you to look at some matches and safeties first. You’ll be more open to them if you haven’t fallen in love with a dream school like MIT or Yale. </p>

<p>While it’s out of date, take a look at Bruce G. Hammond’s Discounts and Deals, etc. It lists the stats you needed to be in the running for merit scholarships at 300 some colleges back in 2001. You’ll need to update the info, but it will give you some ideas. There’s also a thread about merit scholarships right here in the parents’ forum. </p>

<p>Good luck! I don’t mean to “rain on your parade” but you should build your list from the bottom up. </p>

<p>Finally, even if your school doesn’t have Naviance, the odds are that after you get your PSAT score and first semester grades, your GC can give you better guidance than we can as to what you can consider a match or a safety.</p>

8

<p>I think you need some safeties. Especially if finances are a concern, if you are a top applicant at a safety, you may get a lot of merit or a full ride.<br>
I suggest my favorite school, Drexel. It’s in Philly. It’s a competitive engineering school, actually one of the nations largest private engineering school. It has a large student body and is not a big party/sports school. It’s free to apply to as well.</p>

9

<p>OK, wow. First of all, I thought that BU was around $38,000, not $52,000. That’s off the financial safety list. </p>

<p>I was planning a Boston road trip, but will probably do it a little later on. I will probably visit Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Northeastern, BU then.</p>

<p>I know I need safeties. I’m not sure how to find them. This list was more just something to get started off. </p>

<p>My research project will not be published, but I am submitting it to Intel/other competitions this year. I can get a LOR from my mentor, who is prominent in the very specific field. I attend a good public high school in a competitive area, and am in the top 5 - 10% of my class. My A average means something because of the program which I am in. I don’t want to say a lot because of privacy issues. </p>

<p>I have visited Princeton, Columbia, and UPenn. I hated Princeton’s location, but liked Columbia and UPenn’s more urban ones. I will visit smaller schools once I have SAT scores so I have a better idea of where to go.
@scorpioserpent - One of my parents actually went to graduate school at Drexel, so that is on the list. Do you know if they count graduate school as legacy?</p>

10

<p>If you are up in Boston you might look at Brandeis, it’s a bit easier to get into than Tufts. I liked it a lot. For science U of Rochester is also a good place to look. RPI, while not in the most scintillating of cities, has more to offer than you might think and offers merit money especially to young women. Top 10% at a decent public high school should put the schools you are in range - there are just no guarantees with their acceptance rates. Too many qualified candidates get down. U Pitt is a good safety and you should look at Carnegie Mellon if you go to Pittsburgh.</p>

11

<p>Bucknell is not usually considered close to an urban area. </p>

<p>Possible Day trips to consider: </p>

<p>Connecticut College-New London (No merit aid)
Wesleyan-Middletown
UCONN-Storrs (Has a Honors Program) Highly ranked National Public University</p>

12

<p>

That’s an understatement. </p>

<p>Oh, and good for you, waitingforivy, to be working on this list early in your junior year and seeking advice from parents!</p>

13

<p>Think about McGill or Toronto. Urban, exciting, top-quality research institutions, less expensive than U.S. institutions (without merit). They’re not super-close to NY, but they’re doable in terms of travel. You can get to Montreal on the train, and to Toronto on Megabus.</p>

14

<p>I’d suggest adding U Pitt to your list - you’ll be likely to get merit aid there, it’s a good school, next door to CMU (which is on your list).</p>

15

<p>Adding to the list:</p>

<p>UConn, RPI, Brandeis, UPitt (heard that one a couple times), and maybe McGill/Toronto (will have to look into that more).</p>

16

<p>waitingforivy, great job getting started on this process early. And nice stats.</p>

<p>I’m having a hard time with your financial scenario. While you are an attractive candidate and will certainly get some merit offers, you will not know until well into the process whether you’re getting $2,000 or $20,000. </p>

<p>So I’d encourage you to do three things: (1) visit the “costs” page of every school website on your list and tally the total of tuition, room and board and any other fees (exclude books and other stuff that won’t be apples to apples); (2) sit down with your parents and review the spreadsheet together–this conversation may continue over days and weeks, but at some reasonable time, your family needs to arrive at that firm number they will pay and also how books, spending money, etc. will be handled; and (3) now you can work up a list divided between schools you can’t afford without merit money and schools you can afford. Be sure you fall in love with…or at least very strong like!..one safety in the affordable category. And also a reach, i.e., don’t put all of your dream schools over on the merit list–it’s important to be truly excited about reach schools you can afford!</p>

17

<ol>
<li>Talk to your parents and do your financial homework now. If loans are in the picture, go to a calculator and see what that will really cost you. </li>
<li>Go to some presentations/college fairs. Talk to college reps. Listen. Get some ideas about what inspires you and what doesn’t.</li>
<li>Look at websites of schools. Ignore rankings. </li>
<li>In a few months, start working out whether you will visit some schools in the summer.</li>
</ol>