Help choosing match and safety schools?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I want to do engineering, specifically materials science.</p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>-Female, White
SAT: CR: 720, M: 770, W: 760 total: 2250
I'm retaking for critical reading, as my PSAT was an 80. Math is a possible 800.
SAT II: Math II: 760 (retaking for an 800), Math I: 790, Physics: 780
AP: Physics B-5, Spanish-5, Lit-5
GPA: 96.6/100 freshman year much lower than anything else</p>

<p>Awards: Won the best in math award 2 years in a row for my school, Bausch and Lomb science award, Wellesley book award, national merit semifinalist probably, ap scholar, CAPT advanced scholar (it's a CT thing)</p>

<p>Committed leadership positions in FTC robotics, theater, won many awards in both. Also 800+ hours of community service at local arts center and I facepaint professionally, there's more I'm not thinking of just assume my ECs are pretty solid but not super mathy</p>

<p>SO, NOW THAT THAT'S ALL OUT OF THE WAY:</p>

<p>My list of schools is a bit ambitious, especially because there aren't many math and science activities in my area to get involved with. I do stuff like build telescopes and watch ted talks but that's pretty much it, I live in the middle of nowhere. Basically, I have a lot of reaches, and need more safeties and matches for engineering.</p>

<p>CRAZY REACH NO WAY I'LL GET IN:
-MIT
-Caltech
-Stanford</p>

<p>LOW REACH aka it's possible but who knows:
-Cornell engineering (I'm a legacy at Cornell)
-Olin (I love this adorable school I would be so happy)
-Carnegie Mellon
-Lehigh</p>

<p>Match:
-U Rochester (have a waived application fee and possible scholarship because of Bausch and Lomb award)
-RPI</p>

<p>Safety:
-NC State</p>

<p>Does anyone else have other safety/match schools for me, based on my stats? Thoughts about my application?</p>

2

<p>Cost constaints, state of residency?</p>

<p>Have you run net price calculators on all schools?</p>

3

<p>Obviously I would rather go somewhere cheaper, but cost isn’t a huge issue. If I got into a top tier school with little to no financial aid we could make it work. However, if I got into somewhere like Olin (half tuition scholarship) and MIT it would be a very hard choice.</p>

<p>I live in CT, but I go to a crummy public school and I’m in a very rural area.</p>

4

<p>I don’t understand why you put NCSU as safety. Your safety is UConn, its far cheaper and better. Looking good for Cornell and UMich.</p>

5

<p>I really disliked the vibe at UConn, I’ll still probably apply though. NCSU has a great materials engineering program and I have lots of family there. I’ll look at UMich thanks!</p>

6

<p>Be sure to show Lehigh the love. They are very big on demonstrated interest. Visit the school if you can, check in at their booth at college fairs, talk to their reps. If not, they will deny you, assuming your just another smart kid using them as a safety.</p>

<p>As a highly qualified female, you have a great shot to get into any engineering school.</p>

<p>You say cost is no issue, but forgive me for being presumptuous, being in a crummy area in rural CT, your parents may feel differently about a possible $250,000 bill. Have the talk. See what they’re really willing to pay.</p>

7

<p>Yes I’ve heard that about Lehigh. I really like it a lot and I’ll be sure to show some interest! I’ve been researching them for a while. </p>

<p>Thank you! I hope so!</p>

<p>We have had the talk. My grandpa, when he died, left me “enough to go to college wherever I want”, as my parents have been putting it since I was 10. My parents aren’t the richest, it’s true. However, my grandparents have always been willing to foot educational bills for me and my brother (they paid for montessori school for both of us) and I’ve been assured that if I fall in love with an expensive school, it’s not out of the question. </p>

<p>Do you have any suggestions for other safety schools?</p>

8

<p>Make sure that your parents and grandmother (if alive) know how much an “expensive school” costs. Some parents make assurances about paying for college but then find that they cannot keep their promises when they see the actual costs.</p>

9

<p>The most expensive schools give the most need based aid, if you have need.</p>

10

<p>I’ve already made statements about my financial situation, and obviously cheap schools are a plus. My parents know the cost, and it’s up to us to decide whether price is too much. I’m not being bratty about it, and if they told me we couldn’t afford a school, I would back down. </p>

<p>Right now, I’m just trying to get a look at possible schools. If you guys have very merit-aid heavy schools for me, great! :slight_smile: But, right now, as I’ve said, expense isn’t the main factor.</p>

11

<p>Great stats, great list. Personally, I don’t think highly of Olin, but the rest of your list is great.</p>

12

<p>Georgia Tech is good for engineering and has a relatively high acceptance rate</p>

13

<p>Thanks ClassicRockerDad!</p>

<p>timetodecide12 I’ll look into it!</p>

14

<p>Good list, but you do need to put UConn as a true safety.
Have you looked at WPI? It’s smaller than many of your other schools but not tiny like Olin. They will likely offer decent merit aid to a highly qualified female applicant like you.</p>

15

<p>Big merit scholarships can be found here:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-19.html#post16145676[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-19.html#post16145676&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-2.html#post15889078[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-2.html#post15889078&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>Since you don’t need FinAid, and since you are studying a field that is likely to require graduate school, I would stick with the medium sized private schools, where you would get a lot more research opportunities. Olin really doesn’t belong. They are not a research university and are very limited. </p>

<p>Frankly I think your list is superb. I think being female and chock full of great stats, your matches, RPI and Rochester, are really safeties. I think your low reaches are really matches (40-70%) and Stanford, MIT and CalTech, yes they are reaches. </p>

<p>Strategically, I would do what I need to do to show interest at schools that need it. You need to interview in person at Rochester for it to be a safety. Probably good to schedule that before school starts. Visit Lehigh in person, and schedule an interview with the regional Lehigh rep when interviews get announced. Those slots go fast. If you do both of those, you will have two separate “showing interest” points. </p>

<p>If you want to add a safety, and don’t want to add UConn. I recommend adding the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It’s a gorgeous school. They have a very easy application, it comes out Sept 1 and if you file it right away, you will be admitted in October. It will be a great relief to have “one in the bag”. I also think Michigan might be worth filling out EA. They are a public school that does have a lot of undergrads do research. If you do that, it’s a likely admit, but not a safety. </p>

<p>Otherwise, I don’t think that you need more schools. If you wanted to look at other privates, Rice, Northwestern, JHU and Vanderbilt are all really strong in materials. I think Northwestern and JHU are matches. I don’t have enough data on Rice and Vanderbilt.</p>

17

<p>Oh yeah WPI! I’ve heard of it, that sounds like a good safety to me.</p>

<p>ucbalumnus wow that list is REALLY helpful!!!</p>

18

<p>Thanks ClassicRockerDad! I think I’m pretty much a sure thing at RPI, but not necessarily U Rochester, because being female doesn’t really help there. I hope so about my low reaches, Cornell would be awesome.</p>

<p>I really like Olin because of the spirit and attitude there, and I can always do research at another school over the summer if need be. Something like 60% of Oliners do research over the summer. And yes, I will want to go to grad school, which is something to keep in mind.</p>

<p>That’s very good advice about Lehigh and URoch. And I’ll definitely look into your advice on safeties, and I’ll look at the other schools you mentioned. </p>

<p>My list is looking a lot more solid thanks to you guys!</p>