<p>I am a senior in high school, and I am still looking at colleges to choose to apply to. So far I really love Vanderbilt, but I realize it is a bit of a reach. I need some ideas for safety schools in case I do not get into higher reaches like Vandy or Duke. Any ideas? Here are my stats:
I am extremely driven and school comes first to me. I am second in a class of around 450 with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and 4.4 weighted (I have taken as many AP as I could with my schedule). I have only taken the ACT once last year, scored a 34, but will retake in October. I have been playing the cello since 6th grade, have been in chamber orchestra at my school all four years and I am decent (not especially amazing). What I am worried about are my extracurriculars and volunteering because I had not been predominantly involved in these categories until my junior year. I am student body vice president (involved in student council as of sophomore year) and was junior class VP last year. I am involved in other clubs (like beta, foreign language, future business leaders of america, and math club (treasurer)), but have not taken interest as much until last year. As of this year I began tutoring my neighbor (paid) and volunteering to tutor after school a couple days a week. I also volunteer at an animal shelter every weekend, but only started this near the end of last year. I am really angry with myself for not starting some of these activities until last year (mostly because I was so focused on academics), but I cannot change that now. Thanks for your help everyone!</p>
<p>UVA, Wake Forest, Lehigh, W&L, Richmond, Colgate, Davidson, Boston College.</p>
<p>@timetodecide12 Most of those are not true safeties- they’re matches or higher. </p>
<p>What state do you live in? In VA, GMU is a common safety.</p>
<p>If you want to apply to a school that can be considered a “safety net,” then think of a public university in your home state where you know that your acceptance is an absolute slam dunk, and where costs are reasonable/manageable. A safety school is basically the last thing between you and completely whiffing on all of your other applications. </p>
<p>Select a public university (or two) within your home state with programs that you are interested in studying, and apply there. Some public universities have rolling admissions, where you can find out within a relatively short time whether you are accepted; and then you can focus on your applications to your more preferred schools.</p>
<p>College admissions are not a mathematical certainty or a scientific given. Apply to Big (or Little) State U, and hold your acceptance as your final back-up plan. If you get accepted to Vanderbilt, then you don’t have to worry about going to State U – but at least it’s there in the unlikely (but never impossible) event that you need it. </p>
<p>I love in Tennessee…I just really don’t want to go to UT. Cost is not an issue…almost guaranteed acceptance is more of what I’m looking for</p>
<p>Mary Washington. </p>
<p>There are other public schools in Tennessee besides UT: ETSU, MTSU, UT-Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay, University of Memphis. If you are looking for “guaranteed acceptance,” then you need to apply to one of them. That is what a “safety school” is.</p>
<p>If you wish to stay in Tennessee but not apply to a “safety school,” then consider Sewanee or Rhodes.</p>
<p>what is your major and career goal?</p>
<p>I really do not have one yet, but I am interested in law and business. </p>
<p>Yes that makes sense…which of those would you suggest?</p>
<p>You should spend more time researching your matches and safeties than your reaches… that means online research, read the FIske Guide, peruse threads out here, look at College P-r-o-w-l-e-r (sorry, have to do that or CC will star it out), and visit if at all possible. You don’t want to apply someplace just because you can get in (and because someone recommended it out here), and find out later that you wouldn’t want to go if you end up needing to.</p>
<p>Thank you that is really helpful!! I’m sorry if I sound ignorant, but what is the Flske Guide?</p>
<p>Ah… the Fiske Guide to Colleges. 
Very good descriptions (super helpful, we have found) of about 350 colleges in the US. See if your guidance counselor has a copy, or the library. One that is a couple of years old is fine, just check test score ranges and acceptances percentages online to make sure those are up to date, but the rest should be pretty on target.</p>
<p>Thank you very much! I will check my library tomorrow 
</p>
<p>If cost isn’t an issue then consider applying to Vanderbilt ED. The acceptance rate for ED is approximately 25%, which is at least twice the RD rate. Think of your state’s flagship as “the” safety, and focus on low reach and match colleges, some at the same level as Vanderbilt and Duke and some slightly below. Then add 1 or 2 low reach colleges. Defer some of the applications till after you hear from ED. With your stats it’s often desirable to reach harder into selective college territory, this because you have good chances to land acceptances from top colleges. To do justice to the process you may need to apply to 10-15 colleges to maximize your chances of getting into a top school. It’s hard work.</p>
<p>I purposely didn’t provide you with a college list. Use a recent college guide as recommended above. You can also look at US News and World Reports for National Universities. I would expect that your list would be primarily taken from the top 40. From an academic point of view they are mostly excellent choices.</p>
<p>I was considering applying ED to Vanderbilt, but I feel like I would be limiting my options and also rushing my applications a bit if I did so…I’m honestly just not sure if I should make such a commitment to the school despite my attraction to it. Do you think it would be worth it if I did? It is my first choice, but I don’t want to regret making a binding agreement to attend, and don’t want to compromise the quality of my applications (which are not completed) due to the November 1 deadline. Thank you!!</p>
<p>33 seemed to be the cutoff at Vandy this year. I think you’re a match there. A safety school that has a lot of strong majors from which to choose: BU, Brandeis, Bucknell, Colgate (only if shown some serious interest), Lehigh, Oberlin, Pitt, Rhodes, Rochester, Syracuse, Tulane (only if you demonstrate interest), and USCali. </p>
<p>But I don’t think test scores are the only factor for admissions process…isn’t it generally holistic? </p>
<p>Usually it is holistic. You have some ECs: cello shows commitment, and there are several others to go with it. And you are #2 in your class! I think you’ve got this EC thing taken care of for the non-ivies like Vandy and certainly for the safeties.</p>
<p>That makes me feel a lot better lol thank you! I just kind of feel like everyone applying to schools like vandy have stats like that and more </p>