Help Figuring Out College List! Too many reaches

College Search & Selection
1

I am a junior from California and I have a very vague list of colleges that are pretty much all reach schools. I’m not even sure where to start with researching colleges and I wanted help with finding some good match and safety schools.

My stats: 4.3GPA weighted/ 3.91 non wirghted,
1380 on PSAT (have not recived SAT scores yet),
AP Chem: 4
AP Euro: 5
Junior Courses (1st Semester Grades)
AP English Language (A-)
AP US History (A)
AP Biology (A)
AP Calculus (A)
Honors Physics (B+)

Extracurriculars:
Professional Circus Troupe: I’ve preformed internationally and nationally mostly for charity events. While I dont have an official leadership position (they don’t exist) I do a lot of stage manageing and organizeing shows. I’ve preformed with this troupe since 8th grade
Cross Country: 3 years
MESA: 3 years
JPL Invention Challenge: 2 years, finalist this year
Research Internship Program: develop an independent research project pertaining to the local ecology. In addition to presenting research and writing a paper, this program focuses on community outreach and getting citizens involved in nature (2 Years)
CJSHS: another research presentation competition (1 year)
Junior Southern California Science Academy Research Training Program: I use my research project from my internship, but this program gives more oppurtunity to present and publish and potentially attend the national confrence.

College List:
UCSD
UCSB
UCD
Berkeley
Tufts
MIT
Brown
University of Chicago

I know these are all really difficult to get into and basically luck. I want a medium to large school, but I’m not that piky about size. I’m interested in genetic engineering, aerospace, or enviromental science. Basically I really enjoy chemistry and math and I would like to do something in those fields, preferably research since I really enjoy that. I want to be able to continue circus throughout college, so while there dosn’t need to be anything on campus I would prefer to be in or near a city which would likely have some sort of training facility.
Thanks for any recommendations you can give!

2

Lots of circus schools in LA. So, for safeties add Cal States that are near LA (LA, Northridge, etc.),

UCSD is a good choice since there is a circus school in San Diego.

3

I live in the LA area and would prefer to get a little further from home. I know about the California schools but was wondering about those in other states

4

Check out U Rochester - strong STEM programs and I recall reading about circus programs there or in the area.

5

Florida State has a serious circus program

6

Do you plan on continuing circus during college?
It’s an amazing achievement so I assume you want to continue, but at what level, in what capacity?

7

A great alternative to Tufts given your interests is Boston University.

8

Agree with FSU or Illinois State

But for more options, just google the ‘Best Circus Schools’ and then look for schools in the same city.

For example:

UGA + Circus School of Atlanta
UW + Circus School of Seattle
ASU or U Arizona + Circus School of Arizona
Temple + Philadelphia Circus School

9

UGA is not in Atlanta, it’s on a small college town quite a way from Atlanta. Colleges in Atlanta include Emory, Spelman, Agnes Scott, Georgia State.

10

You’d get a nice scholarship at Florida State, with its circus on campus.

11

@MYOS1634 I want to continue training in order to stay in shape and to reamain involved in the circus community. I’m not really looking to continue preforming as I’ve been really spoiled in terms of where I’ve gotten to preform up to this point. I know I won’t be able to maintain my current level of training in college, and thus won’t be able to preform in as fancy places. I really just want to remain invloved in circus.