<p>I've had some trouble trying to find a safety school. I just can't seem to find one that I absolutely love. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Here is some info about me:
SAT: 2050
ACT: 29 w/ 11 essay
Will take ACT and SAT in fall since I can actually prepare this time
GPA- 3.97 UW with all AP/ honors classes
School doesn't rank
250+ hrs of community service
Captain of track and cross country
1st chair violin and all-state three years so far
Many interests
That's just a little about me</p>
<p>Colleges I have liked in no order:
Williams
Bowdoin
Pomona
Carleton
Davidson
Holy Cross
Boston College
Colby
Haverford
Georgetown</p>
<p>What are some good safety school options? My counselor seems to think that schools such as Trinity, St Lawrence, and Conn College would be a good option. However, I haven't truly loved any of these schools. I don't really like my state university, and I'm not really into the Greek scene. </p>
<p>Any suggestions!? Anything is helpful at this point :)</p>
<p>How much can your family pay for your college? Without this info, it is hard to find a true safety school. A safety must be financially affordable. Too many reach schools on your list. For most people, it is easier to pick the reaches than the matches and safeties. Any preferred regions for college?</p>
<p>I see four schools that are ‘out of reach’ with your current scores (Williams, Pomona, Carleton, and Georgetown). Agree that more financial info is needed to help identify safeties. Also, what is your home state?</p>
<p>If finances aren’t an issue it seems that you can look at schools like Villanova and Fordham (both have non-binding EA I believe) or maybe consider Lafayette and/or Franklin & Marshall.</p>
<p>@ Bamboolong I neither need nor expect any college assistance regarding money. Merit scholarships would be a nice bonus though! I realize there are many reach schools, but my college counselor told me that I am a competitive applicant, and he believes that I will get accepted at some of them. He’s experienced, and I trust his work. </p>
<p>@intparent I am retaking both tests as I did not have any time to study in the spring. I’ve been really studying this summer, and I’ve gotten my ACT score up significantly. I will take the test in September. I am located in Maine- not sure if that helps or not. </p>
<p>@happy1 thanks for the advice! I’ll research the schools to see if I think they will be a good fit. </p>
<p>I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what could make a possible safety school? I’m the first child in my family to go through the college application process, so I was just wondering if people with more experience had any thoughts. I thought I would add similar schools that I’ve liked to help. I realize that my scores may be on the low end for some, however, I’ve had friends with lower scores get accepted into great schools because getting into college is more than great standardized test scores.</p>
<p>Okay, so you have run the net price calculators on the college websites with your parents, and they are okay with schools costing upward of $60,000/year?</p>
<p>Are you female? Mount Holyoke seems like a low match for you if it is affordable for you, or could be a safety if you raise your scores. The problem is that without your final scores, it is really hard to make recommendations. What was your SAT breakdown the first time for the 2050?</p>
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<p>Don’t count on this for a second, especially if you don’t have a hook – which as far as I can tell, you don’t have. Standardized test scores are the one way colleges can compare across their applicant pool. IMHO, the concept of “holistic admissions” is partly a way for colleges to accept those hooked students. It doesn’t mean that students without something special they want can count on getting in with lower end test scores.</p>
<p>Since money is not a concern, you do have many choices, and some matches may become safeties for you. All colleges welcome full-pay students with good stats. You didn’t say what you would like to major in college and mentioned that you have many interests. I assume that you prefer LACs (judging from your list) and do not consider engineering and accounting. I also assume that you are not limited by geographic locations (also judging that from your list that includes schools in the East, West and Midwest). With your current SAT and ACT scores, you may consider those schools for your safeties: Whitman, Centre, Dickinson, Denison, Gettysburg, Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), Furman University, College of Wooster, Earlham. I know that list of safeties is too long. You can check each school to see if you feel fit at any of them. </p>
<p>@intparent I do have a hook, I am just not publicizing it for everyone to see. Yes my parents have confirmed that paying upwards of 60,000 a year is totally fine. My brother and sister can attend a school upwards of that if they choose. My parents value education, as do I, and they have the means to support it since they became very educated to get where they are today. I am female, and I will consider Mount Holyoke! Thanks for the recommendation. My breakdown is:
690 math
710 writing with 10 essay
650 CR </p>
<p>My ACT section scores were all above 30… Except for science which brought my average down to a 29… Am retaking in September. </p>
<p>Thank you so much! @Bamboolong I will look into them right away!</p>
<p>I agree with Bamboolong. That is a great list of safeties.
Also, when you start searching them, try also looking them up on USNEWS.COM, they will also give you a list of other schools that students who applied to the school you are looking at, also applied to. Its a way of listing schools that are similar in applicant’s interest.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>@intparent There really is no need to state any hooks I have on this thread because a safety school should admit me without any hooks…otherwise it wouldn’t be a safety school. </p>
<p>Dickinson would be a match, Muhlenberg would be a safety, as would be Allegheny. SUNY Geneseo is probably a safety, as would be Hobart&William Smith, St Lawrence, Wheaton, or Goucher.
St Olaf would be another low-match with strong academics (in the same town as Carleton) and you may consider Macalester (a match) - all three are the “top” colleges in Minnesota, with different atmospheres though. St Olaf is stronger than Lawrence (which would be a true safety). I second Wooster and Earlham, too. </p>
<p>Guilford, Eckerd, Whittier, Puget Sound, are all pretty safe for you (your stats are similar to my son’s and Guilford & Eckerd were his safeties; he visited, but didn’t apply to Whittier, where they practically guaranteed him admission with scholarship BEFORE a significant increase in his SAT/ACT scores). Willamette should also be a low-match/safety (my son got in with nice scholarship, as he did at Guilford & Eckerd). Look at New College of FL, also. If your parents are willing to pay the full freight, consider Pitzer along with Pomona (a major reach for you), Occidental, Whitman, and Tulane. My son got into all those colleges, but the price-tag was too high for us. </p>