Help finding low reaches or matches?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello, all!
I have my sights set on a few elite schools and few safeties for when I begin to apply to colleges this summer/fall, but I seem to be having trouble selecting schools that are matches or low reaches for me. I'm hoping you can help. </p>

<p>Grade: 11
GPA: 3.98 UW 4.5 W
Class rank: top 10% maybe even top 5%
SAT: 780Cr 680M 780W (I know the math is less than ideal, but I really do not forsee a retake in my future)
No subject tests, yet.
AP Courses this year: 2 was the max I could schedule (APUSH and English Language), but I self-studied for Psych.
AP Courses next year: Stats, Calc AB, Gov, English Lit
I'm taking a French course at a community college this summer and hopefully a bio/environmental science one at a different university in the fall</p>

<p>My ECs are good. I'll probably go more in depth when I make a chances thread this fall, but they seem (by my estimation) to match or sometimes surpass the ECs of other chance threads I've seen. Ouch. That sounded arrogant. I didn't mean it to. </p>

<p>So, assuming that my ECs are formidable, what are some match or low-reach schools at which I should be looking? </p>

<p>I am definitely applying to:
University of Pittsburgh
Oberlin
Tufts
UChicago (my first choice)</p>

<p>I am considering:
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Swarthmore
Maybe an Ivy or two </p>

<p>Anything else you feel should make the list? Thanks for your input! I'm totally overwhelmed by the options.</p>

2

<p>Colgate, Holy Cross, Brandeis.</p>

3

<p>What are you thinking of studying?</p>

4

<p>Check out the USNWR LACs and Universities in the #21-40 range, or so. It’s hard to make good suggestions without knowing more about what you want.</p>

<p>If Chicago is your first choice, but you’re also attracted to LACs, then you might like Macalester College (match), Barnard (low reach, women only), or Reed (low reach).
More rural? Grinnell (match). Small university? Brandeis (match). Larger? American, GW, BU, Northeastern (matches).</p>

<p>It would be helpful to know about your ECs and what they say about your interests. It sounds like big-time sports are not important to you. What about costs? Will you qualify for need-based aid? If not, is your family willing and able to cover $40-60K/year for a selective private school?</p>

5

<p>Apply early action to Chicago and, if you get deferred, you could consider ED II at Midd or Wesleyan which (arguably) might give you a slight boost. Macalaster is a good idea. Some of these smaller LACs (not Midd any longer, I think) may offer interviews and place some value on demonstrated interest, so try to plan visits accordingly.</p>

6

<p>Thank you all you for your advice!</p>

<p>For some more information: I am interested in studying a social science or international relations, and definitely a foreign language. This is a thread on my ECs - <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1141295-rate-my-ecs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1141295-rate-my-ecs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I don’t have many preferrences as far as size or location, but I prefer at least some access to a city.</p>

7

<p>I think the following would be a reasonable list to start
(add or subtract as you visit schools):</p>

<p>Chicago, Columbia, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Georgetown
Wesleyan
Oberlin, Tufts, Barnard (if female)
Macalester
American, GW
Pitt</p>

<p>Middlebury is weak on the “access to city” factor. </p>

<p>If you’re interested in the DC schools, you could visit all 3 in a 2-day trip from Western PA (combined with a little sightseeing). Then do Columbia, Barnard, and Wesleyan (or possibly Middlebury) in another long weekend. This would give you exposure to a range of sizes and settings.</p>