Help Finding Safties/Matches?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a rising senior looking to finalize my college list. Currently, I have a lot of reaches, and not much else. I'm planning on majoring in psychology or cognitive science, but that is always subject to change, so I'm just looking for all around good schools. I'm a white female from Illinois. As for my stats, I have a 4.55 weighted GPA and a 3.84 unweighted GPA (I think. School doesn't release, so I had to calculate it.) I'm ranked 8/676 at my average public school. My ACT is a 34 and I received a 218 on my PSAT, so I'm hoping to be a National Merit Semi-Finalist. I've taken five AP classes between sophomore and junior years, and I will be taking another five next year. For the AP test I took sophomore year (Euro), I received a 4, and I'm hoping to get all 5s on the tests I took this year. My extracurriculars aren't fantastic, but I'd say they're pretty solid. I've gone in-depth in a few and I do have a couple of leadership positions.</p>

<p>My current list of schools is as follows:
Reaches: Rice (will apply ED), Tufts, WUSTL, UChicago, Swarthmore, and Carleton
Safeties: St. Olaf, UIUC</p>

<p>As you can see, I have no matches and only one safety I'd really be satisfied with (St. Olaf). Ideally, I want a mid-sized school, although I will make an exception for certain LACs. I really don't like the idea of huge schools, which is what turns me off of UIUC. Ideally, I'd like the student body to be more intellectual and laid-back. I don't want to go to a school where the majority of the students are preppy and dress up for class every day. I'm not too concerned with geographical location, but I'd prefer to go somewhere in the Midwest or on the east coast.</p>

<p>I've already talked to my parents about finances and they've decided that we can afford to pay for pretty much any school at sticker price. We will be applying for financial aid anyway, but if I don't receive any, they'd still be able to pay. UIUC would be a financial safety for me, so if anything happens, I'd still be able to attend.</p>

<p>Any suggestions on schools would be much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Since you’re already considering Carleton, Swarthmore, and St. Olaf, look into more of the “Colleges That Change Lives” for less-selective matches and reaches among small colleges. You are competitive for most colleges, although the topmost tier are reaches. Why not add Tulane? I think it is a solid match for you, and you would probably qualify for a decent merit scholarship there. I’d say the same for Lehigh. Tulane has a non-binding Early Action option, and so you could apply there along with applying ED to Rice, and you would have nothing whatsoever to lose (they have usually waived application fees in the past). If you are accepted at Rice, then you are set. If you are deferred or rejected, you will almost certainly have an acceptance in hand and won’t have to sweat out finding last-minute safe and match colleges. Some people might not like Tulane, and I’d strongly recommend visiting before committing to it, but I think it offers a lot of what you’re looking for. </p>