<p>So I'm going into my senior year, and currently feel utterly confused about where I should apply! If you have any thoughts or suggestions they would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>SAT: 1260 (CR+M) 1950 (CR+M+W)
(660 CR, 600 M, 690 W)
I plan on taking them again in the fall and studying my brains out.... hoping to bring up my math in particular, and at least break 2000!</p>
<p>SAT II: USH 690
Lit 600<br>
(Yes, I realize they are horrible scores and now I don't have time to retake them, so... yeah.)</p>
<p>GPA: 4.056 weighted
My school doesn't rank, but I would say in the top 25% at the very least</p>
<p>Well regarded and rather competitive public high school. All honors courses (aside from electives like art, etc). Two AP's junior year (USH and Lang), and three senior year (Bio, Modern Euro, Spanish). Got 5's on AP exam for USH and Lang. </p>
<p>EC's:
-XC and track since freshman year. XC captain this fall.
-Member of volunteer group to raise funds for terminally ill children since freshmen year. Will be president next year.<br>
-Help organize and lead a "running club" for local scout troop (2 yrs)
-Job at local restaurant since sophmore year
-Featured writer in school newspaper
-Volunteer hours through NHS
-Spanish honors society
-English honors society
-Excellence in Science book award from local university</p>
<p>I'm not entirely sure what I want to major in. Probably either education or health sciences (I'm all over the place... nutrition, speech pathology, nursing, public health). I really don't want to end up at a tiny school in the middle of nowhere. Preferably in/near a city with a medium-large student body. I live in New England so I would love to stay in this area, but I could really go anywhere on the east coast/midwest as well.</p>
<p>Financial aid is a really big factor. I need to get as much merit aid as possible, so I have to start finding more schools that I actually like and are willing to pay for me to attend (:</p>
<p>* I need to get as much merit aid as possible*</p>
<p>How much? </p>
<p>In other words, how much will your parents pay each year?</p>
<p>Are you low income?</p>
<p>You need to get your M + CR SAT scores up as much as possible. Study those two sections a LOT. that is what will get you merit. Your EC’s won’t likely make any difference.</p>
<p>The NE isn’t great for large merit. There are awards, but usually the uncovered costs are still high.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I’m in CT. We’re not low income, but based on my understanding of what my parents have told me, financial aid is a big priority. If I remember correctly they are supposed to be able to pay 20k per year. However thats not at all feasible right now, especially with one parent currently unemployed (perhaps this changes things?) I’m not entirely clear on the whole financial situation, I’ve just been told to be on the lookout for schools where I can get good merit aid… so thats why I’m here (:</p>
<p>And yes, I’ve heard that about NE… also because all the schools in this area get so many applicants just like me, so I wouldn’t be anything special. </p>
<p>Also I guess another means of getting more aid would be with scholarships and all of that business. So I should probably start to look into that as well!</p>
<p>*financial aid is a big priority. If I remember correctly they are supposed to be able to pay 20k per year. However thats not at all feasible right now, especially with one parent currently unemployed *</p>
<p>Just to be clear, the merit scholarship doesn’t go towards the $20k your parents are supposed to pay. it goes towards the total cost. You would need a very large merit scholarship so that it would go towards cost so that the REMAINING cost would be an amount that your family could pay (plus a $5500 student loan for you).</p>
<p>Let’s say that your parents will pay $5k per year, and you can contribute $2,500 from a summer job and $5500 from a student loan. that would be $13k towards your college costs. </p>
<p>So, if you got a full tuition scholarship from somewhere, then the $13k might be able to cover the room, board, books, fees, etc. You’d probably have to work part time during the school year for “pocket money”.</p>
<p>Find out how much your parents CAN contribute and then go from there.</p>
<p>Thank you @ucbalumunus and @mom2collegekids… and thanks for clarifying, there is still so much I need to figure out!</p>
<p>On a bit of a side note… here are some of the schools I have been looking into. Any opinions on my chances of getting in/recieving any form of merit aid?
UConn
UMass Amherst
UVM
Northeastern
Univ of Richmond
Stonehill
Loyola Chicago
Marquette
Univ of Dayton
Miami Univ</p>
<p>I feel like I need more matches/reaches, but that puts me at a disadvantage in terms of merit aid, correct?</p>
<p>No reason to pay more than instate tuition for a teaching degree. For most health sciences, you will need a master’s degree and again, a state U is a great, less expensive way to start. </p>
<p>You are instate for UConn and it is a great school!!</p>
<p>I agree that she shouldn’t pay a lot for an education degree, but UConn may not be affordable. </p>
<p>It sounds like the family income is too high for any state or federal “free money” aid, and I don’t think she’d get much merit from UConn.</p>
<p>She may be expected to be full pay at UConn and her family can’t do that. </p>
<p>If she tests again, and gets her M+CR high enough that a small private might give her free tuition, then that school would cost less than UConn.</p>
<p>Yes, UConn would be a great option but as you said the merit aid might be an issue.
Hopefully I will be able to bring my SAT’s scores up… There will certainly be a lot of pressure riding on that!
Thank you for your help everyone!</p>