<p>I need suggestions for safety schools. I'm currently a sophomore at a competitive public high school in New Jersey. I don't want to go further south than Virginia, further west than Pennsylvania, or further North than Maine. My GPA is a 4.4 (weighted) and a 4.0 (unweighted). I have not taken the SATs yet, but I was in the 99th percentile on PSATs. I have an all honors course load, and plan to take 3 AP classes next year, and 5-6 senior year. My ECs are: Forensics Club (I'm president), middle school Debate Club (I'm assistant coach), Model Congress (I've won an award), Model UN, Marching Band (I have a varsity letter, and it's one of the top bands on the east coast), Percussion Ensemble, and Chamber Choir (my school's most selective choral group). In addition, I serve on my church's board of Church and Society, repair houses in underprivileged communities during the summer, have volunteered for the Kerry campaign, and have attended several summer programs on politics. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm having difficulty figuring out what is a safety, a match, and reach for me, especially because I have read the posts of so many talented people here on College Confidential.</p>
<p>As a sophomore, it's way too early to worry about coming up with a specific college list or even classifying schools as "safeties, matches, and reaches." That's simply not realistic to do without your actual SATs and another year of grades. </p>
<p>However, NOW is the time to start thinking more about what you would like in a college - Do you learn best in classes that are lectures or in classes where there is lots of discussion? Would you say you and your friends are liberal, conservative or somewhere in the middle? How do you feel about fraternities and sororities? What other things do you want or not want in a school?</p>
<p>I'd suggest visiting several schools of various sizes in your local area over the summer - perhaps a visit to Rutgers (large public), Dickinson in Pennsylvania (smaller LAC with a preppy feel), Skidmore in NY (LAC with a more artsy liberal feel), and perhaps Bucknell (mid-sized school) for instance - but really the actual schools you visit don't matter because all you're doing right now is figuring out what type of school may be a "fit" for you down the road. You don't have to have any plans of GOING to any of these schools - your goal right now should be to decide what you like and dislike about colleges in general and fine tune what you are looking for. Once you've done that, finding schools at various levels of selectivity should be easier next year!</p>
<p>Where have seniors from your school with similar interests and stats gone to school? Did they like their choice? You have time to visit and to revisit. Take advantage of the time, and don't forget to enjoy your youth....The best part about college may not be getting there, but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself along the way.</p>
<p>I really appreciate your suggestion- honestly. However, my mother and grandmother (among other relatives) are professors. This has given me the unique opportunity to see many colleges of varying sizes and levels of selectivity throughout my life. I want to go to a school with a strong political science program that has a campussy feel, but is also near a city. It should offer small classes (but can have some large classes). I am interested in both LACs and universities. Right now I really like Georgetown, Wesleyan, Swarthmore, and Princeton. I know that these schools aren't entirely uniform- Wesleyan and Swarthmore tend to be more liberal. However, I would be happy at both a liberal or a liberal/moderate school. I realize that many people probably think that my early interest in college is bizarre. Please realize that because of some my family member's professions, college is something that I am bound to consider at a younger age.</p>
<p>If you like Swarthmore, Haverford is slightly easier to get into and similar environment. </p>
<p>Look into some of the VA schools like William and Mary, Washington and Lee. For real safeties, Mary Washington might be something to check out. </p>
<p>Maybe American University? </p>
<p>Don't worry about considering colleges young. My parents are also profs, and I had started a semi-serious list of schools in 8th grade.</p>
<p>Demgirl, discuss this with your family, and ask them to discuss the current state of college admissions with the admissions people at their unis. If your grades and scores hold up, you may come out as a "match" by statistics at almost every school in the country. If that is the case, you will still need safeties, but you may be able to apply to only a couple of safeties and the reaches that interest you, without really worrying about what is a match.
Look at Goucher, you may need only to apply to a school like The College of New Jersey or American, and then all the reaches that you like.</p>