HELP- Last minute college suggestions for niche applicant??

College Search & Selection
1

I’m a couple months from applying, and I’ve hit a stalemate. I have a general list, but none of my schools feel like a perfect match, and no amount of research into them or other options seems to help. The amount of colleges out there is ridiculously overwhelming! I think I want to add one or two more schools to my list, ideally ‘matches’ or ‘safeties’ (no more reach schools please). Since I have such weird/specific preferences, I’d prefer human feedback to reading online scores, so any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated!

As of right now, I’m planning on studying environmental science. I’d be open to schools offering majors in environmental studies or botany as well, as I find both those subjects equally appealing. Schools that value extracurriculars will probably be a better shot for me; my test scores are meh but I try to make up for it. I’d really really like a school that has a lot of student engagement and fosters activism. I’d personally prefer a liberal lean (hello, intended major), but what’s most important to me is being somewhere where people’s idea of enacting change extends beyond their social media. I’m not a Greek-life-and-ragers type, but I’m very social and adventurous, and I’d be happiest somewhere with outgoing students and lots of different opportunities. I LOVE learning, and I obviously want a school with quality academics, but I don’t want them to be my entire life! I’d also prefer to be in or near a city. I’d like to ideally have resources for Jewish students; I’m not religious but it’d be nice to have a Hillel or something similar available. Also ideally, either the school would have an art department or the surrounding area would have an art scene, because my art has become an important part of who I am, and I’d like to have motivation to continue creating after I graduate. Finally, it’s important for me that my school is accepting of queer students. The last thing I want is for my identity to get in the way of my college experience.

The stats: GPA - 3.8 UW, SAT - 1380 (retaking, I know), top 5% of class, 9 APs by graduation and 4s/5s on all exams taken so far + dual enrollment, president of 3 clubs, varsity lacrosse for two years, multiple awards from MUN, served on the board of a local non-profit as a teen liaison, expect to graduate with something around 700 community service hours, might be Editor-in-Chief of school newspaper for senior year (this one’s complicated), accepted into a prestigious and competitive internship with a major environmental conservancy this summer. There’s more, but y’all get the gist.

Colleges I’m considering: USC, Emory, Smith, George Washington, Macalester, UW*, Florida schools for in-state backup (asterisks denote uncertainty)

If you read all this, thank you so much!!! I know it’s long, but I want to be thorough!!

2

The big questions–what state do you live in and how much can your parents afford to pay for you for college each year?

3

I live in Florida but leaving isn’t a problem aside from price. My family can afford around 15k a year max, not including 5k in grants I qualify for or any loans, and I have a scholarship for 2k per semester I’ve already secured. I’m applying for more scholarships, and I plan on working while I’m in school. Most schools I’ve done the EFC for estimate my tuition around 13k-18k a year.

4

Remove UW since you’ll need a lot of financial aid; it’s doubtful out-of-state publics will be affordable. GWU can be hit-or-miss with financial aid and does not promise to meet full need.

Wash U and Duke are stronger than Emory for botany, and Emory’s lack of a geology program weakens it’s environmental offerings. On the flip side, it’s easier to get into than either, particularly Oxford.

Take a look at Connecticut College and Ohio Wesleyan if you’re okay with their locations.

5

I would caution that when warblersrule says Emory is easier to get into, it is in comparison to Wash U and Duke. For reference, I had 1450 SAT, 3.87 UW/6.42 W, 10 APs with 4/5 on all of them and strong ECs/LOR and was not accepted to either Emory or Oxford this year. I can only assume that next year, the applicant pool can only grow more competitive.

6

How about Brandeis? Your SAT score is below median, but you’re still in range. They have a large Jewish population.

7

Don’t know about the Jewish component but maybe look at U of Vermont (your stats might earn you merit scholarship/Honors program) or Ithaca College (also offers merit money; not sure about generosity WRT need-based aid). I know of HS students with interest in environmental sciences that have applied to both places.

8

You’d be giving up a lot of money by leaving Florida. You’ll qualify for BF, which has been increased for the top level. If you chose a private school, you’d get another $3k as a grant. You say you have additional $4k per year plus a $5k grant (one time?).

It’s really a lot of money. Are you planning on playing lacrosse in college? That is another source of money if you choose the right school, or a way to get accepted at a D3 school (Smith)

9

Look into SUNY esf and St Olaf. The latter is Christian (mainstream/liberal) but their religion department does have professors who arent and I know they have a course about women in Judaism or Jewish thought and psychologists. They meet need and are very much into sustainable everything. They even have a ‘Conversation’ program (academic discussion cohort program) about it.
Eckerd (in Florida)?
Muhlenberg and Dickinson are worth looking into - run the npc.

10

Have you looked at Juniata College?

11

Don’t forget that those outside scholarships will be used to replace financial aid or other scholarships at many to most universities. You can’t generally plan to use those scholarships to pay your part or “stack” the scholarships at most schools. Please take this into consideration.

12

Look into Muhlenberg… as I read your posting I was going, check, check, check, check, check. Best of luck to you!

13

Elon

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I hesitated to mention Eckerd because I am not certain if the BF and Eckerd merit offering will bring COA to near what the OP’s family can afford. Eckerd does also offer generous financial aid in addition to merit. It has a very active Hillel on campus with a campus Rabbi. It is very well regarded for environmental studies, the new art center and gallery will open this fall, it has an active MUN club, offers research opportunities, fantastic professor/mentor program, study abroad, etc. If you are able to visit in the fall, I think that you would see that it checks off all of the items on your list.

15

You have USC on your list; is that Cal or Car? USC(alifornia) is pretty expensive.

16

Dickinson and Denison both have strong environmental science programs, sustainability is a strategic focus at Dickinson, and Denison has the adjoining 300+ acre Bio Reserve for research, plus the working organic farm, the Homestead, which is a housing option for students. Both have about 30% greek life participation, both have wonderful arts facilities (Dickinson’s is in a converted shoe factory, Denison’s in the converted old gymnasium). Denison has better access to urban life, with Columbus 30 min away and schedules student outings regularly, especially to the arts districts, and also has an arts community partnership with a near by town, Newark. The big question with both of those will be affordability. Run the NPC for each and see whether it is feasible.

And, as noted above, outside merit scholarships are applied to the school’s financial aid package, usually to reduce work study and loans, and usually are not part of the way a family can meet its EFC.

Does New College of Florida offer environmental science/studies? As a FL public school, that might be a good option.

17

OP, maybe it’s just your wording, but you said the NPC were giving you around 13-18 for tuition. You need to be sure you looking at total Cost of Attendance not just tuition. Going OOS can be expensive. Getting an accurate picture of what you can afford is crucial.

Check out the thread for Jewish B students for info on colleges with good Hillel. Elon got mentioned a lot there.

Maybe College of Charleston. UNC-Wilmington may have what you want.

18

I will look into Ithaca College! UVM was a consideration, but even with merit it’s too expensive.

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I really did not like any of the Florida schools. They’re still possibilities, but no harm in applying elsewhere.

I think I’ll look into Brandeis! I don’t love the location, but I haven’t looked too deeply into the school. My SAT score was from the first time I took it, with no PSAT and very little studying. It should go up.

I didn’t know this, thank you!

Ooh, I’ll look into it. Never heard of it before.

That would be Cal. They have phenomenal financial aid there. It’s a huge reach, but my dream school.

This seems uncomfortably high… One of my issues with the FL flagstaffs is that I’ve heard over and over from friends who go there that there is no social life or networking outside of Greek.

Still not sure how to best reply to people, sorry!

20

Thank you everyone!! I’m not sure how to best reply, so I’ll put the rest in this comment.

I had given Brandeis a cursory glance and decided against it because I don’t love the location, but I will look again. I’ve heard bad things about financial aid there. I do have a friend who got in this year with a 1200-something SAT score, but of course she did not apply for financial.

I know it’s cheaper to stay in-state, and the FL schools remain possibilities, but I really do not like any of them and there is no harm in looking elsewhere.

I hate to rely on stereotypes, but everything I’ve heard about Elon implies it’s preppy and that students are not very intellectually focused. I don’t love “country club” schools.

Dickinson and Denison are too Greek for me :wink: To be honest, I forgot New College existed.