help me add to my list!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi my name is James and I have been scouring CC for information and knowledge daily for months and finally figured I that its time to post! First off, let me give some background. I'm a white male from an upper middle class family and I live in Ohio. Im an energetic, extroverted, friendly, and amibitious kid. I switch my future major/career path weekly so I wont give a major. Probably either pre medicine(father is a surgeon) or business(finance/econ). </p>

<p>Stats
GPA: 3.5 UW
ACT: 1st-25 2nd-28 (no studying/prep so hoping to improve!)
EC's: weak... 4 years varsity football. 2 baseball. 4 basketball. youth leadership program. NHS. a few academic clubs. some but not a ton of volunteer work. </p>

<p>My main EC, which has contributed to the downfall of my GPA, is a job that I have held since beginning of sophomore year. I work about 4-5 days a week, which is about 25-30 hours. Normal shift is 5-11 on weekdays, which obviously KILLED my drive/time to do homework and study. Although I find that when I do have the time and interest, I can excel in the classroom. It's a shame that I didnt quit my job earlier to focus on school but I cant change that now.</p>

<p>Anyways, here is what I am looking for in college:
-good academics.. duh
-location- midwest and east coast, very interested in southeastern schools (yeah im a baby about cold weather but I wouldnt rule anything out), no farther west than probably chicago.
-friendly students & school spirit & cute girls of course
-i'm very big on aesthetics so a nice campus is preferred.
-not a huge partier by any means but I do want a school with an active party scene
-city, suburban, small town, just anything but rural</p>

<p>Some schools im currently looking at: OSU, U Cincinnati, Pitt, FSU, USF, Rollins, IU Bloomington, Ohio U, Illinois, U Richmond, St. Johns, College of Charleston, Penn State</p>

<p>Just help me add and subtract some schools. Reaches, matches, and safeties are all needed. Sorry for the novel of a post but I had a lot to say and all help is appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Reach
Loyola University Maryland
George Washington University
Penn State Schreyer Honors College</p>

<p>Match
Drexel
Rutgers
University of North Carolina
Penn State
Villanova</p>

<p>Safety
Temple</p>

<p>You want to go to a party school? Go to Penn State, my friend. Try taking the SAT’s as well.</p>

<p>Please chance me!
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1157856-college-chance-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1157856-college-chance-me.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>I don’t really have any schools to add, so sorry about that, but as a Florida resident, I know quite a bit about schools like FSU.
With stats like yours you’d have great chances of getting in!
Oh and also the campus is very pretty, as least in my opinion, so you wouldn’t be making a mistake in attending! People there are also very sociable and tally is a great place to be, especially since you said you like warm weather, it definitely is nothing like the Ohio!</p>

4

<p>Thanks Rain202, I’ll look into the schools you mentioned and chance you in a bit. I am planning on taking the SAT soon.</p>

<p>And Bluesmiles08, thanks for the encouragement. FSU seems really ideal for what I’m looking for in a college, read somewhere that it is a bit “clique-ish” thought. Also if you could provide any info on USF I’d appreciate that too.</p>

5

<p>Yeah that is very likely true, FSU is a very large school and I guess those kind of situations tend to happen at big colleges.
USF and FSU are both middle tier Florida universities, (although FSU is much more highly regarded and spoken of). I have never seen USF’s campus but I hear from friends that it is very awkwardly set up and not what you come to expect from a traditional college campus. I know a few kids that go to USF and they love it there so I guess it depends on what you prefer.
But in general, most people would choose FSU over USF easily. Oh not to mention the Seminoles kick the crap out of USF athletics ;P</p>

6

<p>What can your family afford? The schools listed by Rain will all cost about $50K/year for you (except possibly UNC which offers FA for OOS students and which is a reach).</p>

7

<p>Not so sure about Penn State being a match. I’d put it as more of a reach. Check out the chart they have that shows who is likely to get accepted to their main campus (GPA and test scores). You would definitely get into one of their satellite campuses, but I think the main campus would be a reach.</p>

8

<p>bluesmiles08- so my suspicions are confirmed… haha im sure i’d still make friends at a big school like FSU. And thanks for the info on USF… sounds like i’ll definitely need to visit to make an assessment. Google images can only count for so much.</p>

<p>Erin’s Dad- My parents can afford a good amount, but they wont be shelling out 50k per year anytime soon. And yeah, I figured that I had no shot of getting into UNC, but who knows.</p>

<p>LINYMOM- I figured that as well and I know I dont have a shot at honors.</p>

9

<p>james24 - Are you up for an adventure? If you do First Year Abroad at FSU, they’ll give you in state tuition for years 2, 3, and 4. One of the moms who posts on CC has a daughter who did that and loved it. My understanding is that if you have AP credits, you don’t have to do the summer - just fall through spring. Then you’d have at least the 30+ friends from the first year to hang out with at the start of sophomore year. :slight_smile: Great Seminoles sports.</p>

<p>Would you consider Mount Union here in Ohio (near Akron/Canton) as a safety school? Great school spirit for their DIII Football finalist/winner team - tailgates, etc. You would get some academic scholarship/merit money. Except for the super-football spirit, it is a fairly typical LAC, and they have a PA program grad program that adds on well to their undergrad, if you might be interested in that. (Some pre-meds are interested in PA programs.) Go Raiders!</p>

<p>You’d get a scholarship at Alabama, which is known for school spirit as well. (As they say on the ESPN commercials, “Roll tide!”)

They’ll use your weighted GPA if it is on your h.s. transcript.</p>

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<p>MidwestMom2Kids_ - Studying abroad for the first year sounds like it would be an amazing experience and seems like a great opportunity. I will have to look into that. And about Mount, I completely forgot to mention that in the schools that I am interested in! My dad went there so I would get a $3,000 legacy scholarship on top of any academic scholarships. Because my dad went there, I know all about Purple Raider football and attend at least a game a year.</p>

11

<p>bump. Please suggest some reaches!! Whats in my range?</p>

12

<p>How ambitious are you? Are you considering Top 20 schools in your reaches?</p>

13

<p>Im very ambitious, but I dont have a shot at anywhere top 20… I mean my GPA is just barely a 3.5 and I only take a couple honors classes so I’m pretty sure that top 20’s are out of the question.</p>

14

<p>Try UMichigan, University of North Carolina, and University of Virginia. They are considered the best public universities.</p>

<p>Also, the first semester of your senior year shows on your final transcript.You can bring your GPA up if you do really well.</p>

<p>What are you doing for your EC’s this summer?</p>

15

<p>I guess reading a bunch of chance threads from much more qualified applicants has made me a bit pessimistic at my chances of any of those schools, but if I do have a chance I will look more into them. And as of now, I am organizing and leading a group of kids at a vacation bible school, volunteering for city cleanups, and working all summer… nothing major. Any suggestions to boost my resume?</p>

16

<ol>
<li>Improve your grades next year, and take more rigorous classes</li>
<li>Take SAT’s,and score between 2100-2400</li>
<li>Take SAT Subject tests, and score between 720-800</li>
<li>In the summer, you can become a coach for kid’s summer camps since you like sports</li>
<li>Take a leadership position at your city cleanups</li>
<li>Take ACT’s again</li>
<li>Attend a University-sponsored summer program</li>
<li>Take courses at your local community college</li>
<li>Join more clubs as soon as senior year starts</li>
</ol>

17

<p>Thanks for the advice. Not sure how far my GPA will budge but it will improve. I have been studying and am definitely taking the ACT again and aiming for 30 or so. SAT as well. Coaching would be great and I’ll definitely look into the University sponsored summer programs.</p>

18

<p>Holy Cross-good LAC that is SAT optional with nice campus 1 hour from Boston.</p>

19

<p>University of Michigan, over 50k/year for OOS with very little aid.</p>

20

<p>SLUMOM- I was thinking the same thing about Michigan. I wouldnt be able to afford it even if got in… sad because I love Michigan but thats the way it goes. </p>

<p>par72- thanks for the suggestion. I really dont know too much about Holy Cross but I will look into it.</p>

<p>Any others reaches?</p>