<p>Hello I have chosen my match and reach schools…kind of. But I need to get down on a list of definite safeties for my self. </p>
<p>Here are the current schools on the list:</p>
<li>Cornell Univeristy - Reach</li>
<li>Emory University - Match/Reach based on what the admissions officer said</li>
<li>Wake Forest University - Match</li>
<li>Georgetown University - Reach <em>NOT SURE if I am going to apply though</em> </li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon University - Match/Reach</li>
<li>Brandeis University - Match</li>
<li>Boston University - Match</li>
</ol>
<p>You might say are you going to apply to all those schools! I say: Probably not, but definetly will to most of them. </p>
<p>Now you might say “impressive list dude, but can you walk the walk”…Here are my stats:</p>
<p>SAT score: old 1440/1600 I passed 1500 in my June one I think, but there are some complications with it right now.
ACT score: Taking it this September 16th, projected score: 34-36
GPA: probably low because I was not serious until this year: 3.5 high estimate <em>see course load</em>
Class rank: top 25%, we don’t have a ‘rank’
Course Load: 6 APs assuming I graduate next year, core subjects have been all honors AP when possible , except for English junior year. I had a she dog teacher who did not give me good marks. No I am not making up excuses, my Dad had to go in and talk to her why she dislikes me. Ha you wouldn’t believe why.
Projected Senior Year GPA: 1st quarter: 3.8-4.0.
Clubs: Math team. Started video club senior year. Blah Blah Blah. Volenteered 150 hours in the hospital Intensive Care Unit, did research for 4 sleepless days with one of the leading cardiologists in the country, worked a job for a year and change tutoring children with disabilities, bodybuilding articles written, I don’t do any sports unless you consider lifting weights one but I have some unique things that most people don’t if that’s what admissions wants.</p>
<p>Ok, so that gives me a fair shot at most of the schools. By the way anyone notice that Cornell is becoming a crap shoot, I see people with 1600s on their SATs (INCLUDING the writing section) getting in there, my friend got a 1340/1600 and had a 3.5 and got in there. Kind weird.</p>
<p>Back to the isssue on hand. What is a safety school? A place where I am guarenteed admissions? That if all else fails I have to go there? How many should I apply to? Based on my stats what would a safetyschool be for me? How did you all go about finding your own safety schools?</p>
<p>The definition of a safety school varies from person to person, depending on the risk the student wants to take. There are kids with your stats that would consider BU a safety school. A question to ask is if you have only one college you can pick and you have to be sure you get in, what would you choose.</p>
<p>The safest way to pick a safety school is to find a school with rolling admissions where your stats put you waaay up there. If you get that app in early, you'll get the decision early, and that' s the school in your pocket.</p>
<p>The hardest part about picking a safety school is finding one with the features you most want in a college. Picking a school out of a hat just looking at its selectivity is not going to do the job. Most kids with high enough stats to have a shot at highly selective schools lick their chops as they peruse the top schools. Their lists are full of all of the schools most people know. They may debate the advantages of Brown over Penn. Agonize over which one to apply EA/ED. It's a fun thing to do, but the truth of the matter is that there usually not a big difference between going to one school or the other unless you are eyeing a unique program. Kids who are turned down by Columbia and accepted to Cornell usually find what they want there. But trying to find a school that will fit the niche that either of those schools sit but within safety parameters is not easy. And no one feels like searching among Southeast U, Driscoll U, that would certainly accept most students. That is the true challenge of college search.</p>
<p>I have to disagree that you have a "fair shot" at most of these schools. Top 25% will make most very difficult. Many use a state school as a safety. You don't say what you plan to study so it's hard to give specific schools.</p>
<p>Just a note, if you got a 1440 on your old SAT, I don't think you should "Predict" a 34-36 on the ACT. Maybe a 30-32. I'm not trying to pull you down, just being realistic. You shouldn't be upset if you get lower than a 34-36....anything above 29 will be an asset, most likely.</p>
<p>I agree with what was said above regarding the safeties.</p>