Help me find a few matches/safeties?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've applied to a few in-state safeties, and, while I'm comfortable with each (one I really love if a few honors programs fall my way), I'd like a few historically stronger schools I can still get some merit money to.</p>

<p>My current OOS reaches are as follows:
UNC
Vanderbilt
WashU
uChicago
Cornell (fee waiver; normally I wouldn't apply because of my projected FA, but I do like the school)</p>

<p>Intended Major: I'm satisfied with either Chemistry (preferably Polymer) or Biomedical Engineering, both on Pre-Med tracks.
My Stats:
ACT: 35 (35, 36, 35, 32, 9)
ACT Superscore: 36 (35, 36, 35, 36, 9)
GPA (Weighted/Unweighted): 4.5/3.9
Rank: 1
Subject Tests: 780 Math II, 730 Chemistry
AP Scores: 5 Chemistry, 5 English Lang, 5 APUSH, 4 Psychology, 3 European History
IB Scores: 6 Chemistry SL</p>

<p>Volunteering: I only have about 400 hours here; half are in tutoring programs for my school and the other are in forms of work-study required for CAS in IB (I'm doing a business-management thing currently and last year I did some supervised math teaching at a middle school)
Extracurriculars: Math Team (Captain), Physics Team (Captain), and Chess Club (Founder) are really the only things I can say. I've done Karate in the past, but I quit after I got a black belt as a freshman.
Awards: I have some obscure awards but they're fairly solid (state science fair semifinalist, a few creative writing things, and a top-15 finish at a national math tournament in a science category)
Hook in Race: Native American/American Indian/whatever people say. I'm 50% by blood (the other half being Caucasian) and enrolled, to answer any potential questions about that.</p>

<p>If it helps, my absolute favorite schools are Brown and Amherst, but I'm not applying since I'll probably get only half of what I need to attend. My parents are paying for some of my school (like $5,000/year), but they have a few assets tied up right now that unfortunately count toward my EFC. Thanks for your time, and sorry for the long thread.</p>

<p>Edit: One thing I forgot to add is that I missed National Merit.</p>

2

<p>I’d take a look at Grinnell. Same open curriculum as Brown, outstanding sciences, merit money and generous financial aid (but no engineering - it’s a LAC).</p>

3

<p>I looked at their website and a few “reviews” from alumi, and it seems like a really interesting place. I would like to ask about how the campus “feels” in comparison to other schools in the South or Northeast (I have family in Alabama and Vermont, so I’m fairly familiar with those regions). Is the student body like a Swarthmore or Chicago, a Dartmouth or Williams, etc.? Thanks again!</p>

4

<p>“Hook in Race: Native American/American Indian/whatever people say”</p>

<p>This is a HUGH hook at Dartmouth. Take a look at the “Indians” walking to school on the Dartmouth College crest [Dartmouth</a> College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_College]Dartmouth”>Dartmouth College - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>“Native Americans at Dartmouth
It is often pointed out that the charter of Dartmouth College, granted to Eleazar Wheelock in 1769, proclaims that the institution was created “for the education and instruction of Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land in reading, writing and all parts of Learning … as well as in all liberal Arts and Sciences; and also of English Youth and any others.”[7] However, Wheelock primarily intended the College to educate white youth and the few Native students that attended Dartmouth experienced much difficulty in an institution ostensibly dedicated to their education. The funds for the Charity School for Native Americans that preceded Dartmouth College were raised primarily by the efforts of a Native American named Samson Occom, and at least some of those funds were used to help found the College.[149]
The College graduated only 19 Native Americans during its first two hundred years.[149] In 1970, the College established Native American academic and social programs as part of a “new dedication to increasing Native American enrollment.”[149] Since then, Dartmouth has graduated over 700 Native American students from over 200 different tribes, more than the other seven Ivy League universities combined.” Wiki</p>

<p>“I have family in Alabama and Vermont” </p>

<p>Then try Middlebury College too.</p>

5

<p>Grinnell gets a lot of cross-applicants with Carleton, Oberlin, and other mid-western LACs. 50% of the student body is from the midwest, and 11% is international. There is a ‘Reed’ contingent, but Grinnell is less ‘edgy’ or ‘alternative.’ Definitely less preppy then the NE LACs (not a plus or minus - just something to consider.) Not has hyper-intellectual as Swarthmore or U Chicago, but still rigorous. This is what it’s not. </p>

<p>What it is is rigorous, understated, and I think quite self-selective: You have to be the kind of person who is happy in a very small town in Iowa, about an hour from Des Moines and Iowa City. The campus has palatial facilities and resources - but if you leave campus, there isn’t a lot there. On the plus side, it means that campus community is tight. </p>

<p>As with every school, it has pluses and minuses and only you can apply the appropriate weights to them and decide if it’s a fit or not.</p>

6

<p>@rhg3rd I don’t necessarily have a problem with Dartmouth as a school, but, like Brown, I’d have no real way of paying for it (I’ll save student loans for medical school). I will look into Middlebury, but I wasn’t aware that it offered merit aid.</p>

<p>@M’s Mom I’ll try to see if I can visit the area sometime. I’m visiting WashU and uChicago either during Christmas Break or Spring Break so it’s a fairly convenient location. Do you know if they do interviews for scholarships in case I need to rework my schedule?</p>

7

<p>You don’t need to interview for scholarships, although demonstrated interest counts. And the merit aid comes in the form of Trustee Scholarships. As of a few years ago, your stats would have made you eligible. Not sure what the thresholds are these days. </p>

<p>Chicago is about a 5 hour drive from Grinnell, by the way.</p>

8

<p>might look at Holy Cross(don’t have to be religious) -has one of the better pre-med programs with high med school acceptance rates. HC is need-blind for admissions and has a great alumni network. The Holy Cross website is informative.</p>

9

<p>Great scores & you are saving for med school? I say lower your aim and look at UDelaware, Bucknell, Scranton, Clemson, and Ohio. I think you could get money at all and be well prepared for med school and really enjoy your undergrad experience.</p>

10

<p>I’m still doing research on those schools, but I think the ones that particularly jump out at me are Bucknell and Clemson. I really like the idea of having BME and merit aid at a LAC for Bucknell, and I’d actually only checked out Ohio previously. Thanks for the help!</p>

11

<p>One place that seems to conjure a pejorative view is uMiami, however, they offer good money to individuals with high scores–such as yourself–and they are not far off from the caliber of the schools @livesinnewjersey has stated. Another place I have heard about–via my history teacher–is FSU, which although I am unaware of their financial aid policies, may be a suitable place. That being said, Harvard is still an option given affirmative action…</p>

12

<p>I don’t believe there’s enough affirmative action in the world to get me into Harvard. Anyway, to quote entomom, “discussions of affirmative action action belong in the ‘Race’ subthread” of College Admissions.</p>

<p>Getting back on topic, were you referring to Miami in Florida or Miami in Ohio? I know relatively little about either program.</p>

13

<p>Are you kidding me? This is a joke right. </p>

<p>You are a competitive applicant for ANY school in the nation without the hooks. Add the Native-American hook, and </p>

<p>YOU ARE A MATCH FOR ANY SCHOOL IN THE NATION!</p>

<p>That means I believe that you have at least a 40% chance of gaining admissions to any school you apply to. Can your parents borrow against the tied up assets? You should be applying to HYPSM. </p>

<p>Some terrific schools where you are likely to get significant merit money and a first rate education and are strong in polymer chemistry and biomedical engineering are</p>

<p>Case Western - has a whole macromolecular science major about polymers
Rochester
RPI</p>

<p>Other great schools with more competitive merit scholarships that aren’t on your list are
Johns Hopkins
Rice
Lehigh
Duke</p>

14

<p>ChrisRockerDad is absolutely right. You are invincible with those stats. </p>

<p>I would not be surprised if you got into Harvard, Stanford, Yale, or any of the top schools. </p>

<p>The bottom line is, there are many need-blind schools that will offer full tuition. Harvard comes to mind immediately. Why don’t you apply? You are a match for Dart and Brown.</p>

15

<p>It would not be a bad idea to consider this program at UAB. They have this accelerated program called EMPSAP, which is pretty much 7 yr med school+undergraduate combined. You are guaranteed admission into UAB med school, and with your scores you will definitely get a full ride + stipend. Not to mention all the different scholarships for race</p>

16

<p>If you are female, you might look at some of the women’s colleges as they have merit money and strong science programs. Look at Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Wellesley</p>