<p>Basically I have had so so test scores but recently got my act score up to a 33. This has prompted my mom to think I should apply to some schools that are more of reaches since my previous reaches are matches. I have been accepted to willamette, deferred from Colorado college with my previous scores, and waiting to hear back from earlham. I plan to apply to grinnell, Pitzer, Whitman, and maybe macalester. I haven't taken and will not take any sat tests. My uw gpa is 3.89. My extra curriculars are quite extensive: two varsity sports with awards,art displayed in local galleries, leader of drum line and percussion ensemble, volunteer at an arts campand for elementary school, teach kids environmental science through a unique program we have, and helped started a city wide student union this year. The things I have been interested in schools is a tight knit community, liberal student body, diversity in socioeconomic classes at the school, rigorous academics, but not competitive. I am interested in majoring in science, maybe chem, enviro, or neuroscience but I have been looking primarily at lacs not on the east coast. I am currently taking a science class at reed which i like but is overall too theoretical and the intro class is huge compared to what i thought it would be. If you have any recommendations for schools to try and reach for, send them my way! Obviously I would prefer if they used the common app and they can't require subject tests. I was thinking maybe to add Pomona, carleton, university of Chicago, or something along those lines. Feel free to go east coast and schools besides lacs because that expands things. I will probably apply to tops two more schools than those on my list but feel free to suggest any that fit my criteria and why. Also schools that are reaches but not impossible!!</p>
<p>Opinions on swarthmore or brown?</p>
<p>U Chicago, Brown, Swarthmore, Pomona and Carleton are all great schools and somewhat more selective than your current list. It gets back to your selection criteria and how you prioritize them:</p>
<p>If you are sure you want a LAC, eliminate Brown and U Chicago. If you think it might be nice to have the choice of a larger environment with the possibility of take graduate level courses in your senior year, keep them and drop Swarthmore and Carleton. These schools have more in common than separating them - slightly different campus vibes but we don’t know you or what you want in that respect. </p>
<p>If it were me, the weather would matter. I find it easier to try new things, get outside my comfort zone, when I don’t have to fight bitter cold, sleet, wind, dark at 5pm, etc… For that reason, I’d drop Carleton, U Chicago and Brown, and keep Swarthmore and Pomona. But I’m a weather wimp. Others might say easy urban access matters - in which case U Chicago and Brown stay, and Swarthmore, Pomona and Carleton go.</p>
<p>So, what matters most to you in a school environment and what are you willing to trade off?</p>
<p>What about Wesleyan, colby, or bard?</p>
<p>Anyone have school suggestions? Also I need quite a bit of financial aid.</p>
<p>3rd, I would suggest that you leverage your art/music/talent experience. At several academically rigorous LACs art and music count a lot as ECs. Have you submitted a portfolio, recordings? If not, do so fast!</p>
<p>I believe that you may need subject tests for some of these, but you may be able to submit retroactively. </p>
<p>Williams, Wesleyan, Conn College, Hamilton, Skidmore, Vassar, Kenyon. If you are female, Smith. </p>
<p>Some of the LACs you mention are excellent academically, especially Pomona, Swarthmore, Carleton & Grinnell, but I don’t know how much boost you’d get from your arts involvement.</p>
<p>Financial aid is available if you qualify for NEED based aid. Some offer MERIT aid, but many do not. You need to clarify your family’s financial situation before you go further.</p>
<p>Middlebury
Colby
Reed (one class isn’t everything)
Oberlin
Occidental</p>
<p>I basically needed to figure out by today to give the director of my program a heads up to send in a letter explaining my program. On a whim I picked Wesleyan and Swarthmore! Here’s to hoping it pans out. </p>
<p>Also, definitely not going to Reed. It’s not the place for me plus I am ready to get away from here lol.</p>
<p>Do you honestly think Oxy would be a reach for me? I was thinking of applying there but would call it more of a match. I considered Oberlin and Carleton but ultimately I like Grinnell in the mid-west more and figured I would reach schools with different vibes just in case I happen to like them more.</p>
<p>Also, my family definitely qualifies for need aid. Quite a bit of it.</p>
<p>If you need financial aid and you were seriously considering Colorado College, University of Puget Sound is similar in terms of student body, and strength in certain fields, but gives excellent merit/financial aid to its best qualified students.</p>
<p>How about Lewis and Clark on the other side of the river?</p>
<p>I live on the other side of the river, pretty close to L&C and I just don’t want to be that close to home. I’m not really considering Puget Sound because they gave my sister a pretty wimpy financial aid package.</p>
<p>Willamette?</p>
<p>Applied and accepted!</p>
<p>We are pretty similar applicants, though your grades are stronger than mine, and I applied to Carleton. I’ve visited it, and if you love Grinnell, you’d probably love Carleton as well. I’m personally more inclined to apply to schools that I actually think I’ll get into, so while I was considering applying to Pomona, I’ve decided against it. I also recommend Vassar and think you have a good shot at Wesleyan.</p>
<p>Everything is a reach.</p>
<p>^^ How is everything a reach?</p>
<p>I decided to apply to Swarthmore and Wesleyan as bigger reaches. Hopefully I have a good shot at Wes although probably not too much for Swat. I decided on these because I didn’t have any east coast schools and I considered it kind of silly I weirdly outlawed the east coast for school selection. Honestly I think I’d be happy going to any of the schools I’m applying to, although some would obviously be a better fit.</p>
<p>What’s your curriculum? Many kids that apply to these schools already have 5’s or 4’s on multiple AP tests with more in the works for the current year. Wes likes 4 years of a language. Despite the ACT being allowed without subject tests, the SAT subject tests are still preferred and are important for assessing your curriculum. Take at least two subjects in January, and register by today! High GPA’s from the West Coast are very common. What’s your class rank?</p>
<p>I’ve gotten a 4 on the AP spanish test sophomore year and a 3 in AP US history. I was taking spanish at my high school as well as math in 8th grade. This year I’m taking AP stat, Ap eng, and AP art which I will take tests for. My UW rank is around 15% but my weighted rank is in the top 5%. Hopefully they look at that one. I’m also taking a science class at Reed and getting a rec out of that. My senior year is so difficult with 3 APs, two regular, and my Reed class.</p>
<p>“My UW rank is around 15%” This tells the story of what your UW GPA really means. Your school grades very high.</p>
<p>Yes but that is a bunch of people not taking any honors or AP classes. All of my classes are rigorous which places me at the 5 percentile for unweighted. I think this is a more accurate representation.</p>
<p>I’m not even sure what my unweighted one is exactly.</p>
<p>You’re right, third, your unweighted rank is meaningless. Only the weighted matters. :)</p>