Help me find safeties?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi. I'm a junior. I've found a lot of match/reach schools I'm really interested in but having a lot of trouble finding safeties that I like.</p>

<p>Stats overview: 4.0 UW GPA, 7 or so APs by the end of senior year, 225 on PSAT w/o studying, will take multivariable calculus at top-20 university next year, alright ECs (literary magazine, volunteer work, shows a focus/concentration in a certain area, but still somewhat sparse)</p>

<p>Type of person I am: caucasian female, competitive private school that sends many students to top schools, technically a low-income family (on financial aid at school, but mom's job will pay for a lot of college), single parent home, very liberal but not radical, not too preppy, vegetarian, presbyterian/agnostic, open-minded, likes diversity, interest in international relations possibly, from the South</p>

<p>Schools: interested in Southern ones but not a must, smallish (no more than 8k or so undergrads), preferably not a women's college but it might be alright (i do really like barnard)... just tell me what you think!</p>

<p>Already Considering: Williams, Middlebury, Tufts, Wash U, Wesleyan, Carleton, Emory, Davidson, William & Mary, Brown, Dartmouth...</p>

<p>as you can see they're kind of all across the board. I was thinking about ConnColl and Trinity in CT but I don't know if I would like them. I also don't know if they can be considered safeties for me with around a 40% admit rate. I am insecure. Give me some perspective? :X</p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

2

<p>There are many small private colleges in the midwest that would be considered safeties/low matches. Among them Earlham, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan. In many cases they also give good merit aid so I would consider them.</p>

3

<p>It sounds like you would enjoy ConnColl. I have a friend there who sounds a lot like you and absolutely loves it. Although I don’t think it can be considered a safety.</p>

4

<p>You need to find your True Safety before you worry about anything else. This is a place that:</p>

<p>1) Has to admit you based on your statistics. Please note “has to” rather than “is highly likely to”. In other words, a home-state public where admission is guaranteed for your GPA and test score range, or an open admission community college.</p>

<p>2) Your family can pay for without any financial aid other than federally determined financial aid.</p>

<p>3) Offers your probable major(s) or in the case of a community college offers the first two years of a guaranteed transfer program in your probable major(s).</p>

<p>4) You are willing to attend if all else fails.</p>

<p>Yes, you do have excellent statistics BUT every single year students just like you have many things go wrong in the application process, and they find out in May that they can’t pay for the schools that have admitted them.</p>

<p>Your PSAT scores are in the National Merit Semi-Finalist range for most states. Start looking now for schools that offer automatic admission and/or automatic scholarships for NM Finalists and put those on your short list. Many are second, third, and fourth tier schools, but could end up offering you a full-ride (tuition, fees, books, travel & living expenses, etc.) which would be a really nice present for you and your mom!</p>

<p>And with your stats, Bryn Mawr should be on your match/reach list.</p>

5

<p>Thanks everyone so far! I know right now my list is super ambitious which is why I am trying to get a more well-rounded one. My mom is one of those parents who thinks that I will get into Harvard without a doubt so it’s sort of difficult trying to explain to her that there are tens of thousands of people out there with the same scores as me and they all want to go to college too… haha</p>

<p>Yeah I like Bryn Mawr! But my mom’s friend told her that the girls there were “weird” so she’s reluctant about that. sigh! i think she’ll come around though, and i do think she’ll be happy with wherever I end up as long as I feel I’ve made the right decision.</p>

<p>and also I agree that conncoll is not a safety at all; that’s why I need help :stuck_out_tongue: I’ll definitely keep it on my list to look at though!</p>

6

<p>bump 10char. thanks all :)</p>