Help me find some "match" schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I feel like I have a lot of reaches and a good amount of safeties, but I feel like I should have more "match" schools, those higher than safety but not a reach. </p>

<p>Here's the short list of my stats</p>

<p>4.0 UW GPA
2160/2400 (have been scoring in 2300s on Blue Book tests)
800 Chem 800 Math II 770 Spanish
Good, not fantastic, ECs
Good essay writer, have yet to find the "it" essay though
Recs should be good, one from a teacher who has taught AP Chem for 28 years and said I'm one of her best ever, others from Spanish and Chorus teachers</p>

<p>Good private PA school
White </p>

<p>List of Schools:
Reach: Yale (#1 choice), Penn, Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Duke
Match: NYU (I really like it there as well)
Safety: GW, U of Del, Pitt</p>

<p>I saw Tufts, JHU, and Georgetown, but didn't really like any of them
Also, I generally want a city. In reality, I just don't want to be bored, so a city makes sense.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>What do you want to study? What part of the country are you looking? Small LAC or mid to large size University?</p>

3

<p>Biochem, but I’m only like 50% sure. I also like Spanish, the environment, and linguistics and philosophy fascinate me even though I have limited exposure. I think I want a school on the East Coast, but I am not opposed to moving. I want a mid-large Uni.</p>

4

<p>How much can your family afford?</p>

5

<p>BU, maybe?</p>

6

<p>*
I saw Tufts, JHU, and Georgetown, but didn’t really like any of them*</p>

<p>Tell us what you didn’t like about these schools to give us an idea of what you don’t like.</p>

<p>What did you like about NYU (besides the obvious…being in NYC)? </p>

<p>Match schools can be difficult if money is a concern. How much will your parents pay each year? If you don’t know, ask.</p>

<p>Obviously, if money is a concern, NYU isn’t probably the best choice.</p>

7

<p>Trinity, Holy Cross.</p>

8

<p>BC, JHU, Georgetown, GW, Georgia Tech, Emory, Northeastern, Fordham, UCLA/USC </p>

<p>Slate these schools into your three categories where you think fit and you have a good list.</p>

9

<p>Wash U in St. Louis, if you are willing to consider outside of the East Coast. It’s medium sized, in a city, excellent in biochem.</p>

10

<p>UCLA, USC, Chicago</p>

11

<p>Consider Washington University in St. Louis or UMichigan - Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor isn’t a huge city, but its a small city and an awesome college town.</p>

12

<p>St. Louis and Ann Arbor are hardly cities.</p>

13

<p>With 3 safety schools, and esp if money is not a concern, I don’t think you need matches.</p>

<p>As a PA resident, Pitt would be about $25,000/year. It is excellent in Philosphy.</p>

<p>U of DE is not outstanding financially for OOS, but is still lower than most Mid-Atlantic schools.</p>

<p>I’d suggest keeping the list as is if you like all the safeties and concentrate on the reaches. 10 schools is plenty to apply to.</p>

<p>IMO – there are few match schools in your stat catergory for the price. The “safeties” for kids in your stats are solid schools that would offer challenges.</p>

14

<p>Hopkins was the first match to come to mind when I saw your scores and commentary. but I see you didn’t connect with that environment. So, maybe Vandy on heavy scholarship, or Rice if you don’t mind the Houston weather … problem is Vandy is perhaps not as urban as you might like.</p>

<p>Boston College is on a good roll and seems to meet your requirements.</p>

15

<p>Pitt is eastern, mid-sized and quite urban, and you’d be in good shape for plenty of merit-aid there.</p>

16

<p>BTW, Pitt is especially noted in the biosciences (5th in total NIH funding), and as mentioned above, [Pitt</a> is currently ranked #4 in the nation in Philosophy](<a href=“http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall.asp]Pitt”>http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall.asp) by Philosophy Gourmet and #1 in History of Philosophy and Science. Pitt also has excellent language programs and 5 Dept. of Education designated National Resource Centers (including Latin America). Seems to hit on all your criteria as long as you aren’t desperate to get out of PA.</p>

17

<p>Columbia in New York
Northwestern in Chicago</p>

18

<p>Thanks everyone! My family has been very lucky as of late and my parents want the education to be their gift to me (as they did to my brothers), so FinAid isn’t an issue. I have a friend going to Vandy that I can contact once she gets some impressions. Also, I will look into Wash U more (They’ve been sending mail out the wazoo!) and look at all of your other suggestions also. Thanks so much!</p>