Help me form my college list

College Search & Selection
1

I was just rejected from Colgate University, to which I applied early decision. I absolutely loved the school and I was also a legacy. I’m starting to feel a bit insecure about the rest of my colleges that I’m applying to so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I intend to major in environmental studies and stay on a pre-law track, eventually getting into environmental law and policy work. I definitely want to be on the east coast. My grades are definitely my weak point, I have gotten primarily A’s but a few C’s here and there and I got my first D last semester in a dual enrollment class. I have taken the hardest courses available to me, which isn’t very much because I come from a very low opportunity/low income school.

Current List:
Penn State (safety)
University of Florida (hopefully safety, sister goes here)
University of Richmond
Wellesley College
Syracuse University

Stats:

ACT: 31 composite; 34 w, 31 r, 31 s, 28 m
SAT: 1390; 710 w/r, 680 m; 1420 superscored
GPA: 3.44/4.63

Extracurriculars:
JV Cheer, 1 year
AICE Student Union Class Representative, will be 4 years
Will complete dance curriculum, all 4 years
Member of All-County dance team, 4 years
National Honor Society for Dance Arts member, 2 years
NHSDA Treasurer, 1 year
NHSDA President, 1 year
Community Service at local elementary school
School Musical, 2 year
Out of school dance program, 12 hours a week, 3 years fresh-junior
Hostess at local restaurant- 16-20 hrs a week from July 2017-present

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Schools with reasonable financial aid please! Thank you

2

I should add that I also applied to Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Hamilton, and Middlebury. They had no application fees and I figured it wouldn’t hurt, even if I didn’t have a shot haha.

3

I think that you are probably good for UF. From what I have heard it is also a very good school (we didn’t look at it, we live in the northeast US). I might however be tempted to add another in-state safety.

Have you run the NPC for Penn State and the rest of your schools?

4

As you have Wellesley on your list, you may want to consider Bryn Mawr and Mt. Holyoke. They are parts of consortia and Bryn Mawr has access to Swarthmore, Haverford, UPenn.

Mt. Holyoke has access to Hampshire, Amherst, Smith, and UMass Amherst.

5

Yes, its disappointing that you weren’t accepted to Colgate - most aren’t, so its a reach for almost everyone. Think you’ve got a lot of reaches or super reaches - all in posting #1 as well as University of Richmond and Wellesley College, but not enough matches. Doesn’t mean one won’t happen, so hang in there.

That said, have you looked at schools like Connecticut College, Dickinson, Franklin and Marshall, and Trinity as those are more likely?

6

Allegheny is a likely safety, good for ES, SUNY ESF

7

I would suggest Bucknell and College of the Holy Cross as they have a lot of similarities with Colgate, but are a bit easier to get accepted to. Neither is going to like the D, but they are worth a look