help me in my college search

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Female, Asian, possibly low income, very competitive NYC public school
HS Average: ~94.3 (unweighted) I don't know how this would fit in a 4.0 scale
SAT: CR: 650 M:650 W:580 (improvement expected this October, shotting for atleast 700's in each section, will actually self-study and prep for the test...)
SAT II: Bio: 720 US: 700
AP: Euro[sophomore year]:3 USH [Junior Year]: anticipating a 4
Extracurriculars: Varsity soccer since freshman year, Mock Trial/Moot Court (leadership position next year, co-capt), School Plays, Student Government
Community Service: 350+ (maybe even 400+, not positive about the totals) hours at two organizations, one that supports HIV/AIDS and a not for profit theater program for children.
Interesting Academic Choices: Takes three foreign languages (Spanish, French, and Latin, 5 years of Spanish, 2 years of both French and Latin [will not continue w/ French and Latin b/c I don't have room in my senior schedule]), have taken 4 years of Regents science by the end of Junior Year (despite lack of interest in Science [Bio, Chem, Physics, and Earth]); have taken a 3 credit drama class at a CUNY.
Senior Schedule: AP Spanish, AP Statistics, AP USGov, Volleyball Gym (req), College English Seminar at a CUNY, another CUNY class (likely to be theater related, or be like political science, sociology, philosophy)
This Summer: Will be volunteering at the theater camp, and be taking a musical theater course at Hunter College (3 credits)</p>

<p>Location: I'm looking for a college that isn't too isolated, it can be if it has amazing programs and a lot of campus life, if it is lacking in that category it must be nearby a large city. East coast (esp. north east, a big plus), or the west coast. Location isn't a big issue, I just don't want to wind up in the woods with nothing but campus parties...I would be interested in internships and jobs.</p>

<p>Intended Major: I'm going on a pre-law route, so poli sci, US History, etc. I am also very interested in theater, so I would either like to minor if not double major. Art, as well.</p>

<p>I’m liberal, laid back, enjoys theater, and shopping. Creative, downtown vibe.</p>

<p>Colleges I’m looking into:
Yale
Harvard
Columbia
Stanford
Duke
U. Mich
Barnard
Bowdoin
Vassar
Smith
Claremont McKenna
NYU
Sarah Lawrence
Colby
Colgate
Carnegie Mellon
Brandeis
CUNY Honors Hunter College
CUNY Honors Queens College
Boston University</p>

<p>So basically is there any school that you would eliminate off the list for me or add to? And a rough suggestion as to which schools would be reaches, matches, and safeties from the list?</p>

<p>I do have to work it down to the top 10, and I need to find some solid safeties that I would want to attend. Merit aid scholarships, as well as financial aid will be a big final decision factor.</p>

2

<p>You should add Emory. My son fell in love with it! Appplied ED and in! Atlanta is great. But show alot of interest. They love students like you. Good luck! We live in PA - small town - he wanted to be near a city. Div. III was important to him - he is an athlete but will be a walk on to one of his sports. Who knows which one but that's OK because he cares more about the academics.</p>

3

<p>To be honest, I doubt that you will be a serious candidate for an Ivy level type school. You just have everything going against you...youre asian, you live in NY, you have low test scores and you dont have anything that jumps out.</p>

<p>NYU/Colgate/Mich/Colby/Brandeis seem around what you should look at if your scores dont improve.</p>

4

<p>I love it when people post who have similar stats and interests to mine (though, I'm not Asian and I don't live in New York).</p>

<p>The only schools on my list that aren't on yours are Georgetown, American and George Washington. Interestingly enough, all three are D.C. area schools.</p>

<p>Georgetown is going to be hard to get into with those scores. George Washington and American are more likely.</p>

5

<p>55 posts is enough to know that your chances at top 20 are very slim.</p>

6

<p>Forgot to add single parent to the list, not that it would tremendously help anyways.</p>

<p>"55 posts is enough to know that your chances at top 20 are very slim."
That statement amuses me soooo...;).</p>

<p>Ideas for safeties please, and/or matches...ignoring the first 5 schools (I'll probably end up doing EA Yale for hecks, and just to force the college admissions in my school to remember me) would be great...</p>

7

<p>I agree with another poster who mentions that D.C. is a city that seems to meet your preferences. One school you might want to look into for a safety/ low match (esp if your SAT scores go up even a bit) is American. It has pretty good art and theater side to it, in addition to their poli sci dept. </p>

<p>For the same reason, you might consider Catholic. Althugh it's a bit smaller than the range you're looking at, it also has strengths in both theater and poli sci/history.</p>

<p>What about University of Miami (in Coral Gables)? It's in skyline distance from Miami, a beautiful campus, and has lots of merit and aid money these days. Really improving its student body. Not sure of its history dept, but good in the arts. </p>

<p>As some of the others have pointed out, you have filled out the reach category. To the extent that money is an issue - and you indicate it is a big issue - your list of safeties should be the list you spend the most time on. Those are the schools most apt to offer you merit money as well as financial need.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

8

<p>
[quote]
Forgot to add single parent to the list

[/quote]
</p>

<p>How are the services at those colleges for a single-parent?</p>

9

<p>willact4food,</p>

<p>Realistically, I think the Ivy League schools, Stanford, Bowdoin and Duke are all REACH schools for you. Many of the others are not as much of a stretch but not MATCH schools either, e.g., Claremont McKenna, NYU, Brandeis, and Carnegie Mellon -- but all would be worthy of applying to if you have the interest in them. (BTW, Claremont McKenna is somewhat isolated from downtown L.A., and while it is good for politics/history, it has a limited theater program.) Boston University and Sarah Lawrence are reasonable MATCH schools, and perhaps Michigan also. </p>

<p>With many of the private schools, they will weigh your essay with added importance. I like the passion you have demonstrated for community service and theater. These EC's can perhaps tip the scales in your favor, and if you can adequately convey these passions in your essays, it may make the difference. Otherwise, your SAT scores are falling in the 25-50% percentile (or lower) for some of these REACH schools.</p>

<p>I concur with donleyc, consider Emory University because, while they are also a slight REACH, they meet the academic interests you have and have the cultural influences of Atlanta (including shopping!). They are also "need blind" in their admissions and, because of their large endowment, are in the position of being generous in their financial aid. Good luck!</p>

10

<p>"How are the services at those colleges for a single-parent?"</p>

<p>No...in regards to my living situation. I live in a single parent household.</p>

<p>I really appreciate all the information you guys are providing. To be honest I never really looked into Emory, because it's in Georgia. And as naive as it sounds, the South scares me. But Atlanta...I do forget that it's in Gerogia sometime.</p>

11

<p>Atlanta is actually a very nice city. Its in the South, yes... but its far from the stereotypical south. Its urban, its artsy, its a little cosmipolitan, its more liberal than the rest of the region (not saying its a hot-bed of liberalism, but its not exactly the bible-belt either).</p>

12

<p>I would drop the first six from your list. Look at Bryn Mawr- good theatre program. You can also attend Haverford and take classes at Bryn Mawr. I agree- Catholic University may be a good place to look at, and they give aid. Finding aid is a big job in itself. If you need aid, it does not make sense to waste effort and money applying to dream reaches. You need to do research on which schools have aid to give, and concentrate your applications on those schools. It sounds as if you can qualify for both need-based and merit aid. That is good. Just about every school gives need-based, so the trick is to locate schools that also might give you merit aid (and those who have tons of need-based aid to allocate). Are you planning to apply to SUNY, or are you just using the CUNY schools as the fall-back (that is fine-esp. with the honors program). Aside from the top six, the rest of your list looks pretty good.</p>

13

<p>Well I'm limited to apply to 10 schools. SUNY's are definately an option...I was considering Purchase and New Paltz. But I figured if I have to go to a state/city school, I might as well live with the parentals and save on rent. And I rather commute to the city or Queens than be stuck way upstate. (I'm not a fan of the cold.) And well...if I apply to both CUNYs and SUNYs then I'll have 8 applications left.</p>

<p>To be honest, I'd love to stay in the northeast...or where I can easily commute to NYC. (I do have a slight attachment with lottery lines and student rush for bway shows.)</p>

<p>Well I have looked into financial aid at like Yale for instance, and from what I comprehend...it wouldn't really be an financial burden at all if I were accepted.</p>

14

<p>Have you discussed all this with your guidance counselor? You might think of doing that if you haven't already. Ask to see where kids from your school, with the same stats as you, got admitted. The schools keep this data, so you will be able to see it.</p>

<p>If you are limited to applying to 10 schools, you should be even more careful than others who are unlimited.</p>

15

<p>yeaa...we actually have an online database that has gpa break down and sat scores of all applicants...to whatever school this graduating class has applied to. except this years stats have not been put up, so I readily have the 2005 stats...</p>

16

<p>Brandeis seems like a pretty good fit. Your stats are VERY similar to mine except that I only took Spanish and French (and 2 more years of Spanish) and that I'm Jewish and from rural Georgia. Their theatre program is very good and there are several different theatre companies on campus. The commuter rail into Boston is right across the street and there are buses into Boston as well.</p>

<p>I would really not recommend Emory if you're at all used to public transportation. Atlanta's leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, Atlanta is a pretty lackluster city in general.</p>

<p>Colby and Bowdoin are really in the middle of nowhere but seem to have lively on campus activities. If you want to make regular trips out to Boston, you'd probably need a car.</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
Brandeis seems like a pretty good fit. Your stats are VERY similar to mine except that I only took Spanish and French (and 2 more years of Spanish) and that I'm Jewish and from rural Georgia.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm Jewish too... but not from rural Georgia. Yeah, Brandeis would be a good school, my stats are similar as well, and Brandeis is high on my list.</p>

18

<p>If you're eligible for a lot of need-based aid, then you are in pretty good shape. What about Brown- easy train ride from NYC, and you seem like a Brown type. Of course, Brown has less aid to give out than Yale does. With only ten applications, you don't need four safeties.</p>

19

<p>I could have packaged myself better for Brandeis (a school I could see myself in) if I took Hebrew as my elective (which I attempted to do, but I didn't have room in my schedule, and I don't think I could have dealt with practically 3 back to back language finals in school), but I had this delusional mindset of staying in the city for college sophomore year...and of course my love of the French language. :)</p>

<p>A car...well actually, that's all fine and dandy, I just need to learn how to drive. I have a relative that is willing to part with her old car if I need it. But I just need to learn to drive, which is just a pain in the ass, since I still haven't got my learner's permit yet. But to be honest, where there's a will there's a way.</p>

<p>I'm a New Yorker...I'm really big on public transportation. I feel bad for other people on the road once I learn how to drive.</p>

<p>But in reality I would probably be too busy studying and working to be back in NYC that readily.</p>

<p>Guidance at my school isn't exactly the most helpful. (Which was actually how I found CC in the first place.) Between their computer illiteracy and facination with computer solitare, I find it amazing that my school's very active alumni association is fueling that much extra cash in the college admissions department. Although I did have a chance to speak with my counselor, who provided some minimal help, but didn't really know what to make of it until I had some SAT I scores.</p>

<p>I really appreciate all the information each and every one of you have provided. :)</p>

<p>This still warms my heart, although I never did find out who it was...accepted Columbia RD: GPA: 90.5 V: 550 M: 590</p>