Help me make sense of all this, please!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, I know I'm getting started late to the whole college-list thing but I think I have a general idea of places that I would like to apply to. I would, however, appreciate any help or guidance as far as schools to look at and someone to let me know if I'm overestimating myself. </p>

<p>About Me:
White, male, 17 years old
91.2 unweighted average, which translates to a 3.6, I think.
Taken level 4 science/math and level 5 english/history classes throughout high school - level 5 is the highest level at my school (reasonably competitive public). The only AP classes offered are in the realm of math and science, and I'm taking AP Bio this year.</p>

<p>SATs: 2140 (800CR, 630M, 710W), no SAT IIs yet.</p>

<p>Not too many extracurriculars - freshman baseball, work for 15-20 hours a week last year and this year, participated in National History Day competition but lost at the regionals (the lowest level, haha), NHS, will have about 100hrs of community service by the time I graduate, planning on writing for the school newspaper and playing sax in the jazz band this year.</p>

<p>Looking for a small-medium size school, primarily looking in the northeast (would consider elsewhere), and I'm planning on studying English/Creative writing and/or American history. I would prefer a suburban/rural setting over an extremely urban one like GWU, Northeastern, but as long as an urban school has a true campus I'm happy. I'd like a kind of tight-knit community and a social life that does not revolve around drinking. I would also prefer an intellectual environment over a pre-professional one. I love music and am on the left when it comes to politics.</p>

<p>Places I'm thinking about: Bates, Brown, UChicago, Colby, Connecticut College, Georgetown, Grinnell, Holy Cross, Kenyon, Oberlin, Providence College, URochester, St. Anselm College, Tufts, UVM, Wheaton (MA), Wesleyan</p>

<p>I'm hoping that I have a mix of safety/match/reach in there but I figure you guys will straighten me out if I'm being overly optimistic. Please let me know if you think I should scratch somewhere off that list or have a recommendation of somewhere else, preferably with strong english and history programs. I don't know too much about the many Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges. Sorry for the long-windedness, thanks for reading/the help.</p>

2

<p>Sounds like Oberlin would be a very good fit. Strong English, creative writing, and history. Suburban/rural, intellectual, friendly community. A world-class conservatory of music. Try to visit if you can.</p>

3

<p>You muuuust bring up your math score. Try the ACT?</p>

<p>Your list is good, but upping your stats on something you can still change can make the reaches more accessible.</p>

4

<p>Brown, Chicago, and Georgetown are probably your biggest reaches.</p>

<p>I would call Bates, Colby, Grinnell, Kenyon, Tufts, and Wesleyan high matches.</p>

<p>Oberlin, Rochester, Wheaton as matches.</p>

<p>St. Anselm, Providence, UVM as safeties.</p>

<p>If I were you, I would consider slashing Bates and Colby in the high match and replacing it with Skidmore, a more arty/intellectual match, and possibly Pitzer College too (match).</p>

<p>I tend to associate heavy drinking/alcohol presence with small, isolated schools. You may want to overnight at a small, isolated school to see if there's enough social life on weekends that is not alcohol-centered to keep you happy.</p>

<p>A friend of mine was between Oberlin and Kenyon, among other schools on your list. What she noticed was that the kids at Kenyon drank solely to get drunk, and when they got drunk, they got VERY drunk, and she didn't get the feeling that alcohol was a social lubricant or a way to have fun-- she felt students were getting drunk because they were bored. At Oberlin, though, she felt that students still did get drunk, but that they enjoyed themselves by other means, too-- a given night may include a play or a concert along with the drinking component.</p>

5

<p>I agree with unalove, except that I'd move Tufts and Wesleyan to the reach catagory.</p>

6

<p>^ ^ ^ And I agree with Weskid. ;)</p>

7

<p>Unalove: Oberlin is slightly more selective than Bates and Colby, and considerably more selective than Kenyon and Skidmore.</p>

8

<p>dave72: no it isn't</p>

9

<p>A friend's daughter is taking creative writing at Vassar and all are very pleased.
But you mention nothing about finances. Before applying to any of these schools you need to discuss that with your parents.</p>

10

<p>US News 2007 edition Selectivity Rank (sorry don't have 2008):</p>

<p>Bates 27
Colby 20
Kenyon 29
Oberlin 20
Skidmore 59</p>

11

<p>Do people usually score higher on the ACT than the SAT? I have considered retaking the SAT but I really don't know how much better I would do. I can't see myself getting higher than a 680 on the math (I got a 66 on the PSAT) but I didn't study a whole ton for it the first time around either. Would a small difference like that greatly improve my chances? I'm hoping to get my gpa up slightly but it's either going to stagnate or increase by .1 or maybe .2, but that's doubtful. Class rank has not been calculated yet so I'm not too sure where I stand. I also forgot to put a couple of leadership groups that I am/was a part of in the "extracurriculars" above. </p>

<p>unalove, thanks for your suggestions and drinking anecdote - the more I hear about Oberlin the more I like it. I had a cousin who went to Skidmore and really didn't like it and transferred so I never really even considered it - but he and I are very different people so I think I'll take a closer look. Pitzer is kind of far for me. </p>

<p>Trust me, I'm going to discuss finances before applying anywhere and I'm aware of the exorbitant cost of an education these days. For better or for worse, right now most of my paycheck is being funneled into the bank.</p>

<p>Any other match-type schools I should be looking at?</p>

12

<p>Anybody else have thoughts on this?</p>