<p>I'm not looking just for schools I will get into - I'm trying to balance reaches, safeties, and match schools. So far, my list is at 16. Since I don't feel like spending $1000 on application fees or spending that much time filling out forms, please help me decide which of the following schools I should NOT apply to.</p>
<p>Done Deal: already sent my applications to:
Yale (SCEA)
Scripps (had to apply early for $) - however, I will only go here if a.) they give me the lots of $, and b.) I get in nowhere else I like. Basically, I don't want to be this far from home (I live in CT)</p>
<p>The Rest:
Boston College
Colgate
Dartmouth
Duke
Georgetown
Middlebury
Notre Dame
Princeton
Tufts
UConn (in state safety)
U Delaware (honors program)
UNC - Chapel Hill
University of Richmond (for getting National Hispanic Recognition Award thingy, they automatically give me a 1/2 tuition scholarship and fee-waiver)
Wellesley
William & Mary</p>
<p>Well, the point is, I don't want to ahve the decision based on schools I'll get into or not. Just, are two schools really similar, so it would be pointless to apply to both? Or, if I like such-and-such a school, would I then hate this other one?</p>
<p>I'll humor you with stats in brief:
SATs: 770v, 760m
Top 3 SATIIs: 800 spanish (but a native speaker, so less impressive), 740 math IIC, 730 physics. some schools require writing, which was 720.
Most demanding schedule (1 AP sophomore year (5), 3 junior year(5,5,4), 6 senior year)
3.98-4.0 weighted GPA (just making top 10% - im probably 25-30 of almost 350)
hispanic (both parents born in Cuba, spanish 1st lang.)
middling to good ECs.</p>
<p>I want a school that isn't so big I don't know anyone, but not so small I know everyone (thats what I love about Yale's residential college system - smaller community in bigger school. ND does something similar where you have th same dorm all 4 years). </p>
<p>I am very socially conservative, which I realize can be a hard thing to find in the northeast, but I don't want to be too far from home in CT. I am pretty religious (Catholic). I don't need a Catholic school, but one where religious worship is welcome (not extremely unusual and such).</p>
<p>I realize parties and drinking go on excessively at almost all colleges, but I don't really like to participate, so I want a school where there are other options (I worry about middle-of-nowhere schools like Dartmouth for this reason, but see below). However, I hate huge cities (my sister's at Columbia, ick. something along the scale of Boston or New Haven sounds about right)</p>
<p>I want to study language or linguistics, making Middlebury and Dartmouth, which are known for language programs look good.</p>
<p>I want a school with a sense of community/school spirit. From what I've seen of my sister's school, there doesn't seem to be much of a sense of unity. Another reason I love Yale's residential college system. But then, thats why I applied early there.</p>
<p>Get rid of Georgetown if DC is too big for you, keep it if linguistics studies win out over city size...the opportunity to work in a location like that would be great.</p>
<p>I don't see why you need UConn or UDelaware if you have URichmond and you're also applying to UNC-CH. Many of the LACs on your list seem like they would be safeties.</p>
<p>But I'm only trying to get you to re-evaluate your list in a different way than you have in the past, so don't take my suggestions too seriously. I'm just like you, and I'm definitely not more qualified to make any sort of decision regarding your chances.</p>
<p>P.S. Notre Dame and BC are excellent Catholic schools for your stats...I know someone who is a freshman attending BC who got a great scholarship there. Good choices.</p>
<p>I really recommend Dartmouth. I am a junior at Dartmouth, half Hispanic, from New York and very socially and politically conservative. I took Russian at Dartmouth. The language program is great, although I ultimately decided to major in history.</p>
<p>Please, if you have any questions about your college search, email me. Your stats are amazing and you can probably get in most places. I considered many of the schools on your list (including Richmond!) I ended up applying ED to Dartmouth and I have never regretted that choice. It is WONDERFUL; the best decision I ever made. I am sure there are other places I could have been happy. But Dartmouth is the perfect combination of College and University. It is small enough to be personal, but large enough to have a niche for everyone.</p>
<p>As I said, i would be happy to talk to you. Email me!</p>
<p>I agree - if you don't want to be in a big city, cross off Georgetown. I'd also be somewhat tempted to cross off U of Delaware --- U Conn is similar enough, honors college or no. I'm not exactly sure why UNC is on your list - doesn't really seem like a standout for your interest in languages/linguistics. With your stats and hispanic heritage, I think you really don't need to apply to 16 schools. I'd say you have a pretty good shot at Notre Dame, Boston College, Middlebury, Richmond, Welleseley, Colgate and Tufts as it is.</p>
<p>Well, I put Duke, Georgetown, UNC, Richmond, and W&M on there because I'm interested in looking atgood schools that are a bit to the south of here. However, I think I'm going to cut out W&M, and maybe Georgetown (though I did like the immediate area, I did think the city was a tad big). Also, I see your points about UConn and Delaware, so I might drop one or both of those. Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>Not to complicate matters, but if you want to consider a school in the South that is not too big, has the residential college system like Yale, and where you will get an excellent education, why don't you consider Rice? It is in a big city (Houston) but is a totally enclosed campus, and gets the blend of a beautiful campus setting with the benefits of a city, with theater, museums, arts, shopping, restaurants, etc. and large medical center right nearby. The light rail makes it easy to get around.Total undergrad enrollment is 2800. Grad school adds another 1800. It has the benefits of a large university with the feel of a small LAC. And, the tuition is incredibly reasonable, thanks to a large endowment that is put towards tuition to keep the cost affordable. It is truly a gem. Yes, there are parties, but there is no pressure to participate. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion. I'm trying to cut my list, not add to it, but I'm always willing to look at a new school. Honestly, I knew almost nothing about Rice, but it sounds nice, so I'll be sure not to overlook it.</p>
<p>With your stats there's no doubt you'll get everywhere you applied. That's what I think. I would go with Dartmouth. I have a friend whose also hispanic and Catholic at Dartmouth and he loves it there. Like athenaNY said, it is big enough to have the feel of a university, yet small enough to get the individual attention from professors. Some people can't distinguish Dartmouth from the other small liberal arts schools, which is a good thing, seeing how you get the individual personal attention from professors only at small liberal arts schools. There's no doubt in my mind you'll get in. Good luck.</p>
<p>I know you weren't looking for more suggestions, but if adding one school can help to eliminate 4 or 5 others, it's worth a look. I just looked at their website, and on one of the photo series they have running on top when you select "becoming a Rice Undergrad" is a photo with a quote from Hispanic Magazine (2003) calling it one of the top 2 schools for Hispanics. Alberto Gonzales, Bush's nominee for Attorney General, is a Rice grad.</p>
<p>Duke is a great school with top academics. Would add Holy Cross very good Catholic school which gives merit aid. Also HC has very strong alumni network.</p>
<p>Actually, jym, that isn't that big a concern for me. My current school is 90-something percent caucasian, and the rest are mostly asians. It doesn't bother me at all, and I have no trouble fitting in (looking at me, most people don't even realize I'm hispanic). While I do like diversity (I did a summer program that was 1/3 international, it was the coolest thing ever), a much hispanicness isn't going to factor in that much when making a decision. Actually, though, looking at the website, it did look kind of nice. However, I think it's ultimately going to be too far away. The only other school I'm looking at that is that far is Scripps, in CA, which, as I said, I would only consider going to if I get their full scholarships, which includes not only room and board and tuition, but plane fare too. Even if I do get it, I still might choose to stay closer to home.</p>
<p>to minorityman and carolyn - as I said, I'm really not interested in which schools I could get into or not, or where I should ultimately go. Just, assuming I could get into all of them (pretend you've never seen my stats), which do you think i would like best? (though, thanks for the tip about Georgetown - from what I've heard, its in a really nice, smaller-scale area within D.C., but do you think the presence of a huge city is too obvious? reidm, I don't consider Boston to be too big. I've spent the past 2 summers there, so I know it is, but it doesn't feel huge like NY does)</p>
<p>Sounds like you are doing a good job of narrowing down your choices. I just thought I'd throw in Rice, as my s. was in your shoes last year-- stats a little higher in fact (1570 SAT, SATII's all 770-800, National Merit finalist, great EC's etc). He looked at 13 schools, mostly in the NE., a few in CA, a few in the south, He loved the residential college system, though, to my surprise, wasn't that thrilled with Yale. He wanted small class size, easily accessible faculty, etc. He looked at most of the Ivies, a few Tech schools, and you can guess where he fell in love and applied ED. He LOVES Rice! The flight to Houston from NY is shorter than to CA, but it is a <em>bit</em> of a drive. Easy flights to LaGuardia or Kennedy from Hobby or Bush Airports.There are currently about 85 students at Rice from NY. My bro. attended Yale, and I spent a good deal of time there as an undergrad when I was at Vassar. Yale is a great place. I have to say, though, I feel safer on the Rice campus. If you get onto the CC Rice subforum, there is a current Rice freshman, Jenskate, who is from NY. She can give you more info, should you care. My s. spent 2 summers at Duke, on both the east and west campus. It is a pretty place, but as I said, its big. OK-- I feel like I am a hired PR person, which I am not. There are lots of great choices closer to home. Did you consider Vassar?? It's a wonderful place as well, with lots of what you are looking for.</p>
<p>One last thing-- Easy flights to Hartford too :) If my s. hadn't gotten into Rice ED, he was going to apply to Tufts and Brown. He first planned to apply to Amherst and Williams, but then decided he wanted engineering available. I love Dartmouth, but he didn't. Middlebury is charming. If I were you, I'd scrap the big schools, Sounds like it isn't what you are going to be happy with. Good luck!!! P.S. I must admit, the Rice tuition being 10K less than the comparable NE schools is a nice benefit :)</p>