Help me refine my list?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey! Thanks so much for stopping by! Here's my list right now:</p>

<p>Brown
UChicago
Carleton
Macalester
GaTech (instate)
... maybe UGA? (I don't really like it, but it's instate)</p>

<p>I realize some of them are pretty big reaches. My GPA is about 3.6UW/4.0W (both going up), and I got a 2020 on the January SAT but I had a nosebleed during it, so things got a little messed up (and I'm retaking soon). I've got the highest level of classes I can possibly take (4 AP's this year, 2 sophomore, 1 freshmen, and planning on 9-10 next year), and I've been doing really well on AP Exams. My ECs are solid (but not great). Haven't gotten to subject tests or ACT yet.</p>

<p>Alright, so I'm hoping to double major in political science and physics (with hopes of going to law school eventually). I'm looking for colleges without a lot of the rah-rah, sports rule atmosphere, so I've been looking a lot at LACs, but I'm not adverse to universities without the big sports atmosphere. I've been looking for liberal, open-minded, diverse colleges. My hobbies are music (trombone, piano, guitar), theater, and soccer (not looking to play varsity). Oh, and I'm really hoping to go back up north.</p>

<p>So, I'm thinking that I need a few more safeties (especially financial safeties) and probably more matches. And that list isn't set in stone either; I still haven't visited all of them yet (only gotten to Tech, UChicago, UGA, and very briefly Brown; I'm probably getting up to Minnesota this summer or spring break), and I could change by the time I'm applying, but I'm hoping you guys can help me find some schools along those veins.</p>

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<p>How much can your parents afford to contribute each year?</p>

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<p>I just received a pretty big inheritance from a relative, so it’s looking like money isn’t going to be a huge issue. I do want financial safeties just in case something happens though.</p>

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<p>If you do intend on going to law school I recommend keeping the costs for your UG down. Here is a list of schools with good merit aid:<br>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Carleton meets need and offers no merit aid. Brown and Chicago may be the same.</p>

5

<p>What are you looking for in a school? Brown will give you the Ivy feel. UChicago has a little Ivy feel as well as a city feel. Brown will be very liberal and U of C is pretty liberal as well, although their PoliSci and Econ departments hav a long history of having a pretty good libertarian influence. UGA will be a little more conservative as well as more of a “rah-rah sports school.” Sports are not HUGE at Minnesota, but it is still a Big Ten school so you will have it there. UMN is a very liberal school in one of the most liberal cities in the country.</p>

<p>Have you considered St. Olaf in Minnesota? It is a small liberal arts school. Most likely quite liberal as well. You definitely will not get the “rah-rah” feel.</p>

6

<p>Brown students are quirky and very liberal, but it’s going to be a big reach for you. Probably meets your needs the most. </p>

<p>UChicago is liberal and fits your guidelines. Your stats are lower than those of most admits.</p>

<p>Carleton, Macalester, and GTech are matches to high matches, but they dont fit you as well as Brown or UChicago. </p>

<p>Also try Boston College, Northeastern, NYU, UMCP.</p>

7

<p>Note that no specific major is required to go to law school.</p>

8

<p>Check out Swarthmore. It will be a relatively large reach but it seems to fit your bill pretty well. If you want to go even smaller you might try Haverford which is just around the corner.</p>

<p>By the way, I would feel uncomfortable labeling Carleton as a high match. It seems more like a low reach to me (but that may just be semantics).</p>

9

<p>Carleton is a reach. My DD2 was waitlisted with a 4.0 (#1/450 students) and a 2280 SAT.</p>

10

<p>Case Western, U.Rochester, GWU, American, Holy Cross, BC</p>

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<p>Providence College -RI
Wheaton College-MA
Connecticut College-CT
Skidmore College-NY
Hobart & William Smith-NY
St Lawrence University-NY</p>

12

<p>Thanks everyone so much for the replies! I really don’t know what I’d do without all of you!</p>

<p>Also, if it helps, I go to a pretty well-known school that sends lots of kids to HYPSM each year (I think 7 admits to Yale already and a handful to Princeton, Stanford, and MIT of that I know.) Oh, and I’m just outside the top 10% with a pretty good chance of getting in there before applications.</p>

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I actually hadn’t really thought about that, but that’s a really good point. I’ll definitely try to find some more low-cost options too.</p>

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You know, every time I think I know what I want, it changes or I see a totally different atmosphere that looks like it would work. I’m just so conflicted. I’m thinking that visiting more schools will probably help me with some of that?</p>

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That was definitely my impression when I visited. It’s only on the list to please the parents as a safety.</p>

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I did look into it at some point, but I think I remember it being religious? I’m not quite certain on that. I really liked it, but something like that turned me off.</p>

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Yeah, that’s what I thought. I really love it, but admission is looking pretty bleak for me right now.</p>

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I will, thanks!</p>

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Yeah, I just like political science (if that is to which you were referring) and physics too for that matter.</p>

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I’ll look into those, thanks! I figured Carleton was a reach.</p>

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Eep, that’s a little frightening. I’m definitely cautious about admission there.</p>

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I’ll look into those too, thanks! :)</p>

13

<p>Bump 10char</p>

14

<p>If you want liberal, quirky and politically active, look at Oberlin. Hamilton has an open curriculum similar to Brown.</p>

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<p>Thank you! I’ll take a look!</p>

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<p>Bump 10char</p>

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<p>Bump 10char</p>