<p>Hey guys and girls. I came to this website at first with a couple colleges in mind, usually the ivies or the best ones in my area that I thought I could get into, or stuff I had heard about. Sometimes the ones I've gotten mail from, I really think I like Elon University.</p>
<p>I need some help figuring out a basic list of colleges that are right for me, help me with criteria and ideas if you will please. I realize I'm only a sophomore, but I figure if I get a basic list down now it won't bite me during stressful AP classes junior and senior year.</p>
<p>Texasmathwhiz, here's the process my D has gone through (she's a junior now). I left several college guidebooks lying around the house the summer between freshman and sophomore years. She marked the colleges that sounded interesting. Then we attended college fairs - the local school district's and the CTCL fair (which does go to Dallas). Also attended a few college presentations held locally (usually in the fall, but some in the spring). She did the counselor-o-matic program. We looked over her selections and began to see patterns, which helped us sort out what was what. She took the SAT in March of her sophomore year, so we could get a pretty good idea of where she'd qualify in addition to her grades/rank. Then last summer, we hit the road. At this point, she's toured 11 colleges, and will look at 2 more in May. She's down to a list of 10 colleges in which she's still interested, but it is a continuing work in progress - especially since we still have the latest SAT scores to get, SAT2s to take, and trying to figure out approximately where she'll fall, rankwise. In the meantime, she's worked on her ECs and leadership positions.</p>
<p>The point is, we've been doing our research. Much as I would like to suggest colleges to you, I don't know you. Even if I did, your interests could very well change over the next few years (my daughter's did - both in major and favorite colleges). </p>
<p>I'm glad you're taking an interest in this early in the process - it will help keep you focused on long-range goals. But be flexible - changes will happen.</p>
<p>By the way, I've heard very good things about Elon, and North Carolina is incredibly beautiful.</p>
<p>Your daughter took the SAT sophomore year, so did I. I thought it would be a good idea so my parents and I could figure out how much preparation I need to do and how much money they'l have to shell out for me to do well. Of course, I'm hoping on April 11th I'll find out that I never have to take it again because I got a 2400, but I doubt that, I just hope I did well enough that I don't have to worry about it senior year.</p>
<p>So you and she toured colleges summer after sophomore year?</p>
<p>Since you still have 1.5 years before apps are due, and as you start researching and visiting colleges as a 'background' task, keep in mind what the JHU/CTY director said about maximizing college preparation: "Take tough courses, and never let an opportunity pass to challenge yourself or explore something new."</p>
<p>Work with your guidance counselor to get the minimum "20 academic solids" including four years of a language and IB or as many APs as you can comfortably handle. Attend summer enrichment programs this summer and after junior year, take a college course or two in a subject not offered at your high school, and burnish your favorite 2-3 ECs with in-depth participation and achievements. If you are a math whiz, take one or more online advanced courses (it you're not near a college) to further your learning and demonstrate that you are enthusiastic enough about it to pursue opportunities on your own.</p>
<p>Yes, my daughter and I took a 3-week road trip to tour colleges last summer (basically drove to Vermont and back). Aside from really enjoying touring the country, we got to see a lot of colleges (check the archives of the Parent's Forum - old forum - for "Firefly's Big Adventure"). It proved to be very interesting because she didn't like her #1 favorite, and one that wasn't really on her radar is now her #1 favorite. The colleges were pretty welcoming of a sophomore visit, but I would suggest that you keep in contact with them after the visit as they will probably "forget" you. It was something of a disadvantage touring in the summer - most did not have summer school - but daughter was able to get a "feel" for the college nonetheless.</p>
<p>If you are considering a road trip, I recommend "Professor Pathfinders US Colleges and Universities Map" (available at Amazon)- it made it easier to plan the route and what colleges to see along the way.</p>
<p>What colleges did you find? Not that your daughter's and my criteria would be the same, but I'm interested, maybe our criteria is the same. Also, what was your daughter's criteria, speaking of it.</p>
<p>We also took a road trip with DD after her sophomore year, but ours was to NC, SC and VA. We saw 7 colleges in an 11 day trip...touring 5. Some she liked, and some she didn't. We're taking another trip to CA in April to see 4 other schools. Then hopefully we're done...and she can just wait until the applications appear online. DD is looking for a school with a decent climate. She wants to play oboe there and take lessons, but does NOT want to major in music. She is looking for schools with a variety of course offerings and majors. Top choice right now is U of South Carolina honors program which has EVERYTHING she is looking for.</p>
<p>I wish there was a college that gave music scholarships even if you weren't majoring in music. I don't want to major in music but I'm pretty darn good so I could get the scholarships.</p>
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<p>I wish there was a college that gave music scholarships even if you weren't majoring in music.>></p>
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<p>University of South Carolina gives merit aid to students who audition even as non-majors. You indicate on your audition request whether you are a major, minor or non-major. You have a better likelihood of getting a scholarship if you have an instrument they need (tuba, double reeds, violas, harp....but not sopranos, or flutes). You have to audition for scholarships whether you major or not.</p>
<p>Her criteria? Small, LAC, out of state, expensive. But seriously, she's also looking for a good history department, good study abroad opportunities, lively campus life, the opportunity to sail (but that's optional).</p>
<p>She has toured Tulane, Davidson, William and Mary, Williams, Skidmore, Hamilton, Allegheny, Centre, Sewanee, Rhodes, and Southwestern (her only in-state consideration). She will be touring Carleton and Macalester in May, possibly Bowdoin this summer.</p>
<p>The current favorites are: Davidson, Williams, Hamilton, Allegheny, Sewanee, Rhodes, possibly Southwestern and Tulane. We'll see where Carleton, Macalester and Bowdoin fit in after visits. There's nothing wrong with William and Mary, Skidmore, and Centre - they are great colleges. She just didn't get the right "feel" from them. Previously, William and Mary had been at the top of her list. Which is why it is a great idea to do the touring.</p>
<p>Texasmathwhiz-
You've been on CC for a long time now, with over 1250 posts. I am surprised that you are only a sophomore. Do you really mean to tell us that, in all this time, you have not read anything about schools that begin to make them move up or down on your list?? C'mon...</p>
<p>Of course I have Jym. I'm not sure how to narrow it down though. Most schools talked about on this board are limited to HYPSMCDCB. Particularly ending at M but sometimes the last 4 come into discussion.</p>
<p>Texasmathwhiz-
I got the impression, especially from the title of your thread, that you were yanking our chain a bit. If I am wrong, I am sorry. Its just that, at this point, you could probably teach us a thing or two about this process :) For example, I am at a loss, at the moment, to get the last few colleges on your "HYP" alphabet salad list. Please help clarify. I will probably figure it out when I sit the "send" button, but in case not, please clarify what you have besides Harvard,Yale, Princeton. I am assuming "s" is Swarthmore or Stanford, and one of the "c's" is Cornell. "D" is for Dartmouth, (this is starting to sound like a kis book :) ) IS CB Cal Berkeley?? is "M" MIT?</p>
<p>As for the comments above, I agree. YOu are so far ahead of your peers in exploring this process, and your opinion will probably change a lot in the next year. That said, there is nothing wrong with giving it some preliminary thought. Do you care about location, size, climate, class size, whether or not there are a lot of required courses, etc?? Can you use any of these criteria to rule in or rule out anything?? Do you know what you want to major in,and have you looked at Gourman's guide to see what schools excel in these? Have you ruled in/out any schools based on what you have read on CC??</p>
<p>My s. found the Fiske guide and the Yale daily new's insiders guide to colleges very helpful for getting a "feel" for some of the schools.</p>
<p>Another thing I hadn't thought about til I read the post of the person trying to decide between Nortwestern and Rice. Besides the weather, class size, etc, one is onthe quarter system (NW) and one is semester (Rice). Do you want the opp'ty to take more classes, but cram the info into 10 week sessions? Do you care about student/faculty ratio or whether you are taught by profs or grad students? Just a few more pieces of the puzzle. I'd assume, too, that you've perused a lot of the individual college threads. Yes, on the "main" forums, many of the better known schools get a lot of attention, but on the individual College/University and LAC threads, there is a lot to be learned from those looking and currently attending.</p>
<p>And glad to hear you weren't just messin' with us :)</p>
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Like I said, no friggin lecture halls and I want professors
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I didn't see where you'd mentioned this, but you just crossed off a LOT of schools with these criteria! Even some of the smaller LAC's will have some lecture halls,though you can probably steer clear of them (I did when I was in undergrad).</p>
<p>I'd suggest that collegesearch thing on a competitors website, but in all honesty my s didn't find it terribly helpful. There are also some student reviews of schools on other sites. But again, I don't want to violate any cc rules, so enough said. There was one other book my s. found helpful, and as soon as I find it, I'll post it.</p>