Help narrow down my list, please!

College Search & Selection
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<p>I've got kinda a lot of schools on my list... and a lot of reaches. I know that. But every time I'm like, oh, I don't need to apply to such-and-such school, I'll just take it off--I remember how much I actually like the school, and how I'd rather go there than one of my safeties. (Not that I don't like my safeties. I do. I'd just rather go to Princeton than UCSD.) Any help is appreciated!</p>

<p>I don't want to post detailed stats for privacy reasons, but I'm president of two clubs and involved heavily in 6, 2 of which are tutoring/comm. service orientated. I have a pretty well-developed passion, which I have pursued extracurricularly and in the summer. I have also won several contests/competitions in this EC, but not a scholastic or anything super prestigious.</p>

<p>SATs: 2290; will retake (the 2290 was on the first try)
Subject tests: 780, 800, 700 (retaking the 700)
APs: 5s in 4 subjects (one self-studied) and a 4 in 1 subject.</p>

<p>I've visited all the schools on my list other than Carleton, Rice, and some of the UCs. And the problem is... I liked them all!</p>

<p>I'm very intellectual, more humanities-oriented rather than science-oriented, and looking for either a small or mid-sized school (not entirely sure--I like the social scene of a small school, but the expanded course offerings of a larger one). Weather is not super significant but I do like the winter, so East Coast/midwest is not a detracting factor. Instate for the UCs.</p>

<p>I won't get any Fin Aid, nor do I need any, but merit would be nice. I'm NMSF and probably will be finalist. It's luckily not necessary though--it just would make it so my family can go out to dinner more, take more trips, I can have more discretionary spending money--that kind of thing. I was thinking about adding Scripps and/or USC for their merit aid. At USC I'm guaranteed 1/2 tuition with NMF, although I'm not sure how well I'd sync up with the whole greek scene. But I think it's worth it to consider.... Ahhh! I can't be adding more schools!!!</p>

<p>Anyway, the list. It's kind of like 13 schools, b/c all the UCs just need one app. So I don't have to do additional work for them. But I still feel like this is too many still.... </p>

<p>1) Harvard
2) Yale
3) Princeton
4) Stanford
5) University of Chicago (EA)
6) Rice
7) UC Berkeley
8) UCLA
9) UCSD
10) UC Davis
11) UCSB
12) Amherst
13) Williams
14) Bowdoin
15) Pomona
16) Carleton
17) Bates
USC? Scripps?</p>

<p>Help please!!! : O</p>

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<p>You can see what kind of schools will give you merit aid for your NMF on this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As you, no doubt, know most of the schools on your list are reaches, even if only for their selective admissions rates. I have no idea why you’re retaking the SAT. I doubt >2300 will make you more attractive than a 2290 (unless you were looking at MIT or Caltech which you are not).</p>

<p>Besides liking the intellectual rigor of the schools, what strikes you about them? Do you like access to an urban/rural environment?</p>

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<p>GPA?
Rank?</p>

4

<p>O.P. Half of your schools are LAC’s and half are universities, with all your safeties being UC’s. One way to cut the list is to decide which you really prefer LAC or university. If you decide on the LAC’s then you can add some safeties/matches by dropping some of the uni reaches. If it’s just prestige you are after, then just keep the list as is and roll the dice. Good Luck!</p>

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<p>Oh sorry my GPA is 3.95 UW and about 4.30 W. I’ve taken a rigorous course load. My school doesn’t rank, but I’m pretty sure I’m in the top 10%.</p>

<p>

Well, like I said, I’ve visited most of these schools and I liked them. They have good facilities, great academics–for me it was really like, what’s not to like? I don’t want to cut out any schools based on location, although I suppose I’m maybe leaning a bit toward urban environment.</p>

<p>4safrontman: yeah, I know, but I don’t think I can decide right now whether I prefer LACs or universities. Like I said in my post, I like the atmosphere and community feel of a smaller school, but the academic resources of a mid-sized one.</p>

<p>Ahhhh I guess maybe I’ll just apply to all of them or something? Is there anything really bad about that idea…?</p>