Help! Son has more reaches than matches, suggestions welcome

College Search & Selection
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<p>He is interested in physics & music. The super reaches are Univ of Rochester, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell. SATs are 1940: (800 CR, 540 W, 600 M) the 1st time, 2nd time 1970 (730 CR, 630 W, 630 M). Some of the schools superscore, so his SAT would be 2060. He is Hispanic & was awarded the NHRP. GPA is 3.59 with an upward swing in his grades from year to year. He is taking 4 AP's this year & an independent study in music. </p>

<p>Other schools that he is applying to are Tulane, UMass, Boston University. Arizona State (Tempe), Case Western Reserve. </p>

<p>I guess I am writing this because I am afraid he will get a lot of rejections. </p>

<p>Another question: he is due to take the SAT II soon. He has study guides from 2007 & 8 for them. Are they still current, or should we spring for 2013?</p>

<p>Suggestions of other less competitive schools good in physics & music Would be helpful. Thanks.</p>

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<p>If he is from Arizona, I would assume he will get into ASU. The rest of them are definitely reaches based on SAT and GPA.</p>

<p>What subjects?</p>

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<p>Math II & Chemistry</p>

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<p>What state do you live in? Also what instrument and type of music is he interested in?</p>

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<p>Probably not. AP chemistry is being revised this year but may not impact SAT II tests yet.</p>

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<p>Has he thought about taking the ACT? My son was interested in Boston U and had similar SAT’s. The Coach he was working with told him to take the ACT and he did do better with it.</p>

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<p>His scores are actually not bad if you take the W out of it (which many good colleges do when they evaluate applications). If he could bring up the M (or do well on an SAT II math test) that would be good, though. How about University of Pittsburgh?</p>

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<p>The only mandatory school on the application list is the safety (unless the planned safety is to start at an open admission community college). The safety must be certain to admit him, certain to be affordable (check the net price calculator and automatic merit scholarships for his stats), and otherwise suitable academically and otherwise.</p>

<p>Texas A&M has a NHRP scholarship ($14,000 over four years = $3,500 per year). Check to see if it comes with a waiver of non-resident additional tuition, resulting in a net price equal to in-state price minus the amount of the scholarship.
<a href=“https://scholarships.tamu.edu/national_scholars/national_hispanic.aspx[/url]”>https://scholarships.tamu.edu/national_scholars/national_hispanic.aspx&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“https://scholarships.tamu.edu/SCH_Opportunities/tamu_scholarships/international/tuition_waiver.aspx[/url]”>https://scholarships.tamu.edu/SCH_Opportunities/tamu_scholarships/international/tuition_waiver.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Lawrence University, for physics and major, 5-year double major program, good financial aid.</p>

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<p>There are schools that give full tuition with those stats – Bama is one. Bama is rolling admissions, no essay. He can apply in 15 minutes. The Honors College requires a separate application after he is accepted. The value of the scholarship increases each year as tuition increases. Many opportunities to participant in music performance without a full music major.</p>

<p>Temple University guarantees $18,000 /yr + $4,000 one time stipend for your son’s scores.</p>

<p>Very few schools will he be able to major in Physics and Music. This is usually due to the time involved for labs in both. He should start considering which subject will be the priority. IMO that would be Physics because many schools will have Music activities he can participate in without being a music major.</p>

<p>I would urge an application to Bama. It is not time consuming and you receive a decision rather quick. It will help put your mind as a parent at ease (or at least it did for me).</p>

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<p>I think it’s normal to have more reaches than matches. If a student wants a name school, and these things are important to a lot of people, the chances at such a school may be small. So if there are a number of them that the student wants, by applying to a number of them does increass chances of getting into one of them. The match, he should have at least a half a chance for acceptane. As long as there is at least one school, I always like two, that are certain to take the student and are affordable, go to town on the rest of the applicatoins.</p>

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<p>If he’s willing to check out a smaller college, consider Muhlenberg. They have some interesting research opportunities in physics and apparently a decent music department.</p>

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<p>^I second Lawrence (WI), excellent for Physics and has a conservatory. Beloit (WI) for science, St Olaf (MN) for music and science, Dickinson ¶ for science with music opportunities.
Added bonus he’d get a boost at these schools just for being from AZ, a state that’s under-represented at these schools. :)</p>