Help with College Search?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi Everyone! I'm a rising senior from New York, and am looking for help with my college search. Here are some stats about me:</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)
Class Rank: 4th
ACT: 30 composite, I am debating retaking this, I've taken it only once.
SAT: 1860 </p>

<p>ECs:
Key Club: 4 years
NHS: 3 years
Math Club: Treasurer, 2 years
Class President Junior and Senior years
JV Soccer: 1 year
Varsity Soccer: 3 years
JV Basketball: 2 years
Varsity Basketball: 2 years
Varsity Track: 3 years
Varsity Lacrosse: 1 year
Club Rugby: 4 years
I also hold a job full time during the summer and some days during the school year, not sure if this matters, but I have seen spaces for this on certain applications. </p>

<p>Awards:
2nd Team All Star Soccer Goalie for our athletic section
All New England (NERFU) Select Side Rugby team member
Lacrosse Sportsmanship Award
Student Council Award for Varsity Soccer (our school's equivalent of an MVP award)
2nd Place in a Recycled Art Show, Junk2Funk
Honorable Mentions in School Art Show
3 year Rugby Captain</p>

<p>I'm sure there are other ECs and Awards that I have forgotten, I'm really not quite sure what to include here! I haven't started to look into the monetary aspects of the college search yet, but I am just aiming to get an initial list started/more schools added or removed from it. I have taken advanced track classes throughout my years in high school so far, and this year I am participating in a program that allows students who are interested in the medical field to do rotations in the hospital and a lot of college level work. Eventually I have my sights set on becoming an orthopedic surgeon, but I am not sure what I would like to major in for undergraduate. Here is my starting list of schools, a lot of them are reaches I am sure, but if someone would be so kind as to show me which are safeties, reaches and matches, I would be forever grateful:
Boston University
Boston College
Georgetown
Tufts
SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY Brockport
Providence College
Ithaca College</p>

<p>Any other recommendations of schools for me to look at would be appreciated as well!</p>

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<p>You will be a person of interest to many fine schools, but you really do need to know your financial parameters before you make your list. Can I afford it? is the first question you need to ask about any college. </p>

<p>There are easy ways to find out: Assume that a selective private college will cost about $250,000 over four years. Then, talk to your parents. If they’re not sure either, ask them to use an on-line calculator to get an idea of how much NEED based aid your family may be eligible for. This figure will vary from school to school but it will give you a starting place.</p>

<p>If the estimated family contribution works for you, good, you can proceed with a fairly open ended list.</p>

<p>If not, then you should start looking for schools that offer MERIT aid (or give athletic scholarships, if you’re able or willing to play at a varsity level). You sound as if you would be a good candidate for merit money. The catch is that many schools in the Northeast – including some on you initial list – don’t give merit money, period.</p>