help with college search

College Search & Selection
1

<p>okay, i am just about tearing my hair out trying to figure out where to apply to college. i had some in mind, but then i had my doubts about them, and now i don't even know. so please, please, please, can someone give me some ideas?</p>

<p>i'm white, female, interested in being a biology major. i'm not interested in a religious college at all.</p>

<p>sat: 2150/2400 (math 660/reading 730/writing 760)
act: 31
weighted gpa: 4.5 or something, i'm not too sure at the moment
top 5% of the class</p>

<p>i have taken 4 ap tests so far, and gotten 5 on one and 4 on all the rest. i'm currently taking 3 ap classes (my high school doesn't offer honors classes or anything like that so ap is the only way to go).</p>

<p>as for ecs... uhm. well, i don't really have any. i was very antisocial and shy throughout high school so im kind of screwed for that. i've been a member of the philosophy club at my school since i was a freshman, and have joined model united nations this year. i'm also in the national honor society and was inducted last year as a junior, so i only have about 50 hours of various community service. i had a summer job before my junior year, but i don't think it would contribute much. i feel really stupid for wasting all my time.</p>

<p>my parents make about 60-70k together, and i live with them and my brother and sister in law, so i don't know how much i can really spend on college. i'd like a college that won't put me in debt for the rest of my life, or could at least satisfy need based aid. my parents don't have any assets and their house is worth less than they owe, so i figure that should help somewhat, right?</p>

<p>i don't have any idea what location i want. i'd really like to go to a school on the east coast but since i live in arizona, i'm afraid it'd be too far.</p>

<p>so far i only know for sure that i'm applying to hampshire and colorado college. and maybe carleton college, i don't know. i don't know if i'd be able to get in because my extracurriculars are so lacking.</p>

<p>so please, magical college fairies, please give me some suggestions!</p>

2

<p>no yes no?</p>

3

<p>Juniata in PA is supposed to have a good science program and they seem to have a lot of merit aid available. YOu will probably also get needs based aid. What about Beloit in Wisconsin? They also seem to give alot of aid.</p>

4

<p>I know that you said “no religious schools,” but does that mean no Catholic colleges that don’t care what religion you are? </p>

<p>Schools like USanDiego and USanFrancisco would likely give you a lot of merit for your stats. </p>

<p>Tulane is a possibility. </p>

<p>Are you a National merit ?</p>

5

<p>milky, your being such a strong student is far more important than ECs. Relax–lots of good schools will want you!
Please meet with your guidance counselor for some advice.<br>
Think about the size of school you want and urban/suburban/rural locations. Since you like Hampshire, look at Reed. Check the website for The Colleges That Change Lives which mentions similar schools.
You will want a good financial and merit aid package (especially if you will be incurring airfare East), so look at the CC threads on colleges which are generous with merit aid. You may find that colleges lower on the selectivity scale offer you more merit aid.
Best of luck.</p>

6

<p>If you are looking for good schools with strong merit and financial aid which would you would appear to be a good fit for, and would consider the east coast, consider: Juniata College, Hood College, Susquehanna University, Ursinus College, Gettysburg College, Dickinson College. All have strong biology departments. Some are more isolated (Juniata, Susquehanna) but within driving distance of metropolitan areas. Hood, Disckinson, Gettysburg, and Ursinus are in small cities. All are excellent schools which give merit aid.</p>

7

<p>Excellent list by fermata–Muhlenberg & Franklin & Marhsall are, too</p>

8

<p>If you like Carleton, take a look at Grinnell. A bit easier to get into, more generous with the financial aid. Perceptive essays and good recommendations can make up for what you lack in ECs (which aren’t bad, by the way.)</p>