<p>Hi, I am currently doing to major college research and am having a little trouble coming up with some matches/reaches that are feasible for me. Right now, I am planning to major in engineering, but that could possibly change, so I want a school with a variety of good options.</p>
<p>At the time being, I am considering Michigan State Honors College, University of Michigan, and Northwestern. What do you guys think about those, and what schools do you think qualify as matches or reaches for the following credentials?</p>
<p>Caucasian Male
College Entrance Year: Fall 2008
Location: Michigan</p>
<p>Academics:
GPA - Unweighted: 3.98/4.00
Class Rank: 3/100</p>
<p>AP:
Chemistry: 5
Physics C Mech.: 4
This upcoming year I am going to take AP Calc BC and AP Stats.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
Varsity Golf 4 years
Instrument 8 years
Concert Band 4 years
Marching Band 4 years
Jazz Band 1 year
National Honors Society
30 Hours Community Service</p>
<p>MSU - safety
UM - match
Northwestern - high match/reach</p>
<p>If you don't mind small schools, you'd have a decent shot at Harvey Mudd (high match, probably). You could also try tech schools (CalTech would be a good reach, while VTech would be safety-ish).</p>
<p>another bandie! woot. anyway...northwestern is a low reach for you, as your ACT really isn't that strong, but your GPA more than makes up for that. I wonder, though...how competitive is your school? Anyway, you live in michigan, so UM should be a match. As for other schools to look into, Emory and Vanderbilt would both be matches. Boston College is a great school. Northeastern is a nice safety. Carnegie Mellon is a high match for you. hmm. You can look into Johns Hopkins, which would also be high match-low reach. If you wanna be brave, you can go for UChicago (reach) or WashU (low reach). </p>
<p>there's a whole lotta schools out there, most of which you can drive to, depending on where in Michigan you live. Chicago should be about 2-4 hours, Evanston's right there too. Pennsylvania is half a day's drive away. Tennessee and Maryland are a bit farther, but visiting colleges is just part of the process.</p>
<p>My school isn't THAT competitive, other than the top 15 or so students. So far I have only received two A-'s, and am 3rd. I don't really know how to determine the "competitiveness" of a school before though, so I'm not too sure about that.</p>
<p>justanotherkid, how can you possibly say UChicago is a reach for him while NU is a low reach? NU's is just as selective if not more. that being said, I honestly think NU is a reach for the OP in addition to UChicago being a reach. why? below test scores for NU, below average EC's (i dont see any leadership at all and the band ec's seem to clump together into one thing). has your band program won awards? are you first chair? any awards you have won in golf? hopefully you hae b/c you're ec's are not up-to-par. im not trying to bring you down, just trying to be realistic. if you retake the ACT and get a 33 or 34, i would say your chances would be slightly above average (about 40% ED, 20% RD). right now, to be honest, you have below average chances at NU, IMO. good luck though. whats your senior schedule?</p>
<p>bennis-
University of Michigan is the place for you. You are in-state and it is one of the very best engineering schools in the country. Its a no-brainer.</p>
<p>If you are loaded with money and the in-state savings don't matter, then consider Northwestern too.</p>
<p>Here is my entire schedule, not just senior year. All of the math and science classes were taken at an accelerated level. I attend a separate school for all of my math and science classes. They give a grade of A+ for a 97% or above. This doesn't affect GPA at all. Due to this, I wasn't able to partake in band class freshman and sophomore years, but I still was a member, and took part in concerts and competitions. The first grade listed is first semester, and the second grade listed is the second semester grade (if applicable)</p>
<p>9th Grade:
Computers - A+/A+
Accelerated Math - A+/A+ (Trig/Geometry/Very basic calc.)
PE - A/A
Physics - A+/A
US History - A
Lit. & Comp. I - A
World Studies - A</p>
<p>10th Grade:
Lit. & Comp. II - A
Spanish I - A/A
Accelerated Math - A+/A+ (Basically Pre-calc./beginning of Calculus)
Accelerated Chemistry - A/A+
Biology - A/A+
Economics - A
Government - A</p>
<p>11th Grade:
American Literature - A-
Band - A/A
Jazz Band - A/A
Engineering Analysis - A+
AP Calculus AB - A/A+
AP Chemistry A+/A (5 on test)
AP Physics C Mech. - A-/A (4 on test)</p>
<p>12th Grade:
Band
Drama (literature class)
Research and Composition
Psychology
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
Discrete Mathematics (Don't know what this class will consist of. I think it may be changed to an advanced 3d geometry class. I may change it to Analytical Chemistry)
Engineering
Anatomy and Physiology 1/2</p>
<p>Collegehelp-
OK, I am glad to hear someone say that :). I was thinking along those lines, but figured I should at least consider some other schools. Is there any way at all that a school like Northwestern (or any other school of the same caliber) would give enough financial aid to match what it would cost to attend UofM in state? (Loans don't count)</p>
<p>Why do you say "Forget Michigan State Honors College."?</p>
<p>NU gives good financial aid. for me, they made it slightly less expensive for me to go to NU then to go to my state school's business school (UIUC). to be specific, overwhelming majority of my aid was in grants as well. i would consider my family to be slightly above average middle class (~85K income). what is middle class average anyway...idk now that i think about it.</p>
<p>ridewitbd24-
What was your EFC?
What did it end up costing you to attend NU?</p>
<p>My family is about the same, at like 82K, but my twin brother is going into college the same year as I am. Hopefully that will lower the EFC alittle</p>
<p>It is possible that Northwestern will come up with a huge grant for you. Only way to know is to apply.</p>
<p>Michigan State Honors College is still Michigan State. I'll put chrome wheels and whitewall tires on my 1997 Buick and call it my Buick Honors Car. Would you buy it?</p>
<p>I agree with the others - apply to Michigan and don't worry about other schools. Maybe add a safety for good measure. UM is one of the best engineering schools out there, and nothing beats in-state tuition (unless you can pull a full-ride somewhere). </p>
<p>MSU could be that safety. The honors program is well-respected, even if it isn't the most prestigious in the world.</p>
<p>Case Western is great for engineers! You have a very good chance of getting a huge Merit scholarship there. Case is famous for that! Check it out! Definate match!</p>
<p>Someone else quickly mentioned Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN). I don't think the ACT score is high enough to get a big merit award, but I do think you are competitive for admission, and maybe the financial aid will come through. One of the reasons I am suggesting it is that IF you find the size of Univ. of MI to be too big, a mid-size school might be an option. The other reason is because there is a lot of music at Vanderbilt, not just as spectators. Quite a few engineering students take music classes, and some add a music performance major onto their engineering major--and that is unusual among engineering schools. I met an engineering student last weekend who is in the marching band, and he says he is not unusual among engineering students.</p>
<p>The engineering program is not ranked like Michigan, but there are a lot of research opportunities for students, and they do place grads in good jobs and grad schools. You mentioned you might decide to switch majors, and that is another reason to consider a good all-round university; Vanderbilt has strong social science and humanities courses.</p>
<p>FWIW, they are a "100%" of need, need-blind admission school.</p>