<p>Need help figuring out a list so I can start college visits in spring. Please suggest a couple reach, match and safety schools so I can get an idea of what I should be looking at. I am undecided on major. I have a college fund so finances are not an issue. I would like to go to the best school that I would be admitted at. I have looked at the rankings but don't know where to start. </p>
<p>Female, live in Ohio
GPA 3.97 un-weighted, 4.64 weighted (showing increase each year)
ACT 33 (will take again)
SAT 1460 (CR+M)
class rank, top 10-15%
will have 7 AP classes at graduation, possibly 8
will have 4 years of English, Math, Science, Foreign Language (all AP or honors)
Varsity sport, 4 years, Captain 2 years, team awards and personal Athletic awards
Played my sport on the club circuit for 9 years
Academic Bowl Team, 4 years, multiple team awards
National Honor Society, 2 years
Student tutor and mentor, 3 years
Volunteering, same program for 8 years relating to my sport, Volunteer award
part-time job 5 years same company relating to my sport</p>
<p>Start off by letting us know your preferences (apart from “best” college that accepts you). Do you have college size (LAC or University) preference. Do you have geographical preferences? While undecided is “science”/engineering a possibility?</p>
<p>@fogcity Probably university as opposed to LAC. Size and location not that important although I would prefer not to go to school in Michigan so I can have a different experience. Business, science (research), or engineering (biomedical) all a possibility. I’m having difficulty knowing best where I should be looking because of previous posters listing their stats and where they were denied admissions. I really want to target my efforts in the right place. </p>
<p>Only by way of example, start off with 2 safeties. The obvious ones are Ohio public universities – so your State’s flagship, and a State Public that is one notch below. Then pick 3-4 match universities. I would recommend that these be private universities since generally out of State publics (OOS) are not the best value (this based on cost, class size, etc.). With your stats consider private universities in the 40-80 range on US News and World Report.Possibilities (without any intent to promote one over the other) examples include BU, Northeastern, RPI, Univ. of Miami, George Washington U. Your stats are good enough to be considered by more selective universities, so pick 2-3 in the US News and World Report 20-40 range, and 1-2 in the top 20. If you’re motivated to apply to more than 10 universities, then add another 2 in the top 20. Your chances of acceptance at very top universities are significantly higher in the ED round than in the regular admission round. So see if there’s a top 20 university that you really like and apply ED there.</p>
<p>I think your credentials are quite good, you’d have a decent shot at a top tier school, depending on the specifics. I agree with fogcity’s general recommendations. My own recommendation on number of applications: 2 “reach” schools (top 30), 4 “great fit” schools, and 2 safety schools. I think more than that is a waste of time (a lot of it) & money (a little or a lot depending on your perspective). It also forces you to really think about your preferences, which is not a bad thing.</p>
<p>Various kids I know are happy & successful at (in somewhat random order): Univ of Minn, Lehigh, Purdue, Tufts, Swarthmore, James Madison, Worcester Poly, Vanderbilt, Yale, NYU, McGill, Cornell. Some of these might belong in your list.</p>
<p>@fogcity and vandyman Thank you for taking the time to outline. I now have a clearer understanding of how to go about this. Some of those schools have come up when I put my info into some of the college recommendation sites so it now makes sense. </p>
<p>@Erin’s Dad I have heard good things about Alabama, but wouldn’t my stats warrant a higher rated safety?</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus Yes the fund should cover and if not my grandparents will extend funds as needed. There is also a chance I may play my sport in college. I have been approached but will only decide once I select what school I want to attend. Because of the fund, I do not need to accept an athletic scholarship but would consider it if it was the school I wanted to attend and I am injury-free. I have had some knee issues in the past.</p>
<p>Alabama is a safety because you’re assured admission and with your stats you qualify for enrollment in the Honors College. UA is a good mid-tier state school with tremendous opportunities for internships and a great nationwide alumni network. What’s a higher rated university that assures you a place if nothing else works out (hence a safety)? What are your plans after your undergrad degree? Grad school? Med or law school?</p>
I’ve been busy researching and putting together my list. In the meantime my stats have changed. On my most recent ACT I got 34 and my GPA is now 4.0 un-weighted. Only other change from my original post is on APs–I will have 6 APs at graduation instead of the possible 7 or 8 I thought.
My question is on safeties, I do have Univ of Alabama as a safety but would like to add one more. Would Purdue be considered a safety or a match? If not a safety can someone suggest one more. I am leaning more towards engineering at this point.