Help with school suggestions?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi everyone, I'm sort of new to the site and this is my first post, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes!</p>

<p>I'm a rising senior and unfortunately I'm a bit behind in my college search. I'm just not really sure where I want to go or what I want to do with my life haha. I haven't visited any schools yet but plan to in early August. Not having really been to any yet makes it a little hard for me to know what I want, but I'll do my best to describe what I think I want and my grades and such, and hopefully some of you would have suggestions for colleges to look at? I'm looking for mostly matches and low reaches, but others are fine too.</p>

<p>Okay here goes!
I'm from Ohio and a girl. My GPA is a little over 4.2 weighted, I don't know what it is unweighted. My ACT is a 35. My PSAT was a 213, which just maybe might get me NMSF in Ohio, but it's very borderline haha. I've taken AP US and Environmental (soph year) and gotten a 4 and 5, respectively. Junior year I took AP Chem, Lang and Calc AB and this year I'm taking AP Bio, Stats, Lit, and Gov. I'm also in IB Spanish HL.</p>

<p>My ECs are okay. I've been on student council since freshmen year and held several smaller leadership positions through that (committee chair, etc.). I've also done a fair bit of volunteer work through student council, at nursing homes and elementary schools and such. I'm a member of National Honor Society and Environmental Club. I've participated in Envirothon competitions the last two years and this year helped the team qualify for states for the first time in our school's history. I'm hoping to volunteer this year with an organization that paints nails of girls in hospitals, but have not heard back yet. Outside of school I ride horses on a competitive show circuit. I'm extremely dedicated to this sport and spend a lot of time on it. I also ride in a team format through the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA). My sophomore year I helped my team to win the IEA Huntseat Championship at nationals.</p>

<p>As for colleges I'm definitely looking for somewhere with good academics. My parents want me to stay marginally close to home, as in not the other side of the country, probably like within 8 hours, but it's flexible, and I don't mind staying instate. I'm not sure about school size, but probably not too massive or tiny. I think I would like a school that has good spirit because growing up as an OSU Buckeye has sort of made spirit a way of life for me haha. I'm undecided on a major, but probably/possibly something science related, and I may go premed. I'm also undecided about Greek life. A school with an IHSA (Interscholastic Horse Show Assocation) team would be a plus, but that's not a requirement. I have a twin brother that will obviously be in college at the same time, but I think that even with that my parents' income will mean I won't get much if any FA. So merit aid would be nice :) </p>

<p>I'm only currently thinking about OSU, Miami University, Vanderbilt, and maybe UVa. Miami is a safety but has good merit for my ACT. My dad thinks that OSU is way too big, and I can't say I disagree, but I will likely apply as another sort of safety. I admit to not knowing a ton about Vandy or UVa but hope to visit both in August. They just seem nice to me based on what I do know.</p>

<p>And that's it, sorry that was so horrendously long! Please throw out any and all suggestions or advice! Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Maybe Northwestern?</p>

<p>I know nothing about Vanderbilt, but I know UVa has a lot of school spirit and isn’t huge or small, sorta right in the middle. UVa’s Grounds are beautiful and it’s really pretty there.</p>

3

<p>UVA offers very few merit scholarships but meets full financial need. That’s probably not a good match for you based on what you state your family makes. For some merit options look at these threads:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>It is a totally different type of school, but Mount Holyoke attracts a lot of riders (you can take your horse if you want to as well!). Strong academics, very good sciences. It is a women’s college with a beautiful wooded campus in Massachusetts. The equestrian complex is really nice. It is a liberal arts college, so much smaller than the other schools on your list, and is not a big “school spirit” school in terms (no Division I sports and obviously no football team, so those big Saturday football tailgating-type events don’t happen there). They have a plenty of their own traditions, though, and every one there seems to love their school very much. I don’t think they have Greek life there at all.</p>

<p>They are pricey, but do give merit aid. You might do very well in that regard there. My D got one of their larger merit awards last spring ($25,000/year); she is attending elsewhere in the fall, but she liked MH and could have been very happy there (if she had decided on pre-med, she might very well have chosen it).</p>

<p>So if you are not sure what you want and want to put something on your visit list that could give you a different kind of choice next spring than the bigger schools, that would be a good one to consider.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the suggestions so far! I’ve given a little thought to Northwestern before, but I probably need to do some more research and maybe visit. In regards to merit aid, it is nt a necessity as I think if I really love a school my parents would pay, but if I found a school that I really love that also has great merit, that would be a bonus, particularly since I’m considering med school in the future. And Mount Holyoke does sound lovely, I’m just not sure I want a women’s college. But like you said it’s something different to think about! And the spirit thing, it doesn’t need to be like football/athletic spirit, just like a general happiness and pride in the school. Or football haha!</p>

6

<p>Bump…anyone else? I definitely still need a longer list!</p>

7

<p>Both Washington University of St. Louis (possibly a reach) and Saint Louis University may be within 8 hours and are both excellent academic schools that have a lot of school pride. SLU has a program you may qualify for that all but guarantees a seat in their medical program…it is competitive but your stats look awfully good and you might be a candidate. (no football, but a great basketball school)</p>

<p>University of Tulsa is so pretty and has great spirit and a very fun football program, but probably a bit far as is SMU.</p>

8

<p>Notre Dame?</p>

9

<p>*I have a twin brother that will obviously be in college at the same time, but I think that even with that my parents’ income will mean I won’t get much if any FA. So merit aid would be nice *</p>

<p>What are your parents saying? How much are they saying that they’ll pay for each child? Have you had your parents run the Net Price Calculators on various schools’ websites?</p>

10

<p>Bucknell, Clemson, Wake Forest?</p>

11

<p>U Rochester is worth a look. I know they have riding - I think they show competitively, but you’d have to see. Academics are up there. Merit aid is available.</p>

12

<p>*I think I would like a school that has good spirit because growing up as an OSU Buckeye has sort of made spirit a way of life for me haha. </p>

<p>I’m undecided on a major, but probably/possibly something science related, and I may go premed. </p>

<p>I’m also undecided about Greek life.</p>

<p>A school with an IHSA (Interscholastic Horse Show Assocation) team would be a plus, but that’s not a requirement. </p>

<p>I have a twin brother that will obviously be in college at the same time, but I think that even with that my parents’ income will mean I won’t get much if any FA. So merit aid would be nice*</p>

<p>Alabama would give you a free tuition scholarship for your stats…that is assured. You might even be given more. You would have to apply before Dec 1. The app is online already, so students have already begun applying. Scholarship app must also be submitted. Both apps are very quick and easy to do…no essays, no teacher recs.</p>

<p>Bama has lots of school spirit and traditions.</p>

<p>Bama has very good premed advising and DOES do Committee Letters (my son just graduated from Bama and is starting med school in 3 weeks.)</p>

<p>Bama has a brand new gorgeous 900,000 sq ft Science and Engineering Complex (pics are in links below)</p>

<p>Here’s a video and pics about the school…</p>

<p>Pics of the new Science & Engineering Complex begin on page 6, Student housing pics begin on page 12, and pics of some of the new Greek houses begin on page 19.<br>
<a href=“Titanium Chef | Home”>Titanium Chef | Home;

<p>[The</a> University of Alabama College of Arts & Sciences “This is How College is Meant to Be” - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

<p>Bama has an Equestrian group that competes in IHSA in all areas from Walk Trot to Open Jumping. They also compete against other univs in the region.</p>

13

<p>As much as I hate to say it, as a Cal Berkeley fan, but you seem like a good match for Stanford. It is definitely the other side of the country, but Stanford should be one of the schools worthy of the “it’s flexible” clause. It has a worldwide reputation and an outstanding alumni network. School spirit is a large part of the experience.</p>

14

<p>Use the tables in Kiplinger’s to look for schools that give out lots of merit aid.
The first link is for private schools. you need to switch between viewing universities and LACs.
[Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Private Colleges-Kiplinger](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php]Kiplinger’s”>http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php)
this is for public schools - [Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Public Colleges-Kiplinger](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php]Kiplinger’s”>Best College Values, 2019 | Kiplinger)</p>

<p>Consider Case Western - great for science and pre-med and merit aid. Close to home. No horses though.</p>