High-scoring rising senior needs input (reward inside!)

Applying to College
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<p>[url=<a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/34754258_5006d2a967.jpg%5DNomnomnom.%5B/url"&gt;http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/34754258_5006d2a967.jpg]Nomnomnom.[/url&lt;/a&gt;] You're welcome. :)</p>

<p>Seriously, though, I know these threads get old and tiresome, so I'll try to make it quick. I'm trying to finalize the list of colleges I'll apply to in the fall, and I'd like to make sure I'm not overlooking any that might be a good fit. I'm looking for a great liberal arts program, no rigid core curriculum, a medium-sized student body, good music and drama programs for non-majors, and serious science and math. Ideally, I'd also like a self-contained-campus feel in a real metropolitan area (or at least not in the middle of nowhere).</p>

<p>Stats, in brief...</p>

<p>2400 SAT, 800 subject tests, 4.0 UW GPA, probably #1 rank out of 400, rigorous curriculum.
ECs/awards: lots of music (including leadership) and teaching, acting (including leadership), some essay contests, photography (a couple of awards). Some others I'm forgetting. Overall, okay but not great.</p>

<p>I'm thinking about applying to...</p>

<p>Yale (SCEA--legacy)
Harvard
Princeton? Cornell?
Davidson (local--kind of a match/backup, though I know it's too selective to be a safety)
WUSTL
Amherst? Williams? Middlebury? (so rural! and small!)
Swarthmore? Oberlin?</p>

<p>...and that's as far as I can get.</p>

<p>If you've got a moment, I would love some ideas for match/safety schools or more reaches that seem to fit the bill. Thanks so much.</p>

<p>(More cookies if you reply! ;))</p>

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<p>Yummy(: Eli loooooooves cookies!(: Hah, this was interesting enough to get a post from me, that’s a feat as I haven’t posted in a month or so… I’d say Brown fits you well, and so does UPenn. Also take a look at Brandeis and Swarthmore(: However, Cornell does not, because of location. I might cut out Princeton and Middlebury for the same reason. Sorry I don’t have much to offer, but I’m in self-pity/woe-is-me mode, and don’t feel like doing research… Plus I need to finish my APUSH and AP Lang summer assignments. 4 days, 3 books, 1 essay, 5 chapters of a textbook. Yep… I’ll do some research for you later though, when I’m too fed up with life to go on without a distraction baha(:</p>

<p>More cookies are always welcome too hehe(:</p>

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<p>Anything we should know about your finances?
Remove the question mark from Princeton ;). You’d probably get into Cornell pretty easily, but doesn’t strike me as the kinda school you’re looking for.</p>

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<p>Thanks, guys. [url=&lt;a href=“http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/23/27342366_7ae7764fc4.jpg]Cookies![/url”&gt;http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/23/27342366_7ae7764fc4.jpg]Cookies![/url</a>]</p>

<p>My impression from reading about Penn is that there’s a definite pre-professional (especially business?) atmosphere, which is not quite what I’m looking for. But maybe that’s not entirely the case? I forgot about Swarthmore, but I left out Brown because I got a pretty lackluster impression when I visited this spring. I’m sure it wasn’t a fair assessment, though, because campus was empty at the time, and I’d just been in Cambridge and New Haven…</p>

<p>I will be needing significant financial aid.</p>

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<p>YAY! Cookies! And are you lower than 60k? Cause if so if you get into Harvard you can get a full ride</p>

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<p>Mmmm, yummy in my tummy!(: </p>

<p>Umm, UPenn (under 60k= full ride) and Princeton are both very generous with financial aid, and so is Vanderbilt, plus, while it’s not northern, it fits what you’re looking for, somewhat. And yes, while UPenn has a pre-professional feel, it’s a social school in a large city, so I threw it in there for you. I’ll admit that Brown’s campus does give a lackluster expression, but after spending 3 weeks there for a summer program, I’ve come to like it more and more. It seems to me that the more you see of Brown, the more you begin to see it as a whole school, moreso than the sum of its parts. I’d definitely add Brandeis to your list. Also, I’d look at Tulane as a safety, if you aren’t hung up on the fact that it’s not a northern school. Throw in Emory too, and NYU (even though the aid is terrible). And Columbia. Boston College MIGHT also suit you, though it’s definitely an acquired taste (as is Vanderbilt and Tulane). Georgetown is another school I’d consider, and Amherst and Swarthmore (as you mentioned) seem exactly what you’re looking for. Oopsy, I’ve ended the sentence in a prepostion… -Smacks myself- “BAD ELI! NO MORE COOKIES FOR YOU!” lol, sorry, terribly bored.</p>

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<p>Forget I mentioned Emory, not liberal artsy enough for you haha. Umm, once again, if you aren’t hung up on location then consider Pomona(:</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input, guys. You’ve given me a lot more names to think about.</p>

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<p>If you’re trying for Swarthmore you may as well go for Haverford too. It’s a smallish school but it’s in the tri-co (Swarthmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr) so you have 3 schools in which you can take courses. Of the three, Haverford is the “music” school both for majors and extra-curriculars. With your credentials you certainly have a shot at both Swat and Haverford.</p>

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<p>UChicago comes to mind for consideration.</p>

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<p>Maybe Vassar?</p>