Suny bing, buff, and geneseo are matches not safeties.
The list should be of colleges in all regions that you didn’t know before. I somehow doubt that’s what you did. So, go out, get the book at your library, and start working.
I know they’re not academic safeties. They’re financial safeties because I’m in-state and SUNYs now have free tuition.
You’re right, I didn’t write schools from regions I didn’t know before. I’ve lived in the south (FL and NM); it’s hot and miserable and dry. I already know I would not enjoy spending 4 years of my life there. The great plains have little to offer for me either. The northwest is too distant and cold. Yes, I know NY is cold, but at least it’s close to where I live. I know this is all in the interest of diversifying my college list and opening myself to different opportunities, but I know where I want to be at least geographically. Just from this region, I have way too many colleges, and I don’t need a list 5 times that size.
I’m concerned you don’t have enough matches that are good fits…
If you dont want to explore all regions, what about PA, MD, VA, OH, MA? Those are close enough to NYS.
Plenty of those schools I listed are in those states.
HM, can you list what you consider to be matches from OH, PA, MD, VA, MA?
My concern is with your matches - you’re good for reaches (I assume you will cull a bit since QB will mean ranking 8-12 colleges only), you have financial safeties that are low matches, and you have two safeties. What you’re missing is matches (except for SLU, RIT, Clarkson, perhaps Union as a high match).
Sorry, I read wrong. I do have schools listed from those states, not matches necessarily, I do have some matches, though. Clarkson, St. Lawrence, and Stony Brook, and U of R and RIT are high matches.
Of course not every school I listed is one I’m going to apply to. Like everyone else says, It’s way too early for me to have a short list, so I’m starting out with a long list. And my list is mostly composed of reaches because I’m going to rank as many colleges as possible for QB so that I have a better chance of getting matched, and QB happens to be partnered with schools that are reaches for almost everyone.
True, you’re not a junior yet and have plenty of time. Just keep exploring 
Question #1 for the OP is - are you Asian? Male/Female (I assume Female)? Pre-med - why pre-med even there is no such major. Columbia - why Columbia so specifically? I could argue Northwestern’s and Hopkins pre-med are more intense and better overall than Columbia’s etc etc. After these being answered, then one can map out a plan to attack the application down the road. One thing I notice is the EC is all over the map. Need some cohesion to demo specific passion, specific strengths. Some research experience is good, but these things are seriously overplayed, especially from Asian applicants. They “used to be” helpful, these days I am not so sure they move the needle anymore, esp. among Asians. I just had a student got in Columbia this yr, she is Asian, great academics as usual for the cohort. But she didn’t get in because of the top rank scores or GPA (plenty of Asians I know got rejected with similar rankings), she got in because of her passion in service and it showed in the EC and essays - she had probably 6 EC activities counting the useless school club stuff, but the top two EC where she put the most time in (hundreds of hours since 9th grade) would be my guess that makes her standing out. The issue to apply to a school like Columbia is “standing out”. Don’t do regular garden variety stuff. If you have no hooks, you have to make your own hooks. You still have some time left, but not a lot to develop that hook of yours. JMHO…
I am Asian. CAUCasian. I am male. FEmale. I know there is no “pre-med” major at Columbia. When I said pre-med, I meant that as in a track, not a major, as in I would take all the required classes while majoring in whatever I chose to major in. I am considering Northwestern. maybe Hopkins. I know my ECs are all over the place. Next year I’m paring down the list to focus in on science. Of course, no matter what my EC’s I’m not going to put all of them on my app. Trust me, I know how detrimental a “laundry list” can be. As for hooks, I’m low income and (if this even counts) I go to a tiny public school WAY in the backwoods country. It’s not very competitive or highly ranked, so I guess that helps fill the diversity ticket. There’s also a lot of other stuff going on in my life that makes it extra interesting (by interesting I mean difficult), but If you wanna know you’ll have to PM me. I am NOT publishing that stuff all over the interwebz. BigflowerSusie, you are literally the first person to agree with me that I have very little time left. I know you can’t really “develop” a hook (you can’t wake up one day as a URM), but I guess there’s always becoming the world champion in blindfolded origami (JK). But I’m not really sure how I would even develop a hook.
@futurecollege00 Low income White/Asian unfortunately not counting as much as low income URM. That said, something that could be done on that side. Are you holding any part-time jobs? Are you doing anything to support your family? I’d bet those things matter a lot more than some super-duper research publishing stuff (AOs know few if ever any HS kiddos come up with a great research and work the 1st time and get publish in a paper like Journal of Cell Biology). Tiny schools from Montana and North Dakota could help IF you are top rank in those. Schools like to brag about they got students from so many states etc etc. The downside obviously the school AO will have a difficulty to gauge the level of rigor of your school versus some well known feeder prep schools or top HS in the country. Hooks, ex-racial, are difficult to dvlp but can be done. Some families train their kiddos thru sports camp year after year… some send their kiddos to art school teachers and train… all these things obviously are part of the kiddos’ interest but also a long term plan to set the kid apart from the sea of look alike applicants, esp. among Asians. With you, I’d just say find something that you can spend 100-200 hrs a year and still feel that’s part of you (aka enjoying it other than just doing it for college app). I list some of the stories I had with some of my students, activities seem so mundane but so personal can indeed get you into schools even a perfect 1600 won’t guarantee you a spot. Find something that matters, something that stands out, and write about them on the essays. JMHO,
I am white. I am not Asian (did I confuse you? Sorry). I am working a part-time job and I babysit so that I can pay for my school-related expenses. (supplies, etc.) I guess that’s not directly supporting them, but it helps so that they don’t have to buy that stuff themselves. I’m near, if not at the top of my class. 1st or 2nd, at the very least. My school’s in NY, but like, the “North Country.” I also want to do some research to get hands-on experience. Like everyone else on this forum says, I might change what I want to do in college, so I need to know what I’m getting into. I have no athletic or artistic talent, nor do I enjoy those things, so that’s out of the question. I do things that I enjoy doing. If you want more perspective, take me up on my PM offer.
To correct some generalities: colleges are actively recruiting rural applicants - that’s different from being from an under represented state like the Dakotas or Arkansas (geographic diversity v. sociology economic diversity) although both are useful for college admissions. In the past couple years it’s become a boost and for some highly selective colleges is as high of a hook as graduating from urban lower performing schools. Asians aren’t one solid block - and so arent xonsidered as such in college admissions : Filipinos, Hmongs, are URM everywhere (even in MN) not to mention students whose parents came from Bhutan or Indonesia. Others Asians are under-represented at some colleges and treated as URM (especially at colleges near the Canadian border from Maine to WI to Montana… except the PNW; thryre also urm at religious colleges in the Midwest.)
@futurecollege00
When you’re older you will be allowed to apply to some fly ins from Macalester to Colby to Davidson.
You can’t develop a hook - a hook is something colleges want. The only thing you could develop is athletic talent but it’s a bit late to become a great athlete if you’ve never been into sports and it’s unlikely a random sport would help anyway. Colleges don’t need mediocre athletes - since you don’t enjoy it, no need to. You can just be the best at what you do. You’ll be better off if you follow wherever your interests take you (or find something uncommon to so and become really really good at it.)
You could read _Make colleges want you _ and , how to be a high school superstar _.
Since you live upstate you could plan something like a partnership with a Quebec school across the border. Or something else cool and unusual that requires leadership, initiative and organization.
I read HTBAHSS!!! I loved it!!! Most colleges that are on my long list have fly-ins and I’m totally going to apply to them!!.
About sports, should I just quit soccer and softball, then? I’m not especially good a t either and they’re nothing short of a time suck. Ok, but soccer is really fun. It’s like, my bae. I love soccer.
I will read Make Colleges Want You. It sounds like a good book.
Keep soccer since you like it and see if you like softball or not. Sports for fun are excellent. Sports because you imagine an adcom will like it, is pointless.
^ I agree. I’m not sure about softball because I don’t like it as much as soccer. Then again, if I do it this year I’ll have a different coach, so who knows. I really enjoy just running around and sports are a great way to get my stress out.
OMG I just finished reading “Fat Envelope Frenzy”. Now I’m sure I’ll never get in anywhere.
^^^Then stop reading those type of books. There is zero reason to get yourself worked up about getting into college before you start your soph. year of HS. Just continue to work hard, stay involved etc. and see where things take you.
However aside from that, Ivy’s theses days arent looking for the Jack of All Trades. They are looking for a person who shows passion and interest in one area. A superb individual who is dedicated to the ECs that he is involved in. They arent looking for someone who has one foot in every single area.
I’m a girl…? And no, males play it, too.