<p>Hello-
I have not visited schools yet which is a problem! I want to major in political science and international affairs and minor in either bioethics or human rights. I love the city life and I would like to go somewhere with a competitive environment. I also live in VA so I want to leave pretty bad and attend a school in another state. I like cold weather so that would be nice. That is all that I know I want to have when picking colleges.</p>
<p>One should apply to only those colleges which one’s family is likely to be able to afford. One determines this by running net price calculators found on the school’s website, usually in Financial Aid.</p>
<p>You also need to provide some other info. See here for some help:</p>
<p><a href=“Before you ask which colleges to apply to, please consider - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1621234-before-you-ask-which-colleges-to-apply-to-please-consider-p1.html</a></p>
<p>The first thing is finances, you have to be able to afford the school, so you run net price calculators for that school. After that you want to target schools that has your intended and maybe minors. Then you need to find 2-3 schools that you know that you can afford and that you will get into. Usually these are state schools that are cheaper or OOS schools that give you automatic merit based on certain stats. Ideally these schools should be schools you would still be happy attending. After that you should look for some match schools, probably about 5-6. They should be schools where your GPA, and test scores are a little above average assuming that you are an unhooked applicant. You should consider things like fit such as: urban or rural, greek life, sports influence, male/female ratio, service culture, internship availability, housing, food, clubs, where you want to live after graduation; so whatever is important to you. Then apply to as many dream schools as you can afford.</p>
<p>Come up with a list of what you want in a college. Look for schools strong in your particular area of study. After visiting some ones in your local area, you can decide what you like in a school. A large one? Small one? Urban? Rural? Greek Life? Location? Etc. Then start with a list. Come up with safety schools, ones that you are 100% you can get into and afford, and build up from there, choosing colleges that imrpove upon them. Then discuss with your parents what they can afford, based on calculating the cost through the net cost calculator on most college websites. Start this summer and continue your research on all your colleges. Do interviews on your visits if your schools offer them.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the great advice! </p>
<p>In addition, I know you want to go out of state, but you have quite a good variety of in-state options. UVA and William and Mary are some of the strongest schools in the field in the subjects you described, many other students would be jealous. Take a visit, see if those are a fit for you. Being in state means you have a slight advantage in terms of admissions and you will receive significantly reduced in state tuition, which could play an important factor in the final decision. All in all, they are great schools so you have nothing to lose.</p>
<p>Okay I will make sure to keep that in mind! Thank you 
@shawnspencer </p>
<p>A number of kids here seem to go by prestige, but I’m glad you’re thinking about how to find the right college for you. There are a number of books about college admissions and most talk about how to find a college that is a fit for you, and about understanding the financial aspects, as well as explaining the categories of reach/match/safety. One book I recommend is “Admission Matters”. I suggest you start by reading an admission book or two over the summer as you begin your selection process.</p>
<p>Also there are a number of College Search Tools like “Supermatch” here and on the College Board site etc.
Put your criteria (SAT/ACT, GPA, location, majors, city/rural, size, etc) into those and get some ideas. Also find out what schools are strong in Poli Sci and International Affairs and see how those match the first set.
Also like others have said, what can your family afford? Do you need to look for merit scholarships?</p>
<p>I’ve suggested that you consult “Colleges That Change Lives,” also. I think some of their members sound like good fits for you, academically and socially.</p>
<p>I disagree with what some of the posters have said. If you start off by looking at finances, you’re gonna eliminate pretty much every college that will give you a good education. OP, especially since you are low income and would qualify for QB, you should not be looking at finances. You should find colleges that offer your major, have the right campus feel, and THEN look at finances. Rather than just eliminating thousands of colleges right off the bat.</p>
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Really scratching my head over this one. Its as if someone told me “shop for the car you WANT. Go drive some Porsches, BMWs, and don’t forget the Mercedes dealer.” Might be fun, but why bother looking at cars/colleges that are unaffordable when I’m going to end up on the Honda lot?</p>
<p>And the funny thing is the poster giving this advice mentions the OP should apply via Questbridge. Something really doesn’t make sense here to me. If the OP qualifies, Questbridge says
So someone who understands they qualify for Questbridge is taking finances into account when they look at colleges.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, where does QB figure in the OP’s calculus?</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice @AnnieBeats</p>
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<p>This does not make sense. A student from a low income family does need to find an affordable net price after financial aid and scholarships. Of course, Questbridge provides that if matched, but the schools in Questbridge are reach-for-everyone type of schools, so affordable safeties still need to be found.</p>
<p>The OP is likely to get a full need based scholarship at pretty much every top private college. Which is why she shouldn’t look at finances. If she looks at finances, she’s gonna eliminate Harvard, and Stanford from her list right off the bat, based on the price when she would probably go for free. I think a lot of times, people over exaggerate the financial aspect of college. In this day and age, college is more affordable for those who are low income over those who are in the middle class. The OP shouldn’t consider finances FIRST. I didn’t say the OP should ignore finances completely. The OP should find schools that fit her as a person, and then narrow it down to the aid she will get. If she starts off with one strict budget, she isn’t gonna find much. And I am saying this as a parent who is paying for college. We did not force our daughter to look at prices first. We found what she wanted and then narrowed down from there instead of significantly limiting her choices from the get go</p>
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<p>No, if she looks at finances, and finds that the Harvard and Stanford net price calculators show a net price <= $5,000, then those schools will go to the top of the list (as admission reaches, of course – she still needs to find affordable safeties).</p>
<p>Consideration of finances means considering net price after financial aid and scholarships, not list price.</p>
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you seem to misunderstand what it means to “look at finances”. It does not mean look at the sticker price. It means to look at what the student and her/his family will pay. That is an important difference!</p>
<p>I agree that finances need to come into the situation early. A student should know what the family can afford, what the EFC is approximately, if there are NCP issues, etc. The most important schools on the list are the ones that will certainly accept the student and are definitely or highly likely to be affordable. Once that is in place, get as many lottery tickets as one pleases, as that this what low accept stats and high pricetag schools are. </p>
<p>Yes, if a very low income student gets into a top private college that guarantees to meet full need, and the student meets those schools’ definitions, it is likely doable. but a lot of “ifs” there. My friends daughter can assure you that it is not always the case. She was PELL eligible but due to a NCP who would not pay, could not go to any of the schools that took that into consideration. Not one would give a waiver. Tufts, Emory, BC, Oberlin, CMU, all took a pass. They accepted her, but she had to get Dad to pay up to attend and he wouldn’t budge. I know another student with good stats who was told due to circumstances and URM status that he was top school material. Well, he’s going to a local SUNY. Once it was on the table, it didn’t quite work out that way. </p>
<p>I have to side with those who say “give it a try,” especially if the student either qualifies for application fee waivers or is interested in colleges like Tulane and Fordham that have free applications. I recommend that students seeking aid choose their colleges realistically, nevertheless, and include both financial and academic safeties. Each college will define “need” a little differently. Pitzer did not even offer my son an unsubsidized loan, while Occidental went beyond our EFC in need-based aid (including travel costs in their calculations, presumably); Tulane did not meet our EFC either, but they are known to be very generous with other applicants. I think that every student should have at least one or two reaches. Otherwise, will go through life wondering whether they “woulda . . . coulda . . . shoulda . . .” Then, they should pick out some great match and safe schools on the understanding that they will probably attend one of them.</p>