How to Narrow My List and Evaluate My Options?!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am currently in the process of narrowing down my list of colleges and I have around 16-20 that I am considering. However, I can't decide which to keep on my list or which to leave, and I want to cut out at least a few so that I am not overwhelmed with applications. Here is some info about me:</p>

<p>I attent a private Jesuit HS in Seattle, WA
GPA = 3.96 UW through junior year
classes this year: AP Spanish, AP Lit, AP Calc BC, Psych/Relating, Photography, and Middle Eastern Studies (for this semester)
My school only offers 5 APs through all four years</p>

<p>SAT I: 2370 (math-800, writing-800, verbal-770)
ACT: 35 composite
SAT II: taken Spanish, Lit, and Math II, but haven't gotten scores yet</p>

<p>Extracurriculars/Honors (years):</p>

<p>member of NHS (11/12)
National Merit Semifinalist
Yearbook (11/12) - photography editor this year
Founder/Pres. of Photography Club (11/12)
member of Academic Advisory Council (12)
Executive member of Peer Mentoring (12 - reg member 11)
Executive member of AMPP (arts/music program at my school) (11/12)
Book Award from St. Michael's College (11)
Second Face Literary Magazine (10)
National History Day Competition - 3rd place regionals, state competitor (11)
part time work at Ballard Camera (summer after 10th until summer before 12)
member of Filmmaking Club
Intramural sports (9-12)
Track and Field (9-12, varsity 11 and 12)
30 hrs tutoring volunteer work (11 - part of school requirement though)
Spent a month in Maine last summer - 2 week filmmaking workshop and 2 week advanced digital photography workshop
Participated in AMC math competition 9-12 but haven't won anything in it</p>

<p>Fields of study that I am interested in are: photography, film and media studies, music (composition and technology), English/creative writing, literature, philosophy.
I want to attend a school with a wide range of academics including these areas I have listed, and a good social life but not necessarily lots of frats/drinking (though I know that happens everywhere).</p>

<p>The schools I am considering are as follows (ones with a * are favorites so far): </p>

<p>Reach:
Harvard*
Stanford
Columbia*
Brown*
Dartmouth
Yale*
Princeton
Amherst
Pomona
Wash U
U Penn*</p>

<p>Match:
Tufts*
NYU
Carleton*
Cornell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
U Chicago*
Northwestern*</p>

<p>Safety:
Fordham
Boston College*
(my school is Jesuit and has had high success with these 2 schools)</p>

<p>I really want a school with variety and resources, and great students/professors. I am pretty liberal and "artsy" so some extent, though I like math as well.</p>

<p>My questions are
1) Are these schools I have listed ones that you all feel would fit my profile and academic and social needs? (I like learning and can do difficult work but need lots of opportunities for fun as well, though I'm not a "partier" at all)
2) Am I being at all delusional as far as not having any "absolutely guaranteed" safeties on my list, (like UW for example, though I dont want to go in-state)? My dad thinks its fine, but I'm worrying a bit.
3) (related to first ones) - which schools should I weed out of the match and reach lists so I have a good balance of choices?</p>

<p>Thanks to anyone who can help me out with any advice or opinions, anything you can tell me about your experiences or ideas about any of these schools is greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Fordham would be an absolute safety. It's hard to imagine a scenario in which Boston College and NYU would reject you. The rest of the "match" schools would be very very likely to take you to. Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Yale are a crap shoot for anybody. But overall, wow, what an incredible application package you are going to have. If you can take a quick drive around the East Coast, and visit at least some of these places, you'd be able to quickly filter out the ones you don't like. And if you can't visit them, you should be able to drop some of them just on location: you've got some really hardcore urban schools and some really hardcore small-town schools. Surely you have to prefer one of these types to the other.</p>

3

<p>I agree - I think you will have excellent results. Out of your match schools, I think Carleton fits your interests the best.</p>

4

<p>The starred schools look like a plan to me!</p>

<p>Is money an issue? Most of the starred schools are either need based aid only or are likely to only give you need based aid. You and your folks could be splitting a $200,000.00 bill.</p>

5

<p>Most of your starred schools are city schools. Since in that regard (and a few others) you have some consistency, why not just apply to those and cut out the non-preferred schools?</p>

<p>I would seriously question the addition of Fordham. Although it's a safety, it seems too much of one. I would suggest substituting a more selective school than Fordham but one not quite as selective as Boston College.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, be careful leaving BC as an only safety though. They might think you're overqualified and expect you'll go somewhere else. But looks like there's nothing to worry about, you'll do great! Good luck.</p>

7

<p>Thanks to all of you for the replies! I do think I would have more fun in a somewhat urban location, but I've also heard that at schools such as Dartmouth or some of the smaller lib arts schools there is more of a sense of community on the campus; that's what makes me a bit hesitant about NYU. Thankfully, money is not a big issue for me, but I would like to see what kind of merit aid, if any, I might be offered by some of my match schools. </p>

<p>Oh, and I forgot one other school: I am also looking at Emory (match) but I am not sure about both Emory and Wash U because of their location in the South, I've heard St. Louis for example can be pretty intolerant, racist, etc. though on campus it would probably be great.</p>

8

<p>St. Louis is not in the South lol</p>

9

<p>If you want community I highly recommend a suburban or rural school. NYU can be a very lonely place.</p>

10

<p>Might want to add Holy Cross-good Jesuit school-as a safety. Holy Cross has very strong English major and is stronger than Fordham in overall academics.</p>

11

<p>Pyar:</p>

<p>You don't think St. Louis is in the South? I do. Culturally, it feels very southern to me.</p>

12

<p>i agree with everything that has been said so far. first weed out each school that you have not starred, there is no point in appyling to a school that you do not like right off the bat when you have so many fantastic options. but i would say that although you do have incredible stats, adding one or two in state absolute safties may not be a bad idea because eith your stats, they would give you the most money, and even though you said its not a big problem in you family, it is always snice to save. Maybe it would be best to go to a safty for your undergrad that is totally paid for, and then go all out for grad school. just a suggestion. everything looks really good though.</p>