<p>So I have a bunch of high reaches (Amherst, Williams, Vanderbilt, UNC-CH, Pomona, Holy Cross, Tufts, William and Mary, Harvey Mudd and Swarthmore); two semi-safeties (UF and UM) both IS so some OOS would be appreciated; quite a few safeties, all instate (UCF, Rollins, New College) so OOS ones would be good too. But I don't really have any match schools. Help please. </p>
<p>People have been talking to me about Boston College, University of Rochester, and Stony Brook. Are these matches? What would be some others, especially with good financial aid (merit and need).</p>
<p>Stats:
UnWeighted GPA: 3.91
Weighted GPA: 4.43
Rank: Top 10% (specifically, I'm about number 13-14 in my school)
SAT: 2010
ACT: 32
ECs: National Honors Society (Vice-President), National Science Honors Society, 100 hours volunteer work at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
APs: Human Geo (4), World History (4), US History (4), Chemistry (5), Biology (5), Statistics (3), Lang and Comp (4), Psychology (5), American Government (4).
Others: NMSF, National Hispanic Scholar, low-income bracket, Florida resident.</p>
<p>Thanks, any help is really appreciated!</p>
<p>If you are interested in LACs that offer outstanding sciences, I would add Grinnell and Oberlin to your list as matches. </p>
<p>Grinnell also offers excellent merit aid and because of their extraordinary endowment, has amazing facilities, the smallest class sizes of any LAC, and incredible financial resources to support student research and internships. My S loves the unpretentious, understated mid-western vibe and the quirky student body.</p>
<p>Grinnel’s a match? Would have that was a high reach. <em>Confidence boost</em> :D</p>
<p>low-income bracket</p>
<p>A problem for those in low income brackets is finding matches that will cover all costs.</p>
<p>match schools often don’t meet need and don’t give huge merit…which is what you need.</p>
<p>Grinnell is probably a match. (Does anyone know if the school is “need aware” or “need blind”?)</p>
<p>Grinnell does meet need…so that’s good!</p>
<p>Grinnell - 34% overall acceptance rate…50% acceptance rate for ED students. (so, does that mean the acceptance rate for RD is less?)</p>
<p>Test Scores
Middle 50% of
First-Year Students </p>
<p>SAT Critical Reading: 600 - 730<br>
SAT Math: 620 - 730<br>
SAT Writing: - -
ACT Composite: 28 - 32</p>
<p>Maybe you are just looking for reassurance, but being a URM with a 32, 3.9, Holy Cross is a safety and the rest are at least matches .</p>
<p>Trinity in San Antonio would be a safety for a URM/32. It offers great academics, lots of scholarships, is cheaper than many of your schools, pretty campus, ~2500UG students,
~200 Grad students. At least check the site. Free app. if done on line. </p>
<p>My D, also a URM/34, loves it there.</p>
<p>Ok, last one, how about Davidson College in NC?</p>
<p>FWIW, I believe that Holy Cross and Tufts are both matches. I’d give you a 90% chance at Holy Cross and a 50% chance at Tufts.</p>
<p>I’ve never thought of calling a school where the student has a 50% chance as a “match”. That sounds like a reach to me.</p>
<p>mom2 – that’s the problem with these words – safety, match, reach, super reach, etc.</p>
<p>Each one of us has our own construct… here is mine. These apply to Universities ranked from about 10 to about 80 in USNWR National Unis. They do no apply to LACs since LACs look much more closely at essays and other indicators of “FIT”.</p>
<p>Safety = 85% chance. Indicator is above 75% in both Testing and GPA.
Match = 50% chance. Indicator is between just above 50% in both Testing and GPA.
Reach = 20% chance. Indicator is between 25% and 35% in both Testing and GPA.
Super Reach = 5%-10% chance. Indicator is under 25% in both testing and GPA</p>
<p>These descriptors lose meaning with the top 10 or so, and especially HYPSM, where the reality is that they are never a Safety, regardless of 1600 + 4.0 unweighted, and are only a match for less than 250 people who are above 75% in testing and GPA, but have also been recognized in international academic, athletic, or artistic competitions.</p>
<p>Following up on the HYPSM comment above, take Yale as an example.</p>
<p>Per this link: <a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/admissions/admissions_tracker_result.jhtml?classYear=2013&schoolId=244[/url]”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/admissions/admissions_tracker_result.jhtml?classYear=2013&schoolId=244</a> </p>
<p>in 2008, 15 applicants appear on the scattergram above yale’s unweighted GPA ave. of 3.95, and above Yale’s SAT 25/75 ave. of 1485. So these are applicants with 3.96 (that equates to 0 or 1 B grade throughtout high school) or above GPA, and 1490 or above SAT. Of the 13, 3 were admitted.</p>
<p>It’s really easy to be too pessimistic, and if one doesn’t fight that urge, one ends up either applying to too many schools unnecessarily, or forgoing reasonable opportunities out of fear of wasting time and money. Yes, I think 50% is almost the definition of a match. People DO sometimes get into reach schools where the probability was 20%. If they apply to several reach schools, where they have competitive applications, the chances are not THAT bad of landing one of them.</p>