<p>I am starting to get worried. I am getting closer and closer to applying to schools, and I still haven't really found a college I like a lot, even after visiting about 15 of them. So far, I like Bucknell the best, but I am still worried the greek life is going to be too much.</p>
<p>I want a school that's in the northeast, and that isn't too selective. Maybe 30-40% acceptance rate, maybe with an average SAT score of like 1950 or so. I want it to have a good physics department, and I would prefer a smaller school, although I don't care too much. I would like a school where greek life is there, but only 25% or so of eligible kids are in it. So, a good social/party scene, but not overwhelming.</p>
<p>My high school grades aren't too good (about 81 GPA after junior year, though it has been steadily increasing throughout my high school career), but I'm going to have a very strong start to senior year, with around a 95 GPA. Also, my GPA is much better in science/math classes than in other classes (I discuss this in my college essay). I am taking 4 AP classes this year, and also self studying physics C, calc BC, and stats. My current SAT score is about 2000, but I studied over the summer, so I should be able to break 2100-2150. I also have strong SAT subject tests and fairly good ECs.</p>
<p>Is there any help any of you can give me? Am I worrying too much about finding a school with a good physics department? Any colleges that you think I should look into?</p>
<p>Also, would an option be to go to a college for a year, and shoot for a high GPA, then maybe transfer to a better school?</p>
<p>I would suggest not transferring. It’s a complicated process. I can just tell you that I thought I would never find a school, and then I did. Just keep looking. Online, in magazines, and by word of mouth. I found mine by the latter. Try College Board’s college search tool and others like it. It helped me a lot. And don’t be too dead set on physics. Many people change their minds once they enter college.</p>
<p>Do you, in fact, want to go straight from high school to college? Speaking only for myself, I think I could probably have made better use of my parents’ tuition dollars if I had done something else for a little while between high school and college.</p>
<p>Well you are not going to get into Bucknell or probably any other 30-40 % admission rate school with an 81 average. You may really want to look at publics in your state.</p>
<p>They may not tell you your class rank and officially advertise they don’t have rank but colleges are very experienced at inferring that from info sent by the school.</p>
<p>Lots of people do that, starting at local inexpensive community colleges and then transferring to in-state public universities. The disadvantage is that students advanced in a subject like math are unable to take junior/senior level courses in their freshman/sophomore years.</p>
<p>What stat, besides my GPA, is too low for bucknell? Especially after the October SATs, my stats besides my GPA will actually be above average for Bucknell (if I score as well on it as I am on practice tests).</p>
<p>I can’t vouch for the quality of the Physics programs, but the following schools have that major and are decent good schools:
University of Rochester
Clarkson
University of Missouri (it has a collider I understand)
They may be under your stats but I have heard good things about them re their programs.</p>
<p>University of Rochester is certainly not under the OP’s stats. If the rating of the high school attended isn’t extremely high, the 81 average will be problematic. I don’t have any experience with private schools, what are others experience with college admissions? Can a “fairly selective” private high school offset a low GPA?</p>
That’s what admissions offices say- but I think it matters whether the admissions office is familiar with a particular private h.s. or the school does a good job on its school profile in making the case re rigor of program and grade deflation. </p>
<p>You are probably right re University of Rochester not being under the OP stats. I came up with a couple of more programs but they are not on the 30-40% admit rate (much higher rates) e.g Alfred University.</p>
<p>Have you looked at Bates? Kenyon? Conn College? Villanova? BC (not small)? </p>
<p>A really strong physics department at a small liberal arts college can be a challenge…do you want to go on to do graduate level work in physics? If so, some of the strong state schools are worth considering. That’s not to say you couldn’t do grad work coming out of a small school, just that state schools can also prep you.</p>
<p>^ Have you read the thread through to understand the OP’s problem?
Kenyon, which weights GPA > SATs and where 90% of the entering class has >3.25?
Bates which only considers SATs and where 92% are in the top 1/4 of their class?</p>
<p>Yes, I agree that a small liberal arts college with strong physics is difficult to find. Especially with my GPA.</p>
<p>And Erin’s Dad, what do you mean by Bates only considers SATs? I assume you don’t mean they don’t consider GPA, because that sounds kind of ridiculous.</p>
<p>And thanks a lot for the suggestions. I will look into the ones I haven’t.</p>