There are a few schools I really want to go to, but most are very selective and I’m worried I do not have a good safety school.
Schools I’m Interested In (hard to get into):
USC
Berkeley
Important Factors:
Accredited Undergraduate Business
LGBT Friendly
Preferences:
Urban/Suburban (close to a city)
Warm Weather
Mid-Large School (7,500+)
The selective ones I’m interested are reach schools, it’s still my Junior year so I don’t think it’s worth posting all my stats, but I am taking close to the hardest curriculum at my school and doing well (though freshman year was a bit of a set back for my GPA). School is public, top 10 in Massachusetts, top 200 in country, no class ranks. ACT 33. This is more “find a safety school” than what are my chances at USC/Berkeley.
We can’t really come up with safeties unless we know how much your parents can afford. I’m not sure any of those OOS publics would be safeties (except possibly W&M). UT relies on class rank. UVA and UNC meet need for all students so they are highly competitive.
If financial aid isn’t an issue look at some of the out-of-state public flagships, e.g., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Both have well regarded business programs.
Binghamton University, Emerson College, Michigan University and State are some that I know my friends are applying to for business. Don’t forget about the SuperMatch that College Confidential offers. I found a few of the colleges I applied to through that. It is very helpful Good luck in your search!!
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana-great schools but not safeties for out of staters, Michigan isn’t either. also great: U Virginia U Texas, UNC-CH, William & Mary–the flagship public schools are outstanding!
I am sure you have already considered and rejected UMass Amherst – you may want to reconsider as you don’t object to a large school. It no longer has a reputation for being a party or safety school, and the honors college (if you can get in) gets you quite a bit, including new, centrally located housing. Bentley is also a fantastic business school, although it’s smaller at about 5000 I think and less well known than Babson outside the northeast.
Editing because I see that you wanted warm weather… so obviously you want to leave MA. Sorry I missed that.
-Auburn University
-College of Charleston
-East Carolina University
-Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
-University of Alabama Birmingham
-UC Santa Cruz
-University of Hawaii at Manoa
Unless you’re prepared to go to the trouble to lay it on thick with BS about how much you are interested in going there, don’t bother with Tulane. They routinely reject applicants who don’t demonstrate interest or that they are a good fit for the school. Yes, you are within their 25-75% standardized test range, but the school considers a lot more than stats – e.g., community service orientation, interest in interdisciplinary studies, international focus, interest in specific offerings, etc. I mention this because I suspect that other colleges have taken the same approach in recent years, rendering the whole concept of a “safety” moot, or at least quite tricky. Best of luck to you as you embark on this journey!
Good luck in your search!!