<ul>
<li>I have a 4.2 GPA out of a 5.0 scale (weighted) </li>
<li>I have a 29 on my ACT score </li>
<li>I'm REALLY involved in my school. I'm part of 8 clubs, not including Track and Field (JV... not a good runner.. regardless)
I'm also on two executive boards: Future Business Leaders of America and the National Honor Society</li>
<li>I'm going to study science... most likely Biology, and go pre-med</li>
<li>I'm the type of person who studies hard. I do my work, BUT I do like to relax/have fun/go out with friends after I'm done with a hard week. I don't plan on going crazy in college because I'm not into the whole crazy party scene. I know people say that all the time, but I'm not the kind of person to party hard. I'd rather go to a party for a little, then hang out with my close friends after and chill with them.</li>
<li>I hate being competitive. I do better when other people don't ask me what my ACT, test score, lap-time, etc. are. I don't like that attitude towards life. However, a little competition wouldn't hurt. I know all schools are competitive, but I need a school that doesn't shove competition down my throat.</li>
<li>I am not preppy and don't care about what brands people are wearing or where their from. I don't want to look beautiful all the time. Some people are obsessed with being perfect: perfect body, perfect image, perfect boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. I don't care. I dont want to be around other people like that. I want to be myself and I want to surround myself with people who are confident in who they are. I do care about image in terms of being respectable though. Again, I know that no matter where I go, there are going to be people like that everywhere, but if there's a school that has a little less of that, I would go there for sure. </li>
</ul>
<p>SO.... That being said. Which one of these colleges fit my personality and character? If there are more, feel free to share! I love feedback. Here are the colleges I'm applying to: </p>
<p>Pittsburg
Depaul
Loyola University in Chicago
University of Illinois (Urbana Campaign)
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bradley (Peoria, Illinois)
Indiana University
Iowa (big ten school)
Minnesota
UW - Madison
Northeastern in Boston
Tufts
Miami of Ohio
Case Western
Michigan State University
Purdue </p>
<p>I'm also considering.. </p>
<p>Northwestern University
BU
University of Rochester
DePauw University</p>
<p>Based on what you’re looking for I’d check out the Midwestern LACs as well and not limit yourself to research universities. What your family can afford to pay is a big part of the equation as well, though…</p>
<p>There’s some sense in your choosing many medium to larger schools because they will allow you to do what you want without having a bunch of people knowing too much about what you’re doing. So I like those choices. My D’s at Pitt and she seems to be able to go about her life without too much people-aggravation. She dorms with the honors students, who are largely pre-meds, she says, but they don’t drive her nuts even though she’s kinda the opposite of pre-med. These midwestern schools I really don’t know in this way. I kind of wonder if Tufts belongs on your list. There are lots of free spirits up there but I don’t know if there’s enough social space for you there. Maybe others can help. </p>
<p>I don’t know most of the schools you’ve listed except Northwestern and that one fits all your criteria and being on a quarter system allows more time for more educational exploration. That’s important because so many kids start out with pre-med goals but change within a year so you need the flexibility to explore other possible interests.</p>
<p>Thank you for the reply! Im not sure about tufts either. What about Northeastern? And I can apply to northwestern but odds are that I’m not getting in. </p>
<p>You sound a lot like my daughter, academically and socially. She is looking at Wooster, Earlham, and Allegheny. I would recommend you look into those schools. So far she has felt comfortable on their campuses. (On first visits, she will be returning for a second) She is looking for a school where the academics are challenging but not where she will spend all her time studying. Both Wooster and Allegheny have a senior year independent study requirement that she finds interesting. Those two also have sororities but not an overwhelming Greek presence which appeals to her. Earlham does not have sororities but they have an equestrian program she is interested in.<br>
As far as the schools on your list, the only one we have visited is DePauw. It would be a great choice for you academically but it has a high percentage of students that go Greek so unless you are sure you are interested in joining a sorority I would not recommend it. </p>
<p>You sound like you’d fit in really well at Northeastern. My sister went there, and I also spent a month at a summer program there. It’s competitive in the fact that there’s an honors college within the U, but it’s very large so you’d never feel weighed down by it. You see all types of people at NU, not all preppy or perfect. Their Greek system is very low-key (they’re not allowed to live off-campus) so this makes it less of a party-known school IMO. I’m biased because this is the school I know the most about on your list, but I think it would be a good choice. </p>
<p>I second Earlham and Allegheny for you, and I’d add Guilford and Hendrix.</p>
<p>Tufts, Miami-Oh, DePauw, Northwestern, Bradley all seem too preppy/competitive for you, definitely not the “anything goes/let it be” vibe.
Can you afford all these OOS public universities without financial aid (since you’re OOS, it’d be 40k out of pocket, roughly)?</p>
<p>Tufts and Northwestern are preppy? I mean they might be, I don’t know. And to be completely honest, I would have to apply for a lot of scholarships to pay off OOS. </p>
<p>The #1 source of scholarship is the college itself.
OOS only applies for public universities (who were created for this state’s residents).
If you apply OOS (400+miles especially) you actually get a boost and may get preferential packaging at private colleges/universities.
Tufts and Nortwestern have EXCELLENT financial aid and meet 100% need, mostly with grants.</p>
<p>@Esther111 If you’re serious about premed, I would recommend the smaller schools on your list (llinois Wesleyan University,Bradley (Peoria, Illinois),DePauw University) You are more likely to get “weeded out” at the larger flagship and research universities. With a smaller university, you have more opportunities for research and to really get to know your professors who write your important letters of recommendation.</p>
Probably should consider dropping Miami of Ohio from your list. It is very preppy (also full of preppy wannabes). Ohio University in Athens would be a better fit.</p>