I need help. What college fits me?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Well, I've gone through the first round . . . I just can't find colleges that I should apply to, where I would fit in--socially and academically. I don't want to spend a moment unhappy at a place that I've worked so hard to get into--I want to belong. I don't want to be bored. </p>

<p>I live in Louisiana. I've applied to Trinity University (TX) Early Action, Texas Christian University Early Consideration/Action, and University of Texas at Austin. Visited TCU and UT--I like them both. UT is gigantic and fun, always has something going on, Austin's great. TCU is safe, clean, decent dorms, quiet, and the students seem happy and safe. I am worried that I would be a bit bored at TCU. </p>

<p>I'll post my stats and a description of me. Hopefully someone out there in Cyberland will be able to suggest a couple of colleges for me to apply to? Doesn't matter if they're reaches/matches/safeties. Just looking for a good fit. I'm worried that I'm not going to like my college experience. (Part of it is attitude, I know.) </p>

<p>ACT: 29 12 essay
SAT: best combined is 1350 or 2080 (can't remember my breakdowns on both tests)
APs: Biology 3, USHistory 5, AP English Language 5. Taking: AP Statistics, AP English Literature, AP European History.
A decently hard courseload--honors and gifted classes throughout.
3.95 GPA UW.
Rank is 6/143. I will probably be salutorian if I make A's this year (there are 5 valedictorians, currently).
Co-Editor of school newspaper, involved in a couple of other clubs</p>

<p>I am a bookish girl, but I'm social (wouldn't drink, though). I LOVE reading, writing, watching movies, and then reading some more. I'm currently reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (the last Austen book I have left to read) and Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond. I'm not sure how I would like the UT sports scene? I am not a very big of fan of jocks and football. I am a Type A rule follower to the bitter end. Ideally, I think I would love a school like Swarthmore but I think that's out of reach academically. I have Princeton Review's "Best Colleges" book, and it is VERY well-thumbed. It's not helping, though. I need another perspective(s). </p>

<p>I am interested in economics/German/international relations. Would like to study abroad in Germany. Plan to recieve MBA after work experience. </p>

<p>I would like a school that's got good flight connections if it's not within driving distance of Louisiana. I have visited relatives one too many times who live 35 miles off the Interstate, in a different time zone, 2 hours from the nearest airport, and I just don't consider that fun. I can't imagine doing that on a college schedule. I'm fine with anywhere in the U.S. I can fly directly out of.</p>

<p>Suggestions? Comments? Critiques?</p>

2

<p>University of Chicago.......easy flights in/out. Easier admit stats but top drawer academics and reputation. You sound like you would fit there just fine. No big football either....a plus as far as you are concerned.</p>

3

<p>Although you maybe be "too qualified" for LSU, you should apply because I think they'll give you a significant amount of merit money. You should also apply to Auburn because I think they'll give you some money as well. Other places worth it for you to consider...</p>

<p>Vanderbilt
Emory
Miami(FL)
George Washington U
UNC-Chapel Hill (kind of a reach)</p>

4

<p>Macalester might be a fit.</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much! (More suggestions welcome!)</p>

6

<p>Mount Holyoke! Your SATs will be optional. 15% of the student body comes from abroad. Strong European languages, and lots of study abroad options. Three German exchange programs - with universities in Bonn, Potsdam, and Leipzig (as well as access to the Smith College program in Hamburg.) Five College International Relations Certificate Program headed by Vincent Ferraro (who is at Mount Holyoke itself.)</p>

<p><a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/5col/homepage.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/5col/homepage.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>No football.</p>

7

<p>I was struck by your using the name, "Europe Girl." That implies that you might want to get out of your region and try something that would be quite different. Swarthmore might be out of reach, but there are a bunch of small, private colleges in the northeast that might fit the bill. Many are quite hard to get in, but they might be interested in a little geographic diversity. </p>

<p>I'm a Texan myself, and both Texas and TCU are fine schools (Texas much better known around the country, of course), but I'm not sure they'd be radically different from going to LSU or Tulane.</p>

<p>If you're still looking at this, where did you apply?</p>

8

<p>If you like Swarthmore that much, you should apply. They take some students with SAT scores in your range, and they may not have a lot of applicants from Louisiana.</p>

9

<p>HAHAHAHA...YES! SWARTHMORE COLLEGE! That would be just so awesome! Europegirl, I hope to meet you someday at Swarthmore... I don't think any of the Ivy league schools are too far out of your reach. Try shooting for Columbia and definately to UC Berkely.</p>

10

<p>Trinity sounds like a good fit for you, but it would be a safety. They have fantastic dorms and bookish people who don't study all the time. Definitely apply to Swarthmore even though it is a reach. Other schools to look into: Pomona, Occidental, Middlebury, Georgetown (for IR), Tufts (ditto). At UT-Austin, there are so many different types of people you will find your niche with people who are like you.</p>

11

<p>Bryn Mawr might also be a good choice for you--allows some exchange courses with Haverford and Swarthmore.</p>

12

<p>georgetown and tufts, maybe columbia?</p>

13

<p>pyewacket, good call. Bryn Mawr is a great idea.</p>

14

<p>I'm with Raindrop, you might like Trinity more than you think, try to get over for a visit. San Antonio is a wonderful town.</p>

15

<p>I would add:
Oberlin
Vassar
Holy Cross
Bard
Connecticut College
Dickinson
Skidmore
Kenyon
Wheaton (IL)
Reed</p>

<p>larger colleges:
maybe U of Rochester
Emory
Carnegie Mellon
NYU
George Washington
Boston U
Clark</p>

16

<p>Check out Hendrix</p>

17

<p>Holy Cross-1 hour from Boston- very good liberal arts school or URichmond.</p>

18

<p>Rice University? Definitely within driving distance and has the feel you seem to be looking for.</p>