<p>Trying to figure where I should apply to. Going into my senior year at a very competitive private school in Atlanta, GA. Want to stay south of New York and East of Oklahoma. Don't give me a flaming liberal student body, I prefer right wing politics. Diversity isn't all that important to me. I like a nice campus with good dorms. I don't want to work too hard (Forget Wake Forest, etc..) Tuition costs don't really matter too much. Business, specifically finance, or Real Estate are what interests me. I'm your typical underachiever, but oh well. The following are my stats:</p>
<p>05/2005 SAT Reasoning Test - 2150
Critical Reading 720
Math 740
Writing 690</p>
<p>12/2004 SAT Subject Test
Writing 650</p>
<p>11/2004 SAT Reasoning Test - 1390
Critical Reading 680
Math 710</p>
<p>06/2004 SAT Subject Test
Chemistry 690
Math Level 1 760</p>
<p>No Idea on date but PSAT was 226, which means I think the National Merit, for whatever that counts.</p>
<p>I have about a 3.3 average (87 or 88).
I am an Eagle Scout, with about 500 hours of Community Service. Active in Golf team at school. Founded 2 clubs: technology and economics.</p>
<h2>I can't think of anything else that would be pertinent.</h2>
<h2>What are my chances at the following, and should any of them be re-categorized?</h2>
<h2>Would applying to Vanderbilt ED help me out at all or is it a waste?</h2>
<p>Huge Reach-
Vanderbilt</p>
<p>Slight Reach-
UGA</p>
<p>Match-
Rhodes
Elon
Furman
Miami University (Ohio)
Penn State University Park (Big connections)</p>
<p>Safety-
James Madison Univeristy
South Carolina</p>
<p>JMU is a complete party school. My cousin goes there and tells me she beer bongs all the time. If Vanderbilt is your ideal ideal dream school then no, it's worth the try. But I'm really against ED. People change a lot in senior year, and there's no point in regreting that you didn't apply to a different school. I can't say much for most of the schools but JMU is definitely a safety. No doubt, no worries. Although, I'm in-state. I'm not quite sure what the stats are for out-of-state but I'm sure you can get into JMU.</p>
<p>Yeah, that's what I thought of JMU as... if anyone has any information on what these campuses look like (nice, ugly, modern, etc...) and/or dorm quality, it'd be nice to hear from you</p>
<p>JMU has a very nice campus, isolated, and very pretty. They're actually rising academically in ranking every year. The dorms are nice too. It has it's own college town and everything. I heard Vanderbilt is also very gorgeous. Have you thought of Michigan?</p>
<p>Michigan may be a little too far north for me and a little too far to the left on the politcal side of things as well as a reach for me, correct?</p>
<p>I think what political side a school is on - shouldn't be that important. It's only four years of your life. It's like saying I refuse to go to Harvard cause it's in Boston and I hate the cold. It shouldn't play that big of a factor. As long as the education is good and will get you to where you want to go.</p>
<p>Mhanley, you sound like a match for SMU. Great dorms, good business and RE. I think you would do well there and they would be happy to have you. I think you'll find that Vandy, Rhodes, and Furman will all expect substantially more effort from you than you might like to give. Effort that you are perfectly capable of, no doubt. Furman, Vandy and Rhodes all have very attractive campuses. But SMU could really suit you.</p>
<p>Aalohah- I want to work in the South after college, hence the tendency to stay in the South. Like it or not, the majority of businesses based down here would look upon the Northeastern type schools as "hoity-toity." As someone as politcally active as I am, I do not want to go to a school where I have to endure a liberal student body. If you wanted to go to a small school really badly because of small classes yet you got into a "better" university that had 50,000+ undergraduates with an avg class size of 300, don't you think you'd still go to the small school? College isn't all about academics... it's about learning to carve a niche for yourself, and since my niche will be in the Southeastern part of the United States, all the better to attend a school that will resemble this region.</p>
<p>Telling people what to care about seems a little reckless...</p>
<p>I'm not attempting to tell you what to care about. It's just, I think people not going to a particular school just because of the weather is a bit extreme. Or rather in my personal opinion it is...</p>
<p>You are a national merit finalist (probable), Eagle Scout, with a 1460 SAT and a crap GPA from a competitive private school. Furman ,Rhodes , Vandy are all pretty fantastic. My kid has (slightly) higher scores and a perfect GPA and that's where she's applying and proud to do it.</p>
<p>Get your head on straight.You should be proud you have a chance at those schools and are also competitive for Shreyer's, UGA Honors, USC Honors, and M of O Honors. Those are great opportunities , don't blow it for yourself with some 'tude that they are lesser schools.There will be people you meet there that will blow your doors off without raising a sweat.</p>
<p>It's time to get enthusiastic about your future. Get in. Do the work. Have a great life. And by all means wear your dang sweatshirt or ballcap with pride . And ...uhhhh...win one for the Gipper. </p>
<p>(Sorry. I get excited. You can add a couple of reaches if you want, but your schools will serve you well.The question is, will you?)</p>
<p>Gotta say if you "don't want to wrok too hard" why ED to Vanderbilt? They are a step down from Wake Forest. Good scores though overall, I would say you might surprise yourself with where you get into.</p>