<p>Okay, so I have a pretty unhelpful guidance counselor and I don't know exactly what I should be doing for colleges. It doesn't help that I am the oldest child in my family and no one knows what should be going on. </p>
<p>I'm just worried that I'll learn something late and I won't have time to accomadate with it. So, right now, what should we be doing? Making a list of potential colleges?</p>
<p>Sorry if it sounds like I am freaking out... but I kinda am! Thanks!</p>
<p>Yeah that's as good a place as any to begin. </p>
<p>What would you want your Uni/college to be like? Interested in any special programs? Do you want big time athletics? Social scene? Wet campus? Local or National? Private/Public? Fin aid concerns.</p>
<p>Do you have any kind of college list?</p>
<p>Start working on your college app now! Go to <a href="http://www.commonapp.org%5B/url%5D">www.commonapp.org</a> and start working on that essay!</p>
<p>Yes. What are your stats: SAT and GPA and Class Rank. Go to Borders or Barnes and Nobles TODAY and buy either the Petersen's or Barron's 2009 edition of their college directory. BIG THICK BOOKS of every college in the country.</p>
<p>Start geographically. Where do you THINK you MAY want to go to college? Public (usually large) or private (often small and expensive?) Look in the states you have an interest in. Research the schools and list them by their ADMISSIONS standards and see where you fit: REACH, MATCH, or SAFETY. </p>
<p>Make a STARTING list of colleges....about 20 or 25. Then focus ONLY on those schools and start looking at the details. Go online. The college name followed by .edu. For example, Georgetown.edu. And peruse their websites and try and GLEAN what you can, making notes on a large yellow legal pad for each college. (a page or two for each). You can eliminate schools that dont appeal to you for one reason or another: programs, size, weather, location, rural or city, big or small, distance from home, cost, preppy or hippy, etc. YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF COLLEGE. Dont worry about majors. Just general interests. And you are NOT locked in...everyone changes their minds. </p>
<p>Then whittle it down to 15, then 10-12. Those are the schools to apply to. Make sure you are evenly spread out...like 3 reach,, 3-4 match, 3 safety etc.</p>
<p>Visit the campus if you can before applying. Ask around your friends. LOOK on CC for comments, but be careful....people here are highly opinionated and often prestige driven.....you decide what is important for YOU and where YOU will fit in the best.</p>
<p>Then relax, be confident, you WILL be admitted to college and going to college. Enjoy the ride. Its a tad bit stressful, particularly after January when you are waiting to hear results. </p>
<p>IF ONE SCHOOL STICKS OUT AS YOUR CLEAR TOP CHOICE AND PREFERENCE then you can consider applying Early Admission or Early Decision (binding), but ONLY if that is the case. If you DONT have a clear choice, dont worry about it.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Get to work.</p>
<p>Go the the Common Application online website. Set up an account and start filling out the application. Start working on your Personal Essay (choices are on the common application). Start preparing your High School Resume. Hopefully, you've all ready taken the SAT and/or ACT tests. If not, register online ASAP to take it.</p>
<p>Decide if you want to go to a college in state, out of state, or commute. Talk with your parents about how much they can afford to contribute towards your tuition/room and board. </p>
<p>This should be enough to get you going in the next 2 weeks.</p>
<p>Have you taken the SAT or the ACT yet? If yes, good, if not, I'd recommend preparing for one. Also, if you take the SAT most colleges require 2 SAT subject tests, so I'd get on those as well.</p>
<p>In the mean time, consider all the questions that the posters above me mentioned. If you're really not sure, try a college finder search engine, I like the one on the Collegeboard website.</p>
<p>If you find colleges that you really like, you might want to visit them to make sure they are the right fit. Interviews may enhance your chances as well. Once you've got a solid list, I'd say of about 8 - 10 colleges consisting of dreams/reaches, matches and safety schools, then it's time to apply! Make sure you have the required teacher and counselor recs, and fill out any required supplements if you're using the common app. This varies from school to school.</p>
<p>To give you a basic timeline, I'd recommend that in August you focus on testing, September start make some college choices, work on your apps all through October, and then send off your ED (if you're applying early anywhere) app in November.</p>
<p>Okay, so I want to major in biomedical engineering and I do have a list... somewhat. My only problem is that I don't feel that my stats are as impressive as most of the people on here, therefore, I feel like I have absolutely no chance at most of the colleges on my list. </p>
<p>The list I have at the moment is:
Boston University
Bucknell University
Clemson University
UConn (my state school)
Cornell University
Drexel University
Georgia Tech
John Hopkins University
Northeastern University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rutgers - New Brunswick
SUNY at Stony Brook
Tufts University</p>
<p>That being said, I'm really open on what the school is like and it's location. I come from a small town, but I think I could deal with the city! I really would like a college that has a decent social scene and a lot of school spirit. I'm really not sure what's going on with fin aid, but I really don't think that my parents can afford this whatsoever, so yes, some would be nice.</p>
<p>If you're interested in BME, Duke's probably a good choice for you too. </p>
<p>You can just go to Barnes and read about the different schools you like. No need to buy the store out. </p>
<p>Do you want to apply Early Action/Decision? You can look at some of the schools that you like and compare your stats to see if you stack up? If you do, it's probably a good idea to do one or the other?</p>
<p>I'm assuming you've taken a Standardized test? What about subject tests? </p>
<p>You can also check out a couple of the essay topics for your respective schools.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks everyone! After reading what some people have said, I feel a little bit better. My list before was about 23, but I've tried to narrow it down as much as possible. </p>
<p>So what I really don't know is if I have a good mix of safetys, matches and reaches (I'm pretty sure that's what they're called).</p>
<p>And to all of your relief, I have taken the SAT, once. I took it in May of my junior year for the first time, not realizing that most of my other friends have taken it more than once already by then... great of them to tell me, huh? Everything seems so competitive, even in my school. </p>
<p>My scores weren't impressive, atleast I don't think so.
M: 660
CR: 630
W: 640 (essay subscore: 10)</p>
<p>My GPA is 4.11, but I think that is weighted. I don't know what it is unweighted.</p>
<p>I have taken 2 AP tests (European History as a Sophomore and English Lang and Comp as a junior) and scored 4's on both. </p>
<p>What else?</p>
<p>You definitely need to sort out your financial situation. Some of the schools you've listed are hugely expensive. Talk with your parents. We don't know what your SAT/ACT, gpa, high school rigor, etc.. Unless you're top notch and "almost perfect" in your statistics, forget about John Hopkins, Tufts, and Cornell. Find one or two good safety schools ASAP. Then, move onto Matches in both statistics and affordability.</p>
<p>Uh, my senior year schedule is : </p>
<p>AP Calc AB
AP Biology
AP American Govt + Politics
AP English Lit
Child Development + PE (CD = health)
Elective - Intro to Veterinary Science</p>
<p>I have taken Subject tests too... I did that in June, however, I did HORRIBLE! I figured, oh, I've taken the class in high school, I don't need to study! I was wrong! Plus, I'm not exactly the best standardized test taker.</p>
<p>Math2: 570
Bio: 630
Chem: 530</p>
<p>I don't know what to do about those!</p>
<p>So...</p>
<p>H-Reaches -- Cornell, Tufts, JHU, </p>
<p>L-Reaches - RPI, Gtech, Bucknell</p>
<p>Matches - BU, NEU</p>
<p>Safeties - Clemson, Drexel, Uconn </p>
<p>Dunno about Suny OOS.</p>
<p>Yeah. If you're shooting for Cornell/JHU you'd probably want to raise your test scores. Do you have a first, second or third choice? Or was that implied by order given?</p>
<p>No, that was in alphabetical order. I'm not really sure what my top choice(s) would be. It has been Cornell for a while, but I'm starting to think that I'd also like to have some time to have fun in college and I've been getting the impression that Cornell might be opressive with the workload. GaTech, Bucknell, Clemson and NEU are probably among my top. Then again, if I actually could get into Cornell, I might consider it too.</p>
<p>OK-now I see your scores. Only 2 AP's thus far and none in science or math before your senior year? Forget about Johns Hopkins. Cornell and Tufts are high reaches--lottery ticket schools. Bucknell is also a reach. You can try but don't count on them. Go to websites of each of the colleges on your list. Under "Search" type in "2007 Freshman Profile". The profile will have a breakdown of the statistics of incoming freshmen. Compare your stats. Stay conservative in your ranking of safety, match, and reach. Don't forget to factor in finances!!</p>
<p>Okay, ellie. You are further along than we thought. GOOD! You are going to be fine. Retake the SAT again IF you think you can score better next time...there is a science to taking it......and NOT wasting time on the section directions is one strategy to save time and answer more questions. Get some professional advice on that. If you DONT think you can improve your scores considerably, then ride with what you have. You scored almost a 1300 on the core sections and your writing score is very decent. College admissions officers like kids like you...dependable, solid, even keeled, strong grades, mature etc. So you will be fine.</p>
<p>On your list, my thoughts are thus:</p>
<p>Where are you from? Do you want "an adventure" or are you more of a home body and would tire quickly in a busy city or burn out or stress out being away from home? Know yourself, and let your conscience be your guide...your GUT feeling is usually correct. </p>
<p>Then: I think you are on the bubble for Tufts, Cornell, Hopkins...but they are not UNREASONABLE reaches...so its okay to apply if you think you want to go there and if they admit you, that you will accept and attend. Dont bother if you dont have a strong feeling about one of them.</p>
<p>CONVEY YOUR STRONG INTEREST IN YOUR APPLICATION. SLAM YOUR ESSAY. MAKE SURE YOU LINE UP OUTSTANDING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TEACHERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOU AND CAN CONVEY YOUR PERSONHOOD AND WORK ETHIC TO THEM.</p>
<p>I am not saying you wont get in, only they are reaches. Nothing wrong with that. I know a girl with a 1330 who got into Dartmouth. So it happens.</p>
<p>Embrace your match schools and safety schools and FOCUS upon the ones that turn you on, for whatever reason: location, campus, student body, program, weather, sports, whatever......remember you are interviewing the college as much as they are interviewing YOU.</p>
<p>Be confident but not cocky. Confident humility I call it.</p>
<p>This is YOUR LIFE, so take charge of it. Its time, my friend. Its time.</p>
<p>I can suggest MORE schools with your stats if you desire. Some of my favorites for various reasons (and biases). Let me know and I will list them.</p>
<p>But your list looks fine to me. So relax, but be focused and organized and get busy. Make little files for EACH college, so that you know precisely where you are with that application, what needs to be done etc. </p>
<p>This is the FUN part. The hard part is waiting, and then of course choosing between offers...because, I am confident you will have SEVERAL offers to choose from.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>On financial aid, the privates are often generous with grants in aid.....they arent scholarships, but serve the exact same purpose. The FAFSA is due in late February so dont worry about that now. Focus upon your application list, getting it done and turned in.</p>
<p>I really need to know what state you are from so I can give your more commentary on what I think....for example if you are in South Carolina that has a huge impact upon Clemson which is a wonderful school with a very good biomed program. Its a strong school and your stats are dead center match for it. Things like that.</p>
<p>nocousin, can you please list the other colleges, it can't hurt for me to look at a few more. </p>
<p>nysmile, does it change things that my school technically only offers one AP to students before their senior year? The only reason that I have 2 is because I was chosen among the entire freshman class to be one of 3 students to take European History as a sophomore when it is reserved for seniors? That being said, my mother did laugh at me when I told her that JHU was on my list... </p>
<p>I definitely feel like I can do better on my SATs. Each section rose about 100 points from my PSAT scores only like 6 months before. I think that if I review a lot of the older geometry and algebra that I have forgotten and didn't bother to review ahead of time, I should do better on my math section.</p>
<p>And I am from Connecticut.</p>
<p>As far as EC's are concerned, I'm not sure that they are amazing, but I'd like to think that they aren't bad.</p>
<p>I am very involved in our school's FFA chapter. I have held a chapter office, and through the FFA I have attended many leadership conferences (including one in Washington DC where only .5% of the 500,000 FFA members nationwide ever attend). Also, through that I competed in their National Agriscience Fair which required us to develop and perfrorm an experiment, create a presentation and go through a 15 minute interview. I didn't place in the top 3, but I got a silver medal.</p>
<p>In order to perform that experiment I got to work at a research lab in Ithaca, NY (where ironically some students from Cornell perform experiments :D)</p>
<p>I have also kept a steady job for 11 months now (and I plan to continue) in an Animal Hospital which is where a lot of my passion for the BME came from. </p>
<p>I've also done about 200 hours of community service and I'm a member of NHS blah blah blah. I think those would be my EC highlights though.</p>
<p>ellie, yes, your explanation of the school's policy on AP's does change the situation. Colleges will see that when they look at your high school's profile so worry too much about it. I still wouldn't even take the time to apply to John Hopkins, Cornell, or Tufts. </p>
<p>Privates are good for financial aid but only if your parent's income and assets fall into the colleges range for qualifying for financial aid. Many Conn. and Long Island parents don't qualify for financial aid because relative to other areas of the country, our homes are overly assessed and our incomes are higher. </p>
<p>I definitely suggest finding two great safeties that you would actually like to attend. The nice thing about safeties is that usually your statistics are above average and your chances for a good merit scholarship increase dramatically. </p>
<p>Once you've set your safeties, move onto your matches, and then reaches. Spend most of your time on your safeties and matches.</p>