<p>OP, your parents’ suggestion about traveling after the acceptances are in is a common one and well within their right to make. I suggest that you work with them on this plan and see if you cannot reach a compromise in which, say, you offer to pay for the gas (and overnight) to drive to a nearby school. If you don’t have a job, it’s time to get one anyway. Your parents might be recalling what applying to college was like in their day, but the opportunities for students today are much greater and so too is the competitiveness. The days when a student with your scores goes to the local LAC are passing, and passing too are the days when employers and grad schools find such an education normative for exceptional students. Or your parents might want you to stay in-state for any number of good reasons. Always keep the lines of communication open; try to avoid blow-ups and ultimatums; you be the mature one.</p>
<p>My parents (years ago) wouldn’t take me on college trips so I ended up going to a few with a friend and her parents. Even if it isn’t to the school of your dreams, it’s worth seeing some different schools.</p>
<p>much better point than the one I was thinking of but had enough sense not to post, redpoint ;+)</p>
<p>Have you looked at U of Rochester? It should be a fit for you, and they give VERY generous financial aid. I visited, and it was the most academic by far of any college I went to. It has a hospital, so lots of research. I’m like you, I don’t really like being surrounded by a ton of people all the time. But U of R felt great to me. Even though its very academic, my tour guide emphasized that its more collaborative academic vs. competitive academic. I don’t know if that’s your thing, but thought I’d share it. Let me know if you want to know more about UR, I know a lot since I just interviewed.</p>
<p>Did you get your PSAT back? That might be helpful.</p>
<p>funny you should mention, rochester, climb1421. D is interviewing right now at roc. wife reports, surprise, surprise, it’s snowing. </p>
<p>are you a climber like my D, too? since roc felt good to you, where else are you applying? has anywhere else felt good to you?</p>
<p>@climb1421, I’ll have to look into U of Rochester. From your description, it sounds like it would be a good fit for me!</p>
<p>I saw you at U of C, too. Also Grinnell and Oberlin, which are smaller and more intellectual type places. Does your state flagship have a good honors program? You would get in, and in a smaller, more select group, you might find your friends. Plus, if you don’t find your peeps in that group, a big state school would have a multitude of activities and personalities to choose from.</p>
<p>@Lizardly, my state university has an honors program, but it’s really not anything special. There are no honors only classes, dorms, or well, anything. As far as I can see, there’s not really much of a point to it…</p>
<p>Kitten23- my D is a freshman at Case Western and just made the remark yesterday that there are way more introverts than extroverts there, but all blend well together…btw, she loves it there! And I also am familiar with the Univ of Rochester - also would be a good fit for you.</p>
<p>Well, I said I would post my PSAT score when available (I just got it about five minutes ago…) so here it goes: </p>
<p>Combined: a laughable 181 (laughing because of how horrible this is…)
CR: 64
M: 67
W: 50</p>
<p>This is my first timed test (no prep), so I hope to improve by this spring when I will take the ACT and SAT.</p>
<p>This may influence the college suggestions…</p>
<p>not really. if this score mattered it would re-enforce my argument about the need for safeties and low matches, but a lot is going to change by the time you get to your ACTs and SATs. you’re going to study hard because you don’t want to have to find another school list, right? 15 to 30 minutes a day/365 days a week ;+)</p>
<p>Of course I’m going to study hard. Guaranteed. I want to do well on these tests, like the rest of the CC community.</p>