Is my list too top-heavy?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I’ve kind of sort of finalized my list of schools, but I’m worried that it’s too top-heavy and has too many reaches. What do you think? Should I consider adding a few more matches/safeties? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>School list:
Yale
MIT (EA)
Penn
Brown
UChicago (EA)
WashU
Rice
CMU
Rochester
UMass (financial and academic safety) (EA)</p>

<p>UW GPA: 3.87
W GPA: 5.75 (where standard A’s are weighted 5.0 and honors/AP A’s are weighted 6.0)
SAT I: 2320 (790 M, 800 CR, 730 W)
SAT II: Math II (800), Physics (800), Literature (800)
Class rank: top decile (school does not rank)
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
State: Massachusetts
Intended major: physics
APs: US History (5), Biology, BC Calculus, Physics C, English, Psychology, European History
I go to a relatively competitive public high school, where I am taking the most rigorous courses available.
Should be NMF</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Math Team (co-captain senior year), Science Club (which morphed into genetics engineering team (co-founder and co-president senior year)), FIRST Robotics, Hebrew High School, piano (been playing for ten years), trumpet (been playing for nine years), physics internship at nearby college, science/engineering-related summer programs</p>

<p>Awards: a few school-level awards, nothing major</p>

2

<p>yes it is very top-school heavy. The first 7 schools are not even guaranteed. Either take out some of the top schools, or if you can afford app fees, add more safeties.</p>

3

<p>I don’t think so. As long as you’d be happy going to UMass I don’t see the point of adding more safeties.</p>

4

<p>I agree with jake^^^.</p>

5

<p>As long as Massachusetts is safe for both admissions and cost, and you are perfectly happy going there, then you should not worry about your list (in terms of the risk of being “shut out” next April).</p>

<p>However, any school which you would not choose over Massachusetts, or any school which is out of reach for cost, is not worth applying to. (See if each school has a “financial aid estimator” on its web site.)</p>

6

<p>Agreed, as long as you are aware that you really truly may not have any other acceptances, yes, even you.</p>

7

<p>I don’t see why U. Rochester isn’t a low match or match, so you have more than just U. Mass. to feel pretty secure about. See how EA goes, but maybe have one or two others in mind. Maybe one or two smaller schools for comparison? Colgate, Middlebury, Bowdoin…</p>

8

<p>If you are applying to MCS as a prospective physics major, then CMU is also a match for your stats (it would be a reach if you were applying to the School of Computer Science though). </p>

<p>As I see it then, considering only likelihood of acceptance and disregarding affordability, I think you have two safeties (UMass and Rochester), one match (CMU), 3 low reaches or maybe even matches (Rice, WashU, Chicago), and 4 reaches (Yale, MIT, Penn, Brown). And you’ll get a boost from being a female applying as a prospective STEM major. All things considered, I don’t think you need to add any other school to your list. Just make sure you are happy with your safeties and matches and can afford them if you get in.</p>

9

<p>Nothing is guaranteed with the Ivies. I expect you’ll get into WashU, CMU and Rochester. Don’t know much about Rice. If you don’t get in EA to MIT or Chicago, I’d have applications for another couple of matches or safeties ready to go out.</p>

10

<p>I agree with the above poster - If you don’t get in to Chicago (or MIT) EA, you may want to add one or two more match or safety schools.</p>

11

<p>You will get into UMass and Rochester. After all, you basically have perfect SAT scores on a 1600 score. And a fine record.</p>

<p>However, given the low acceptance rates at the top universities, you may want to add one more school to your list that is ranked higher than Rochester but lower than Carnegie Mellon.</p>

<p>Maybe a Georgetown or a Michigan or a Boston College.</p>

<p>But probably not necessary, but spend the $50 as “insurance”</p>

12

<p>Based on the financial aid comment in the OP I don’t think UMich is a good choice. I don’t know enough about G’Town or BC aid to comment on those.</p>

13

<p>As long as you’re happy to go to either UMass or U Rochester the list is fine.</p>

<p>Adding another safety would not be a bad idea if there’s another school that you love.</p>

<p>For the elite schools you list it would be a good idea to look at the profile of those who are denied . . . that’ll give ve you a reality check for how difficult those schools are to get into . . . e.g, at Brown 78% of those with 800 CR SATs and 87% of those with a 750-790 Math SAT are denied.</p>

<p>But . . . Go For It and Love Thy Safeties.</p>

<p>P.S. what the poster in comment #10 said</p>