Is This A Good List So Far?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello, I have tried to narrow down different schools that I would like to apply to into safeties, matches, and reaches. Let me know if my list is okay so far or if I am way off on something.</p>

<p>Ranked 16/223 in my class.
2060 SAT: 740 Math/660 CR/660 Writing
All honors and college courses: 6+ APs
Over 90% on every NYS Regent's Exam
Two Years National Honors Society
Employed for one year
Competitively Sailing for 2 years</p>

<p>Safeties: SUNY Buffalo (Hometown), Alabama</p>

<p>Matches: Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Minnesota</p>

<p>Reaches: Cornell, Michigan, UNC</p>

2

<p>Those seem like reasonable rankings for those schools and your stats.</p>

3

<p>Cornell may be a deep reach based on your SAT but the rest seem in the ballpark…good luck!</p>

4

<p>This is a great list.</p>

5

<p>Most of your schools are OOS publics, and only Cornell and UNC promise to meet full financial need.</p>

<p>I agree with the others that you’ve done a good job picking out colleges that will likely admit you, but can you afford them? You qualify for merit scholarships at Alabama, but I would not count on merit aid from the others.</p>

6

<p>I was only looking at OOS publics because that is mainly what I can afford. Would I be eligible for merit-based scholarships at any private schools?</p>

7

<p>Competitive sailing! Have you looked at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It may not fit all your criteria but their sailing teams are champs in Div. I.</p>

8

<p>Top private schools that give merit aid are few and far between, however many guarantee to meet financial need, and some of those have even gone so far as to eliminate student loans. You would seem to be a competitive applicant for many top 25 schools, I wouldn’t count them out without looking more into their financial aid.</p>

9

<p>UMich costs $55K/year for OOS and you won’t get any merit aid. How is that different from a Private college? What can your family afford?</p>

10

<p>[HWS:</a> Merit-Based Scholarships](<a href=“http://hws.edu/admissions/merit_based.aspx]HWS:”>http://hws.edu/admissions/merit_based.aspx) Merit Aid-Freshmen </p>

<p>[2011</a> Spring Sailing Nationals](<a href=“http://www.hwsathletics.com/splash.aspx?path=msail&id=splash_27]2011”>Hobart and William Smith College Athletics - Official Athletics Website) Sailing </p>

<p>Check out merit aid for freshmen, sailing at Hobart & William Smith College (NY)</p>

<p>COA is about $50,000/year as many privates are. </p>

<p>Do you know what your family’s EFC is? (Expected Family Contribution)</p>

11

<p>I’m going to be honest and say that you’re reaches are REALLY reaches. Your good matches are definitely spot-on, but those reaches are very difficult schools. </p>

<p>For instance, a 2150 SAT, 4.0 average, 4’s and 5’s on AP’s (6 taken), 3-sport Varsity, President and founder of a club, NHS, 4 jobs, a boatload of awards, didn’t meet Georgetown/Ivy/UNC criteria. </p>

<p>Now this doesn’t mean they’re a no, but I would encourage you to add a Wake Forest or Tufts level school–those are reaches still perhaps but much more in the realm of possibility and are still prestigious. Your math score is great, but the reading and writing need to be higher for those types of schools. </p>

<p>Still apply to those reaches, but I would definitely break reaches down into low reaches and high reaches. Michigan would be a lower reach, while Cornell would be higher. </p>

<p>Even with what I’m saying, you could still get in with a great essay, communications with the admissions department, etc. You can’t go by stats, they’re deceiving–just try to stand out! </p>

<p>Good luck and everyone winds up where they should be, so don’t worry. You’ll find the perfect school for you.</p>

12

<p>I realize my reaches aren’t that good of chances but if you don’t apply you never know right? Also, I should have been more clear with my financial standing. I believe my EFC was a little over 20k. I am really not aware of how financial aid works and have not looked far into private schools at all. Is it something that I should consider? Also, I really enjoy something but it is not something that I would participate in at a college level.</p>

13

<p>What are you planning to study and what are your professional objectives (if you know them)? Is there a reason that you have not considered any LACs (liberal arts colleges)?</p>

14

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Financial Aid : Undergraduate Freshmen Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshmen/scholarships.cfm]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshmen/scholarships.cfm) Merit Aid-Freshmen </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Honors Program](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/honors/]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/honors/) Honors Program </p>

<p>[Alfred</a> University : Academics : Degrees/Majors](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/academics/degrees_majors.cfm]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/academics/degrees_majors.cfm) Majors & Minors </p>

<p>Consider Alfred University (NY) established in 1836, not too far from you, as a safety school. </p>

<p>2,300 Undergrads, small classes-know your professors, Division III Athletics, Housing for all four years, No Greek Life, Merit Aid, Need-Based Aid, friendly people, small charming village of Alfred, NY. All students may have cars. </p>

<p>School of Business
College of Liberal Arts
School of Art & Design
School of Engineering </p>

<p>Fiske Best Buy
Fiske Small Colleges & Universities Strong in Engineering
Fiske Small Colleges & Universities Strong in Art & Design
USNWR’s Great Schools Great Prices
Princeton Review’s Best 373
Princeton Review’s Best 300 Business Schools
Fiske Guide 2011 </p>

<p>The Cost of Attendance is around $38,000/year, with their highest merit award of $14,000/year that would certainly bring the COA down for you. You could probably get into the Honors Program as well, which has its benefits, must interview for Honors Program. </p>

<p>When applicants need financial aid, I do not know why they consider an OOS public school. Much of their aid goes to in-state students. If you have outstanding stats & that OOS public really wants you, then you might receive a great FA package. Or in the case of Alabama, if you are NMF, you can get a very attractive deal. </p>

<p>You had stated before in another thread you were considering majoring in history, you do not need to pay OOS tuition at a large public school for history! </p>

<p>Best of luck in your college search!</p>

15

<p>The OP is a History major.</p>

<p>As she knows, Alabama will give her free tuition for her 1400 M+CR and high GPA. Her remaining cost there will be about $10k per year…depending on dorm selection/meal plan. That’s quite a discount for someone whose EFC is around $20k per year. If her parents will pay the $10k per year, she’ll graduate debt free! </p>

<p>Even instate, she probably couldn’t get a 4 year education, living on campus, for a total of $40k!</p>

<p>Her SAT is also high enough to be in the Honors College…and to apply for University Fellows…which might interest her. </p>

<p>That said…Unless an OOS public like UMich is going to give you significant merit money, it’s going to be expensive since they will expect you to pay nearly all costs…about $50k per year. </p>

<p>UNC is an exception…they will meet need. BUT…the school uses CSS Profile, so it’s unknown what the “family contribution” will be determined to be. CSS Profile considers other things…like home equity and such.</p>

16

<p>If the family EFC is a little over $20K then I would consider adding some private schools to the mix which may be more likely to meet financial need than OOS public. Cornell is the only private school on the list.</p>

<p>Assuming your GPA is high (based on your class rank), you should be able to get into all your match and safety schools and probably will get into Michigan. UNC has a low admit rate for OOS and I don’t know much about Cornell.</p>

<p>I know Pitt and OSU have merit aid for OOS but I don’t know what the qualifications are. OOS tuition at Minnesota is a little lower than other OOS. SUNY tuition is very reasonable for in-state.</p>

17

<p>The OP might get into UMich but would have to pay $50K+/year.</p>

18

<p>You could start a thread on that, Erin’s Dad, “Over 50k/Year For OOS & Not a Bargain” :)</p>