Is This a Reasonable List of Colleges?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>D1 drew up a list of colleges she'd like to apply to next year. Both of us think that the list is reasonable, considering her GPA, SAT scores and ECs. Friends are telling her she's aiming too low and should include some Ivies and some more schools with tougher admissions standards. At this point she is leaning towards a communications major, but she really is not sure. Please let me know what you think of her choices.</p>

<p>Here are her stats and other info:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.5 UW and 4.1 W</p>

<p>Junior in a select admissions HS communications arts honors level program</p>

<p>SAT: 680 CR /560 M /630 W</p>

<p>EC: NHS, Girl Scouts (multiple awards, including the Gold Award and president of troop), Muse (mentoring program for elementary school children), recreational soccer league, yearbook, literary magazine</p>

<p>Job last summer as a summer camp counselor</p>

<p>300 hours of community volunteer service</p>

<p>Tentative Major: Communications</p>

<p>These are her college/university choices:</p>

<p>Safety Schools
Towson University
UNC Wilmington</p>

<p>Fit Schools
University of Delaware
University of Maryland College Park
Boston University
Emerson
Northeastern
UNC Chapel Hill
Elon</p>

<p>Reach Schools
William & Mary
USC</p>

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<p>It look reasonable to me. She has reaches already and I think her friends don’t understand what it takes to get into ivies.</p>

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<p>I agree the list of colleges look good</p>

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<p>If she was passionate about a particular Ivy as her favorite school and truly desired to go to that school, I’d say it would be worth a shot applying no matter what her stats are. If that’s not the case, then I think this list is perfect.</p>

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<p>I think the list looks pretty good, too. What state do you live in? That makes a difference with some of these schools.</p>

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<p>UNC Chapel-Hill is not a target, just FYI. Someone I know who’s about to attend Vanderbilt told me that he was flat-out rejected with a 1500/2200 SAT and a 3.6 UW GPA (he attends mostly AP classes). He told me that it’s very hard to get into, although if you’re in-state your chances probably go up significantly.</p>

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<p>I think your list looks great, with the possible exception of Chapel Hill. However, given that you’re in state (okay, it sounds like you’re in state), it would probably be a low reach at worst.</p>

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<p>Chapel Hill would have been a reach this year (and likely next year too) based on your stats. </p>

<p>Elon would be a low reach but gets harder to get into each year. Elon has a great Communications program and I would advise you to visit and if they are a top choice apply early action. </p>

<p>Emerson can be fun and funky, depending on the type of communications she wants to specialize in.</p>

<p>I agree that her friends don’t understand what it takes to get into ivies. But if one is her dream school then apply for the “hey who knows factor”. </p>

<p>Looks like she has worked hard, Have Fun and enjoy the ride…</p>

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<p>Sorry, just noticed you are OOS for Chapel Hill. - no chance.</p>

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<p>The UNC Wilmington (UNCW) film studies program is very good and has the huge advantage of having many films and TV shows filmed in Wilmington and at the local studios. Lots of chances for students to get first hand experience. </p>

<p>UNCW itself is an outstanding school. It’s amazing to see how the school has changed over the past 10 years and what they are still working on.</p>

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<p>ncmentor</p>

<p>It sounds like you are well versed in NC schools.</p>

<p>Please tell me more about admission chances for OOS students for the UNC schools. A representative from UNC Wilmington told me that over 3500 OOS students applied to UNCW and approximately 150 were admitted. Are the UNC schools selecting only the most stellar OOS students or are they admitting OOS students who fit the in-state profile?</p>

<p>Thanks for the heads up about UNC Chapel Hill being beyond reach.</p>

<p>UNCW looks excellent for film. How strong are the other communications areas. D is not totally decided on a communications major. How strong are the psychology, political science and sociology areas?</p>

<p>She visited and toured Elon. At first it was her top pick because the facilities looked so wonderful. But she is worried that she would not fit in at Elon because she doesn’t want to go Greek and she’s a jeans and t-shirt kind of person. Do you think her impressions of Elon and its student are correct?</p>

<p>She also visited UNC Asheville but didn’t like the campus and thought her guide was weird. We didn’t see many other students and left with the impression that the school is low on school spirit and that there’s not much of a social life on weekends. Since she would be an OOS student, she definitely doesn’t want to go to a commuter school or a school where most of the kids go home on the weekends.</p>

<p>Do you have any other suggestions for NC schools to consider? What do you think of Appalachian State or the other UNC campuses?</p>

<p>Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide. We haven’t been able to find much information on the lesser known NC schools on this site.</p>

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<p>Chapel Hill out for you, would be a reach even if in state. Rest look good but not givens.</p>

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<p>OK well the UNC- system schools are geared to providing the best possible higher educational experience for a great value for in state students. Most state schools only allow about 20% of students to be from out of state. That said the competition for out of state students to enter the system is fierce. And yes they do expect much more from OOS students. They will want exceptional students but exceptional comes in lots of packages. </p>

<p>Chapel Hill will only be interested in overwhelming academics. </p>

<p>NC State might pick you if you can prove intense gifted interest in one of their core programs, like Nanotech, software or fiber (and many others). </p>

<p>App State (Appalachian State) is very hard to get into because of football success but gifted music students might have a chance. </p>

<p>UNCW is a great school but the marine science, teaching and film programs are huge draws. ( shocked about the UNCW % of OOS you were quoted - bet that is for transfer or film program) (I love UNCW’s admissions staff and they try very hard to guide every student - and change lives).</p>

<p>UNC Asheville - well we must have had the same strange guide and that was hard to overcome, but lots of people love the school and it is one of the more sought after schools. Said to be a writers school.</p>

<p>UNC-Charlotte - Very good school for business (in one of the nations largest banking meccas) Modern school kind of in the city.</p>

<p>Western Carolina has been getting a lot of good press but I don’t know how much is just that. Might be worth a look for “B” students</p>

<p>The others have their own + /- but I don’t have enough personal experience to do anything other than repeat hearsay and we all get enough of that.</p>

<p>Private Schools</p>

<p>Davidson - Is very hard to get into. A National LAS. Great School. I want to live in the town of Davidson but I don’t think I’m smart enough to even live in the town.</p>

<p>Elon - Harder and Harder to get into every year and a dam near perfect school. They always “think out of the box” - Lots of students from the Northeast first learn about ELON from guidance counselors in the know. Many CC folks have lots of misconceptions about all things Southern, I think almost anyone can find a happy home at Elon. Great teaching/Student School, Truly a unique School… (PS: I’m originally from Massachusetts)</p>

<p>Duke - Southern Ivy with crazy school spirit</p>

<p>Wake Forest - drives me crazy because every time I have been on campus I can’t find the students and I guess engaged students is just an important part of what I think a campus should be about. But an Impressive school name to have on a job application !</p>

<p>High Point - Some people love it but kind of makes me feel like marketing vs. substance (just my feeling).</p>

<p>Guilford - A very special school in the quaker tradition. Worth a look but has to be the right fit for the student.</p>

<p>Wingate - Very good coral music program and a popular choice (known as a Conservative School)</p>

<p>Queens College in Charlotte has a loyal following.</p>

<p>Lots of other schools including a couple of good Womens Colleges just outside Raleigh.</p>

<p>Sure I missed some that I will later wonder what I was thinking but hope this helps.</p>

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<p>More directly answering your other questions.</p>

<p>“UNCW looks excellent for film. How strong are the psychology, political science and sociology areas?” — You will get a good education at UNCW it’s just that the film, teaching, and marine science programs are national level draws. Not sure how strong the poly sci program is at UNCW (or any non-specialty school). Chapel Hill would be “THE” poly sci program" in NC.</p>

<p>“She is worried that she would not fit in at Elon because she doesn’t want to go Greek and she’s a jeans and t-shirt kind of person” - Think about 30% of the students at Elon decide to do the greek/service thing. Jeans (or shorts) and t-shirt people are welcome, and often expected. I think some of the students in the highly selective fellows programs are expected to dress up occasionally because they personally meet with visiting lectures and business leaders who likely will be also dressed professionally. </p>

<p>“What do you think of Appalachian State” - love it. Half the beautiful mountain town is the college. The Football team has made them a nationally known school but the admin is taking advantage of spotlight to build other programs. Students have the unique option to rent textbooks. This is a mountain school, not a big city school and kind of hard to get to. </p>

<p>PS: </p>

<p>NC is a large state and the distance from the coast to the smokie mountains is roughly the same distance of driving from Boston to Washington DC. - “Appalachian State” is about 3/4 of the way across the state (from the coast).</p>

<p>NC has poured money into the state college system over the past 10 years. The people of the state have lots of pride in the system and are willing to pay what was needed to keep it a top system. (one of the reasons they only take a limited amount of OOS students).</p>