I've Made My List...Now What?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I'm a HS Junior and I think I'm done making a list of schools to apply to. I'd like to think that I've done my homework and I have a pretty comprehensive list, but I don't really know where to go from here. I've got my schools, now what should I be doing?</p>

<p>For a reference
My List (according to preference)</p>

<p>West Point
Pomona
Colorado College
Annapolis
Grinnell
University of Rochester (NROTC) (tie)
Whitman (tie)
Franklin and Marhsll
Rhodes
Willamette
SUNY Geneseo (tie)
Kalamazoo (tie)</p>

<p>Stats
92-94 average</p>

<p>Currently taking 4 AP's (Language and Composition, Chem, US History, Psychology)
Took AP Euro sophomore year and got a 5</p>

<p>I am attending a competitive public high school in the Rochester area that does not rank</p>

<p>took the ACT in September for the first time and got a 32, I will probably retake it again
I got a 770 on SAT II for world history</p>

<p>Took the PSAT in October....pretty crappy results :(. They dont really matter anyways since my 32 outshines them.
55 Writing
61 Math
63 Reading
ECs
Will be a member of the JV/Varsity XC team all 4 years, but unfortunately was not named a captain (our junior class is absolutely stacked)</p>

<p>Member of the JV Nordic Ski Team in 8th grade and Varsity in 9th</p>

<p>JV/Varsity Indoor Track 10th-12th (hopefully be named captain)
JV/Varsity Outdoor Track 9-12th (hopefully be named captain)</p>

<p>Sophomore Year- Co-VP of Model UN
Junior Year- Secretary of Model UN
Attended a Model UN conference (THIMUN) in the Hague this January for 2 weeks</p>

<p>member of LitMag staff sophomore year
Co-Editor of the LitMag Junior Year</p>

<p>taking an independent study creative writing class with a teacher from the english dept next year</p>

<p>Member of town youth court junior year (it was founded that year)
might be named an adviser as a senior</p>

<p>Participated in an Internship at Rochester General Hospital in the Neurology Department over the summer</p>

2

<p>You look like a solid applicant for all your schools. And you also happened to rank them by selectivity, haha so your favorite school will also probably be the hardest for you to get into.
What I did last year was start drafting my essays as soon as possible. It was really helpful in the long run, as I was done with all of my applications in October and I was able to concentrate on my senior year classes (I took 5 APs, so it was nice to not be worrying about applications like all of my other friends.) So that’s my suggestion for you…start to think about how you can set yourself apart in your essays and make your application shine. And make sure you obviously keep up the good grades, etc, warm up to teachers you’ll be asking for recommendations and all of that stuff. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>*but I don’t really know where to go from here. I’ve got my schools, now what should I be doing?
*</p>

<p>Since finances heavily come into play when it comes to colleges, have you asked your parents how much they can contribute each year towards your education? If not, do so.</p>

<p>Do you know what their EFC is? If not, use this. [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml]FinAid”>http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml)</p>

<p>If their EFC is larger than what they can pay, you’ll have a problem.</p>

<p>College lists are nice, but if they aren’t doable because EFC’s are unaffordable or the schools don’t meet need, then lists have to change.</p>

<p>I realize that West Point and Annapolis are free.</p>

<p>Are the bottom schools your financial safeties (schools that your parents have said that they can pay for outright?)</p>

<p>Since you have an ACT 32, have you considered some schools that will give you a large assured merit scholarship for that?</p>

<p>What is your likely major/career?</p>

4

<p>^ I got a large merit scholarship from Willamette this year and I had a 32 on my ACT. Just in case you were wondering (I also did the Leadership Application thing.)</p>

5

<p>APPLY FOR THE SUMMER SEMINARS! The applications are usually due the end of March of junior year. The summer sessions are for rising High School seniors to get a taste of the Academy life. Admission is difficult. I don’t know about West Point, but for Annapolis the Summer App is also your college app - no need to reapply in the fall.</p>

<p>Are you familiar with the Physical requirements? As a track athlete you’ll probably be ok with them, but you should be familiar with the requirements.</p>

<p>Have you networked for your Congressional recommendation yet? Get on that too. ANd remember, you do not need to use your State’s rep - You can have a recommendation from any.</p>

6

<p>Spanglish…what is the Cost of attendance at Willamette and how much is your scholarship per year? Does it increase as tuition/costs increase each year?</p>

7

<p>Thanks everyone for the posts-</p>

<p>Another thing I realized, I should probably start to study for the SAT and maybe take the ACT again this year or next September…</p>

<p>Spanglish, yea I’ll definitely get on that
and… for the most part thats true but there are some discrepancies (ie Annapolis, U of R, Geneseo)
and just out of curiosity, what is a ‘large’ scholarship?</p>

<p>Mom2collegekids Thanks yet again for your help!
I’m not really sure what I plan to major in, I really like neuroscience but alot of schools don’t offer it (I am interested in U of R’s program and Franklin and Marshall’s “Scientific and Philosophical Studies of the Mind”)
If I can’t get Neuroscience I’d consider:
Environmental Science/Geology, Math, Econ, Psych, English, Philosophy</p>

<p>Career interests…wow. hmmm. Im not sure…
Well If I get into West Point, I’d like to serve in the Special Forces/Engineers Corps for a while. Maybe go to grad school in Neuroscience or Econ/Math and get my PhD. After I’m done serving (If that ever happens), I’d like to either do neuro research (maybe some exercise physiology stuff). If I choose the math route instead of neuro, maybe I’d start up a business, research behavioral economics, or go into politics…</p>

<p>-My EFC is somewhere around 32,000 give or take a few K
-My sister is currently not in college, but she is in the process of eventually going into community college (again…) so that could 1/2 my EFC
-My parents have promised to pay around 20K and maybe take out some loans too

  • I guess I’m willing to take out some loans and get a summer job if need be
    -My stepdads grandparents are pretty wealthy and will probably contribute somewhere in the ballpark of 5K</p>

<p>So when all this is added up, Its looking like I’ll be set (or as close to it) for paying for college</p>

<p>Longhual-@ networking for Congressional recommendations, how would I go about doing that? Like do I just email my congressman’s office and tell them im interested?
If this helps at all, I’m supposed to sit down for lunch to talk to my Liason Officer next saturday.
I haven’t really done much for Annapolis, all I’ve done is sent in my pre-candidate form
Yea IK about the physical requirements and I’ve been halfheartedly preparing but I really should buckle down and get serious abt it</p>

<p>Another thing, is my list to ‘safe’? The way I organized it, I have 3 reaches (Pomona, Annapolis, West Point), 4 Matches (U of R, Whitman, Grinnell, Colorado College) and 5 safeties (Kalamazoo, Geneseo, Rhodes, Franklin and Marshall).</p>

8

<p>Networking for Nominations</p>

<p>Tell EVERYONE you know you want to get into one of the Academies and ask them for assitance. A student I knew of got his break by being invited to a private fund raiser for someone who was on one of the big defense committees ( I am ignorant in politics, so I don’t remember the exact Comittee). He was introduced and asked for the recommendation. The students SATs were weak and having this particular Senator’s rec was the tipping factor in his opinion.</p>

<p>Check out these links for the Annapolis and West Point summer programs:</p>

<p>[Naval</a> Academy Summer Seminar](<a href=“http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm]Naval”>http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm)</p>

<p>[USMA</a> Admissions: More Info: Summer Program](<a href=“http://admissions.usma.edu/MoreInfo/summer.cfm]USMA”>http://admissions.usma.edu/MoreInfo/summer.cfm)</p>

9

<p>Oh yea, abt summer seminars, I do know about them but can’t attend since it interferes with exams. I had to take midterm exams early/after for my MUN conference in the Hague and it was incredibly stressful. I’d rather not put myself through the same stress twice in one year.</p>

10

<p>Your list is very well thought out and thorough. And you seem to be realistic in your chances. Great job! Don’t worry if next fall you want to make some changes to your list - that’s normal as time goes on. Glad to see you have Whitman on there. It’s strong in the sciences for an LAC with a new $400,000. microscope that’s especially exciting to the neuroscience kids.</p>

11

<p>I REALLY recommend you give the summer programs more thought. Although you’ll have stress applying now think about the stress it alleviates come fall.<br>
If you are accepted to the summer program:

  1. You will not need to reapply for college in the fall (at least for Annapolis - I don’t know about West Point), so in essence you will be getting the college app done now
    and
  2. Getting into the summer program is a good indication that you will be accepted for college.
  3. On the off chance you do not get in it will give you time to strengthen you application and provide additional materials.</p>

<p>Also - you do realize there are different session dates. I can’t imagine all of them are the same dates as exams</p>

12

<p>Willamette has 35K of tuition a year (not including room and board, etc.) I got a $20,000/year scholarship and I need to maintain at least a 2.5 GPA to have it carry on into the next year.</p>

13

<p>^^^</p>

<p>That’s not a bad requirement - a 2.5! </p>

<p>So, if the tuition is $35k per year, I imagine that the COA (tuition, fees, room, board, books, misc.) must bring the total COA to about $48-50k per year. Is that about right? So, your scholarship covers about 2/5 of the COA. Very good!</p>

14

<p>Yes, according to collegeboard the COA is ~45K, so the scholarship is a pretty nice package.</p>