junior looking for fit

College Search & Selection
1

<p>My son is a junior and he needs some good fits and safety schools. We live in a western state that does not have a stellar university system. He seems to be just on the cusp of being competitive for top schools. Here are some basic stats; if I tell too much many in state will know who he is:</p>

<p>Caucasian male (1/4 Japanese--should we forget that?)
Competitive private school, (we're not wealthy, but two professional incomes; three kids)
GPA--unweighted ~3.85, but includes 8th grade algebra and foreign language. Will colleges include those grades? He had a B in one
SAT: 2200 (740 M 730 730)
ACT: 33 (with 36 in math)
Takes SAT IIs in June; thinks he did well on his 3 AP exams so far (4s and 5s)</p>

<p>AP classes: 7 total; others are mostly honors
Chinese
Physics (two years; I think B and C)
Calculus AB
US History
European History
English (lit?)</p>

<p>extra curricular:
plays 1st chair bassoon in highest level orchestra, band; state awards; plays in adult community orchestra (only high schooler), orchestra pit for school musicals
Trombone: highest stage band, plays in small school jazz band
sports: Varsity swimming, track, tennis--not recruitment candidate
leadership: 9th grade class treasurer, president Chinese club, co-founder environmental club; co-chair inter-murals committee,
other: correspondent and photographer school newspaper, red cross club, big-brother club, </p>

<p>community service; civic orchestra and environmental clean-ups, will do some additional service this summer--probably environmental related</p>

<p>Probably will have science related internship this summer/fall, and will have full-time job for summer (physical labor!)
Tutors 8th grader in algebra</p>

<p>not interested in any state/national competitions aside from music; says "not his thing"</p>

<p>Looking for (his wish list)
challenging school
nice kids
interaction with professors
science major (interested in either physics, geology, or marine science)
Music minor or at least be in orchestra/jazz band
Nowhere too cold or rainy; prefer school that is not huge, has equal number female/male, likes social science too, so not primarily tech school</p>

<p>So far thinking:
High reach: Stanford, Duke (stanford was always his dream school; now realizing likely unreachable!)
Reach: UVA, William and Mary (we may move to VA in a year or two), Claremont McKenna
Fit: (?) Pitzer, Occidental, University of Miami,
Safety??? Santa Clara, Chapman?????</p>

<p>Money is a consideration, but not a deal breaker if he finds the perfect fit. Will not get need-based aid; In-state school not an option. Looking at 5 year B.S/MS programs too. </p>

<p>Please advise on other/better fits and safeties.
Thank you so much!!!!!!</p>

2

<p>U Southern Calif. would be a great fit for him. </p>

<p>challenging school
nice kids
interaction with professors
science major (interested in either physics, geology, or marine science)- USC has great programs in all of these.
Music minor or at least be in orchestra/jazz band- USC has the very well respected Thorton school of music, and the famous USC marching band- talented musicians have lots of other opportuities to participate in different venues, or to take music classes at Thorton.
Nowhere too cold or rainy; prefer school that is not huge, has equal number female/male, likes social science too, so not primarily tech school</p>

<p>It has all of the above+small class sizes, lots of really smart kids[ USC has the second highest number of NMF’s in the country- only Harvard has more] </p>

<p>Did your son take the PSAT? did he exceed your state cut off? If so, USC offers automatic 1/2 tuition NMSF scholarships to accepted students. And they have a very generous FA program. Check out their FA calculator.</p>

<p>When did your Son take the SAT? I would suggest he take it again in Oct- with a 36 on the ACT he should be able to score a lot higher on the math. If he can raise it to the 2300 +level it would put him in the “sweet spot” . -I strongly advise you order the Collegeboard’s SAT study book[ which has lots of actual SAT tests in it] and have him take lots of practice tests this summer. It will be worth his time.</p>

3

<p>here is a link to USC freshman student profile
[Freshman</a> Profile - USC Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/fresh_profiles.html]Freshman”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/fresh_profiles.html)</p>

4

<p>I’m likely biased since I’m attending, but Duke sounds pretty perfect for your son, especially if he wants to pursue Marine Science. Loosely ordered from most to least selective, here’s a list of other schools I feel fit the bill:</p>

<p>Stanford
Vanderbilt
Rice
UVA
USC (OOS)
UNC Chapel Hill
Wake Forest
Tulane
SMU </p>

<p>All of the aforementioned schools offer merit money except Stanford I believe. </p>

<p>If you are able to accommodate the trip, I recommend he visit the Claremont schools to see if they’re really want he wants; they’re a vastly different breed of schools from the rest. W&M, Chapman, and UMiami seem a bit out of place in your tentative list.</p>

5

<p>In addition maybe also look at: WashU, Cornell, Emory, Tufts, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins</p>

6

<p>Thanks menlopark; we were looking at USC but had some concerns about housing and crime. Do you think there are problems in those areas or just bad press?
Thanks!</p>

7

<p>Minnesota if you need a less expensive choice. (But it is cold there.)</p>

<p>Arizona seems to have a good reputation in physics and geology.</p>

<p>UCSB seems to have a good reputation in physics, but expensive for out of state.</p>

<p>Stony Brook seems to have a good reputation in physics.</p>

8

<p>Thanks Brownford,</p>

<p>Just wondering why you think W&M and UM are not a fit. Chapman I can see; was just adding that as a safety because his counselor suggested it. He is planning on applying to the five year BS/MS honors program in Marine Geology at UM. UM has an excellent reputation for marine science (he’s not interested in marine biology, but either marine geology or physics; mostly due to job potential). Do you think he doesn’t fit at UM due to the students or other considerations? I’m interested in your view. At UM, students have to major in a science (biology, geology, physics, or chemistry) as well as marine science for the marine science program and the curriculum appears to be very rigorous.
Thanks!!</p>

9

<p>Strong schools with excellent science, including environmental science, physics, etc:

  • Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maryland, UIUC
  • UCSD, UCSB, UCSC, UCLA, UCD, UCB
  • Middlebury, Dartmouth, Cornell</p>
10

<p>just bad press?
yes. many colleges in urban areas have somewhat higher instances of crime- U of Chicago, Yale in New Haven, to name a few . USC has a huge on campus police force and they work closely with the LA Police dept. My DS was there for 4 years and never had anything happen where he felt he was in danger. </p>

<p>there are thousands of students who live in the hundreds of apts right next to USC, so unless he chooses to live in a really bad area of town, where there are few students and which everyone knows to avoid [ like the area that is south of U of Chicago] , you should not worry.</p>