Junior looking for reaches/matches/safeties

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm looking for what my possible reaches, matches, and safeties are for colleges in California and the East Coast.</p>

<p>White Female
California</p>

<p>GPA: 3.87UW/4.16W
Rank: School doesn't rank, but probably top 10%</p>

<p>PSAT:207
SAT I: 2200 (760CR,640M,800W - best sitting)
2260 (760CR, 700M, 800W - best composite)
SATII: Lit 760, Japanese 620 (retaking), taking chem & US history in May</p>

<p>By the end of high school, I'll have taken AP US, AP Chem, AP Lit, AP Physics, and AP Calc AB. Maybe AP Japanese (if it's offered)</p>

<p>Community College classes:
Intro to Linguistics (A)
Cultural Anthropology (A)
Probably Anthropological Linguistics in 12</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Badminton JV, 9-10
CSF, 10-12
Went to Japan for 2 weeks before 11, homestay
Student Ambassador to Japanese "Sister City" before 12 (4 ppl were selected and given a $1000 scholarship each)</p>

<p>Self-study Russian, 2 years
Writes (written a novel, but it's not published or anything)
Piano, 10 years</p>

<p>Second semester of junior year, I got a disease called Bell's Palsy, where one side of my face became paralyzed (it still hasn't gone away yet). My grades have dropped a little and I'm too tired to do much outside of school, so I'm hoping colleges will recognize that...</p>

<p>I'll probably end up majoring in something that has to do with foreign languages, ancient history, classics, or linguistics.</p>

<p>I'm also looking into applying to foreign colleges. What are some good English-speaking schools, particularly in Europe? They don't have to be in the UK, but the classes need to be taught in English.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Hi Niomi,
The info on your stats and ec's look good. How about a little more information about the type of school you're looking for? Such as: geographic location; rural or urban, big university or small LAC, Greek life, etc. Also, you might want to post this on the parent's forum as many people there have lots of experience and ideas. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>middlebury is wonderful for languages. Also in the middle of nowhere, but...</p>

4

<p>Niomi:</p>

<p>UCB/UCLA: Match
UCSD: Safe Match
UCI/UCSB/UCD: Safety
UCSC/UCR/UCM: Super Safety</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the replies!</p>

<p>I don't want the school to be super-rural or small. Suburban or urban, preferably on the East Coast or California. I'm open to both medium-sized and large schools, and maybe smaller ones if it really matches me. I don't really care about the social scene (I'd probably feel uncomfortable if it was huge party school or something). I also want it to have a really good humanities dept - I really couldn't care less about the sciences unless it had to do with linguistics.</p>

<p>So, yep, that's it. Maybe I'll post this in the parents forum later :)</p>

6

<p>Niomi, many students with similar stats to yours get into some of most selective schools that, granted, are reaches for everyone who applies, but you are as qualified as many who get accepted each year. </p>

<p>Since almost any school is possibly within your reach (as long as you understand you, along with everybody else, stands a less than 10% chance at the most selective schools), as entomom suggested, in order to find the right reach/match/safety schools for you, it's important for you to identify what characteristics you are looking for...size, location, curriculum, social, etc. There are big differences between Brown and Columbia, Tufts and Washington and Lee, and UC Berkeley and Claremont McKenna. </p>

<p>I highly recommend the Barron's and Fiske books, as well as the Colleges That Change Lives and The Gatekeepers as good background books...I was able to check them out from my local library, but they're available at amazon and most booksellers.</p>

<p>As you end your junior year, a couple of tips for you to consider that will help you with your college applications:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Many colleges ask what you did with your summer between junior and senior year either in the application or essay. Consider this upcoming summer an opportunity to pursue something you find interesting and of value.</p></li>
<li><p>Within the limitations of your medical condition, are there opportunities to pursue an extracurricular activity that demonstrates something about yourself and your abilities? There's a big difference between someone who has taken 10 years of piano, and someone who has placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a city/region/state competition. It's not just about the competition or awards, but demonstrating your level of committment and accomplishment in some manner. Volunteering to accompany a school play or performance could accomplish the same thing. Similarly, do you use your Japanese in any way...tutoring or mentoring others, or participating in related cultural activities? These are just ideas for you to consider to improve your chances at any school you would like to attend.</p></li>
<li><p>It will help if your GPA is strong the last semester of JR year and first semester of SR year.</p></li>
<li><p>Find out when schools you are interested in will be making presentations next fall, either in your area or at your school, and attend those presentations.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I agree with idamayer...Middlebury is supposed to be strong in languages, as is Tufts. Columbia has a lot of the classics built into the core curriculum which might appeal to you. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>