<p>The only colleges I’ve brought up with my counselor are BC (low reach) and Penn State (match). Since then I’ve decided I want to look more in the south and am looking into FSU, NC State, South Carolina, Georgia (all should be matches or safeties), and maybe UF and UNC as reaches.</p>
<p>OP, Davidson is not a safety. </p>
<p>My list, thus far, is shaping up somewhere along the lines of:</p>
<p>Reaches- Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Pomona, Amherst
Matches- Duke (in-state, double legacy, good record with my school), UChic, Georgetown, Middlebury
Safeties- UNC</p>
<p>We’ll see what happens to this list as I visit schools. And I’m planning on applying to UChic, Georgetown, and UNC EA and adding more match/safety schools if I don’t get in.</p>
<p>Jaddua, you would be crazy not to apply to HYPSM. Unless the schools you’re applying to have programs that you particularly like, which I don’t think is the case, you really should apply to more reaches. You have no idea how much being native american helps, and your stats are on par for all of them</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Thanks! Yeah, I think I’m either going to major in Environmental Studies or Environmental Sciences. I’ve found that at every rural school that appeals to me, the social scene revolves entirely around drinking, which I don’t really like.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Really? That’s encouraging, haha.</p>
<p>Jaddua, if you are willing to consider some smaller schools, then I encourage you to check out Whitman College (match), Colorado College (match), and Dartmouth College (reach). These three schools all have strong outdoor programs (clubs for skiing, hiking, climbing, canoing, etc.), excellent academics, and tend to attract many students with interests like yours. Geographically, at least, they are more “close to nature” than Brandeis, BC and Brown. One reason I mention Whitman and Colorado College is that they both offer merit scholarships, for which you’d probably be a strong candidate in case your EFC is too high for need-based aid. The Ivies and some other very selective schools do not award merit scholarships (although their need-based aid is excellent.)</p>
<p>Dartmouth College has historic ties to Native American tribes in New England ([Native</a> American Program at Dartmouth College](<a href=“http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nap/]Native”>http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nap/)) so your heritage may give you an even bigger admissions advantage at this Ivy League school than at some others. At Dartmouth there is a fairly big drinking scene. Still, any outdoorsy Native American interested in Environmental Science, with your stats, should at least investigate Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Other options:
[10</a> of the Best College Environmental Programs in the U.S. : TreeHugger](<a href=“http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/10-of-the-best-college-environmental-programs-in-the-us.php]10”>http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/10-of-the-best-college-environmental-programs-in-the-us.php)
Of these, in my opinion, the top choices are Cornell, Middlebury, Duke, and Yale. The others may have good environmental programs but are not as selective or as cash-rich. Yale (like the University of Chicago) is in a rather crappy urban location. Cornell is another Ivy League school and is considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. They have a famous Ornithology Lab; somebody there must be familiar with the California Condor issues. </p>
<p>Suggested Alternative List
HIGH Reaches: Stanford, Dartmouth (sub for Brown)
Ordinary Reach: Cornell, Duke/Middlebury (sub for NU and Chicago)
Targets: Whitman, Colorado College (sub for Brandeis and BC if you’re o.k. with small size)
Safeties: Seattle University</p>
<p>Heres my go…</p>
<p>Super Reach
-Stanford (double legacy so why not)</p>
<p>Reach:
-Notre Dame
-UVA
-Duke</p>
<p>Low Reach/High Match:
-Colgate
-BC</p>
<p>Match:
-Bucknell
-Davidson
-Bates</p>
<p>Safety:
-Northeastern</p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure where they fall in terms of reach/match/safety because I haven’t taken the SAT yet (something happened that prevented me from taking it when I planned…I’m taking it Sat.), but if I get my predicted scores, I think they’re all possible (some more than others). Another problem I have is that I like almost EVERY school. Pretty much my only criteria is that it has a pretty laid back feel and isn’t super urban (like NYU. Urban is OK, like BU or UPenn or something like that). </p>
<p>I’ll just organize them by how much I like them.
Cornell
Hamilton
Washington & Lee
Richmond</p>
<h2>Virginia</h2>
<p>These schools I’m not sure I’ll apply to, but they’re on my radar (some I like more than others)
Colgate
William & Mary
Lafayette
Vanderbilt
UPenn</p>
<p>Any thoughts or suggestions?</p>
<p>Something like…</p>
<p>Low Reach:
[ul][<em>]Stanford
[</em>]Yale
[<em>]Harvard
[</em>]Princeton[/ul]
Match:
[ul][<em>]MIT (EA)
[</em>]UChicago (EA)
[li]Georgetown (EA)[/ul][/li]Safety:
[ul][*]University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign (EA)[/ul]</p>
<p>tk any words of wisdom since you seem to no whats going on (see list above)</p>
<p>^^ MIT is not a match. I don’t care who you are.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, it’s probably more like a very realistic reach.</p>
<p>MIT is a match??? ummm do you have 2400 SAT 2400 SAT 2, 4.0, Awesome ECs, 1 international award, 3 national awards? Then yes, MIT is a match. spayette if BC and Colgate are low reaches/high matches, then Davidson is defs a reach… not a match.</p>
<p>~3.8 GPA
205 PSAT
I’ve taken all honors / AP classes and my extra curriculars are all centered around dance and teaching / tutoring. </p>
<p>My list…
Boston University’s School of Education :]</p>
<p>Silverturtle - perhaps you are an exceedingly talented student. But your list is exceedingly unwise. None of the schools you list as a ‘low reach’ or ‘match’ are a given for any but an extremely small number of students - all of them with extraordinary hooks. What, other than grades and test scores, makes you think you are so likely to get into these schools?</p>
<p>Reaches: Cornell, UPenn, UChicago, Brown, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Rice
High Matches: Barnard, UVA, not sure if UMich is a high match or reach
Matches: NYU, U Maryland
Safeties: SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Stony Brook, U Delaware
This is more of a list of schools to visit that I am strongly considering applying to or have found something I like about. Not really into the small LAC’s but Barnard is right across the street from Columbia and part of a big city so it still fits my bill.</p>
<p>EDIT: If you’d like you can give your opinions on this list based on my stats
PSAT - 205
SAT- M730 CR680 W670
SAT IIs- Bio780 Chem760 (both taken after Honors not AP)
APs- Euro5 This year:Lang, US, Chem, Physics B
GPA/Rank - 97.5ish unweighted 98.5ish weighted… 6 or 7/350
ECs - Science Olympiads (Secretary this year, Pres next) Chorus, TriM Music Honors Society, Future Educators (Executive Board - no officers), Columbia SHP, Research at a university near me last summer and this summer
Awards - Siemens Semifinalist, National Merit Commended hopefully</p>
<p>I guess that’s it. I’m probably missing something but whatever.</p>
<p>I will flesh out my list with a few additional safety schools, but my chances are solid everywhere. I do not, though, have any extraordinary ECs or major awards; I haven’t been exposed to any major competitions except USNCO, for which I will take the National Exam soon (qualified last year).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Then MIT is not a match.</p>
<p>^Especially since MIT is fond of kids with accomplishments outside of school as opposed to the traditional 4.0/2400 overachiever.</p>
<p>Umm…solid? I’m guessing that your GPA and test scores are in the upper part of those for accepted students for your low reach and match schools. But you need to realize that thousands of students like that get turned down. For kids with SAT math scores in the 750+ range, admit rate is only 15%. Ditto for kids ranked in the top 5% of their class. Again, your most basic stats are probably similar to those of many who were admitted, but also many more who were denied. I’ve seen kids with NMSF (in MA, a very hard state), 2200+ SATs, and excellent GPAs get turned down flat. You will definitely need some safety schools. Again, not wanted to dash your hopes - but your ‘solid’ chances are still only about 1 in 12 for these schools - and you should have enough of a math background to know that applying to 6 at 1 to 12 doesn’t mean a 50/50 shot.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Some of this depends on how we’re using the term match. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I am very familiar with college admissions and, in turn, the challenges facing applicants. I sincerely appreciate your attempt to advise me, but I know what I’m doing. No disillusionment needed here. :)</p>
<p>(By the way, I generally use match when I feel that the chance of admittance is greater than 50%.)</p>