List Advice (North Carolina & South Carolina Based)

College Search & Selection
81

@LBad96 I agree, it is much easier to get into USC, with lower scores than to get in UNC-W.

82

Go to the Citadel, theyā€™ll set you straight. Just kidding.

Sounds to me like youā€™ll fit in Charleston.

83

@ITBgirl in any case, Iā€™d rate both schools 4 stars (out of 5).

84

USC is actually between UNCW and UNC in scores (exactly half way on the ACT). And UNCW still costs more for their in-state students.

85

(Really not trying to debate this but) I meant to say is that since USC is larger than UNCW, their acceptance rate is higher. Honestly I am just going off of what I have seen here in the high schools here in NC the last three years. Again I was just trying to help the original poster, I just wanted to be clear that getting in state tuition to USC is not was easy as it might look on the web site. I have seen kids that canā€™t get in NCSU, and APP still get in USC.

But again for the OP - @ntk131998 - USC is a nice alternative for people who like UNC-CH, it has much the same feel, and is drawing more and more students from NC every year.

86

Hey everyone, itā€™s been a while since Iā€™ve checked in and updated this but I have gained a little more information.

So barring anything crazy, Iā€™m going to finish my junior year with a cummulative weighted GPA of 3.4, and sadly an unweighted GPA for 2.65.

I take my SAT on Saturday and after working with a tutor Iā€™m pretty confident going in. My scores right now are looking like they are going to be in this range

CR 520-580
M 560-600
WR 520-580

My list is reach heavy, as itā€™s tough to have many safety schools with my GPA. My major right now is looking like political science with a minor in journalism, or a major in journalism with a focus on political reporting.

Here is where Iā€™m at right now

UNCW (Reach)
USouthCarolina (High Match?)
High Point (Reach/High Match?)
Mizzou (Match?)
Alabama (Match/Safety??)
Auburn (Match?)
College of Charelston (???)

Any help here is appreciated guys!!! Thank you so much

87

Add George Mason and James Madison in VA as reaches plus UNC Charlotte as a match. College of Charleston would be a reach, too. Alabama and Auburn are high matches.
You need to add more ā€œlikeliesā€, that is, schools for B- students. Your GPA is going to be a problem at many of these schools so I think you need to widen your search a bit.
What about Ogglethorpe in Atlanta? Kennesaw State?
Towson in Maryland? Mount St Maryā€™s? Washington College (reach-y)? Goucher (reach)?
Mississippi State?
East Carolina? Guilford? UNC Greensboro? UNC Pembroke?
U South Carolina-Aiken? Francis Marion?
UAlabama Birmingham? U Montevallo? Millsaps?
Uof Louisville in KY?
Westminster in MO? Lindenwood?
Randolph Macon in VA, Randolph, Roanoke, Radford, Longwood, with VCU, George Mason and James Madison as reaches?
In FL, thereā€™s Flagler, UTampa, UNF, Barry, Lynn, St Leo, FIU. Perhaps Eckerd as a high match/low reach.
Look into all of these and fill out the ā€œrequest info formā€ to demonstrate interest.

88

@MYOS1634 that was incredible thank you so much. I have heard of Randolph Macon and Towson, and will have to look in to them UTampa as well. Also James Madison which I am interested in. In a perfect world, I would love a school with a football team and decent school spirit and Greek life, but obviously I am going to have to make a few sacrifices. MissSt isnā€™t on my list, but I have been considering Ole Miss. I have never considered Louisville, but I will do some research now.

89

@MYOS1634 my concern with the florida public schools are that a lot of them are suitcase schools. Is this true? I would love the idea of going to school in florida a school like USF or UNF seem great, I would just like to make sure that enough students stick around

90

Research the FL schools and once you have a list of favorites, Iā€™ll check in the CDS how commuter they are.

An alternative to a football team school is to attend college in a city that has good professional sports. Not exactly the same but a good compromise and you wouldnā€™t miss out on good football. :slight_smile:

91

@MYOS1634 after some research, here are some schools i liked from your list

Towson
Washington College
Randolph Macon (may be a little small)
JMU
ULouisville (may be a little too big of a city for me)

In Florida specifically,

UTampa
UNF
Eckard (may be little too quirky for me)

Also, not one on your list, but I have been considering Presbyterian in South Carolina. It is a bit small, but it seems like it may be a low match or a safety.

92

Also, for an instate safety, Iā€™m thinking ECU. My SAT scores are near their 75th precentile and my GPA is within range.

93

Towson =commuter
Washington College = residential
Randolph Macon =residential
JMU= residential
ULouisville =commuter

UTampa=residential
UNF = residential
Eckerd = residential

94

What would you all say to this list?
UNCW (reach)
USC (match)
High Point (high match?)
Alabama (match)
College of Charleston (reach?)
Missouri (match, direct j-school admission: reach)
Presbyterian (safety?)
Ole Miss (safety)

Would USC be considered a match?

95

Update: after some research I have discovered that Presbyterian has a political communications type program which is exactly what I am interested in! It even involves a semester in DC, including taking classes at American. This helps secure PC a spot on my list.

96

Iā€™d remove High Point - itā€™s known as a school for rich kids who care more about the country club environment than academics (doesnā€™t mean no one is into academics at High Point, but rather itā€™s not the focus for most).

97

I second @MYOS1634ā€™s comment. High Point isnā€™t a very good school from an academic standpoint at all. Even Ole Miss and ECU are better than High Point, and UNCW, USC, and the rest of the schools on your list are far better.

98

The reasons I like HPU are

  1. The location- itā€™s close to home
  2. New poli communication program- they have a brand new political communication program which I have spoken to students in and they love
  3. I know a decent amount of people who have gone there, and they all love it, and most of them have come with decent jobs, because their alumni network is pretty strong in the North Carolina area.

Perferably, I like Elon more than HPU, but admission there would be very very unlikely, where HPU is more likely. I like the environment there much more than ECU.

99

Wanted to provide an update for those of you still keeping up with me!

A new unexpected contender has quickly risen on my list!! The University of Missouri!! (Mizzou)

The reasons I have added it are:
Great journalism school. That plus political science would be amazing!
Very easy (and encouraged) to get instate tuition after freshman year. This would make it the 2nd cheapest school on my list after UNCW.
Great alumni network through journalism school
Great College town
Great SEC sports and greek life

As of now here is how my list is looking-

  1. UNCW (Reach)
  2. USouth Carolina (Match)
  3. Mizzou (Low Match)
  4. High Point University (Low Match)
  5. College of Charleston (High Match??)
  6. UT- Knoxville (Match)
  7. Alabama (Low Match)
  8. Ole Miss (Safety)

I really like the way this list is looking going in to the application season. I donā€™t expect it to change much more.

100

If youā€™re counting on getting residency in MO then heed the rules:

http://admissions.missouri.edu/costs-and-aid/residency-requirements/documents-and-steps.php