Looking For Additional Colleges

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello! It's coming to the end of my college application process, yet I still feel like I need a few more solid colleges to apply to. I was hoping to get some suggestions from my fellow CCers. </p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: Unweighted - 95/100 (Might be 94/100 after this semester). My school doesn't weigh GPA.</p>

<p>Rank: Top 10% (Also unweighted, which kills me)</p>

<p>Course Rigor: I would say rather difficult. I have taken nearly all honors/AP/College classes. </p>

<p>4 AP's - Calc AB(5), Biology(5), APUSH(4), English Lit. & Comp. </p>

<p>This year I bridge with a local college. This is not a community college, it is a 4yr private college. These classes do not count towards my HS graduation. </p>

<p>College Classes:
Chem. 211 - Gen Chem 1 with Lab(A)
Math 202 - Calc 2 (A)
French 201 (B)
Chem. 212 - Gen Chem 2 with Lab
Economics 131 - Microeconomics
French 202</p>

<p>SAT: 2020 Superscore (690CR/680M/650W)</p>

<p>ACT: 30 (27M/27E/31S/36R/10essay) currently, expecting 31-32 on my December Test and 32-33 for colleges who Superscore ACT. </p>

<p>EC's: Not the greatest, this is definitely my weak spot. Just some basic EC's (work, a few clubs, lacrosse), but no leadership positions. </p>

<p>Recommendations: My GC rec. should be good. One of my teacher rec. I think is really good and the other just good. </p>

<p>Essays: I am a pretty decent writer so I think they are/will be quite good. </p>

<p>Colleges I Already Applied To or I'm Definitely Applying To:</p>

<p>Boston University
Villanova
Tufts (Top Choice)
University of Rochester
Vassar
Wesleyan</p>

<p>I can see myself at all of those colleges, despite there difference. Although, I do have some preferences:</p>

<p>•2500-10,000 Undergrads
•Located in a suburb, but with direct access to an urban area.
•In Northeast or on East Coast
•Respected Academically, yet still a large social scene.
•Pretty good with Financial Aid</p>

<p>I'm looking for some possible suggestions. I have used CC's search tool, but I'm looking for some personal advice and suggestions from the experienced CC community. I am also open to having my current list chances if anyone would like to. </p>

<p>Thanks ahead of time!</p>

2

<p>I think you need a few more matches/safeties on your list. Your standardized test scores are not that great for an unhooked applicant at several schools on your list. I’m going to let others suggest colleges (my knowledge is stronger in smaller colleges), but in general I think you need to look along those lines. Have you reviewed a copy of the Fiske Guide to Colleges to see what other schools appeal to you?</p>

3

<p>That’s exactly why I turned to CC; it’s easy to pick reach schools, but safeties and matches aren’t nearly as interesting. I haven’t looked through that book, but I was planning on going to Barnes & Noble tomorrow anyways, so I’ll check it out if they have it. Thank you!</p>

4

<p>-Brandeis
-Villanova University
-American University
-Loyola University: Maryland
-Elon University
-Tulane
-Loyola University: New Orleans
-University of Miami
-Oglethorpe University
-Muhlenberg College
-Skidmore College</p>

5

<p>I think Brandeis looks especially good given the other schools you’ve picked and the criteria you’ve set.</p>

6

<p>The Fiske book is pretty large… you will want to take a copy home to review. If you don’t buy it, see about the library or your guidance counselor’s office (borrow it for a few days). It doesn’t change a ton from year to year (mostly it it is the score ranges that might move ever so slightly), so if you get one from one-two years ago, that is also okay.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Maybe not as interesting (I agree it is more fun to look at reaches!), but MUCH more important to get right, since your odds are pretty high that you will end up at one. It is really important for you to have some that you could be genuinely happy to attend. Unfortunately, it is pretty late to visit prior to submitting applications. There is quite a bit of risk that one that looks good on paper doesn’t feel as good when you visit… so it might be good to pick out 4 or so to apply to so you have some options on May 1.</p>

7

<p>I’m definitely going to have to get my hand on that book then. Do you think it is better than online resources?</p>

<p>As for safeties, I do have a few lined up. I just didn’t mention them because I was looking more for matches. I have visited and plan to apply at least a few of the following schools as well: </p>

<ol>
<li>The college I’m currently attending</li>
<li>Siena</li>
<li>SUNY Brockport (In-State)</li>
<li>Syracuse (Mother graduated from here)</li>
</ol>

<p>I would also like to further explain my EC’s. I unfortunately don’t have any leadership roles (completely unaware of their importance until recently). I was selected for an internship program and was 1 of 10 selected from my class of 300. I am currently at an internship with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. In the spring I start at a local scientific research lab. I have also been a member of a few clubs I really enjoy and played lacrosse throughout all of high school.</p>

8

<p>

You will need to talk to each college you consider about whether they will consider you a transfer student instead of a freshman. This could make a very big difference in the availability of aid from the college.</p>

9

<p>I think that you already have a good list. </p>

<p>Some possible additions
Brandeis
Boston College
Trinity (Hartford)
Wheaton
Union
Skidmore
SUNY Albany
SUNY Genseo
SUNY Buffalo
McGill
Barnard (if you are female)
University of Pittsburgh
American
Delaware</p>

10

<p>Fiske more compact than online resources, and gives a pretty structured overview of a lot of the things that are important in a college. Well, by more compact I mean that it collects a consistent amount of information all in one place. I think the most important thing we got out of Fiske was a feeling for the vibe of the college. Always presented in a positive way. :slight_smile: But also gives you quite a bit of info so you can decide for yourself. I have found that reading Fiske carefully tells me a LOT about a college before my kids visit it, and helped us a lot in narrowing their lists. I have never come away from a visit saying Fiske was wrong (but I have come away thinking that I should have reviewed the Fiske writeup more carefully before visiting).</p>

11

<p>@ Erin’s Dad I was very worried about this initially as well, but from talking to numerous admissions officers via e-mail and campus visits this isn’t going to be a problem. As long as I am a non-matriculated student at the college, which I am, then I can apply to colleges as a first year student.</p>

<p>@ intparent: Going to get the Fiske book tonight. It seems like it would be very beneficial to have, even more so considering my brother will be going through this same process in only a couple years. Too bad I didn’t know about it this summer, it would have been a big help. I’m looking forward to seeing how their assessments compares to my campus visits. Thanks for the advice!</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone else who has given me suggestions! Keep them coming, I’d love to hear some more opinions.</p>

12

<p>BC is a better match for your requirements than BU. BU is in the middle of the city and is much bigger.</p>

13

<p>I know BC seems like a better match and it could very well be. When i visited schools in Boston BC didn’t have any tours or info sessions available so I never got that experience. The campus seemed quite nice though. On the other hand, when I visited BU I really liked it even though it didn’t fit perfectly into my preferences. I also think my admission chances at BU would be greater than at BC. </p>

<p>That being said, I just listed my main preferences in order to get a concise list of suggestions. I do also like urban colleges, but I would rather attend a suburban college near a city.</p>

14

<p>Might look at Holy Cross-nice campus, good school spirit, great alumni network. Holy Cross offers good financial aid and is need-blind for admissions.</p>

15

<p>Yes, B.U. is easier to get into and the students I know who have gone there have loved it, city campus and all.
Holy Cross is also a good choice though Worcester is not as great a college city as Boston obviously. But HC is part of a 13 college consortium and it is easy to go to events at the other colleges. Boston is about an hour away using the train, about 45 minutes by car.</p>

<p>Did you mention a potential major? That might affect suggestions…</p>

16

<p>Is Holy Cross very religious? I don’t mind schools affiliated with certain religious beliefs, but I’m not sure if I would fit in where religion is a big aspect. I’m very tolerant and have a religious upbringing, but I don’t participate too much.</p>

<p>As for majors, I am semi-undecided. I am interested in the sciences, economics/finance, and math, but have not decided on anything more specific than that.</p>

17

<p>Holy Cross is very tolerant of students of any belief/religious background or no religious background. The HC science program is strong and pre-med very good. The Holy Cross website should have onfo on science internships. Among HC’s alumni -Nobel Prize winner in Medicine,several med school deans, leader at the NIH. Holy CROSS ALSO HAS STRONG ALUMNI network in business and on Wall Street. HC alums include Chris Mattews of MSNBC, 1 Supreme Court Justice, 1 US Senator, and 4-5 Congressmen.</p>

18

<p>HC is a school I really plan to look into. I have heard that HC’s alumni network is phenomenal before, so that’s a plus. Also, the Worcester Consortium looks pretty awesome, that is also a plus. Would you say HC is a match for me? Or a reach?</p>

19

<p>Anyone else have any other possibilities to contribute? I would really appreciate it.</p>