<p>I know there are a lot of threads like this already, but I really am lost as to how my grades stack up with the colleges I like. Here is some info about me:</p>
<ul>
<li>Junior in HS</li>
<li>Weighted GPA around 4.75 I believe at the start of the year (which translates at my school to roughly like a 3.65-3.75 UW I think)</li>
<li>205 on the PSATs this October (first time taking them)</li>
<li>Course load is difficult overall: I've taken all available Honors classes since I started in freshman year except for foreign languages. My middle school French and Spanish courses were a joke, so I chose to start in German 1 instead (which is actually a reason my GPA is a bit "low", because I didn't get the weighted honors language classes other kids did.) This year I have 3 APs (Psych, English, APUSH) and plan to take 4-5 next year (Economics, English, Music Theory, Bio and possibly AP Calc AB)</li>
<li>Good grades- Mostly A's and A+'s. with the occasional B+ and the rare B. Only exception is an impossible Physics class this year- I had a C+ first marking period, and I can't see myself raising that.</li>
<li>About to start a supposedly very helpful SAT class, so I'm expecting at least a 2000 on my SATs, and maybe more like 2200 (and probably around a 1400 out of 1600), although it's hard to tell</li>
<li>Solid, not great ECs. I play guitar, do some volunteer work, have held down a job since a day after I turned 15. I'm VP of German Honor Society, sort of co-Treasurer of my grade's Board, and hope to get into NHS for senior year, and want to try to get president of that.</li>
<li>At start of year, #33 in my class of 370 kids.</li>
</ul>
<p>Anyway, here are my schools:
Cornell
USC
Loyola
Wesleyan
Georgetown
Northeastern University
Boston University
Clemson University
NYU
Colgate University
Rice University
University of Oregon
Boston College
University of Virginia
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Richmond
University of Pennsylvania
Tulane</p>
<p>How realistic are my shots at a lot of these schools? I feel like my grades and test scores and ranks are good, but I come from a very bright family. My sister graduated 4th last year from my school in a class of 390, so a lot of times my grades and work are really almost frowned upon. It's left me pretty confused as to how I actually stand. Any input? Thanks a ton guys.</p>
<p>If you do score around a 2200 on the actual SAT’s and your GPA stays the same then pretty much most of your schools would be a match imho. There would obviously be those reaches though like UPenn and UVA. I would instead try to bring the list down to maybe 5-7 and visit the schools when you have time. From there you would know which school is your #1 favorite hopefully and decide if you want to ED.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s a very preliminary list.</p>
<p>I’ve started to get interested in a few, though. My preliminary top 5 is probably: U of Richmond, UVA, UNC, NYU, USC or Cornell</p>
<p>you should get into Clemson, if you have any questions about Clemson, I’m a freshman there majoring in civil engineering so let me know!</p>
<p>OK, because Clemson is definitely an intriguing school to me. Trying to go somewhere warm, away from NJ 
My main question is probably just what is the general atmosphere of the campus? Someone told me that they thought it was known as very conservative sort of strict, but the Princeton Review has it as like #1 happiest students, and it seems to be a typical University to me, not especially conservative or anything like that…</p>
<p>Also, what is the social life like? Obviously it’s a big school, so there’s stuff going on, but are there a variety of activities, parties, a nice campus, a nice town, etc.?</p>
<p>Also, if you know anything specific about the business/finance program, that’s what I’m interested in. Thanks!</p>
<p>Until you get some SAT and ACT scores, it’s hard to tell (take BOTH)</p>
<p>You got a 205 on the PSAT. While that’s not always a good predictor, it “translates” to a 2050. I think many kids are able to exceed their PSAT scores around 100 points on the SAT (or equivalent ACT), if not more. :)</p>
<p>Many of your choices will depend on your budget. </p>
<p>How much will your parents spend on your college education???</p>
<p>You also need some financial safeties. :)</p>
<p>Is USC the one in Calif or S. Carolina?</p>
<p>Budget is hard to tell… Family has fallen on hard times somewhat, and I have a sister who is a freshman in college this year. She got no financial aid to Davidson, so they are essentially paying just under 50 grand per year for her to go to school. By the time I’m ready to go to college, there likely will be no money left in the tank, so it’s probably gonna be very heavily based on scholarships and financial aid. However, don’t colleges accept you before looking at financial need?</p>
<p>As for USC, that is Southern Cal, not South Carolina.</p>
<p>My D was just accepted at Richmond. Great school. We love it! They truly look at the whole picture. You need good academics and it seems you are doing that. They want to see that you are not taking your Sr year off. You need diverse ECs and you need an essay that sets you apart from the crowd. You’re looking good for UR.</p>
<p>If your parents joint income is below $60k you should consider putting Cornell for financial reasons since they give you a no-loan financial aid package. You would have to do work-study and pay the school back when you get a job every summer. I believe the payments were like 2300 for freshmen, 2800 for sophomores, 3200 for jrs. and then 3800 for seniors. It isn’t anything near compared to the $52k you would’ve had to borrow. It’s probably one of the sweetest deals ever.</p>
<p>*However, don’t colleges accept you before looking at financial need?
*</p>
<p>NO, some schools are “need award” - which means that they look at need.</p>
<p>and, some are “need blind,” but that doesn’t mean that they meet need. Many larger schools simply admit by stats. They don’t care whether you can afford or not.</p>
<p>and, some are need blind and meet need.</p>
<p>However, since your family has fallen on “hard times,” your sister needs to apply for aid. Just because she didn’t qualify before, doesn’t mean she won’t qualify now. </p>
<p>I don’t know how it all works with FA, but some here can tell you whether the family’s college savings needs to be split between the kids, so that your portion is protected, and your sister would qualify for aid.</p>
<p>Nah, their joint income is definitely above 60 grand. To some teir income may seem high, but for the cost of living in NJ, plus my sister’s college, my parents will be broke, barring some miracle, by the time I get to college, and will be trying to provide for their pending retirements plus two kids in college. My education is gonna be all loans and aid from the school.</p>
<p>Cornell is appealing, though, because of family ties. My grandpa went to school there, and my uncle is a Ph.D researcher of some sort, and I think does some kind of teaching as well.</p>
<p>Well, she didn’t meet for her first semester, and last I heard, my parents paid the full tuition bill recently for her 2nd semester as well. I know they really want financial aid, and discussed applying again frequently, so I have to assume that they did, and were rejected.</p>
<p>I’m from Jersey so I know what you mean by the cost of living in this state. What do you plan on majoring in by the way? I’m pretty sure others can contribute to this thread if we know what you plan on majoring in since there are schools that you may be able to receive a scholarship with. However, your SAT or ACT score would have to be known…</p>
<p>so it’s probably gonna be very heavily based on scholarships and financial aid.</p>
<p>Kids in this situation often need to target specific reach, match, and financial safeties that will help fund their education. :)</p>
<p>What is your resident state?</p>
<p>There are financial safeties that will give you BIG merit scholarships if you have high stats. :)</p>
<p>With high stats, you could also apply to ivies/elites, but those schools are very, very hard to get accepted to (even with perfect stats.) Some are very generous.</p>
<p>edited to add…now see that you’re in NJ. :)</p>
<p>As to financials: if you go to a full-need school (like Cornell or UPenn) then the cost of your sister’s college will be taken into account, and your parents’ EFC will be significantly reduced (so if their EFC was 60k before you got in, it would likely be closer to 30k per student when you’re in school… though it doesn’t mean Davidson will help out any more).</p>
<p>Colleges and schools that are need-blind and full-need for U.S. students:</p>
<p>[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>though it doesn’t mean Davidson will help out any more</p>
<p>Maybe Davidson will help more with two students in college because doesn’t EFC get split?</p>
<p>“My main question is probably just what is the general atmosphere of the campus?”</p>
<p>Hmm well my question for you is what do you mean by “conservative sort of strict”. I would say that for most people on campus, their political views tend to lean towards the right (well it is the south so no big deal) but coming from liberal Massachusetts, that hasn’t bothered me at all yet because nobody really talks about political stuff in great detail or have any heated conversations about it. I would say other than that, it’s just a regular public college (except at a smaller level, only 14,000 undergraduates compared to 40,000+ at big ten schools). The campus atmosphere is great, you’ll always see people wearing orange. People here love the school and the Tigers!</p>
<p>“Also, what is the social life like? Obviously it’s a big school, so there’s stuff going on, but are there a variety of activities, parties, a nice campus, a nice town, etc.?”</p>
<p>Social life is fantastic here, I think not being in an urban area helps a lot because it makes campus a lot more active. The campus is gorgeous if you haven’t been here, everything is so neat and beautiful. There are always parties here and if you aren’t into those, there are 300 student organizations here to get involved in as well as lots of intramural and varsity sports events. Downtown has a few cool shops and restaurants and bars but it’s not anything like some other schools. If you’re coming here, expect most of your social life to be on campus not off campus. There are outdoor activities here such as sailing and hiking because we’re on the shore of Lake Hartwell and right next to the Blue Ridge Mountains!</p>
<p>“Also, if you know anything specific about the business/finance program, that’s what I’m interested in. Thanks!”</p>
<p>I’m sorry but I don’t think I know enough to be talking about the business program. I’m an engineer! But if I run across someone who’s a business major and remember to ask them, I’ll let you know what they say!</p>
<p>I’m looking to major in business. I’m not totally sure what I want to do yet, but Business administration is probably the prime aspect, with finance (for banking and such) being second.</p>
<p>Pierre, thanks a ton. Being Southern, I knew most would tend to be conservative. But what I had heard from this one person was that it had a very conservative atmosphere. Like, the right wing stuff was a part of daily life, like religion is at a Jesuit college. But I hadn’t heard that elsewhere, so I was skeptical, and you cleared it up.</p>
<p>Definitely gonna be giving Clemson some attention.</p>