<p>Hey everyone, I'm looking for match and safety schools to apply to. I already have some match and reaches, but I need for "sure-thing" schools. My GPA is excellent. I have a 3.9 un-weighted and probably around a 4.5 weighted. I've been taking college classes full-time since I was 15 and I'm home schooled. However, I took the ACT for the first time and got a 23 without prep. I've taken it again with prep and I hope for at least a 26. </p>
<p>I am an African-American female from Pennsylvania. </p>
<p>My ECs are mainly in music and art. I've been playing guitar for 4 years with 2 years of lessons. I've had two semesters of piano lessons and continue to play (2 years). I'm teaching myself to play the bass guitar and I sing. I plan to start violin lessons next semester. </p>
<p>I've had two semesters of painting class and 1 semester of drawing. I've also taken a photography class and plan to take a sculpture class soon. </p>
<p>I will also have 4 different languages studied on my transcript. I love foreign languages and I'm learning Spanish (4 years) and ASL (1 year) at the moment. I plan to start learning French next semester and I have two years of Finnish under my belt. </p>
<p>My major is art/studio art and I may take a minor in music. </p>
<p>I love the city and hope to go to a school near or in a large one. I prefer a school not too big (not over 30,000) but also not too small (under 1,000). Also, I prefer not to go to school on the west coast as it is too far from home. </p>
<p>I'm not going to discuss my financial situation here though. I can deal with that with my parents, not with people from CC. So, I only want suggestions for schools that are matches/safeties academically, not financially. I already have my financial safety. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any suggestions?</p>
<p>Have you taken the SAT?</p>
<p>You mean college courses at a local or community college? How many credits have you earned? Any APs?</p>
<p>What colleges are you looking at already?</p>
<p>Hey Cricket123, </p>
<p>I haven’t taken the SAT, but I don’t think it would matter much. I’m not generally good at test-taking and don’t have time for prep. </p>
<p>Yes, I mean college courses at my local community college. I’ve earned around 36 credits and have a college GPA of 3.8. </p>
<p>I’m looking at these schools:</p>
<p>Temple University
Ursinus College
University of the Arts
Columbia College Chicago
Sarah Lawrence College
Pratt Institute
Boston University</p>
<p>However, I’m still looking.</p>
<p>Do you have a preference in regards to location? Like certain states?</p>
<p>Have you considered Penn State (University Park)? Northeastern? University of Delaware? Syracuse University? UMass Amherst? American University (D.C.)?</p>
<p>Nothing as far away as California. I’m thinking Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, and anything in the north. </p>
<p>I don’t really want to go too far south so, no states past Virginia. I would say Maryland, but I’m afraid of the cities there. lol</p>
<p>What can your family afford for school?</p>
<p>Also, maybe the New School (Eugene Lang School of Liberal Arts) or Rutgers.</p>
<p>Cricket 123, </p>
<p>Do you think I could get into Northeastern? I thought it was kind of out of my reach with my ACT scores. I was considering Syracuse, UMass Amherst, and Penn State, but I’m not sure about their location. Are they in the middle of nowhere? Suburban is okay, but not ideal. I can’t stand rural though. Also, I don’t really like the feel of D.C.</p>
<p>Thank you for these suggestions! I’ll look into U of Delaware.</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad, </p>
<p>Did you miss the end of my post? I already have my financial safety. I’m not discussing my financial situation here. </p>
<p>You ignored my request that we not focus on my financial situation one of my other posts as well. My parents just want me to select schools right now.</p>
<p>@AlexandraValo,</p>
<p>I think their ACT average is around a 27 so if you get a 26, you will probably have a chance. Plus, you have a great GPA and a lot of college credits.</p>
<p>I haven’t visited those so I’m not sure. That’s possible…</p>
<p>Sure! 
Oh! and maybe U of Vermont? I’m not sure about the location though.</p>
<p>Cricket123, </p>
<p>thanks for your help! I’ll be looking into these schools.</p>
<p>Ouch! Erin’s Dad was simply trying to encourage you to include all the critical questions in your deliberations.</p>
<p>Make sure that your financial safety is also an academic safety.</p>
<p>And any school which is financially unaffordable is useless to apply to.</p>
<p>Lake Washington, </p>
<p>My comment wasn’t meant to be harsh. It’s unfortunate that it reads that way. However, I need to actually find some schools in order to look into their financial aid packages. I’m not immediately discouraged by the sticker price of certain schools like many people. </p>
<p>I’m looking for academic safeties. Then, I can figure out which of those schools would be affordable. I can do that part myself with the help of my own parents, not Erin’s parent.</p>