Looking for Match/Safety Schools

College Search & Selection
1

Hi, I currently have a lot of reach schools, but not that many matches/safeties. If anyone could suggest colleges I have a decent or a great chance at, I’d really appreciate it. I’ve visited several and I’ve realized that I like aspects of all of them. I’m basically extremely adaptable and the only thing I want is a good STEM program. However, I would prefer to stay out of the midwest/south and remain in the northeast or go to the west. Thanks!

Asian, Female, and a Junior in NJ
Income: High enough for tuition to not be a real worry. More important is getting accepted.
Intended Major: Definitely in the STEM field, leaning toward Bio, but I’ll see after senior year if it changes.
Rank: Not given, so I can only guarantee top 20%, but I’m definitely not top 10%.
UW GPA: 3.5/3.6 (My school doesn’t do GPA on a 4.0 scale, so I’m estimating. Yes, it’s incredibly low compared to other applicants, that’s where my real worry is.) Would be a 3.7, I’m guessing, if senior year was also counted.
W GPA: 3.9-4.1
PSAT: 1460
SAT: 1470 (retaking soon)
SAT 2: Math 2 - 760, Chemistry - 760 (might retake, I took this at the end of sophomore year)

APs: 8 by senior year
Sophomore Year: AP Statistics - 4
Junior Year: AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Language and Composition, and APUSH
Senior Year: AP Biology, AP Literature, and AP Calc AB

Schools: (tell me if you think they’re in the right category)
SUPER reaches: UCB, USC, UCLA (definitely my top choice), NYU, UMich
Reaches: Case Western, College of William & Mary, Colgate, Swarthmore
Matches: Northeastern, BU, SUNY - Binghamton, Syracuse, PennState, University of Washington
Safeties: (Need more, would love suggestions) Rutgers and TCNJ

2

Safeties have to be affordable. How much will your family pay each year?

3

Rowan in NJ would be an in state safety. Private safety could be Seton Hall.

You may want to look at Colleges that Change Lives for other options.

4

@mom2collegekids Affordable would be anything under 30k a year, but they’re willing to go up to 70k if they like the school (code for ‘top ranked’ I think)
@magnetnh Thank you for the suggestions! I’ll keep Rowan in mind.

5

University of Pittsburgh is strong in the Health Sciences if that’s what you are interested in. It should be a match school.

6

In terms of gaining acceptance, Union would seem to be a good bet for you, and appears with a sampling of others below that could also be good choices:

http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/lists/list/colleges-to-consider-if-you-want-to-study-biology/117/

7

How about University of Rochester or WPI

8

Calculate your UC GPA (10-11th grades for a-g courses only). UCLA/UCB will use the Capped weighted and Fully Weighted UC GPA. OOS applicants only get the extra Honors points for AP/IB or DE courses taken 10-11th grades. HS Honors courses do not count for the extra Honors points.

https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

So your parents are willing to spend $240/4 years if you are accepted to UCLA/UCB?

9

Good suggestions above–Rochester, Pitt, WPI. Maybe also Santa Clara University, which is in Silicon Valley and offers great internship/work opportunities.

10

Are your parents looking at $40K in loans per year? Do NOT let them do that, no matter what they say (even if it is possible, which it may not be).

11

I would move Swarthmore to the super reach category. I’m in NJ. Our valedictorian this year who will be attending U Penn was flat out rejected from Swarthmore.

12

Richard Stockton near AC has long had a very good health sciences curriculum. Produces some excellent Physical/Occupational Therapists, Nutritionists, Speech Pathologists, etc.

Here’s an out-of-the-box one: University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Nice STEM, especially biochem and molecular biology. Was at a wedding yesterday - a wife of the cousin of the bride and a cousin of the groom were former lab partners! What are the odds? Both sharp cookies. Lots of grant money and research in that area; employment outlooks are great.

Campus is southwest of the city, just off the south side of the 695 loop, maybe 10 miles away from the Inner Harbor. West of there is suburban and rural. Check it out.

13

*Sorry! I forgot to mention I’m agnostic and would prefer to stay out of religious schools.

@Eeeee127 Oh, thanks for that suggestion! I looked it up and it seems like a good choice. I’ll keep it in mind.

@merc81 Thank you! I’ll have to read some more about Union; I haven’t heard of it before.

@wisteria100 A camp counselor I knew went to WPI and she said she liked the location, but otherwise I haven’t heard much about it. I checked naviance and it looks like a good match school? Thank you!

@TTG Yeah, they look like good choices from a brief google. c: I’ll look at Santa Clara University as well, despite their religious affiliation. Thanks!

@Gumbymom We’ve talked about the price and they’re fine with paying it for higher ranked UCs, as long as I’m accepted. And I did calculate my GPA. (3.8) UCLA only accepted 5% in the same range, I believe, which is why I doubt I’m getting in anyways.

@intparent I don’t think they are since they have quite a bit saved for my college fund, at least from what I’ve heard (unless they’re hiding stuff from me) I shouldn’t need loans until junior or senior year. I’ll ask my parents some more, but my dad is pretty adamant I shouldn’t worry about tuition until I get accepted.

@NJWrestlingmom Oh wow, that’s harsh. Could there have been another reason, like interest or early decision/action? My school’s naviance shows people with very similar GPA (+/-2%) and SAT (+/-50 pts) got accepted, but there are some rejections in that area as well, which is why I put it in the reach.

@SpacemanEd Wow, that’s a lot of good information. Thank you so much! I’ve checked out Stockton and I think I’ll apply for it as a safety. I’ll have to learn a bit more about UMBC, but so far it also seems like a possible college I could apply to. And that’s a cool coincidence! c:

14

You don’t want to run out of money your junior year. And YOU can’t borrow that much – your parents have to be involved after your federal loans are taken if you want more money. Every year we see students and parents panicked in the spring because they don’t have any affordable options. The net price calculators are great – they give you an idea of what you’d be required to pay BEFORE you spend time & money applying. You don’t have to see the results, but ask your parents to at least run them. It is pretty dumb to not use a tool like that. Some schools cost over $70K per year now.

15

I’ll second Union. (This one is well known regionally but a pretty well kept secret elsewhere. It’s a very good school!) You may want to look at Franklin and Marshall in PA too. If you are willing to consider women’s colleges, several have great science options.

16

I think in general admissions this year were a bit harsh. Applications seemed to be way up across the board - I think Swarthmore was up over 20%? My friend’s son with a 4.0 and tons of extra curriculars was rejected from Villanova. Who knows??? My son stuck to lesser known LACs and a few NJ state schools and got in everywhere.