Looking for Opinions on My List

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I believe that I am ready to start my applications, but I wanted to make sure that my list is strong, that I’ll have options and there are no obvious omissions of schools that would be “perfect” for me.</p>

<p>The List:
Bryn Mawr
Davidson
Gettysburg
Hendrix (Safety)
U of Richmond
Scripps
Skidmore
Swarthmore
Tulane
Ursinus (Safety)</p>

<p>About me:
White Female from PA
Intended Major: Mathematical Econ, or double major in Math & Econ, possible minor in Poli Sci
3.7 UW GPA in Top 10% at public hs
2100 SAT I, Taking SATII in Math and Chemistry
National Merit Semi-Finalist (Did better on PSAT than SAT)
5’s on AP Stats, Physics B, Calc BC, Chem, Eng Lit, US G&P, 4 on AP French
Senior Classes: Calc II, Probability, AP Physics C, AP Eng Language, Writing Seminar, AP Econ, French 6
Good EC’s, but nothing out-of-this-world
Will be 1st generation college student</p>

<p>Requirements:
Strong Academics
Accessible Professors
Small Class Sizes
Generous FA
Good Quality of Life on Campus</p>

<p>Relative Preferences: (Not deal breakers)
Interdisciplinary Academics/Core Curriculum > Major-Intensive
Small > Large
Town > Suburban > Rural > Urban
Warm Climate > Cold Climate
Mountains > Beaches > Prairies
Relaxed Style > Overly Preppy
Playing Intramurals > Tailgating
Moderate > Liberal > Conservative</p>

<p>Please don’t hold back. I haven’t had much guidance and I’ve done all my own research, so I need to hear the good and bad about my list. Comments on the schools are welcome as well, the only ones I was able to physically visit so far are Bryn Mawr, Gettysburg, Swarthmore and Ursinus.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Based on what you’ve said about your preferences, I’d take Tulane off the list. You have a great list with plenty of good choices and I think you’ll get in to most. I don’t really know about FA though and that might be a reason to leave Tulane on.</p>

3

<p>Why not somewhere like Lehigh or Colgate? I think they are pretty strong in econ (although Lehigh is really known for engineering) and fit your other criteria, although both are probably a bit preppy. </p>

<p>Your only real reach is Swarthmore, so you might want to add another reach. Darthmouth matches your preferences very well but has an equal or greater selectivity than Swat.</p>

4

<p>I don’t know if you’ve seen this thread but Keilexandra pulled together a great list of schools offering NMF scholarships. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html&lt;/a&gt; Based on your info above, as long as you get your documentation in you should make NMF.</p>

5

<p>Not sure why Tulane would come off the list. If doesn’t meet the mountains preference, and while it is “urban”, the location in New Orleans feels a bit more suburban, at least as far as green grass and houses go. Granted, no big mall a few blocks away. Otherwise seems to meet all needs. The mountains preference and the warm climate preference make it a bit tough, unless the OP means the mountains should be within, say, 2 hours drive. As she says, not deal breakers and Tulane fits everything else.</p>

6

<p>fallen – Tulane is truly the outlier in that grouping. Much larger than any of the others, much larger ave. class size, less accessibility to professors… the criteria you focused on were in OPs secondary considerations category. Her primary considerations category focused on small classrooms and easy accessibility to professors … an LAC almost by definition. Tulane is far from an LAC.</p>

7

<p>Actually I think that is not true, Tulane is not “far” from an LAC. It is one of the most undergraduate focused of the research universities. Granted, it is the largest of that group, but still nothing like schools > 10,000. Tulane profs are extremely accessable. I just heard from a parent today where the freshman student called the prof, and the prof came back to campus just to help this student get ready for a quiz. My D has found all her profs to be extremely approachable and accessable, save 1 (out of 15 so far that isn’t too bad). Class sizes are usually small.</p>

<p>So while Tulane is the only non-LAC category school on the list I guess, it might not feel that different for a very good student like this who will skip most of the intro courses. At least that is what my D has found. Her average class size has been about 15, her biggest 28, and very discussion oriented. Won’t be that way for everyone as a freshman, the intro courses are not as much like that. But like I said, based on AP’s this student will skip intro English, Calc, a few others most likely.</p>

8

<p>This looks like a good list to me, with a good range of selectivity levels. </p>

<p>WashU and Rice come to mind as other schools that meet many of your criteria.</p>

9

<p>You indicate that you need a lot of FA.</p>

<p>First…would you qualify for a lot of FA? Are you lowish income?</p>

<p>How much will your parents contribute?</p>

<p>As for your safeties…if you’re not sure that you can afford to go to those schools, then they’re not safeties.</p>

<p>Since you’re a likely NMF, you should apply to at least one or two schools that would give you huge merit for NMF.</p>

10

<p>Lafayette would fit the criteria, but I like your list. A good mix of reaches and matches.</p>

11

<p>Thank you for all of your responses.</p>

<p>Regarding Tulane, I largely added Tulane to my list because of the “No Loan” Tuition program and other scholarships. At around 7000 students and an 8:1 student: faculty ratio, I felt Tulane wasn’t too large. Statistically I felt it was a good match for me. Its retention rate is 91%, which makes me think its students are fairly satisfied with their experience and they probably have good support systems for freshmen. While maybe not noted for math or econ, they do offer these majors. My concerns with Tulane are that it may be too much partying, too preppy, and it’s Urban location – but I have been to New Orleans for a day,(pre-Katrina) and did enjoy the city. If Tulane should come off of the list, what school would you replace it with keeping in mind the focus on finances. </p>

<p>I visited Lehigh a few years ago and liked the campus. I considered it, but felt that it was too much partying, too preppy and a bit too Greek for me, since I don’t intend to pledge. Does anyone here know what life is like for non-Greeks at Lehigh?</p>

<p>Dartmouth – I hadn’t really considered it, but it sounds almost perfect, except for the Greek scene and cold weather. Great suggestion! I will seriously consider adding it as a reach. I’ll have to look into the finances, but may be this is a good replacement for Tulane, but then I am going from a match to a reach – do I still have enough matches on my list? Also, it’s an expensive application ($70) and it’s very much a reach – would it be realistic at all or would I be wasting my money and time?</p>

<p>Colgate, Rice and Wash U – Thank you for these suggestions, I will look into these.</p>

<p>Mom2collegekids - As far as the financial information goes, the EFC calculators estimate it to be around $12,000 and my parents say that is their limit, so I will need to get funding for the rest; I’d prefer to borrow as little as possible. I have worked every summer since I was 13 and have almost $10,000 of my own money saved. I’m very frugal, so I feel that will cover books and spending money for 4 years. Plus I will do work-study and still work in the summers. Is there a school that you would suggest as a safety? </p>

<p>Again, thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I’ve read your responses about 5 times already; I really do appreciate that you’ve taken the time to give me input on these schools!!</p>

12

<p>Well, frankly the Tulane app is free and pretty easy, so no reason to really replace it. Mark it EA and you will get an answer pretty quickly. Also, the 7,000 includes a lot of night students that don’t live on campus. The actual number of full time undergrads is about 5,800 now. Tulane has pretty strong econ and math departments. Not saying they are considered up there with the Ivies, but they are quite solid. Let’s put it this way, unless you are well ahead of most of your peers coming in, you will get a very good undergrad education in these fields and be extremely well prepared for grad school. Finally, in terms of partying and preppy, Tulane is about average with other schools in its general peer group. There are a lot of quite serious students that don’t party much, and there are some that drink quite a bit. I think the preppy aspect has diminished since Katrina as the school as attracted brighter, more service commited students. The last 3 freshman classes have been the best in the school’s history.</p>

<p>Like I said, you have nothing to lose by applying. Do it by early October and mark it EA, and you will know by the end of October probably.</p>