Looking for safeties...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi ^_^ Alright, so I'm a junior and I plan to apply Early Response to University of Michigan, my top choice. Here's what I'm looking for in a safety:</p>

<ul>
<li>Large, public (>20,000 students)</li>
<li>Large class sizes</li>
<li>In a city of any size, but not rural/suburb</li>
<li>Preferably not in the South (but i'm open if it fits my other criteria)</li>
<li>Nice campus, food, dorms, etc</li>
</ul>

<p>More personally:</p>

<ul>
<li>Good finaid</li>
<li>All my dual-enrollment credits will transfer (usually I have to call and find out about this, though)</li>
</ul>

<p>But most importantly, I want to apply using some form of EA. </p>

<p>Any ideas?</p>

2

<p>Indiana University - Everything you love abut Michigan probably also applies at IU, and they're on rolling admissions, just like UM.</p>

3

<p>Okay thanks. Any other opinions? I might look at Purdue, but I don't want a lot of commuters...</p>

4

<p>ruca, how can we recommend safeties if we don't know your unweighed GPA, course schedule strength, SAT/ACT, class rank etc...</p>

5

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>Grades and Credits
Freshman Year
GPA: UW 3.85
Courses:
- English 9 H
- Geography 9 H
- IB-SL Math Studies
- Spanish III H
- Biology H
- Required electives: P.E., Intro to Yearbook, Online Health</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
GPA: UW 4.00
Courses:
- English 10 H
- A.P. US History
- Algebra II/Trig
- IB Spanish SL (Spanish V)*****
- Chemistry H
- Required electives: Drawing I, Ceramics I, Online P.E.</p>

<p>Junior Year
Beginning in the first semester of 11th grade, I took a full course load as a dual-enrollment student at the University of Minnesota--Twin Cities. </p>

<p>Semester I Courses:
CHIC 1112 Introduction to Chicana/o Studies: Critical Paradigms (3 cr) B+/A-
SPAN 3107W Introduction to the Study of Spanish Linguistics (3 cr) A-/A-
STAT 1202 Introduction to College Statistics (3 cr) B/B
LING 1701 Language and Society (4 cr) A/B+</p>

<p>Semester II Courses (2nd quarter grades unknown):
CHIC 1275 Service Learning in the Chicano/Latino Community (3 cr) A/?
SPAN 3212 Discourses of Modern and Contemporary Spain, 1800-Present (3 cr) A-/?
SOC 1001 Introduction to Sociology (4 cr) B/?
WRIT 1201 Writing Studio (4 cr) A/?</p>

<p>Senior Year
Next year I should be taking a similar course load, probably without any raw math or science classes.</p>

<p>HS GPA: 3.925
Pending College GPA: 3.55</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities
My ECs reflect the fact that I was only actually in HS in 9th and 10th grade. :/</p>

<p>Badminton
Played on the school badminton team in 9th and 10th grade. JV both years. Singles City Champion, 10th grade. State qualifier.</p>

<p>Speech and Debate
Registered National Forensics League member, active in 9th and 10th grade. 9th place in State Debate Tournament in 9th grade, 3rd in 10th grade. Mid-level NFL recognition (about 300 points).</p>

<p>Volunteering
Approximately 400 hours of community service between 9th and 10th grade. I volunteered in the school library and at a local hospital.</p>

<p>College Courses
9th grade: 5 credit UMN Hebrew 1001 course. Summer before 10th grade: 5 credit intermediate Spanish course. 10th grade: 5 credit UMN Hebrew 1002 course. (Credits go towards a U of M degree; grades do not)
*****This is also the reason why I skipped Spanish IV in high school.</p>

<p>Standardized Tests
9th grade SAT score: 1750
10th grade PLAN (Pre-ACT) score range: 28-32
10th grade PSAT score: 199
11th grade SAT score: 2190</p>

<p>Other Information
-> White female, from the Twin Cities area.
-> Done with 2.5 yrs of college</p>

6

<p>Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) also has rolling admissions. Several of my S's friends applied while at a pre-labor day visit and they made it easy, simple, and free.</p>

7

<p>And btw I plan on catching up on science and math this summer... blahhhh my stupid GC told me I didn't need them ugh.</p>

8

<p>Ruca - I know you'd like to avoid the South, but here's a pretty safe safety for you!:</p>

<p>"An out-of-state first-time freshman student who meets the December 1st scholarship priority deadline, has a 32-36 ACT or 1400-1600 SAT score (math and verbal scores only) and at least a 3.7 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Presidential Scholar and will receive the value of out-of-state tuition for four years." - Univ. of Alabama "Scholarships" webpage</p>

<p>BTW, I'd think you'd have no problem with admission at Michigan. If it's truly your dream school, apply there in early September, you'll be accepted by late October, and your need for a safety will be moot.</p>

9

<p>^^^ Woah. Can't complain about that deal.</p>

10

<p>Michigan requires 4 years of english and prefers 3-4 years of both science and math. Your course load would suggest a strong interest in language/linguistics; it might be beneficial if your EC's reflected the same. It's good if at least one of your EC's demonstrates long-term committment; you could probably make a case for forensics and/or other life experiences having sparked an interest in language and play that up in an essay.</p>

<p>By my count you look to have 40 college credits at this point. I'm not sure, but when next years credits are added to your total you might have to apply as a transfer to be able to use them. I don't know how that works nor how it affects your chances at Michigan or other schools if you apply as a transfer versus as a freshman.</p>

<p>Overall impressive stats. Northeastern in Boston comes to mind for you, although I hesitate to say "safety" simply because, having recently experienced the process, I know nothing acceptable seems to truly be safe. They do have a non-binding early admit option. Your situation certainly raises some issues! It's great you're on top of the situation.</p>

11

<p>It occurred to me that any college credits you have that are used to satisfy high school graduation requirements will probably not transfer, so what I said about possibly having to apply as a transfer student may or may not apply.</p>

12

<p>if it's a public and you're out of state it won't have good finaid</p>

13

<p>But given her stats (3.9 GPA and 2200 SAT), she could get merit scholarships.</p>

14

<p>only if they give them readily to out of state students. i don't know enough to claim to be an expert on this subject, but I know my state doesn't. Pretty sure CA doesn't.</p>

15

<p>Ok thanks for the ideas. Yeah, Michigan takes a lot more OOS applicants than most UCs do, idk if that's reflected in their FA.</p>

16

<p>If you are looking at financial safeties, Michigan certainly isn't one.</p>

<p>Just increase your SAT by around 100 points, then you are "set" for almost all merit scholarships at pubic universities. (Such as University of Pittsburgh Honors Full Tuition, etc)</p>

17

<p>Re your statement about math and science that "my stupid GC told me I didn't need them"--two points. First, the common sense/common knowledge factor: most colleges want a pretty well-balanced schedule at least through junior year, and their entrance requirements and preferences are posted quite prominently on most college web sites. Having gotten poor advice on this matter from someone in a professional capacity should spur you to do some first-hand research now on Web sites of schools that fit your general criteria. Perhaps more important, keep in mind that your "stupid GC' is going to have to write recommendations for you at least for some schools (I don't know if Michigan requires counselor recs) and may have other forms of impact on your applications as well. It will be in your own better interests to display a more positive attitude toward the GC no matter how contemptuous you really are about him or her. </p>

<p>I would also concur that your SATs probably don't yet fall into a merit money category at many flagship OOS public schools or any private schools at the level you seem to be looking for--other factors (specialized area of interest, ethnicity, outstanding talent in a needed area at a given school) might come into play, but right now it sounds as though you may need to do more research to get a better sense of what is feasible for you. The kinds of schools that might be safeties for you are, I suspect, also the schools more likely to give you ample aid, because they are the ones whose numbers you would raise.</p>

18

<p>^ Okay. Hm.. I might study some more and try to break the 2200 barrier.</p>

<p>You're right about judging my GC, but I didn't really have any idea about college admissions criteria until I visited CC--I presumed HS grad reqs matched up with most entrance reqs; my inner-city GC probably didn't have the time/resources to correct my presumption. Oh well, it's a good thing I found CC before it was too late.</p>