Low matches/safeties help?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>In a nutshell, I'm a typical tri-state Asian girl doing science research, some brief stats:
SAT 1520/2320 (720 M, 800 CR, 800 W)
SAT 2's Chem 800, Math 2 780, Chinese 800 (+3 others ~740)
hardest curriculum, 2nd ranked, etc
LOTS of science research stuff, including Intel ISEF finalist 2008
Chinese School community service
some other minor EC's e.g. Columbia SHP, Asian Club, piano, NHS, NMHS, etc. and misc awards</p>

<p>I'm looking at mostly Ivies...plus Duke.</p>

<p>Safety: SUNY Stony Brook.</p>

<p>Looking for some higher safeties, or low matches, current list: georgetown, tufts, BC, uroch, vassar, wesleyan, colgate, hamilton</p>

<p>What I'm looking for: GOOD financial aid, preferably Northeast
No other preferences, just no big party schools</p>

<p>Thanks!! :)</p>

2

<p>Good FA in the Northeast, but not safeties or low matches: Bowdoin, Wellesley, Amherst, Williams, and Olin. Of those, Bowdoin and Wellesley ought to be decent matches for you on stats, though certainly not low matches. Olin is free...if you can get in. If you want something a little safer, look at Bates and Colby. (Don't know about their FA, though.) Have you considered Holy Cross?Then there's Smith and Mount Holyoke...</p>

<p>Chinese: does that really count for Chinese students? Conventional wisdom nowadays is that it is a joke for native speakers. Luckily you have plenty of other great scores.</p>

3

<p>O_o damn with those stats you don't really need low safeties just apply for a few ivies and a few 2nd tier colleges you'll most definitely get into at least 1. Try NYU as safety lol thats my 1st choice super reach school xD</p>

4

<p>consolation: thanks! :)
yeah, the SAT is considered a joke for Chinese people haha. too bad for me I don't speak Mandarin (I speak another dialect) so it was actually hard for me lol >_< oh well</p>

<p>voodoo: haha thanks, I heard NYU doesn't have very good FA though, so it's less of an option for me :)</p>

5

<p>^ Ignore that post. No matter what kind of profile you have, you still need a safety. SUNY Stony Brook is a good start, but would you truly be happy to attend?</p>

<p>If you're willing to venture into the Midwest, there are some excellent colleges that actually RECRUIT Asians. Carleton, Oberlin, Macalester, Grinnell, and Beloit are some to look into. All of those meet full need and most offer generous merit aid (not sure about Carleton).</p>

6

<p>I probably would not be "truly happy" but I liked it enough when I visited :P</p>

<p>and...sigh, I don't <em>think</em> I want to do midwest, unfortunately. at least, car ride within 5 hrs is highly preferable</p>

<p>thanks :)</p>

7

<p>Might want to look at Holy Cross.</p>

8

<p>thanks! I'm looking more at Tufts & Vassar right now, what do you guys think?</p>

9

<p>I think Vassar is a solid match, maybe even a low match because they don't get many science-oriented applicants.</p>

10

<p>Take a look at Haverford. Extraordinary sciences. Among the handful of liberal arts colleges that have gone "no loan" for all students (in the group of 15 colleges with the most generous financial aid policy).</p>

<p>Checkout these videos: Haverford</a> College Office of Admission: Admission Videos
They talk about the College and the science program</p>

11

<p>thanks :)</p>

<p>although I'm now also thinking about Wesleyan b/c I'm not feeling so hot about the potential boy scene at Vassar, not to be stereotypical :P</p>

<p>will check out Haverford, thanks!</p>

12

<p>re post #5: Carleton is need-aware in admissions, and their FA is not among the very best. (Not saying that their FA is bad, mind you, but it's no Pomona.)</p>

13

<p>^ Wow, Carleton is need-aware? That's unusual for a LAC of their caliber.</p>

14

<p>yeah, thats surprising. thanks!</p>

15

<p>They will consider need in borderline decisions. However they do guarantee 100% coverage of need.</p>

16

<p>thanks! :)</p>