Make me a college list

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay I'll explain after I state my stats so to speak</p>

<p>Gender: Female</p>

<p>Race: Black</p>

<p>Sports: Cross country, Tennis, and Swim Team</p>

<p>ECs: Vice President of National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta Vice President, Key Club, French Honors Society, Science Honors Society, President of Beta Club, Internship with the DNC 2012, 50 hours math tutoring, around 350 volunteer hours.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9 Unweighted, 5.3 Weighted</p>

<p>Rank: 1</p>

<p>APs</p>

<p>Freshmen:
Human Geography 5</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Calculus 5
Physics 5
Psych 5</p>

<p>Junior:
Stat 5
Computer Sciences 5
Bio 5
World History 5
English 5</p>

<p>Senior:
Earth Environmental 5
US History 5
English 5
French 5</p>

<p>Financially: I live with just my mother (who is a single parent) who provides solely for me. She makes too much to get a dime out of financial aid and has spent most of her savings paying for my brother and sisters art school (brother went to a private college, he barely got in and couldnt get any scholarships, and my sister is going to art school, but even after 60k in scholarships theres still 15k to pay a year). </p>

<p>School:
-I dont know for sure what I want to do when I grow up... but I'm feeling its going to be something towards engineering or programming. </p>

<p>-I want schools that are not only recognized as good schools, but have been recognized for these programs.</p>

<p>-I'd like the school to be in the North East (North Carolina and Up) and I really like the look and feel of Dartmouth (probably because its up north in a semi small town)</p>

<p>Okay, so I figured I'd just explain what I am asking here. I look at sites like this, and colleges and lists and rating all the time. I try to plan for rigorous courses, get good grades and focus on my school. I want to get into a great school, I want to have a good paying job, I want to have a good time at college and in the rest of my life. I feel like the colleges I'm aiming for are seemingly impossible to get in, even though I'm working the hardest at my school. I also dont know if I'll be able to afford the colleges I'm looking at or if I'll get scholarships. When looking at these stats and this information, can you think of a feasible college list for me? With a safety a reach and... I dont quite know all the lingo yet--but I'm sure you get my drift. The only way I can go to a school thats more than 20k a year is if I get scholarships, so please dont put any really expensive schools down if you dont think I have a chance at either alot of little scholarships or a few big ones. Also, I live in North Carolina, so if you suggest UNC its only like 8k for tuition a year.</p>

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<p>Fantastic AP Scores… What’s your SAT/ACT?</p>

3

<p>(Since you list senior year AP scores, have you graduated and are taking a gap year?)</p>

<p>NCSU is about $21,000 per year at list price in-state, has engineering and CS, and you can try for the full ride Park Scholarship. UNC-CH has CS but not engineering; you can try for the full ride Robertson and Morehead-Cain scholarships.</p>

<p>The only other NC public with a large selection of engineering and CS majors is NC A&T, which is about $18,000 per year. It does have competitive National Alumni Association and Dowdy Scholarships which are full or almost-full rides. Several other NC publics do have CS but not engineering.</p>

<p>Depending on your ACT/SAT scores, there may be some low net cost schools due to large scholarships for your stats that you can consider for safeties:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you make National Merit, there are more large scholarships (e.g. Texas A&M):
<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;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If your price limit is $20,000 per year, and you won’t get any need-based financial aid at even super-generous schools like Stanford and Harvard, then you need to look mainly at schools with low list price costs of attendance and/or large merit scholarships that will bring the cost down to your affordable level.</p>

<p>Note that UNC-CH, NCSU, and Duke are well respected schools which form the corners of the Research Triangle. Be aware that the best respected schools for engineering and CS are not necessarily the same ones that have the most general prestige. In the northeast, for example, MIT, CMU, Cornell, and Princeton are the super-selective schools with better engineering and CS reputations than Dartmouth; a number of less selective schools are likely also higher priority on engineering and CS recruiters’ travel lists over Dartmouth.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for your your response, a lot of this is really hypothetical and much of it hasn’t happend yet, but things like getting in to the clubs, and getting a lot of those grades are what I think my best is. </p>

<p>Thanks for these suggestions, I didn’t know half this stuff. And thought engineering was offered at most universities that weren’t specifically based for anything (art school). </p>

<p>I got an 1820 on my SATs this year (as a freshman) without too much prep and only with math up to geometry. In the last two years I’ve jumped 500 points, and I think I can probably get 2100+ by junior/senior year.</p>

<p>I’ve be thinking about having my dad get legal custody of me , but still live with my mom so I can apply for financial aid. Honestly my mom makes around 110, and my dad makes like 40k… But like I said my mom has spent a lot of her savings on my siblings education and on my sisters health bills… Not sure if having my dad get ‘custody’ of me will work with financial aid… Scince we we’re in different states… And it’ll look obvious…</p>

<p>I could probably get away with 25k since the average salaries of the jobs I’m interested are on average pretty well paying jobs.</p>

<p>I think the only reason I like Dartmouth is because I have this idea that it’s full of liberal, quirkie people, more than that of Yale . I feel like I’m a tech student whose a liberal arts kind of kid. </p>

<p>thanks again for such an in depth answer. :slight_smile:
Duke and UNC CH are both really good schools and ones I should definitely consider more than I have</p>

5

<p>At many schools, custody does not matter in that both parents’ income and wealth are considered in determining what the financial aid office expects them to contribute. However, some of the reach-for-everyone schools may give financial aid to students with parental income of $150,000 (check the net price calculators). Whether it will be sufficient you need to figure out yourself.</p>

<p>Remember that you are unlikely to be able to borrow more than the Stafford loan limit without a parent co-signer, and it would not be a good idea to borrow more than that.</p>

<p>On the SAT and ACT, some students do a lot better on one versus the other. You may want to take both in spring of junior year.</p>

<p>Make sure that your application list includes a safety that you will certainly get into, will certainly be able to afford, and is a school that you like (including having your intended or possible majors).</p>

6

<p>You might want to check out Howard University (you’d get great merit aid, I suggest you go on YouTube and look up HUReaction) and you also might be interested in NYU? </p>

<p>Sent from my PC36100 using CC</p>

7

<p>Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western
U of Pittsburgh
in bigger cities, not like Dartmouth but they may be up your ally.</p>

8

<p>Teaspoons, you would be a person of interest to just about any college in the country. There are no guarantees of course so have a balanced list of reach/match/safety.</p>

<p>Your primary concern – as you’re aware – is going to be finances so you will need financial safeties as well. </p>

<p>Your first step is to understand the difference between NEED and MERIT based aid. Many schools in the Northeast (like Dartmouth) only offer need based aid – and this is based on what THEY think you need.</p>

<p>Your second step should be to ask your mother to use an on-line calculator to get an idea of how much need based aid you would be eligible for. Include your father’s income in the figures to be conservative. Need based aid varies somewhat from school to school but Dartmouth’s calculator will give you a starting point and let you know if you can rely on need based aid or if you absolutely must get merit aid.</p>

<p>If need based aid works for you, you can put together a fairly open list. If need based aid really is out of the question then you have to forget about schools that only offer need and start researching colleges that offer merit. </p>

<p>If Dartmouth’s calculation of expected family contribution works for you then I’d look at Princeton, Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Hamilton in a similar ambience, but these do not have engineering.</p>

<p>For merit aid you should look at Grinnell, Rhodes and Smith. Smith is especially noteworthy because it has an engineering school and is generous to women in the sciences.</p>

<p>If you’re willing or able to participate in varsity sports then contact the coaches now. Official and unofficial athletic scholarships can change the financial picture considerably.</p>

9

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<p>It is best not to rely on one school’s estimate; some schools are unusually generous, so they may not be representative of the rest. Run the net price calculator on each school under consideration.</p>

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<p>Princeton does have engineering and CS (and relatively strong programs). Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Hamilton, and Rhodes may be rather limited in CS offerings as well as not having engineering.</p>

10

<p>I am glad you are trying to compile your list as a freshman. Hopefully you will get the grades you list or come pretty close.</p>

<p>A couple of things:

  1. Focus on ACT and/or SAT. Try to get your ideal grade by junior year.
  2. Dont forget PSAT. Be prepared for that test in junior year.
  3. Apply for summer programs. LEAD is one of the best programs for minority students. There are also several free programs such as MIT or CMU. Recently I learned of a premed program at U of Miamia for minority students of single household. They actually give you a $2500 stipend!
  4. Strive to be president of at least one club that you have a passion.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

11

<p>@ucbalumnus, I didnt know they could look at both salaries, does it matter if my mother doesnt receive any alimony or child support(almost ever)? I know my father, and visit him sometimes, but he doesnt contribute to any part of my life.About the loan, I’ll look up what that is, but I know my sister was only allowed 6500 in student loans because of my mothers income… :(</p>

<p>@thedreadedone, okay let me rephrase my race, my father is Hungarian (but he was born in America) and my mother is Bajan (she was born in Barbados, its like Jamaica). I am mixed white and black. I grew up right around the corner of Yale in Hew Haven CT (well, I lived in a little place called Woodmont), and have always lived in areas 90%+ white. I put black because I feel like I would get more recognition for it (schools need certain amounts of diversity from each race) then if I were to say ‘other’. I really dont think I’d feel comfortable going to a black historical school… but good suggestion otherwise!</p>

<p>@zobroward, Carnegie Mellon is a school I’ve been looking at, and I’m glad you think I have a chance of getting in! (: I have not heard of the other two too much, but I will definitely consider them.</p>

<p>@momrath, this is really helpful information–and I think Princeton does have a really strong Engineering program. Also, I’m not really a sporty kid (though I’d like to be) due to health issues in the past year, but I am planning on doing tennis this year and maybe tack/xc and swimming since they both dont have any cuts really.</p>

<p>@lacrossemom, great information, I thought all the summer programs were going to be expensive (the one at Carnegie Mellon i know is around 7,000), I am also in the Duke TIP program, (I didnt prepare at all, but its still better than the average senior nationally) i got a 1330 but i dont know how to check my individual scores (from way back when) to see if I qualify for any classes (though I think I do because they send me emails about them all the time).</p>

12

<p>//bump</p>

<p>10 char</p>

13

<p>“I think the only reason I like Dartmouth is because I have this idea that it’s full of liberal, quirkie people, more than that of Yale . I feel like I’m a tech student whose a liberal arts kind of kid.”</p>

<p>Dartmouth is one of the more conservative Ivies</p>