Match/Safety Schools

College Search & Selection
1

My current list is

Brown, Amherst College, Williams, Swarthmore, Tufts, Boston College, UMass Amherst, Northeastern.

**I know I need more matches and safeties, but I don’t know what types of schools to look into. I’m looking for a school in the new england area.

I’m interested in psychology/cognitivescience and music.

ACT Superscore: 33 (35 E, 33 M, 34 R, 30 S, 10/12 essay)
ACT Composite: 32 (33 E, 33 M, 34 R, 29 S)
SAT Subject Tests: taking Math II again with Literature in November
GPA: 4.65 weighted — Rank: # 5/243
AP Scores : US History (3), Literature (3), Physics 1 (3), taking AP Calc AB, AP Psych, and possibly retaking AP Lit exam in spring 2019

Junior Year: AP Physics 1 (A), AP US History (A), AP Literature 1 (A-), AP Spanish 4 (A+), Honors Precalculus/Trig. (A), and Honors Orchestra (A+)
Senior Year: AP Computer Science (A), AP Psychology (A+), AP Literature 2 (A-), AP Calculus AB (A), Honors Civics (A+), Honors Orchestra (A+)

Extracurriculars:

  1. Varsity Swimming & Diving 9-12 (Captain)
  2. Global Citizenship Certificate Program 9-12 (Co-President & Executive Board Member)
  3. Regional Young Democrats Chapter 10-12 (Event Coordinator)
  4. Local Community Chamber Orchestra 8-12 (Principal Cellist)
  5. Local Community Youth Orchestra 8-10 (Principal Cellist)
  6. Tri-M Music Honor Society 10-12 (Member & Volunteer)
  7. Celtic Strings Ensemble 9-12 (Principal & Music Arranger)
  8. Regional/District Junior and Senior Symphony Orchestra 7-12 (Principal for a few years)
  9. All-State Symphonic Orchestra 11-12
  10. Possibly All-Eastern Honor Orchestra (for the east-coast)

Other Things:

  • National Honor Society 11-12 (typical member & stuff)
  • I’m in a cello duet with my friend. We play around town, at concerts, we book gigs and stuff, and we won a few gold medals at state competitions.
  • AP Scholar (everyone pretty much gets that lol)
  • Junior Class College Book Award (for being in the top 15 of my class)
  • Participated in…summer global citizenship program thing, local hospital summer volunteer/“intern”, clinical psych summer class, a couple bioengineering summer programs, a gastrointestinal & endoscopic surgery week “program” thing, and a few summer chamber music festivals.
  • School award for having highest grade in biology and Spanish…
  • Letters of recommendation, common app essay, and supplements are all expected to be pretty decent…
  • I’m a first generation college student
2

Look into URochester as a match

3

Clark has a very strong psychology department

4

A somewhat less selective NESCAC than those you have listed would make sense. Bates, for example, could be good.

5

I like the list. Good luck. William and Mary as a match. Pitt Villanova Richmond are worth a look and match/safety range

6

Congratulations on your achievements!
You might also want to consider:

Reasonable reach (easier admission than the first five colleges on your list, but still a very small percentage):
Middlebury,
Vassar,
Bates,
Hamilton

Match with good odds of admission:
Skidmore,
Connecticut College,
Brandeis,
U of Rochester

Safety:
Clark,
Muhlenberg,
Wheaton (MA)

7

UConn has a very good psychology department and is right in the middle of New England. Also consider Rutgers.

8

Is every college on your list affordable (check the net price calculator on each college’s web site)?

Remember that, for a college to be a safety, it must be assured to be affordable as well as assured to admit you.