<p>Hey everyone. I am planning to apply to any one of these colleges but I am not sure which is perfect for me. Are these colleges, what you call "safe college" or not? I am planning to apply for English and geography or history programme and I am an average student with a GPA of 3.5-4 (well that is my estimate because we don't have GPAs where I live) I really want to go to one of these LACs so which of these have higher acceptance rate and is comparatively lenient.</p>
<p>P.S. Though I am average in academics, my co-curriculum data is quite good considering I play Polo, Shooting and went to different conferences and school exchange programmes to Singapore, Malaysia, Jordan, etc.</p>
<p>P.S.S. please don't tell me to visit the campus because I am an international student so coming to US just to take a "feel" is not feasible for me.</p>
<p>Safe colleges as in safeties? If that’s what you mean that certainly not! Carleton particularly is one of the top LAC’s in the country. There is a huge difference between a 3.5 and a 4.0. You would only be a 4.0 equivalent if you got the maximum or perfect score in each class you took throughout high school. That would not be described as an ‘average’ student. What is your SAT score?</p>
<p>You can look up the accept rate for each of these schools to get an idea of relative selectivity. These are all considered very good schools. To pick one, I suggest you read as much about them as possible and get an idea of their strengths. For easier admittance, strike Carleton.</p>
<p>@BrownParent I will give my SAT on 5th October but currently in mock exams I am scoring around 2000-2030.</p>
<p>As you have mentioned that Carleton is one of the top rated LACs then won’t it be hard to get into it.</p>
<p>And regarding the GPA, I score around 75-80% in my high school and last year I received a merit certificate for scoring the highest in English elective and breaking the 7 year record.</p>
<p>Yes Carleton will be harder, so that is why I suggest that you omit it since you asked for easier admissions.</p>
<p>Your percentile isn’t considered very strong in the US. So maybe how your school scores will be in the school report so the admissions officers will understand. Or if your school ranks and they give your rank that will be helpful to see where you stand in context.</p>
<p>They are all selective. Middlebury and Carleton are especially so.<br>
With scores in the 2000-2030 range, all these schools will be reaches for the RD round. Smith or Macalester could be in the match zone for an ED applicant with those scores, if your GPA is toward the high end of that range. Smith’s average entering GPA is 3.9 (which is fairly typical of schools in the USNWR top 40 or so LACs).</p>
<p>They are all in northern states that get long, cold winters. Minnesota gets cold enough that engine block heaters often are installed in cars so they don’t freeze overnight. Macalester is located in the city of St. Paul; Carleton is about an hour from Minneapolis-St. Paul in a small town. Middlebury is in a relatively isolated small town. Smith is in a very lively college town with 4 other colleges nearby. </p>
<p>Kenyon College is less selective than Middlebury or Carleton. It has an especially strong English department. Other colleges that are about as selective as Macalester (and with somewhat warmer/sunnier weather) include Bryn Mawr, Colorado College, and the University of Richmond.</p>
<p>I would leave Carleton on your list. Their ED has over 50% acceptance rate and they seem to love things that are different. Plus, your location means a lot. It is harder to get in if you are from MN, but when you are an international student, they get easier. Your GC should explain the grading criteria. They will understand it. I think you would have a decent chance.</p>
<p>Okay, I have lived in MN for 30 years and do not know one person who has an “engine block heater”. It is cold and snowy in the winters here, though. But that is an exaggeration – anyone who IS installing such a thing does not actually need it.</p>
<p>That said, none of these colleges are “safe” colleges for the OP. Macalester is probably the best bet of the four, Smith next. I doubt with that GPA and projected test scores that the OP has a chance at Middlebury or Carleton.</p>
<p>OP, what is your financial situation? Assuming you are not a US citizen, what is your ability to pay?</p>
<p>I lived in southern MN a number of years ago, before fuel injection was standard. At that time, engine block heaters seemed to be fairly commonplace for cars parked on the street overnight.
[Block</a> heater - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_heater]Block”>Block heater - Wikipedia) </p>
<p>Thank you guys for your opinions. Can you suggest me some good ‘safe’ LACs? And regarding the financial need, I don’t have to worry much about it. I will apply for scholorship but it is not of much importance if I don’t get one.
And regarding the climate, again it is not an issue because even though I live in desertic climate, i spend 2-3 months in my actual home town where is snowfalls half the year and the rest is spend in rainy days. So I have become quite adjustable to sunny, snow and rain and just love them (more than sunny places, though for a good college I don’t mind living in hot climate again)</p>