Bates
Kenyon
Ithaca
Denison
Richmond
SMU
Trinity University
Baylor
Elon
SAT - 1220 Superscored.
GPA: 3.66 (will grow after first semester)
Very good EC’s (Editor Newspaper, Professional Writing Job, VP of DECA)
Great recommendations (I presume, my AP teacher liked me a lot) writes good ones.
Good essays (is my strong suit).
Def low SAT but LAC"s look past that.
Apply test optional to Denison (and Bates)?
No, top LACs don’t “look past” SAT scores - they look at everything, if you have strong course rigor, essays, recommendations, EC’s, etc.
Is the 3.66 weighted or unweighted?
Have you run the NPC on all of these and brought the results to your parents? Can they afford net costs off income and savings?
Your list is very reach-heavy (Baylor, SMU, Richmond, Kenyon, Bates) and you only have one safety (Ithaca). Denison test optional is a good match as well as Elon and Trinity. I’d add one more safety and one more match.
What majors are you interested in?
english/creative writing. maybe philosophy
Eckerd and Knox are good for writing and would be safeties. Run the NPC.
Denison is excellent in writing and you can apply test optional which will help.Trinity will be another good match for writing.
Not that you need another reach, but Hamilton would be up there with Kenyon. Your test scores may keep you out, look into it just in case.
For philosophy, perhaps Reed?
Your list is very reach heavy as several of the schools listed have average SAT’s around 1350-1400. Please work with your guidance counselor to come up with a realistic list of matches, reaches and safeties. I don’t think recommendations such as Bates Hamilton, Kenyon, Reed, or Richmond are useful unless you are a hooked applicant with a very unique story.
Hi, I’m a Senior at a highly ranked and competitive high school in New York
ACT: 32 (35 E, 31 M, 32 R, 30 S, 10 W)
SAT II: 760 US History (should I take Math and Spanish for Georgetown?)
GPA: 3.63/4 (unweighted) (over 3.8 sophomore and junior, I just didn’t do well freshman year)
Extracurriculars:
-2 years of Soccer
-1 year of Tennis
-3 years of tutoring disadvantaged elementary schoolers for an after school club (Now I’m the president, many other members) (chosen by vote)
-2 years of peer leader (weekly meetings throughout the year, seminars with freshman, freshman orientation, other events) (chosen by faculty)
-Private tutoring and babysitting
-Camp counselor
-UCLA summer program
-Family responsibilities (babysitting my younger siblings weekly)
Chance me for:
-UMD College Park (priority)
-Boston University (regular)
-Binghamton (EA)
-Michigan (EA)
-Wisconsin (EA)
-Northeastern (EA)
-UCLA, UCSD, UCB
-USC
-Georgetown (a reach, I know)
-University of Washington (Seattle)
Other: Good letters of rec, lost my brother (only sibling) when I was eight (common app essay - I’ve gotten great feedback on it), should I take more SAT IIs (Just for Georgetown)?
Hey man, you still have some time to get the SAT sore up! Plus, Bates is test optional, so your transcript and ECs will carry you. On another note, are you a fellow Texan? I seee you have some Tx schools on there.
i live in pennsylvania.
Susquehanna?
no interest
would be a huge safety
Err, 1220 superscored and 3.6 makes Susquehanna a normal safety, not a huge safety, and means you may get merit aid. You don’t have to like that college since there are so many others, but according to the CDS, their average GPA is 3.5 and their middle SAT range is 1050-1210, with 25% SAT scores higher than yours.
Have you looked at Knox, Eckerd, Denison and Reed?
applied to denison. reed far too liberal and no grades there. dont agree with.
Reed may not be to your taste but your statement that students don’t receive grades is wrong. Students are graded in every class they take, and those grades appear on their transcript just not on each paper and exam.
okay.
anyway thanks for all suggestions. i think ive applied to enough schools as it is. my safeties are hopefully ithaca, pitt, elon, and baylor. I know for a fact i will get into elon based on connections.
JulienED, have you run the NPC on all of these? I agree odds are good you’ll get into Ithaca and Pitt, and if you’re sure about Elon, but are costs affordable at all of these?
Agree with MYOS about cost. And if you are looking for merit, then you need to add schools where your stats are in the top 25%. OTOH, if you are fullpay or near that, schools like Denison and Elon are good choices.
Elon is considerably less expensive than Northeast schools, but does not discount much at all. It is a great choice for families who do not qualify for fin aid but are more comfortable paying 40K than 65K a year.
well qualify for financial aid. the median salary in my home is under 20k
Financial aid is not automatic. Egen if your efc is zero, OOS public universities DO not meet need at all - you get the OOS surcharge and no specific state aid.
There are 3,700 Universities in the US and only about 80 “meet need” for lower income students. Others don’t care if you can pay.
Please run the NPC. None of these three schools “meet need” - look at net cost. What is it?