<p>I'm a junior from Michigan with a 32 ACT (I'm retaking it one more time) and a 3.7 UW GPA. I've taken two honors (all my school offers) and three APs so far and I'm in four (Bio, Calc AB, Psych, and Lit) next year. I'm editor in chief of my schools award winning newspaper which I co-founded last year. I'm in a few other clubs, class secretary, varsity golf, etc. </p>
<p>I think I want to be a journalist but I'm not entirely sure if I want to major in communications or journalism or do something entirely different and possibly go to graduate school for journalism. I'm not dead set on a journalism career but it's something I love to do. I'm going to a five week journalism intensive this summer at Northwestern and I expect that I'll have a better idea if that's really what I want to do after.</p>
<p>Schools on my list right now are:</p>
<p>UMich- Ann Arbor (in state w/a great school paper, I love it)
Michigan State (in state safety w/a great j-school so I'd consider it)
Barnard
Wellesley
Fordham
Northeastern
Boston U
Northwestern (great j-school but expensive and a reach)
NYU (so expensive but great for journalism)
Loyola Chicago
Mizzou
University of Alabama (I'd qualify for a full ride because of my ACT)
University of Minnesota
George Washington University</p>
<p>I know not all of these schools offer journalism/communications majors but I'm also planning on joining the school newspaper. Ideally I'd like to be near Chicago, DC, New York, or Boston. My parents can pay up to 30k a year, so I'd have to get merit aid/loans to go to a private. Thoughts on any of these schools? Any suggestions for schools I might like?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Alabama’s ACT/GPA based scholarship is full tuition, not full ride. Non-tuition costs are about $14,000 per year after applying the full tuition scholarship.</p>
<p>I would remove the following schools:</p>
<p>Wellesley
Boston U
Loyola Chicago
Mizzou
University of Alabama (I’d qualify for a full ride because of my ACT)
University of Minnesota
George Washington University</p>
<p>Actually, I’d keep Mizzou on because of their good journalism program and the fact that, although not as cheap as instate, they’re still cheaper than the east coast ones you name. I agree that getting rid of Loyola and GW are good ideas, and probably Minn as well, plus at least two of the other privates. Just my two cents.</p>
<p>First, determine your safeties – the schools you will certainly get into, certainly be able to afford, and will like to attend.</p>
<p>Then eliminate any schools less desirable under any circumstances than your safeties.</p>
<p>Then add or remove any other schools as you desire.</p>
<p>You may want to keep the less expensive schools (e.g. Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, if you like them) in order to make having additional affordable choices more likely.</p>
<p>For NYU, note that it has poor need-based financial aid. You need to aim for the large merit scholarships, not just admission.</p>
<p>Not that I’m an expert, but journalism doesn’t sound like a highly specialized field, therefore I would think that most competitive schools would provide a solid background. Instead, I would consider focusing my search on schools that provide internships, with particular attention to opportunities for undergrads.</p>
<p>Would keep Mizzou for its excellent journalism and nix NYU for its stingy FA if you can only afford half the COA.</p>
<p>Have you gone over this list with someone at your high school ?</p>
<p>In terms of a financial safety, I would keep Minnesota. OOS tuition is under 20k so with room and board is close to OP’s parental contribution.</p>
<p>Would strongly recommend keeping Missouri on the list, the journalism department there is excellent. </p>
<p>agree with others on Loyola, GWU, and Alamaba (being taken off the list) NYU has a good program but FA is stingy so probably take that off the list as well.</p>
<p>If you decide you like NW the best after your summer camp, apply there ED. If finances ultimately do not work out, that provides a legitimate basis to rescind the offer. You have good credentials, but an ED bump would help at a school like NW that takes 15% RD, but closer to 30% ED.</p>
<p>It’s not too long - I applied to 23 schools 
If you like the idea of big schools, I would def keep UMich in check. I’m also from MI but I didn’t choose UMich because of its size. UMich has great pre-professional programs, I’ve heard. I would also keep Northwestern in check - good pre-prof - if you qualify for need-based aid, you could get really good deals.</p>
<p>Checked out Notre Dame? Also good in pre-prof…</p>
<p>DO you know that you qualify for need based aid? Run some calculators to make sure. that could impact your list greatly.</p>