My College List Needs Help Please!

College Search & Selection
1

Hello! I am a rising high school senior in Georgia who is looking to go to college in the southeast area or nearby. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, 35 ACT, and a 1520 SAT. I have participated at the varsity level in cross country and track throughout high school, but I’ve only reached out to a few colleges about continuing running in college, and those colleges were D3. My top times for track are 5:16 for the 1600 and 11:26 for the 3200, so I don’t think running is going to help me much in the admissions area. I am trying to get as much merit as possible since my parents can only pay $25,000-30,000 a year for my college tuition. I am currently planning to study psychology and/or neurology, although that may change in the future. I also have taken 4 APs so far in my high school career and am planning to take 4 more senior year (my school doesn’t offer many APs since it is so small). I prefer colleges that are small and not directly in a major urban area. Here is my current list of schools to apply to:

  1. University of Georgia (although I would really rather not go here since I think it is too close to home)
  2. Emory University
  3. UNC (I got nominated for the Morehead Cain scholarship by my school so I am definitely applying here)
  4. Washington and Lee University
  5. Furman
  6. Wake Forest
  7. University of Miami
  8. Vanderbilt
  9. Sewanee
  10. Tulane
  11. Richmond
  12. Rollins

Are these colleges good fits for me, and are there any I should add or take from the list? The reason I’m applying to so many colleges is to try to get merit, although if I could eliminate a few colleges that would make my life much easier. Also, are there any other good safety schools I should add? I know I have a lot of reach schools (both academically and financially). Thanks!

2

Four of your schools (Vanderbilt, Tulane, Miami, Richmond) are in urban areas.

3

That’s true, but Miami and Richmond are both in the suburbs, which I don’t mind, and I’m not willing to write off Vanderbilt or Tulane on their location alone since both are in unique cities and have their own unique qualities. Thanks for the response!

4

How about the U of South Carolina? The honors college may give it a smaller feel.

5

You are a good candidate for merit at Wofford, Centre, and Rhodes, and Trinity University is a merit possibility if you are willing to consider San Antonio. Have you thought about women’s colleges, eg. Agnes Scott and Hollins? Elon might be worth a look.

If you apply to Tulane, be sure to show interest so they don’t assume you are using them as a safety.

6

Best shots for merit money, assuming you do not get the Morehead (VERY COMPETITIVE), are probably Furman, W&L and Sewanee. All of them are generous with merit. Your stats may get you considered for the Townes Scholarship at Furman which covers $35,000k a year plus some very nice stipends. Furman is renowned for its psychology department and is close to but not in an urban area. Sewanee is totally in the sticks. W & L less so. Wake is not traditionally easy on the merit money but great small school. UNC is large and spread out but fun college town.