Narrowing down a list of safeties?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've been trying to come up with a good, solid list of schools, and I'm distinctly lacking in safeties. I did some research, and now I have a list of schools (in no particular order):</p>

<p>University of Vermont
Susquehanna university
Lehigh University
Gettysburg College
Franklin & Marshall College
Dickinson College
University of Rochester
Manhattanville College
Hobart and William Smith
Drew University
Hampshire College
Goucher College
Trinity College (CT)
Quinnipiac University</p>

<p>All of them use the common application, all of them are in the size range/location I'm looking for. My question now is, which are actual safeties?</p>

<p>Here are some stats, sorry if they're a bit long!</p>

<p>I'm a Senior ('08).</p>

<p>Location: CA, USA
School type: v. competitive public in the Bay Area.</p>

<p>SAT I: CR: 800, M: 760, W: 800 - 2360
SAT II: Math IIC: 720 (retaking?), Bio (M) 750, US History 790
Courses: Hardest courseload; self studied 1 AP Soph year & am going to self-study 1 more this year.</p>

<p>Rank/GPA: School doesn't rank, but at least top 10%; UW ~3.89. 4.0 (UW) junior year, so a bit of a rising trend.
Courses for senior year:
-> Wind Ensemble
-> AP Economics
-> AP Physics C
-> AP AB Calculus
-> AP German (or TA; I'm technically "done" with German)
-> AP English Lit
-> Robotics Team
-> Jazz Ensemble</p>

<p>APs:
Soph - US Government, 4 (self-study); German, 5 (non-native speaker; it was my sophomore year, and 2nd year of German)
Junior - Biology, 5, US History, 5
Senior - Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, Physics C: Mechanics, AB Calculus, English Language, Comparative Government (self-study)</p>

<p>Essays: Should be good; writing is one of my strengths and the English department is great with reading over essays, etc.</p>

<p>Recs:
Teachers - at least one will be fabulous, and I think I've got another couple great ones I could use
Counselor - very good
Supplemental - good; i'll be getting them from my work & maybe from music teachers/conductors/etc?</p>

<p>ECs:
*Political:
- JSA (Secretary 11, first year of chapter. should be some kind of officer 12 as well)
- MUN (10-12)
- Senior Editor of the Partisan Review (school political journal) (12), Associate Editor (11)</p>

<p>*Musical:
- Big Band Jazz Ensemble (Lead trumpet, 11, should be 12)...we went to the Monterey Jazz festival this year, and are applying again for next year as well as for Essentially Ellington
- Ensemble Club (VP 9-11, should be 12 as well)
- Saxophone quartet (manager/tenor sax; since 8th grade), CMEA Solo& Ensemble CP/Superior (9)
- El Camino Youth Symphony's Wind orchestra: tenor sax 10-12
- El Camino Youth Symphony's Senior Symphony: trumpet 12
- Trumpet (7 years); CMEA festival band (11), auditioning for State & County (12)
- Saxophone (4 years); All-NorCal Honor band (11), auditioning for State (12)</p>

<p>*German:
- German Club (President 11 & hopefully 12)
- AATG National German Exam (Level III 10, 96th %ile, Level IV, 99th %ile 11)
- AATG win-a-trip-to-germany thing got to interview round (10), gave up chance to win (a girl from my school won; in all honesty my German > hers) as a Junior in order to work over the summer
- Eva Cohen award for German (10)
- German Honour Society (10-12)</p>

<p>*Athletic:
- Track & Field (JV 9-10, V 11-12)</p>

<p>*Work/Community Service:
- Work at the local Junior Museum & Zoo teaching science classes/summer camps to kids, including one currently to build a giant trebuchet (14' throwing arm. it's AWESOME). For summer: Counselor (summer before 11), Assistant Director (summer before 12): this position is usually reserved for college students. I'm going to get a rec from my boss here, which should be great.
- Assistant teaching science classes at the JM&Z (11), teaching my own classes (12)
- Community service: >100 hours (probably approaching 200) from working at CMEA band festivals & CITing for my camps (8-10).
- unique experienceish: I work at my local Junior Museum, and I'm teaching a class to build a large trebuchet (14' throwing arm) with about 7 kids.</p>

<p>*Misc:
- NCTE Nominee (11 and hopefully winner!
- 3rd place local story contest (9).
- Dep't awards in Science (10), Social Studies (10), & Foreign Language (German 9).
- Robotics team (12), which generally goes to FIRST Nationals.</p>

<p>I'd like to major in International Relations/Political Science/Int'l Studies & Cell Biology/Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, so schools whose departments are strong for this is a plus. Also, I want to study abroad in the Netherlands - not every school offers this, and not every school is willing to accept outside study abroad plans. It's really important to me to be able to do this, so insight into study abroad would be fantastic.</p>

<p>I'm looking for 2-3 solid (as in, there's a GREAT chance of my getting in) safety schools to round out my list. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>I have not heard of most of the schools you mentioned, meaning you will most likely get into them (unless they happen to be liberal arts schools, then I would have no say in this).
You'll be fine; just pick safety schools you are "okay" with and can see yourself there, in the worst-case scenario you get rejected at better schools (highly unlikely)
Good Luck!
and if you have a moment, comment mine at <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=386538%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=386538&lt;/a>
:)</p>

3

<p>I'm surprised that you're not aiming higher. Are you applying to any top LACs? You've got too many safeties and too few (i.e. zero) reaches.</p>

4

<p><em>Cough</em> Aim HIGHER!</p>

5

<p>They are probably all safeties. Lehigh has a good reputation.</p>

6

<p>Guys - he said this is his list of safeties. He probably has other lists for his matches and reaches.</p>

7

<p>Ricegal's got it right! This is my attempted list of safeties; I'm trying to cut it down to around 2-3 schools that I'll actually apply to. Are there any on here that really aren't "safe" or can I just go and pick out the ones I like best without having to worry about getting in?</p>

<p>...and i'm female, though it wasn't apparent from that post :-D</p>

8

<p>Okay, I think I've got it narrowed down. How's this for a real/inc'l everything list:</p>

<p>REACH:
Yale (EA)
Princeton
Dartmouth OR Williams
Middlebury OR Colby</p>

<p>MATCH:
Wellesley
Scripps (I think? I'm going to visit this Thursday, so we'll see!)
Bucknell
University of Rochester</p>

<p>SAFETY:
Gettysburg
Drew
Hampshire
Trinity</p>

<p>Is that a reasonable list with my stats?</p>

9

<p>I think that seems like a reasonable list. However, I think Colby would be a match, not a reach (not true of Middlebury), and I think you can cut down the number of safties (you don't need more than 2), unless you really like them all and would consider going to them over some of your matches.</p>

10

<p>I have a hard time seeing the common bond between all of these schools... though I would say, if you're comfortable with Dartmouth/Midd/Bucknell, I think Trinity and Gettysburg would make the best safeties for you.</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
REACH:
Yale (EA)
Princeton
Dartmouth OR Williams
Middlebury OR Colby</p>

<p>MATCH:
Wellesley
Scripps (I think? I'm going to visit this Thursday, so we'll see!)
Bucknell
University of Rochester</p>

<p>SAFETY:
Gettysburg
Drew
Hampshire
Trinity</p>

<p>Is that a reasonable list with my stats?

[/quote]
As long as you're happy with the list of schools, the only problem I see is that you have way too many schools. I'd cut down to 1 or 2 safeties and 2-3 reaches.</p>

12

<p>Colgate and Holy Cross are similar to Bucknell.</p>

13

<p>Okay. Updated list:</p>

<p>Yale
Princeton
Dartmouth
Williams
Middlebury
Colby
Scripps
Gettysburg
Drew</p>

<p>Opinions?</p>

14

<p>Reasonable list.</p>

15

<p>bump so i don't have to start a new thread...heh.</p>

<p>thanks, all who've replied :)</p>

16

<p>yeah, good list.</p>

17

<p>I can't believe you woudl come up with a revised lsit based off opinions her. Visit the schools and figure out which ones seem right for you. How can you add/delete schools based on the opinions of strangers?</p>