<p>I am currently a junior and have been trying to narrow down my list of college to a semi-reasonable number. I have gotten to the point where they all seem about the same and visiting is not an option until after I have been accepted because of how far they all are from me. Any suggestions for narrowing done a college selection list? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Post your stats and intended major and people here will be able to give you loads of helpful advice. Also, it doesn’t hurt to contact a professor in your intended field of study and get a feel the program.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I agree…post your stats and intended major (or career).</p>
<p>Also, is money an issue? If so, it may be easy to eliminate some school with that consideration.</p>
<p>What schools are on your list?</p>
<p>You sure aren’t giving much to go on. Schools usually have different cultures to some extent, you can get a feel of that from the guides like Fisk. Also, size of school can be a big difference, as can location. Especially take a look a look at the undergrad distribution requirements to find the best fit. Some have open curric, some have 2 years of solid reqs and you should think about which will be best for you.</p>
<p>Several strategies:</p>
<p>1) Order a few of the Collegiate Choice Walking Tour videos for schools covering a range of types that interest you
2) Visit local schools, again covering a range of types that might appeal to you (big, small, urban, rural)
3) Do a lot more reading (in this forum and from college guides)</p>
<p>Make it your priority to identify features, not schools, at this point in your search. Don’t rule out schools that might be too selective or expensive for you. Visit and decide if you like them. If you do, then reflect on the specific attributes that appeal to you. Then look for the same qualities across a range of safety, match, and reach schools.</p>
<p>Some kids really don’t care much about size, weather, etc. If that is true in your case then just establish a ceiling and a floor in the rankings, based on your stats, and focus within that band. Sometimes you can boost your chances at the upper end by identifying schools where you’d stand out as an applicant (for example because you live far away, or you have some interest not overly associated with the school.) As you go through this process you may discover you do care more than you initially thought you did about one or a few attributes.</p>
<p>Sorry about that, here are my stats</p>
<p>I plan to major in chemistry or biochemistry and most likely what to go into graduate school after that.
I go to Helena High School in Helena, MT
4.0 GPA, Ranked 1 out of 375
I have taking AP chem and bio and will take AP government, literature, and spanish next year, along with two semesters of calculus at Carroll College.
I am the President Elect of the Science Club.
2 golds and 1 bronze at this year’s state science Olympiad.
Also a member of the biology club and SMART team (Student Modeling A Research Topic, through the Milwaukee School of Engineering)
I am doing an internship this summer at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton MT.
Varsity Captian of the Wrestling Team
Three years on the wrestling team
Two years on the cross-country team
I work 12-20 hour a week from February through May
I live with a single parent and five sibilings, one of which will be in college next year. My mom makes roughly $40,000 a year, so I am hoping that I can get some hefty financial aid.
All EFC calculators I have tried come up with between $0 and $500.
I want a school with a wealth of undergraduate research opportunities, and study abroad.
I would prefer division III athletics, cross-country, so I have the chance of continuing to compete in college.
In term of location, it doesnt matter too much.
In term of atmosphere, I am looking for a school where everybody knows everybody and where the students are academically motivated and focused.
I have looked at the Montana state schools, and am not really considering in-state unless money becomes a big issue.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>SAT (incl breakdown)?</p>
<p>Is your father in your life? How much does he make? Have you run any calculators using his info? Schools that award institutional aid sometimes (mostly?) ask for noncustiodial parent’s info as well on the CSS Profile so you may not get need-based aid if his income & assets are high.</p>
<p>I live with a single parent and five sibilings, one of which will be in college next year. My mom makes roughly $40,000 a year, so I am hoping that I can get some hefty financial aid.</p>
<p>Your federal methodology may be low, but privates may ask for income info about your father. Is he alive?</p>
<p>If he is, does your mom receive child support? Did you include that in your income calculations?</p>
<p>How did you do on the PSAT?</p>
<p>When will you take the SAT and ACT? Once you have those scores, it will be easier to make recommendations.</p>
<p>My father is alive, he makes around 20,000 a year, and he does pay child support.
ACT 32, Math and Science 34, Writing 30, Reading 28, Essay 10
PSAT, Math 75, Reading 57, Writing 66
Taking the SAT in May and plan to do much betteer that I did on the PSAT</p>
<p>You would be a wonderful fit for MIT. Those are very impressive Stats (although your ACT score is lower than one would expect given your class rank). Take the SATs – you will likely do much better. If you can get a standardized test score that mirrors your class rank and write strong essays, you could go to any of the top 20’s.</p>
<p>The reason the ACT are lower than expected is because I took it during the middle of my sophmore year.</p>
<p>How about CalTech?</p>
<p>Ok…</p>
<p>With an ACT 32 and a 4.0 GPA, there are schools that will give you BIG assured merit scholarships. You need to apply to a few of these as financial safeties. </p>
<p>Since your parents are low income, you will likely qualify for Pell and other federal aid. You should also qualify for SAT/ACT/and application waivers.</p>
<p>Here is a link to some assured scholarships for high stats…These can be your financial safeties…
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>Take the ACT again.</p>
<p>I just wanted to say that if you stick around long enough and listen to all the advice, you’re going to have some wonderful and ** affordable ** advice next year. </p>
<p>How much can you/your parents contribute to your education? Find out your EFC and if that is doable.</p>
<p>Rhodes would be a great match for you. You’d get good merit and need-based aid, the athletics are DIII including a strong CC program, there are both chem and biochem/molecular biology majors available, there are incredible research opportunities for chem/biochem folks at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital just down the road, we top various lists of colleges for study abroad opportunities, and the acceptance rates to grad and med school are great. It’s a small school with the close-knit community you indicated you want, and academics are important to the students. Memphis is a great place to live for four years, and I assume you’re looking for something new since you’re not looking in state and location doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Rhodes would be a good choice…however, he may still end up with a gap. He will likely get a scholarship, but it’s hard to know how much (their scholarships are competitive and for varying amounts). </p>
<p>Rhodes does a better job meeting need when the student is a Tenn resident because of HOPE and other Tenn money gets added in. Rhodes does put gaps in packages and expects parents to take Plus loans to fill them.</p>
<p>It would be a good match school, but not a financial safety school.</p>
<p>Definitely retake the ACT - abandon the SAT, you won’t pull your score up enough for it to eclipse your current ACT. All you need is a couple of extra points on the ACT to round out your application. Montana is geographically desireable! You will have a little edge from that, plus a little from being low income, from being a val, etc. </p>
<p>You seem like a hard-working, low-maintenance kind of guy. Are you generally happy wherever you are? What do you want in a school?</p>
<p>For a beautiful setting and great academics, including the great bio and the best engineering and comp sci in the Ivy league, look at Cornell. The only rap is that it is very difficult to get to and from. You won’t be going home for breaks.</p>
<p>I know you want a small school, but apply to U Alabama. Great scholarship program, and engineers get a $2500 stipend in addition to full tuition for your stats.</p>
<p>Also, Penn State - Schreyer Honors is an absolutely wonderful program and goes primarily by GPA for admission. You’d be set!!!</p>
<p>Otherwise, obscure schools that want a MT resident with high stats would give you ridiculous amounts of money (as in: the coveted FULL RIDE!!!). Ohio Northern out my way immediately comes to mind, as it has a good engineering program, D3 CC (which students from my small, rural HS team are running on now), 4,000 students, a good overall rep., and LITTLE GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY!!! You’d have a full scholarship for sure.</p>
<p>Anyways, there are other schools, as well, that offer such an environment and programs like Ohio Northern. Other posters can enlighten you about those options. </p>
<p>Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>Just FYI, try not to post such explicit info as your school. TMI on the internet. You have a great portfolio for college though with those scores it would be tough for MIT (and even with a 2300 it would be tough for MIT based on it’s acceptance rate). If you want individual attention then small schools would be best to look at. My DDs used the school internet sites and write-ups in books/mags to narrow down the list to actually visit.</p>
<p>Mom2CK has given you a great tip on looking for automatic scholarships. You should consider at least one or two of those as a safety.</p>
<p>Coming from rural MT will help. Don’t limit yourself on reaches. BUT, you definitely need good-fit AND financial safeties. You will probably have to apply to a large university like UAlabama as a financial safety if you are set on going OOS. For academic safety/financial match, consider LACs like Earlham, Beloit, Knox, Denison–all do a historically good job of meeting need despite no guarantee. Apply to schools like URochester (small university) and Macalester too; both are on the low end of the selectivity scale for full-need schools.</p>