Narrowing down my list and Categorizing

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I know I have too many colleges on my list by many people's standards. I need help narrowing down my list or advice on how to go about it. I really do like all my schools for various reasons.
In addition, I would like to know if you think I categorized my schools into Reach, Match, and Safety appropriately.</p>

<p>My Stats:</p>

<p>I'm a rising Senior</p>

<p>GPA
GPA 3.63
Weighted (standard formula, self-calculated) 4.21*
UC GPA 4.0</p>

<p>*My school uses an indexed GPA where I lie around a 3.8 something, but this is for district use only and not what colleges use for our weighted GPA according to our school and we are told to self-calculate to get an idea where we stand.</p>

<p>SAT's
Re-took the SAT on June 6, believe I did considerably better than my first time taking it (even though my first time wasn't bad) so I won't post my scores. But for an idea of where I am, I got a 201 on my junior PSAT. I took a prep course and am expecting around there and no less.</p>

<p>SAT II's
Chem: 700
US: 710
Math 2: 640 (I know, it's low but I believe all my schools just take the two highest)</p>

<p>MAJOR Extracurriculars
Yearbook: 4 years, numerous awards, assistant editor (1 year), editor-in-chief (2 years); ~35 hours/week
~300 hours of volunteer work
Majors Program</p>

<p>Internship with a guitar company</p>

<p>REACH
1. Reed
2. Stanford
3. Tufts U
4. UC Berkeley
5. UCLA
6. USC
7. Boston college
8. c of William and mary</p>

<p>MATCH
1. Pepperdine U
2. Syracuse
3. UCSB
4. UCSD
5. UC Davis</p>

<p>SAFETY
1. UC Santa Cruz</p>

<p>If I left anything out let me know. Thank you in advance! :)</p>

2

<p>what is your intended major?</p>

3

<p>Most likely something in the humanities or social sciences like English or comm or psychology.</p>

4

<p>UPDATE: I have taken all the honors and AP courses that I could fit into my 6 period schedule. I will have 9 AP courses when all is said and done with numerous honors classes. The only cp classes I have had are language or art classes required to graduate.</p>

<p>I just purged my list of wm.</p>

<p>Also, if the school is out of state financial aid is definitely a consideration as well as just the cost of applying to that school.</p>

<p>Is 13 too much?</p>

5

<p>Id say BC is low reach/match</p>

6

<p>You probably should have another safety; UC Santa Cruz may not be a safety for you with the continuing budget cuts. Does your school have Naviance? If so, you should see who got into UCSC last year. Are you in Northern or Southern California? Did you make the top 12.5% of your class for the evaluation for ELC? That would theoretically give you automatic admission to Riverside.
That said, you should probably get into UCSB. If I were you, I would look at this past year’s admission threads for the various UC’s to get a feel for how competitive they are getting each year.</p>

7

<p>I’m in the top 12.5% but I believe the ELC cutoff is the top 4%. I am in Southern California, but I looked into Riverside and honestly really don’t like it. I’d rather go to my local cc than there-- it just isn’t for me. </p>

<p>We do not have Naviance but according to UC Stat Finder I have about a 90% chance of acceptance at UCSB and UC Davis and a 97% chance at UCSC… Of course that isn’t specific to schools like me, just to people with similar gpa’s and/or test scores.</p>

<p>I was almost thinking that I could take UCSC off and not need another safety. Maybe I’m wrong?</p>

8

<p>I think you’ll still need a safety, but it looks like you’ve done your research on the UC’s. How do you fit into the average stats for Pepperdine and Syracuse? You probably have a decent shot at USC. My daughter has a friend who was accepted at BC and ended up going to Loyola-Marymount, so you might consider that also.</p>

9

<p>I looked at lmu but it is too much in the city. I’m like the averages for Pepperdine and Syracuse.</p>

10

<p>I’m looking to get rid of at least one more if possible… maybe more but I think even this one more is really stretching me.</p>

<p>On the chopping block:
Tufts
USC
Reason: Too many reaches? Least favorites but I still really really like them (and possibly have a chance?)</p>

<p>UCSC (the best safety I found for me but I don’t know if I need more or less of a safety, am I fine with just UCSB or Davis? Not my top choice)</p>

11

<p>UDATE: My SAT score was a 2130</p>